Electrical computers and digital data processing systems: input/ – Intrasystem connection
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-18
2001-03-20
Ray, Gopal C. (Department: 2181)
Electrical computers and digital data processing systems: input/
Intrasystem connection
C710S120000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06205502
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a USB controller used for connecting a peripheral device according to the USB standard to a computer. More particularly, the invention relates to a USB controller which eliminates time and effort to make a peripheral device usable.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, a novel standard called a USB (Universal Serial Bus) adapted to a personal computer has made its appearance. In compliance with the novel standard, connectors of the same shape of various peripheral devices such as a keyboard, a mouse, and a game pad are formed. The peripheral devices are used by connecting the connectors to USB ports of a personal computer. Peripheral devices adapted to the USB standard have also come to be distributed in the market.
The USB port has therein four pins of a pin for a D+ data line, a pin for a D− dataline, a pin for power supply, and a pin for the ground. Either the D+ or D− pin is used and is pulled up (switched on), thereby recognizing connection of a device (peripheral device). By making either the D+ or D− pin pulled down (switched off), it is recognized that the device is not connected.
Although usually about two of the same USB ports are provided for a single personal computer, when three or more peripheral devices adapted to the USB are connected, the number of ports are short for the connectors.
In order to cope with the case, a device called a USB hub (not shown) in which a plurality of USB ports having the same shape as that of the USB port formed on the personal computer side are formed has developed. By inserting the device into the USB port on the personal computer side, a plurality of peripheral devices can be connected to the single USB port on the personal computer side.
In case of connecting peripheral devices to the USB ports formed in the main unit of a personal computer, however, whenever a peripheral device is added or eliminated, the peripheral device cannot be used unless the user performs an operation for pulling out the USB connector of the peripheral device connected to the USB port of the personal computer and then re-inserting the USB connector, thereby allowing the newly connected peripheral device to be re-recognized.
When the USB port is formed on the rear side of the personal computer, the user has to go to the rear side of the personal computer and pull out and insert the USB connector, so it is very troublesome.
That is, when the peripheral device is added or disconnected, by pulling down the D+ pin (or D− pin) in the USB port which has been pulled up and again pulling it up, information of each peripheral device connected at the time point when the D+ pin is pulled up again is transmitted to the personal computer side through a data line, so that the connecting state of the peripheral devices can be re-recognized.
On the other hand, in case of not performing the pull-out and insertion of the USB connector, a method of re-recognizing devices by resetting the system on the personal computer side can be employed. In this case, however, there is a problem that it takes time to make the personal computer operable again and the operation is troublesome. When the system is reset, inconveniences such that presently used application software has to be finished are caused.
The USB hub simply increases the number of devices which can be connected. Even if the USB hub is used, in a manner similar to the case where the USB hub is not used, there is a drawback that the USB connector has to be pulled out and inserted or the system has to be reset when the peripheral device is added or eliminated.
Especially, when the peripheral device is wireless, since there is no cable, it has an advantage of easy handling. In this case as well, however, the connector has to be pulled out and inserted for re-recognition of the peripheral devices, so that further improvement in the operability utilizing the advantage of being wireless of the device cannot be expected.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to solve the problems and to provide a USB controller which can automatically re-recognize a peripheral device without resetting of a system or pulling-out and insertion of a connector.
A USB controller of the invention is connected to a computer via a USB port and can transmit and receive data to/from the computer and various devices. Each time a new device is added or an existing device is eliminated, the connecting state of the devices can be automatically re-recognized.
Addition or elimination of various devices can be recognized by the controller itself, and an operation which corresponds to an operation of pulling out and inserting a connector or the like is automatically performed without pulling out and inserting a connector or resetting the system. After that, information of the addition or elimination of the device is transmitted to the computer side, thereby enabling the new device to be used or an unnecessary device to be eliminated.
In this case, by providing a switch in the controller and switching the switch to make the device re-recognized, the newly connected device can be made usable immediately.
The switch can be provided at an arbitrary position in a data line connecting the computer and the controller. In this case, the data line is interrupted by turning off the switch and is connected by turning on the switch, so that an operation replaced by the pull-out and insertion of a connector or resetting of the computer is performed to the computer side and the connecting state of the devices is updated.
It is also possible that an earthing part is provided at some midpoint in a data line connecting the computer and the controller and a switch can be provided for the earthing part. In this case, by turning on the switch, a current flowing in the data line flows to the earthing part, a state similar to the pull-out and insertion of a connector or resetting of the computer is obtained, and the connecting state is updated to that after addition or elimination of a device.
As mentioned above, when a new device is recognized by the controller, information of both of a device already connected and a newly connected device is transmitted to the computer side, the connecting state is updated, and the new device can be made usable immediately. In case of eliminating an existing device as well, for example, after elapse of a predetermined time, the controller recognizes the elimination of the device and the device is updated.
The USB controller of the invention is connected to a port according to the USB standard provided for the main unit of a computer, transmits and receives data to/from a plurality of various devices wirelessly, controls data from each of the devices and transmits the data to the computer main unit. The USB controller comprises: a receiving unit for receiving signals from the devices; a transmitting unit for transmitting a confirmation signal; and a control unit for controlling the receiving unit and the transmitting unit, and connection or interruption to/from the computer main unit is automatically switched in accordance with the presence or absence of the added device or an eliminated device on the basis of the confirmation signal.
In this case, the control unit determines identification data of the added device and transmits the identification data to the computer main unit. The computer main unit can select the device by the identification data.
By the above means, when a new wireless device is arranged in a predetermined position and is added, the device receives a confirmation signal from the transmitting unit, a response to the reception is sent from the device to the receiving unit of the USB controller, and the control unit confirms that the new device is connected. Subsequently, initialization is carried out by interrupting the connection between the USB controller and the computer main unit and connecting them again, data regarding the connected various devices can be collected
Endo Yoshihisa
Higuchi Shin'ichi
Ogino Kouichi
Ooshita Kazuhito
Sonoda Yuko
Alps Electric Co. ,Ltd.
Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione
Ray Gopal C.
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