Abstract:
A hub includes a bluetooth system module coupled to a hub module. The hub module is also coupled to an upstream port and a plurality of downstream ports provided on a housing of the hub respectively enabling the hub to connect to an electronic device via the upstream port and to connect to a plurality of peripherals via the downstream ports for performing a wireless signal communication therebetween, thereby reducing the number of cables connected between the electronic device and peripherals.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to hub coupled to a computer and more particularly to such a hub having a bluetooth system with improved characteristics. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     A conventional computer  1  is shown in FIG.  1  and comprises a plurality of connectors  10  on the rear panel of the computer  1 . Each of the connectors  10  may have one of a variety of interface specifications such as PS 2 , LPT,  1394 , and USB (Universal Serial Bus). Two first peripherals are shown in which one is a mouse having a connector  20  with an appropriate interface specification at an open end of a cable  22  extended therefrom. The second peripheral is a keyboard  3  having a connector  30  with the PS 2  interface specification at an open end of another cable  22  extended therefrom. The connectors  20  of the peripherals  2  are coupled to mating connectors  10  on the computer  1  respectively. As such, signals can be sent from the peripherals  2  to the computer  1 . Alternatively, the computer  1  can send signals to the peripherals  2  for processing therein. 
     The connector  20  of each peripheral  2  has one of the conventional interface specifications such as PS 2 , LPT, and  1394 . In response to a coupling of the connector  20  to the conventional connector  10  on the computer  1 , a driver of the peripheral  2  must be installed. Next, a shutdown has to be performed prior to restarting after the installation is completed. The computer  1  may then control the peripheral  2  after a completion of the above actions. The computer  1  will not operate normally if the connector  20  of the peripheral  2  is removed from the connector  10  in the installation process. Further, there is no connector  10  on the computer  1  available for coupling to a plurality of peripherals  2  if the number of connectors  10  is less than that of the peripherals  2 . 
     Referring to FIG. 1 again, in response to a coupling of the peripheral  3  (e.g., keyboard) having a USB connector  30  and the computer  1 , a driver of the peripheral  3  must be installed. Next, a user can use the computer  1  to control the peripheral  3  after a completion of the installation. The computer  1  still can operate normally even if the connector  30  of the peripheral  3  is removed from one of the connectors  12  on the computer  1  in the installation process. Further, the connector  30  of the peripheral  3  can be coupled to the computer  1  in any future time. Hence, it is convenient in use. Thus, the USB connectors are widely installed in the current peripherals. 
     Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, as stated above, the USB connector  30  of the peripheral  3  can be coupled to the USB connector  12  on the computer  1  at any time. Hence, it is convenient in use. Further, the USB connector  12  on the computer  1  can be coupled to at least one of a plurality of USB hubs  32 . Hence, the number of the USB connectors  12  can be increased up to 127 USB hubs. As a result, there is not need to worry about an insufficient number of connectors on the computer  1  available for coupling to peripherals. 
     However, the prior art (e.g., either the peripheral  2  having a connector  20  with a conventional interface specification or the peripheral  3  having the USB connector  30 ) suffered from several disadvantages. For example, the cable  22  of each of the peripherals  2  and  3  must be coupled to the computer  1  after the peripherals  2  and  3  have been positioned. Thus, a signal communication between the peripherals  2  and  3  and the computer  1  is made possible. It is seen that there is little space unoccupied if there are a number of peripherals coupled to the computer with the various cables  22  disposed on a supporting surface (e.g., desk). Further, there is very little space unoccupied after a computer, associated peripherals, and documents are placed on the desk in an office or at home. This is particularly true if the cables  22  of the peripherals  2  and  3  are additionally placed on the desk. Furthermore, it is messy to have such cables  22  randomly placed on the desk. Moreover, this configuration can cause inconvenience in use. Thus improvement exists. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A primary object of the present invention is to provide a hub having a bluetooth system. The hub comprises a bluetooth system module coupled to a hub module on the hub. Thus, the hub has a wireless signal transmission capability as the bluetooth system. Further, the hub is capable of performing a signal communication with any electronic device having a bluetooth system module within a predetermined range, thereby reducing the number of cables disposed on a desk. By utilizing the invention, it is possible of overcoming the above drawback of the prior art such as messy on the desk because many cables of peripherals coupled to the computer are randomly disposed on the desk. 
    
    
     The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 depicts schematically the connection of a typical computer to a number of peripherals; 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view depicting schematically the connection of the typical computer to a number of USB hubs; 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a hub according to the invention; 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a circuit board of the hub shown in FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 5 is a circuit block diagram of the invention; 
     FIG. 6 is a circuit block diagram of hub module of the invention implemented as a USB hub module; 
     FIG. 7 is a flow chart illustrating a process of sending data from a first electronic device to a second electronic device according to the invention; and 
     FIG. 8 is a flow chart illustrating a process of sending data from the second electronic device to the first peripheral according to the invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to FIGS. 3,  4  and  5 , there is shown a hub having a bluetooth system in accordance with the invention. The hub comprises a housing  4  having an upstream port  40  and a plurality of downstream ports  42  thereon. Within the housing  4 , there are provided a circuit board  44  including a hub module  442  and a bluetooth system module  444 . The hub module  442  is coupled to the bluetooth system module  444 , the upstream port  40 , and the downstream ports  42  respectively. The upstream port  40  is connectable to a first electronic device (e.g., computer) having the same hub module. Also, each downstream port  42  is connectable to a peripheral having the same hub module. The bluetooth system module  444  is capable of performing a wireless signal communication with at least one second electronic device having a bluetooth system module within a predetermined range. Thus, the first electronic device and the peripheral are capable of communicating signals by means of the upstream port  40 , the hub module  442 , and the downstream ports  42 . Also, the first and the second electronic devices are capable of communicating signals by means of the upstream port  40 , the hub module  442 , the bluetooth system module  444 , and the downstream ports  42 . As a result, wireless and cable based mini networks are formed within a predetermined range by the hub at the same time. Further, the first electronic device is connectable to the second electronic device due to the provision of the bluetooth system module  444  by the hub. This can reduce the number of cables placed on a supporting surface (e.g., desk) with the electronic device disposed thereon. 
     Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, in a preferred embodiment of the invention the hub module  442  is implemented as a USB hub module  5 . The USB hub module  5  comprises a hub control circuit  50 , an upstream circuit  52 , and a plurality of downstream circuits  54 . The upstream circuit  52  is coupled to the hub control circuit  50  and the upstream port  40  respectively. Three downstream ports  42  are coupled to three downstream circuits  54  respectively. Also, the bluetooth system module  444  is coupled to another downstream circuit  54 . The hub control circuit  50  is interconnected between two downstream circuits  54 . The bluetooth system module  444  further comprises a wireless signal transceiver  446  and a CODEC (coder/decoder)  448 . In the embodiment, the upstream port  40 , the upstream circuit  52 , the hub control circuit  50 , the downstream circuits  54 , and the downstream ports  42  are operative to communicate signals between the first electronic device and the peripheral. Note that a number of processing steps performed by the hub control circuit  50  regarding USB signal are well known after the hub control circuit  50  has received the USB signal from either the upstream circuit  52  or the downstream circuits  54 . Thus a detailed description thereof is omitted herein for the sake of brevity. 
     Referring to FIG. 7, there is shown a process of sending data from the first electronic device to the second electronic device by the hub in between according to the invention. The process comprises the following steps: 
     Step  701 : Send the USB signal received by the upstream port  40  to the hub control circuit  50  via the upstream circuit  52 . 
     Step  702 : It is determined by the hub control circuit  50  whether the USB signal is intended for sending to the downstream circuits  54  matched with the bluetooth system module  444 . If yes, the process goes to step  703 . Otherwise, the process jumps to step  706 . 
     Step  703 : Send the USB signal to the bluetooth system module  444  via the downstream circuits  54  matched with the bluetooth system module  444 . 
     Step  704 : The CODEC  448  converts the USB signal into a bluetooth system signal. 
     Step  705 : Send the bluetooth signal from the wireless signal transceiver  446  prior to ending the process. 
     Step  706 : Process the USB signal in accordance with a normal procedure regarding the USB signal. 
     Referring to FIG. 8, there is shown a process of sending data from the second electronic device to the first electronic device by the hub in between according to the invention. The process comprises the following steps: 
     Step  801 : The wireless signal transceiver  446  receives the bluetooth system signal from the second electronic device. 
     Step  802 : The CODEC  448  converts the bluetooth system signal into a USB signal. 
     Step  803 : Send the USB signal from the downstream circuits  54  matched with the bluetooth system module  444  to the hub control circuit  50 . In the hub control circuit  50 , process the USB signal in accordance with a normal procedure regarding the USB signal. 
     Step  804 : Send the USB signal to the first electronic device for further processing. 
     Referring to FIG. 6 again, in the embodiment there are provided two protection circuits  56  in the USB hub module  5 . One of the protection circuits  56  is interconnected between two downstream circuits  54  and the hub control circuit  50  which is in turn interconnected between another two downstream circuits  54 . The other protection circuit  56  is interconnected between the upstream circuit  52  and the hub control circuit  50 . The other protection circuit  56  is further coupled to a power supply circuit  58 . The power supply circuit  58  is powered by the first electronic device after the hub is coupled to the first electronic device. Hence, power for maintaining a normal operation of the hub can be provided by the power supply circuit  58 . The protection circuits  56  are automatically activated for disconnecting either the upstream circuit  52  and the downstream circuits  54  from the hub control circuit  50  or the power supply circuit  58  from the hub control circuit  50  if an abnormal condition occurs either in a signal transmission process between the upstream circuit  52  or the downstream circuits  54  and the hub control circuit  50  or in a power transmission from the power supply circuit  58  to the hub. This can protect the hub control circuit  50 , the upstream circuit  52 , and the downstream circuits  54 . 
     Referring to FIG. 4 again, in another preferred embodiment of the invention, the circuit board  44  further comprises a connection section  441  coupled to the hub module  442 . The bluetooth system module  444  is provided on another circuit board  46  which has another connection section  462 . The connection section  462  of another circuit board  46  is coupled to the connection section  441 . As a result, the bluetooth system module  444  and the hub module  442  are coupled together. When the bluetooth system module  444  is malfunctioned, a user can remove the malfunctioned bluetooth system module  444  prior to mounting a new bluetooth system  444  on the circuit board  44 . Hence, a maintenance of the hub is made easy, convenient.