Data communication interface and communication devices incorporating same

Abstract

A communication interface facilitates connection of a plurality of wireless USB compatible hosts with at least a WUSB device in a wireless USB environment at the same time. The communication interface includes a host detector that detects the presence of an active host or a plurality of active hosts, a host communicator for establishing wireless USB connection with a plurality of hosts, and a controller for causing time division multiplexed (TDM) data communication between active hosts and at least one device.

1 . A communication interface for connecting a plurality of wireless USB compatible hosts for data communication with at least one device endpoint in a wireless USB environment, said communication interface comprising:
 host detection means for detecting the presence of an active host or a plurality of active hosts,   host communication means for establishing wireless USB connection with a plurality of hosts, and   a controller for causing detection of a second active host and for causing subsequent data communication with said second active host while said communication interface is already in connection and in data communication with a first active host.   
   
   
       2 . A communication interface according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 data communication between said active hosts and said at least one device endpoint is by time division multiplexing (TDM).   
   
   
       3 . A communication interface according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 said controller is adapted to cause said host detection means to detect for a second active host for data communication with said host communication means when said communication interface is already in data connection with a first active host.   
   
   
       4 . A communication interface according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 each one of said active hosts is a WUSB host responsible for reserving time slots in a physical communication channel and for initiating data transfers to a device endpoint.   
   
   
       5 . A communication interface according to  claim 4 , wherein:
 said controller is further adapted so that said hosts and said at least one device endpoint communicate on a common wireless physical channel using time division multiplexed access.   
   
   
       6 . A communication interface according to  claim 5 , wherein:
 said common wireless physical channel is arranged into super-frames, each super-frame is arranged into 256 media access slots, and each said media access slot has a duration of 256 μs.   
   
   
       7 . A communication interface according to  claim 4 , wherein:
 said controller is adapted so that said hosts communicate with said interface on different physical channels using time division multiplexed access.   
   
   
       8 . A communication interface according to  claim 4 , wherein:
 each one of said active WUSB hosts sends out host identifying information repeatedly, and   said host communication means of said interface comprises means for detecting said host identifying information, and wherein, data communication link with an active host can be established upon detection of said host identification information of said active WUSB host.   
   
   
       9 . A communication interface according to  claim 8 , wherein said controller is configured so that, upon establishing of a data communication link between said plurality of active hosts and said at least one device endpoint, data from said plurality of hosts are sequentially communicated wherein data from a host are communicated following the host identification information of that host and before the host identification information of the same or the next host. 
   
   
       10 . A communication interface according to  claim 9 , wherein a plurality of data packets of an active host are communicated before the host identification information of the same host or the next host is communicated on said wireless physical channel. 
   
   
       11 . A communication interface according to  claim 8 , wherein:
 said active hosts and said at least one device endpoint communicate on a common wireless physical channel, and   said means for detecting said host identifying information comprises further comprising means to scan said wireless physical channel for detecting presence of an active host.   
   
   
       12 . A communication interface according to  claim 8 , wherein:
 said host identifying information contains packets of control and/or command information.   
   
   
       13 . A communication interface according to  claim 8 , further comprising a plurality of transceivers for communicating with a plurality of hosts on a plurality of physical channels. 
   
   
       14 . Communication interface circuitry for connecting a plurality of wireless USB compatible hosts and at least one WUSB device endpoint, said communication interface circuitry comprising:
 host communication means for establishing wireless USB connection with a plurality of active WUSB hosts,   a controller for causing time division multiplexed (TDM) data communication between said WUSB hosts and said at least one WUSB device endpoint.   
   
   
       15 . Communication interface circuitry according to  claim 14 , wherein:
 said host communication means further comprises means for detecting presence of a plurality of active WUSB hosts, and   said controller comprises means for causing data communication between said plurality of active WUSB hosts and said at least one WUSB device endpoint.   
   
   
       16 . Communication interface circuitry according to  claim 14 , wherein:
 said controller further comprises means for detecting for a second WUSB host when said host communication means has already established connection with a first WUSB host.   
   
   
       17 . A method of connecting a plurality of wireless USB compatible hosts with at least one device endpoint in a wireless USB environment, said method comprising:
 establishing a wireless USB connection with a first active host for data communication, and   detecting a second active host for data communication with said second active host while said communication interface is still in data connection and in data communication with a first active host.   
   
   
       18 . A method according to  claim 17 , wherein:
 data communication between said WUSB hosts and said at least one device endpoint is by time division multiplexing (TDM) of data.   
   
   
       19 . A communication system comprising a plurality of hosts, at least one device endpoint and a communication interface, wherein:
 each one of said hosts communicates with said device endpoint by data communication through said communication interface, and   each one of said hosts is for assigning an address to said functional device and for initialising data transfer to said device endpoint through said communication interface; and wherein   said communication interface comprises:
 i. host detection means for detecting the presence of an active host or a plurality of active hosts, 
 ii. host communication means for establishing connection with a plurality of hosts, and 
 iii. a controller for causing detection of a second host and for causing data communication between said second host and said device endpoint when said host communication means is already in data communication with a first host. 
   
   
   
       20 . A communication system according to  claim 19 , wherein:
 said controller comprises for causing time division multiplexed (TDM) data communication between said hosts and said at least one device endpoint.