Patent ID: 7899970

Claim:
A connectivity hub comprising: a hub body comprising a first hub portion and a selectively removable second hub portion, wherein the first hub portion comprises: a first plurality of surfaces; a first plurality of port connectors on a first one of said first plurality of surfaces comprising at least one upstream port connector for connecting to a computer and at least one downstream port connector for connecting to a peripheral device and at least one other downstream port connector on a second one of said first plurality of surfaces adapted to connect to the second hub portion; at least one electrical circuit, operatively coupled to the plurality of port connectors and the at least one other downstream port connector, and adapted to permit signals to flow between the plurality of port connectors and the at least one other downstream port connector; at least one power circuit adapted to supply power to the at least one downstream port connector and to the second hub portion; and a rim portion on the second one of said first plurality of surfaces and substantially surrounding the at least one other downstream port connector; wherein the second hub portion comprises: a second plurality of surfaces; and a second plurality of port connectors comprising at least one upstream port connector on a first one of said second plurality of surfaces for connecting to the at least one other downstream port connector of the first hub portion, and at least one downstream port connector on a second one of said second plurality of surfaces for connecting to the peripheral device; wherein said rim portion fixes in place the second hub portion such that the at least one upstream port connector of the second hub portion can be disconnected from the at least one other downstream port connector of the first hub portion by pulling the second hub portion away from the rim portion of the first hub portion; and wherein the second hub portion further comprises a rotation interface plate adapted to fix the position of the at least one upstream port connector and to permit rotation of the at least one upstream port connector from a first position to at least a second position, said first position being on said first one of said second plurality of surfaces and parallel to the at least one downstream port connector, and said second position being on said first one of said second plurality of surfaces and orthogonal to said at least one downstream port connector.