USB hub apparatus supporting multiple high speed devices and a single super speed device

A method, comprising:

• determining whether a host device supports a first speed or a higher speed, wherein the higher speed is higher than the first speed, wherein said determining is performed after connecting a hub apparatus to the host device;
• performing enumerating of a device coupled to an internal hub of the hub apparatus, wherein said performing enumeration is performed at the first speed;
• performing enumeration of an embedded device comprised in the hub apparatus based on said determining, wherein said enumerating comprises enumerating the embedded device as a first speed device via the internal hub of the hub apparatus if the host device does not support the higher speed, wherein said enumerating comprises enumerating the embedded device as a higher speed device if the host device does support the higher speed, wherein the embedded device is not a hub;
• the embedded device communicating with the host device at the higher speed or the first speed based on said enumerating.

A system, comprising:

• an enclosure;
• at least one upstream port for coupling to a host device, wherein the at least one upstream is comprised in the enclosure;
• at least one downstream port for coupling to at least one first-speed downstream device, wherein the at least one downstream port is comprised in the enclosure;
• an embedded card reader coupled to the upstream port and comprised in the enclosure, wherein the embedded card reader device is configured to communicate with the host device using a first speed or a higher speed that is higher than the first speed;
• an internal hub coupled to the at least one upstream port, the embedded card reader, and the at least one downstream port, wherein the internal hub is configured to provide a connection between the host device and the at least one downstream port at the first speed, wherein the internal hub is comprised in the enclosure;
• wherein, when supported by the host device, the card reader is configured to communicate with the host device at the higher speed via the at least one upstream port without using the internal hub;
• wherein, when the host device does not support the higher speed, the internal hub is configured to provide a connection between the host device and the embedded card reader at the first speed.

A system, comprising:

• an enclosure;
• at least one upstream port for coupling to a host device, wherein the at least one upstream is comprised in the enclosure;
• at least one downstream port for coupling to at least one first-speed downstream device, wherein the at least one downstream port is comprised in the enclosure;
• an embedded network device coupled to the upstream port and comprised in the enclosure, wherein the embedded network device is configured to communicate with the host device using a first speed or a higher speed that is higher than the first speed, wherein the embedded network device is configured to provide a network connection;
• an internal hub coupled to the at least one upstream port, the embedded network device, and the at least one downstream port, wherein the internal hub is configured to provide a connection between the host device and the at least one downstream port at the first speed, wherein the internal hub is comprised in the enclosure;
• wherein, when supported by the host device, the embedded network device is configured to communicate with the host device at the higher speed via the at least one upstream port without using the internal hub;
• wherein, when the host device does not support the higher speed, the internal hub is configured to provide a connection between the host device and the embedded network device at the first speed.