Patent ID: 6978335

Claim:
An apparatus for connecting at least one USB device to a single point of connection for a USB bus, comprising: a virtual hub for interfacing said USB device to a host computer, said hub comprising a USB smart card reader interface, a USB hub, power switch circuitry, and at least one port to which a USB device may be attached, wherein said USB device and said smart card reader interface share a common USB bus bandwidth via said USB hub through a host-scheduled, token-based communication protocol that is handled by a USB driver and a corresponding respective device driver; a smart card reader coupled to said smart card reader interface; an enclosure which contains said virtual hub, said smart card reader, and at least one port connection for at least one USB device other than said smart card reader; and a clock switch comprising a clock-stopping mechanism for controlling embedded functions power consumption before said virtual hub is configured, and for distributing a clock signal to said embedded functions after said virtual hub is configured to enable said embedded functions; wherein said smart card reader interface generates interface signals to support the operation of at least one smart card that is compliant with the ISO 7816 standard; and wherein said power switch circuitry is controlled by said USB hub and said USB smart card reader interface and is capable of supplying power to said smart card.