Universal Serial Bus Hub Attachably Stackable In Multiple Orientations, And Method

Abstract

Universal serial bus (USB) hubs that are attachably stackable in at least two orientations with another identical hub so that a user may select the orientation of multiple USB ports. Embodiments include a housing having a first side region containing downstream USB ports and an upstream USB port or cable, and hubs may be stackable in a manner in which hubs align and interlock in first and second orientations with different side regions of the upper hub above a particular side region of the lower hub. Some embodiments have a translucent cover, an LED status indicator, feet or tabs, and slots.

1 . A method of managing at least one of USB ports and USB cables, the method comprising the step of:
 obtaining or providing a plurality of at least substantially similar hubs, each hub having multiple universal serial bus (USB) ports on at least one side wherein the hubs are attachably stackable in at least two orientations;   wherein each hub has a first region and a second region and wherein any two hubs are attachably stackable in a first orientation wherein the first region of a first hub is above the first region of a second hub and the second region of the first hub is above the second region of the second hub and wherein the two hubs are attachably stackable in a second orientation wherein the first region of the first hub is above the second region of the second hub and the second region of the first hub is above the first region of the second hub.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of obtaining or providing a plurality of at least substantially similar hubs comprises providing hubs having all of the USB ports on one side of the hub. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of obtaining or providing a plurality of at least substantially similar hubs comprises providing hubs having all of the USB ports within the first region. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the substantially similar hubs include a first hub and a second hub, and wherein the at least two orientations include a first orientation and a second orientation, and wherein the first hub is on top of the second hub in the first orientation, and the first hub is on top of the second hub in the second orientation. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein, in the first orientation, all of the USB ports of the first hub and all of the USB ports of the second hub are on the same side, and wherein, in the second orientation, all of the USB ports of the first hub are on an opposite side from all of the USB ports of the second hub. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein each hub has at least two slots and each hub has at least two tabs and wherein any two hubs are attachably stackable by inserting the tabs of a first hub into the slots of a second hub. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the substantially similar hubs are identical. 
   
   
       8 . A first hub for connecting peripheral devices to a multipurpose computer, the first hub comprising:
 a housing having at least a first side region and a second side region;   at least one of an upstream universal serial bus port and a universal serial bus cable electrically connected to the hub and configured to connect to the computer;   multiple downstream universal serial bus ports located in the first side region of the housing;   wherein the first hub is stackable with an identical second hub in a mariner in which the first hub aligns with and interlocks with the second hub in a first orientation, wherein, in the first orientation, the first side region of the first hub is above the first side region of the second hub and the second side region of the first hub is above the second side region of the second hub; and   wherein the first hub is stackable with an identical second hub in a manner in which the first hub aligns with and interlocks with the second hub in a second orientation, wherein, in the second orientation, the first side region of the first hub is above the second side region of the second hub.   
   
   
       9 . The first hub of  claim 8  wherein, in the second orientation, the second side region of the first hub is above the first side region of the second hub. 
   
   
       10 . The first hub of  claim 8  wherein, in each hub, the second side region is opposite to the first side region. 
   
   
       11 . The first hub of  claim 8  wherein, in each hub, all of the downstream universal serial bus ports are located within the first side region. 
   
   
       12 . The first hub of  claim 11  wherein, in each hub, the first side region consists essentially of one side of the hub. 
   
   
       13 . The first hub of  claim 8  further comprising a top portion comprising a translucent cover over at least one light-emitting diode serving as a status indicator. 
   
   
       14 . The first hub of  claim 8  further comprising a bottom portion comprising feet, wherein the feet are configured to support the hub above a work surface when the hub is placed on the work surface. 
   
   
       15 . The first hub of  claim 14  further comprising a top portion comprising multiple slots configured to receive the feet when the first and second hubs are stacked in the first orientation, and wherein the slots are configured to receive the feet when the first and second hubs are stacked in the second orientation. 
   
   
       16 . The first hub of  claim 15  wherein the multiple slots are symmetric with each other and substantially similar to each other. 
   
   
       17 . The first hub of  claim 14  wherein the feet are symmetric, are substantially similar, and are located at opposite ends of the bottom portion. 
   
   
       18 . A method of managing at least one of USB ports and USB cables, the method comprising the steps of:
 obtaining or providing a plurality of at least substantially similar hubs, each hub having multiple universal serial bus (USB) ports on at least one side wherein the hubs are attachably stackable in at least two orientations; and   stacking the hubs in the at least two orientations.   
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein each hub has a first region and a second region and wherein any two hubs are attachably stackable in a first orientation wherein the first region of a first hub is above the first region of a second hub and the second region of the first hub is above the second region of the second hub and wherein the two hubs are attachably stackable in a second orientation wherein the first region of the first hub is above the second region of the second hub and the second region of the first hub is above the first region of the second hub. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 18  wherein each hub has at least two slots and each hub has at least two tabs and wherein any two hubs are attachably stackable by inserting the tabs of a first hub into the slots of a second hub.