USB to Coax Bridge

A method, the method comprising:

• a first network bridge receiving a ping with an exploratory packet from a local universal serial bus (USB) device, wherein the first network bridge is operably coupled to a first bus and a coaxial network, and wherein the local USB device is operably coupled to the first bus, and wherein the first bus is compatible with a USB protocol;
• the first network bridge broadcasting the exploratory packet across the coaxial network to probe for network USB devices;
• the first network bridge receiving a reply from a remote USB device that is appropriate for a given transmission, wherein the remote USB device is operably coupled to a second bus, and wherein the second bus is compatible with the USB protocol;
• the first network bridge receiving data frames from the local USB device via the first bus, wherein the received data frames are intended for transmittal to the remote USB device over the coaxial network;
• the first network bridge combining the received data frames into an aggregated frame, making a reservation request to send the aggregated frame across the coaxial network, receiving a bandwidth allocation from a network controller, and addressing the aggregated frame to allow the aggregated frame to be routed to the remote USB device over the coaxial network;
• and
• the first network bridge sending the aggregated frame to the remote USB device over the coaxial network.

A system comprising:

• a first network bridge operably coupled to a first bus and a coaxial network, wherein the first bus is compatible with a universal serial bus (USB) protocol, and wherein the first network bridge is operable to:
• receive an exploratory packet from a first USB device operably coupled to the first bus,
• forward a reply to the exploratory packet from a second USB device to the first USB device, wherein the second USB device is operably coupled to a second bus compatible with the USB protocol,
• receive a first plurality of data frames over the first bus from the first USB device,
• combine the first plurality of data frames into a first aggregated frame,
• make a reservation request to send the first aggregated frame across the coaxial network,
• receive a bandwidth allocation from a network controller,
• address the first aggregated frame to allow the first aggregated frame to be routed to the second USB device over the coaxial network, and
• send the first aggregated frame to the second USB device over the coaxial network.

A system, the system comprising:

• a first network bridge operably coupled to a first bus and a coaxial network, wherein the first bus is compatible with a universal serial bus (USB) protocol, and wherein the first network bridge is operable to:
• receive a ping with an exploratory packet from a local USB device operably coupled to the first bus,
• broadcast the exploratory packet across the coaxial network to probe for network USB devices,
• receive a reply from a remote USB device that is appropriate for a given transmission, wherein the remote USB device is operably coupled to a second bus compatible with the USB protocol,
• receive data frames from the local USB device via the first bus, wherein the received data frames are intended for transmittal to the remote USB device over the coaxial network,
• combine the received data frames into a first aggregated frame,
• make a reservation request to send the first aggregated frame across the coaxial network,
• receive a bandwidth allocation from a network controller,
• address the first aggregated frame to allow the first aggregated frame to be routed to the remote USB device over the coaxial network;
• and
• send the first aggregated frame to the remote USB device over the coaxial network.