Patent ID: 7100168

Claim:
An interface for coupling electronic devices, comprising: a first configurable hardware interface, wherein the configurable hardware interface is resident in a host electronic device and includes: a first programmable logic device (PLD); a first memory coupled to the first PLD; a first control interface for controlling the first PLD and the first memory; a first communication interface for receiving information from a peripheral electronic device and enabling the first control interface, the first communication interface adapted to request a bitstream from the peripheral electronic device responsive to a first signal from the first control interface; and a first storage component residing in the host electronic device and coupled to the first PLD for storing a plurality of bitstreams that configure the first configurable hardware interface to implement a driver of the peripheral electronic device; and a second configurable hardware interface, wherein the configurable hardware interface is resident in the peripheral electronic device and includes: a second PLD; a second memory coupled to the second PLD; a second control interface for controlling the second PLD and the second memory; a second communication interface for receiving information from the host electronic device and enabling the second control interface; and a second storage component residing in the peripheral electronic device and coupled to the second PLD for storing a plurality of bitstreams, each implementing a driver of the peripheral electronic device; wherein, responsive to a second signal from the first communication interface to the second communication interface, a third signal from the second communication interface to the second control interface, and a fourth signal from the second control interface to the second PLD, the second PLD retrieves a selected bitstream from the second storage component and transmits the selected bitstream to the first PLD, and the selected bitstream implements a driver of the peripheral electronic device on the first PLD.