Apparatus and method for controlling device connection
AssigneeFujitsu Limited
InventorsNobuhiro Taki, Hideo Makabe, Masato Tomita
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A connection device for connecting electronic devices via a network allows activates its status signal in response to a data transfer operation or in response to receiving a remote status signal. By limiting the activation of the status signal, the connection device reduces the power consumption of the electronic devices. The connection device also performs plug-and-play initialization to prevent device conflicts and allow for hot plug-in of electronic devices.
Claims28
A connection control apparatus for controlling a connection between a local node and a remote node by sending and receiving a status signal therebetween, comprising:
- a status generation circuit generating a local status signal;
- a status detection circuit for receiving a remote status signal generated at the remote node and for detecting a state of the received remote status signal;
- a status control circuit, connected to the status generation circuit and the status detection circuit, for selectively controlling the status generation circuit, wherein the status control circuit disables the status generation circuit when the detected state of the remote status signal denotes deactivation and enables the status generation circuit when the local node starts sending data, the local node starts receiving data, or the detected state of the remote status signal denotes activation.
A method for controlling a connection between a local node and a remote node by sending and receiving a status signal therebetween, the local node and the remote node each being connected to a connection control apparatus, each connection apparatus including a status generation circuit for generating a local status signal and a status detection circuit for detecting a remote status signal generated by the status generation circuit of the connection controller of the remote node, the method comprising the steps of:
- disabling the status generation circuit when deactivation of the remote status signal is detected by the status detection circuit;
- and
- enabling the status generation circuit when the local node starts sending data, the local node starts receiving data, or when activation of the remote status signal is detected.
A connection device for connecting an electronic device to a remote device via a network, comprising:
- a net interface circuit connected to a network for transmitting a local status signal over the network and for receiving a remote status signal transmitted over the network;
- a local status generation circuit connected to the net interface circuit, the local status generation circuit generating the local status signal in response to a control signal;
- a remote status detection circuit connected to the net interface circuit, the remote status detection circuit detecting a remote status signal received by the net interface circuit, wherein in response to detecting the remote status signal, the remote status detection circuit activates a detection signal;
- a host interface circuit connected to the electronic device for passing data to the electronic device and for receiving data from the electronic device;
- a data transfer circuit connected between the host interface circuit and the net interface circuit for passing data therebetween and for generating a data transfer control signal indicating that data is to be transferred between the remote device and the electronic device;
- and
- a status control circuit connected to the local status generation circuit for providing the control signal thereto, connected to the remote status detection circuit for receiving the remote status signal, and connected to the data transfer circuit for receiving a data transfer control signal therefrom, wherein the status control circuit activates the control signal in response to the data transfer control signal or the detection signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.