Peripheral Adapting Patents (Class 710/62)
  • Patent number: 8751706
    Abstract: An electronic apparatus includes a first unit having a first power switch for turning on/off a data processing part, a hard disk drive device, a power supply part and the electronic apparatus, a second unit that is separated from the first unit, is supplied with the power from the power supply part in the first unit, and has a drive device of a detachable recording media and a second power switch having the same function as that of the first power switch, and a cable for communicating data between the first unit and the second unit and supplying power from the power supply part of the first unit to the second unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Shigeru Kurosu, Katsunori Kitaru, Takayuki Momose, Akira Inoue, Sumio Otsuka, Masazumi Kaino, Masao Araya, Norio Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 8745282
    Abstract: Methods operable on a storage controller and related structure are provided for responding to inquiry commands from a host for a storage device. A command requesting information about a storage device is received from a host. In response to the command, the storage controller determines that the storage device is not initialized, and begins an initialization process for the storage device. Information received from the storage device during the initialization process is stored for completing a response to the inquiry. A response to the inquiry is transmitted to the host based on the stored information to complete the inquiry without waiting for the storage device to complete the initialization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: LSI Corporation
    Inventors: Sandeep Darisala, Sathya Prakash Veerichetty, Travis Veldkamp
  • Patent number: 8738817
    Abstract: An information handling system includes a backplane, a storage drive, and a board management controller. The board management controller is configured to discover a physical drive status of the drive from a storage enclosure processor, to receive a logical drive status of the drive, to read a backplane bay identification for the drive from a peripheral connector interface express extender or serial attached small computer system interface chipset logical drive number, and to construct a routing table for the drive to map the logical drive status with the physical drive status of the drive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Dell Products, LP
    Inventors: Timothy M. Lambert, Indrani Paul
  • Patent number: 8738826
    Abstract: A computing system that supports the use of multiple displays in display mirroring mode and extended display mode may automatically determine a display mode in which to configure the system (with little or no user input) based on various characteristics of the displays in the system. For example, the system may determine that a television, projector, or other presentation type display is connected in the system, and in response, may determine that the system should be configured in a display mirroring mode, rather than in an extended display mode. The system may also determine that the presentation type display is the preferred display, and may render image content in a best (or preferred) mode for that display using its native resolution, aspect ratio or color profile. The system may then scale the rendered image content for display on other (non-preferred) displays, such as an internal display, without re-rendering it.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Geoffrey G. Stahl, Ian C. Hendry, Kenneth C. Dyke, Patrick L. Coffman, Steve S. Ko, Nathaniel C. Begeman
  • Patent number: 8738825
    Abstract: Some of the embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method comprising categorizing each data packet of a plurality of data packets into one of at least two priority groups of data packets; and controlling transmission of data packets of a first priority group of data packets during a first off-time period such that during the first off-time period, data packets of the first priority group of data packets are prevented from being transmitted to a switching module from one or more server blades. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Marvell International Ltd.
    Inventor: Martin White
  • Patent number: 8732363
    Abstract: A data processing apparatus may include a data conversion unit that arranges the input data in each transfer data in the conversion unit using one transfer data as one transfer unit and a predetermined number of transfer units as one conversion unit when converting a plurality of input data input sequentially into transfer data having a bit number identical to a predetermined bit number of a data bus and sequentially transferring the converted transfer data. The data conversion unit may include a data generation unit and a first data arrangement changing unit. The first data arrangement changing unit may include a bit change number calculating unit, a bit change number analysis unit, a first data sorting unit, and a data coupling unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventors: Masami Shimamura, Akira Ueno, Yoshinobu Tanaka, Takashi Yanada, Ryusuke Tsuchida, Tomoyuki Sengoku
  • Patent number: 8732361
    Abstract: A device comprises circuitry and a transceiver in communication with the circuitry. In operation, the device is configured to cause the transceiver to: periodically send a broadcast message to indicate the availability of the device for attachment to another device; receive, from the another device, a first pre-attachment message that is sent utilizing first information sent by the device; send, to the another device, a first response that is sent in response to the first pre-attachment message and includes second information; receive, from the another device, a second pre-attachment message that is sent utilizing the second information; send, to the another device, a second response that is sent in response to the second pre-attachment message; and communicate, with the another device, data utilizing a second one of the addresses for identification in association with the another device, for data transfer in connection with a group controlled by the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Tri-County Excelsior Foundation
