Systems and techniques for intelligently switching between multiple sources of universal serial bus signals

An electronic user device comprising:

• a housing that includes
• a wireless accessory bus for receiving an accessory,
• a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port for receiving a USB connector, and
• a separate electrical contact accessible through the housing;
• a power supply disposed within the housing;
• a wireless transceiver that effects a bi-directional exchange of information with the accessory when the accessory is positioned proximate to the wireless accessory bus of the housing,
• wherein the bi-directional exchange of information is performed in accordance with a Wireless USB communication protocol;
• a signal switch that is coupled to the wireless transceiver and the USB port of the housing,
• wherein the signal switch is able to simultaneously or sequentially receive USB signals at both the wireless transceiver and the USB port;
• and
• a processor for processing the USB signals and executing a system operation based on content of the USB signals;
• and
• a memory having instructions for executing an intelligent switching routine,
• wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
• query whether the USB connector is physically coupled to the USB port by monitoring whether a power signal is presently being received at another electrical contact within the USB port, and
• query whether the accessory is wirelessly coupled to the wireless transceiver by monitoring whether a physical connection is presently being maintained between the separate electrical contact and a corresponding electrical contact located on the accessory.

An electronic user device comprising:

• a housing that includes
• a wireless accessory bus for receiving an accessory,
• a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port for receiving a USB connector, and
• a first electrical contact accessible through the housing;
• a wireless transceiver that effects an exchange of information with the accessory in accordance with a Wireless USB protocol when the accessory is positioned proximate to the wireless accessory bus of the housing;
• a signal switch that is coupled to the wireless transceiver and the USB port;
• a processor that is coupled to the signal switch;
• and
• a memory having instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the electronic user device to:
• query whether the USB connector is physically coupled to the USB port by monitoring whether a power signal is presently being received at a second electrical contact within the USB port;
• query whether the accessory is wirelessly coupled to the wireless transceiver by monitoring whether a physical connection is presently being maintained between the first electrical contact and a third electrical contact located on the accessory;
• identify a first source of USB signals based on said querying;
• and
• execute a switching routine that causes the signal switch to intelligently switch between the first source of USB signals and a second source of USB signals.

A method for intelligently switching between multiple sources of USB signals, the method comprising:

• providing a user device that includes
• a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port for receiving a USB connector, and
• a wireless transceiver that effects an exchange of information with an accessory in accordance with a Wireless USB protocol when the accessory is positioned proximate to a wireless accessory bus of the user device;
• querying whether the USB connector is physically coupled to the USB port monitoring whether a power signal is presently being received at a first electrical contact within the USB port;
• querying whether the accessory is wirelessly coupled to the wireless transceiver by monitoring whether a physical connection is presently being maintained between a second electrical contact accessible through a housing of the user device and a third electrical contact located on the accessory;
• processing a first USB signal received at a first source,
• wherein the first source is the wireless transceiver or the USB port;
• examining whether a second USB signal has been received at a second source,
• wherein the second source is whichever of the wireless transceiver and the USB port is not the first source;
• upon determining the second USB signal has been received at the second source,
• executing a switching routine that enables the user device to intelligently switch between the first and second sources to sequentially receive the first and second USB signals.