Abstract:
The apparatus discloses a first connector; a wireless interface, coupled to pass wireless signals through the first connector; and a second connector, coupled to pass hardwire signals through the first connector; wherein the apparatus is powered through, either the first connecter or the second connector.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field Of The Invention 
       [0001]    The present invention relates generally to apparatus and systems for connecting devices, and more particularly toward a connector with wireless connectivity. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0002]    Some examples of the invention are described in the following figures; 
           [0003]      FIG. 1  is an example of a system using a first connector with wireless connectivity; 
           [0004]      FIG. 2  is an example of a system using a second connector with wireless connectivity; 
           [0005]      FIG. 3  is an example of a system using a third connector with wireless connectivity; 
           [0006]      FIG. 4  is a first example view of the second connector having wireless connectivity; and 
           [0007]      FIG. 5  is a second example view of the second connector having wireless connectivity. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0008]    Hardware devices, including computers, notebooks, netbooks, laptops, microcontroller-based devices, etc., have space for and provide only a very limited number of connector ports, typically intended for various peripheral devices, such as a keypad, mouse, security devices, portable hard-drive, flash-drive, power supply, monitor, printer, etc. These connector ports come in many forms including: USB, PS/1, PS/2, FireWire, phone plug, power plug, D-Sub, various serial and parallel ports, phone jacks, CAT5, and so on. 
         [0009]    Wireless connectivity between peripheral devices and hardware devices is often preferred as well. For a wireless device to interface with such hardware, the hardware device must either have a wireless interface built-in, or must consume one of its connector ports with a wireless interface device, to enable such wireless connectivity. The latter solution is often necessitated when the hardware device cost has been kept low by the deletion of a built-in wireless interface. 
         [0010]    A miniature wireless dongle can be connected to one of the ports on the hardware device so as to provide the desired wireless connectivity to the peripheral devices. However, the dongle necessarily consumes at least one of the limited number of connection ports on the hardware device. This is one less connection port that can be used for other purposes, and may be an important concern on a hardware device which only has one or two such connection ports. Such a paucity of connection ports is particularly pronounced on netbooks, which host a very limited number of connection ports. 
         [0011]    Several wireless dangles interface with hardware devices using USB connection ports. To work around the USB port consumed by the wireless dongle, a USB-Hub device could be fitted to the hardware device. However, particularly tor mobile applications, the need to constantly carry around and connect and disconnect a large and bulky USB-Hub device is an less than optimal solution to this concern. 
         [0012]    The present invention addresses and remedies many, if not all, of the problems discussed above. 
         [0013]    The present invention provides a form factor which not only provides for wireless connectivity between peripheral devices and hardware devices; but also, effectively duplicates the connection port, thus enabling other peripheral devices to connect to the hardware devices in parallel with the wireless capability. In one embodiment, the invention adds the wireless functionality to the connector of an otherwise single-ended peripheral device. In another embodiment, the invention provides the wireless functionality and also replicates/duplicates the connector port so that other peripheral devices can also be connected. 
         [0014]    Some examples of the invention include a single-ended peripheral device (such as a mouse, keypad, printer, flash-drive, hard-drive, etc.) having a USB connector that not only connects the peripheral device to the host hardware device, but which also provides for wireless connectivity. 
         [0015]    Other examples of the invention include a miniature dongle which not only provides for wireless connectivity, but also replicates/duplicates the connector port the dongle is connected to (e.g. a USB-dongle which itself includes a USB-connection port). This effectively preserves the connection port which would otherwise be consumed by a wireless dongle. One of the advantages of this other embodiment is a small form factor which enables users to plug the invention in, leave it in, and forget about it. In this way, the invention need not be repeatedly attached and removed. 
         [0016]    Details of the present invention are now discussed. 
         [0017]      FIG. 1  is an example of a system  100  using a first connector  102  with wireless connectivity. The first connector  102  is integrated with a single-ended hardware device  110 , and includes: a host compatible connector  104 , an interface apparatus  106 , a wireless interface  108 , and a dedicated interface  111 . The system  100  also includes a host device  112 , a host connector  114 , and a wireless device  116 . 