    Inventor: Robert J Donaghey
  • Patent number: 8732345
    Abstract: A disclosed image forming apparatus includes an image processing device including plural image processing units; a control device configured to control the plural image processing units; and a connection unit configured to connect the image processing device to the control device. Each of the plural image processing units is connected to the control device by one of plural channels; the image processing device is connected to the control device by a first bus including the channels; and the connection unit is provided on the first bus so that the image processing device is connected to the control device by a single connection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Aihara, Hidemasa Morimoto
  • Patent number: 8725916
    Abstract: In embodiments of host side implementation for HID I2C data bus, a computing system includes a human interface device (HID) software stack that implements device software, such as for embedded devices, that interfaces the computing system to a peripheral device via HID over I2C. An HID I2C driver interfaces the HID software stack with the peripheral devices that each include an HID I2C interface to a device that communicates data in the computing system via an I2C data bus. The HID I2C driver is compatible and interfaces with I2C controller drivers and GPIO controller drivers of the devices, where the I2C controller drivers and the GPIO controller drivers may each have a different implementation configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Firdosh K. Bhesania, Arvind R. Aiyar, Di Da
  • Patent number: 8725925
    Abstract: A structure for transmitting signals of PCI express and a method thereof provides a converting device and a high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI) cable. The converting device has a plug connector to into a PCI express slot, along with a HDMI connector. The signal converting circuit connects the signal pins of the PCI express slot to the signal pins of HDMI connector. One end of the HDMI cable is connected with the HDMI connector of the converting device. The present invention can extends the signal distance of the PCI express to exactly perform the signal test.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignees: Universal Scientific Industrial (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., Universal Global Scientific Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jhih-Ren Yang, Ju-Chi Chung
  • Patent number: 8719459
    Abstract: In accordance with some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to a dual mode control interface that can be used to provide both a radio frequency front end (RFFE) serial interface and a three-mode general purpose input/output (GPIO) interface within a single digital control interface die. In certain embodiments, the dual mode control interface, or digital control interface, can communicate with a power amplifier. Further, the dual mode control interface can be used to set the mode of the power amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.
    Inventor: David Steven Ripley
  • Patent number: 8719470
    Abstract: An electronic Input/Output Interface and device abstraction system used in gaming machines includes: a game central processing unit (game “CPU”); an intelligent input/output controller board (“IOCB”); an Industry Standard Architecture PC bus (“ISA” bus); and a framed message transport protocol. The IOCB facilitates communications between the game CPU and virtual device services, which are peripheral devices associated with the gaming system. The game CPU communicates to gaming peripherals by sending virtual device messages across the ISA bus to the IOCB. The IOCB routes virtual device messages to appropriate virtual device services. Virtual device services are responsible for handling specific hardware, and include virtual device drivers on the game CPU that communicate with virtual devices on the IOCB. Use of the IOCB and the high speed interface enables the game CPU to use more of its available functions for controlling gaming functions rather than one operation of its associated peripheral devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty Limited
    Inventors: Anthony Wayne Bond, Ronald Edward Mach
  • Patent number: 8719471
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods are provided for alleviating processing requirements of a central computer in a vessel. Each apparatus is placed in close proximity to one or more pieces of electronic equipment implementing a legacy interface. The apparatus processes data to and from the electronic equipment, including converting data to formats consistent with the formats used by the intended recipient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Advanced Fusion Technologies
    Inventors: James Fleming, David McKean
  • Patent number: 8712717
    Abstract: A computer device comprises a calibration module adapted to detect an input frequency for at least one input mode of a digitizer device. The calibration module is configured to determine whether the input frequency is within a frequency tolerance band corresponding to the at least one input mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Steven S. Homer, James Scott Love, Pasha Mohi
  • Publication number: 20140115202
    Abstract: An electronic device includes a connection unit that enables a USB connection to a smartphone, a normal communication mode in which communication is performed by using a device class prepared in advance in the smartphone, a request unit that makes a request for switching to a unique communication mode, a search unit that searches for a device class usable in the normal communication mode after the request for switching to the unique communication mode has been made, a determination unit that determines, on the basis of a search result, whether or not a disadvantageous change has occurred in the normal communication mode, and a reset unit that resets the USB connection when it is determined that a disadvantageous change has occurred.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2013
    Publication date: April 24, 2014
    Applicant: ALPINE ELECTRONICS, INC.
