Integrated virtual hub chip
AssigneeMCM Portfolio LLC
InventorsSree M. Iyer, Larry L. Jones, Arockiyaswamy Venkidu
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus that includes a serial port configured to interface with a separate host, one serial interface engine (SIE) connected to the serial port, and at least a first interface unit and a second interface unit connected to the one serial interface engine. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a virtual hub comprising a firmware unit configured to emulate a hub having multiple ports. In another alternative embodiment, the apparatus is a Universal Serial Bus (USB) peripheral and the serial port is a Universal Serial Bus port. In another alternative embodiment, apparatus is housed within a keyboard.
Claims20
An electronic apparatus comprising:
- a serial port configured to interface with a separate host;
- one serial interface engine (SIE) connected to the serial port;
- at least a first interface unit and a second interface unit connected to the SIE;
- and
- a virtual hub connected to the SIE, the virtual hub comprising a firmware unit configured to emulate a hub having multiple ports.
A method comprising:
- connecting a serial interface engine (SIE) to a serial port configured to interface with a separate host;
- connecting at least a first interface unit and a second interface unit to the SIE;
- and
- connecting a virtual hub to the SIE, the virtual hub comprising a firmware unit configured to emulate a hub having multiple ports.
An apparatus comprising:
- means for connecting a serial interface engine (SIE) to a serial port configured to interface with a separate host;
- means for connecting at least a first interface unit and a second interface unit to the SIE;
- and
- means for connecting a virtual hub to the SIE, the virtual hub comprising a firmware unit configured to emulate a hub having multiple ports.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.