         [0018]    Within the first connector  102 , the host compatible connector  104  detachable couples to the host connector  114  on the host device  112 . The host device  112  could be any hardware device, including: a computer, notebook, netbook, laptops, microcontroller-based device, mobile phone, monitor, and so on. In one embodiment, the host compatible connector  104  and the host connector  114  are USB connectors, however, in other embodiments, these connectors  104  and  114  could be of any type, such as: PS/1, PS/2, FireWire, phone ping, power ping, D-Sub, various serial and parallel ports, phone jacks, CAT5, and so on. 
         [0019]    The interface apparatus  106  transmits and receives signals to and from the host compatible connector  104  as well as to both the wifeless interface  108  and the single-ended hardware device  110 . Some examples of the single-ended hardware device  110  include a computer mouse and a computer keypad; however, the single-ended hardware device  110  could in alternate embodiments be various devices such as those provided as possible examples of the host device  112 , above. The interface apparatus  106  circuitry, in one embodiment, is powered by the host device  112 . For example, if the host compatible connector  104  is a USB connector, the host device  112  would be able to provide power to the interface apparatus  106 . However, in other embodiments, the interface apparatus  106  could be powered by the single-ended hardware device  110 . 
         [0020]    In one embodiment, the interface apparatus  106  functions as a HUB device, enabling the host device  112  to communicate with both the wireless interface  108  and the single-ended hardware device  110 . In other embodiments, the interface apparatus  106  may enable the host device  112  to communicate with three or more other hardware or wireless devices (not shown). 
         [0021]    The dedicated interface  111  couples the single-ended hardware device  110  to the interface apparatus  106 , and in one example is a type of cable having one or more wires which couples the interface apparatus  106  to the single-ended hardware device  110 . The dedicated interface  111  passes hardwire signals between the single-ended hardware device  110  and the interface apparatus  106 . Hardwire signals are herein defined to include signals transmitted over various conductive media, such as wire, optical fiber, and so on. 
         [0022]    The wireless interface  108  passes wireless signals to and from the wireless device  116 . Passing is herein defined to include the transmission, and/or reception of wireless signals. The wireless interface  108  is compliant with one or more wireless communication protocols, and can in some embodiments, communicate with more than one wireless device  116 . Some examples of the wireless device  116  include a computer mouse and a computer keypad; however, the wireless device  116  could in alternate embodiments be various devices such as those provided as possible examples of the host device  112 , above. 
         [0023]    The wireless interface  108  circuitry, in one embodiment, is also powered by the host device  112 , and/or the single-ended hardware device  110 . For example, if the host compatible connector  104  is a USB connector, the host device  112  would be able to provide power to the wireless interface  108 . 
         [0024]    Integrated together, the first connector  102  in the system  100  adds a wireless capability to a connector which otherwise couples the single-ended hardware device  110  to the host device  112 . All of the electronics supporting first connector  102 , including the interface apparatus  106  and the wireless interface  108 , are housed within a compact volume surrounding the host compatible connector  104 . 
         [0025]      FIG. 2  is an example of a system  200  using a second connector  202  with wireless connectivity. The second connector  202  includes the host compatible connector  104 , the interface apparatus  106 , and the wireless interface  108  discussed above with reference to  FIG. 1 . The second connector  202  further includes a duplicate host connector  204 . The system  200  also includes the host device  112 , the host connector  114 , and the wireless device  116  discussed above with reference to  FIG. 1 . The system  200  further includes a hardware device  206 , and a disconnectable interface  208 . 
         [0026]    The interface apparatus  106  transmits and receives signals between the host device  112  and the duplicate host connector  204 . The hardware device  206  is coupled to receive the signals from the interface apparatus  106  via the duplicate host connector  204  and the disconnectable interface  208 . Some examples of the hardware device  206  include a computer mouse and a computer keypad; however, the hardware device  206  could in alternate embodiments be various devices such as those provided as possible examples of the host device  112 , above. The disconnectable interface  208  passes hardwire signals between the hardware device  206  and the interface apparatus  106 . One example of the disconnectable interface  208  is a USB cable from a mouse or keypad. The disconnectable interface  208  could also, in one embodiment be a USB connector on a removable memory device (e.g. flash-memory thumb drive). 
