Method and apparatus for peer to peer communication over a master slave interface
OwnerEric J. Overtoominventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method to establish peer to peer communication in a system utilizing a master-slave protocol which allows a first slave device (504) to act as the master and communicate with a second slave device (506) such as an accessory to the first slave device. The first slave device sends a message comprising a data set and a functional address (608), which represents a function in the second slave device to a host device, which now acts as a router, which then forwards the message on to the second slave device. This allows the slave devices to communicate with one another without direct control by the host or master device.
Claims20
A method for peer to peer communication over an inherently master/slave network which includes a host device and at least one slave device, the method comprising the steps of:
- transmitting a first message from said host device to a slave device, said slave device having a first physical address, said first message requesting a data set from said slave device;
- transmitting a second message from said slave device to said host device, wherein said second message contains a functional address that is the true destination for said data set and wherein said second message comprises said data set;
- determining, within said host device, a second physical address associated with said functional address of said second message;
- and
- transmitting a third message in response to said second message from said host device to said second physical address, said third message having said second physical address and said data set of said second message.
A method for allowing a wireless communication device to act as a master device under the USB master/slave protocol and control transactions between said wireless communication device and an accessory connected to said wireless communication device, the method comprising the steps of:
- sending a USB message from a USB host device to the wireless communication device having a first physical address;
- sending a second USB message in response to said first USB message from said wireless communication device to said USB host, said second USB message containing a first functional address in said data portion of said second USB message corresponding to an endpoint within said accessory;
- determining a second physical address associated with said first functional address within a router of said USB host device, wherein said second physical address corresponds to said accessory;
- sending a third USB message from said USB host device to said second physical address;
- sending said third USB message to said first functional address of said second physical address.
A method for peer to peer communication over the Universal Serial Bus (USB) which has connected thereto a host device, a communication device, and a communication accessory device, the method comprising the steps of:
- receiving a first message from said host device at said communication device, said communication device having a first physical address, said first message requesting a data set from said communication device;
- transmitting a second message from said communication device to said host device, wherein said second message comprises a functional address that is the true destination for said data set and wherein said second message further comprises said data set;
- determining, within said host device, a second physical address associated with said functional address of said second message,
- wherein said second physical address represents said communication accessory device;
- and
- transmitting a third message in response to said second message from said host device to said communication accessory device, said third message having said second physical address and said data set of said second message.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.