         [0027]    In one embodiment, the duplicate host connector  204  duplicates (e.g., replicates) the host connector  114 . In such an embodiment, since the duplicate host connector  204  and the host connector  114  are functionally identical, addition of the wireless interface  108 , and the related ability to communicate with the wireless device  116 , does not effectively consume the host connector  114  on the host device  112 . In this way, the second connector  202  passes-through signals from the host device  112 , and thus the duplicate host connector  204  is ready to accept additional hardware devices. In other embodiments, the duplicate host connector  204  can be of a different connection-port type than the host connector  114 . 
         [0028]    The host compatible connector  104  and the duplicate host connector  204  are in one embodiment positioned back-to-back with respect to each other, in as close proximity as is possible so as to keep the overall length of the second connector  202  as short as possible. In such an embodiment, the second connector  202  take the form-factor of a “dongle” device. 
         [0029]    The required electrical circuitry and connections for the second connector  202  are maintained in a volume surrounding the host compatible connector  104  and the duplicate host connector  204 . The second connector  202  circuitry, in one embodiment, is powered by the host device  112 . For example, if the host compatible connector  104  is a USB connector, the host device  112  would be able to provide power to the second connector  202 . However, in other embodiments, the second connector  202  could be powered by the hardware device  206 . 
         [0030]      FIG. 3  is an example of a system  300  using a third connector  302  with wireless connectivity. The third connector  302  is integrated with a single-ended first hardware device  304 , and includes: the host compatible connector  104 , the interface apparatus  106 , and the wireless interface  108 , discussed above with reference to  FIG. 1 . The third connector  302  further includes: a dedicated interface  306 , and a duplicate host connector  308 . The system  300  also includes the host device  112 , the host connector  114 , and the wireless device  116 , discussed above with reference to  FIG. 1 . The system  300  further includes a second hardware device  310 , and a disconnectable interface  312 . 
         [0031]    The interface apparatus  106  transmits and receives signals between the host device  112  and the duplicate host connector  308 . The first hardware device  304  is coupled to receive the signals from the interface apparatus  106  via the dedicated interface  300 . The second hardware device  310  is coupled to receive the signals from the interface apparatus  106  via the duplicate host connector  308  and the disconnectable interface  312 . Some examples of the first and second hardware devices  304  and  310  include a computer mouse and a computer keypad; however, these devices  304  and  310  could in alternate embodiments be various devices such as those provided as possible examples of the host device  112 , above. 
         [0032]    In one embodiment, the duplicate host connector  308  duplicates the host connector  114 , as discussed with respect to  FIG. 2 . 
         [0033]    The required electrical circuitry and connections for the third connector  302  are maintained in a volume surrounding the host compatible connector  104  and the duplicate host connector  308 . The third connector  302  circuitry, in one embodiment, is powered by the host device  112 . For example, if the host compatible connector  104  is a USB connector, the host device  112  would be able to provide power to the third connector  302 . 
         [0034]      FIG. 4  is a first example view  400  of the second connector  202  having wireless connectivity. The view  400  shows a housing  402 , and a host compatible connector  404 . The host compatible connector  404  is a USB, Type A, male connector. The housing  402  encloses the required electrical circuitry and connections for the second connector  202 . 
         [0035]      FIG. 5  is a second example view  500  of the second connector  202  having wireless connectivity. The view  500  shows the housing  402 , the host compatible connector  404 , and a duplicate host connector  502 . The duplicate host connector  502  is a USB, Type A, female connector. As can be seen from  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the host compatible connector  404  and the duplicate host connector  502  are physically disposed back-to-back with respect to each other, and are also generally along a same axis with respect to each other. In this way, the second connector  202  does not tend to block or interfere with neighboring connection ports on the host device  112 . 
         [0036]    Several additional embodiments and/or implementations of the present invention are possible. In one additional embodiment, the duplicate host connectors  204  and  308  can be attached to their respective connectors  202  and  302  using an additional “small cable”. In an additional embodiment, several of the connectors  102 ,  202 , and  302  can be “stacked” end-to-end if desired, perhaps providing multiple wireless channels. In some embodiments, the connectors  102 ,  202 , and  302  may include a flash RAM memory, perhaps to provide a cache-feature during high data volume transfers. 
         [0037]    In the foregoing description, numerous details are set forth to provide an understanding of the present invention. However, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these details. An article or article of manufacture can refer to any manufactured single component or multiple components. Also, while the invention has been disclosed with respect to a limited number of embodiments, those skilled in the art will appreciate numerous modifications and variations thereof. It is intended that the following claims cover such modifications and variations as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.