    Inventor: Takashi Yoshinaga
  • Patent number: 8706931
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for allowing interconnection between ports associated with primary and secondary components in an embedded system. Ports may only support a particular bus type or set of attributes and a variety of ports may be incompatible. Bus types include Peripheral Components Interface (PCI) and Advanced Microcontroller Bus Architecture (AMBA) while attributes include bursting, non-bursting, word-wide, byte-wide, etc. Port adapters components are automatically selected from a library of port adapter components to allow connection of incompatible ports. Port adapters can be shared, chained, and intelligently selected for increased efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Altera Corporation
    Inventor: Jeffrey Orion Pritchard
  • Patent number: 8707009
    Abstract: Described are memory modules that support dynamic point-to-point extensibility using fixed-width memory die. The memory modules include data-width translators that allow the modules to vary the effective width of their external memory interfaces without varying the width of the internal memory interfaces extending between the translators and associated fixed-width dies. The data-width translators use a data-mask signal to selectively prevent memory accesses to subsets of physical addresses. This data masking divides the physical address locations into two or more temporal subsets of the physical address locations, effectively increasing the number of uniquely addressable locations in a given module. Reading temporal addresses in write order can introduce undesirable read latency. Some embodiments reorder read data to reduce this latency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventor: Ian Shaeffer
  • Patent number: 8706934
    Abstract: Disclosed is a memory device in which the state of the memory may be set by a mechanical action, with or without mains power present. The memory state may be detected by a microcontroller. The state for the memory device may be reset by a microcontroller. The microcontroller may be external to an apparatus containing the memory device, adjacent to or within the apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Sleator
  • Patent number: 8706933
    Abstract: A domestic appliance (1) with a bus (2) is disclosed. A plurality of modules (3) are connected to the bus, each controlling an operational component (4). Initial programming of the modules may take place from a single connection point (61). The modules may be configured to control the domestic appliance jointly and non-hierarchically. Suitably, all modules are identical up to content of a data memory provided therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Electrolux Home Products Corporation N.V.
    Inventors: Girish Pimputkar, Per-Erik Pers
  • Patent number: 8706930
    Abstract: A KVM switch includes: a first input portion and a second input portion that inputs a plurality of video signals from the first and the second information processing apparatus, respectively; a converting portion that converts the video signals input from the first or second input portion into a plurality of pieces of image data which are capable of being displayed on a remote terminal; a transmitting and receiving portion that transmits the pieces of converted image data to the remote terminal, and receives various requests from the remote terminal; and a switching portion that switches the video signals input from the first input portion to the video signals input from the second input portion when the transmitting and receiving portion receives a switching request for switching from a first information processing apparatus to a second information processing apparatus from the remote terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Fujitsu Component Limited
    Inventors: Kenichi Fujita, Yu Sato, Naoyuki Nagao
  • Patent number: 8706932
    Abstract: In one embodiment of the invention, a replaceable memory apparatus is disclosed. The replaceable memory apparatus includes a first rectangular multilayer printed circuit board having a first side and a second side opposite the first side; a first male pluggable electrical connector mounted to the first side near a first edge; a first female pluggable electrical connector mounted to the second side; and first non-volatile memory mounted to the first side and the second side. The first female pluggable electrical connector is coupled to the first male pluggable electrical connector to feed through first signals. The first non-volatile memory is coupled to the first female pluggable electrical connector and the first male pluggable electrical connector to receive the first signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Virident Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Ruban Kanapathippillai, Ashwin Narasimha, Kenneth A. Okin, Vijay Karamcheti
  • Publication number: 20140108682
    Abstract: Methods managing data communication between a peripheral device and host computer system are provided. A physical interface for communicating data between a peripheral device and the plurality of applications executing on the host computer system is opened and controlled by a software module. A first virtual interface and a second virtual interface of the software module are exposed to an operating system of the host computer system, and the operating system exposes the first virtual interface and the second virtual interface to the first application and the second application. The first virtual interface is used for communicating data between the peripheral device and the first application through the physical interface, and the second virtual interface is used for communicating data between the peripheral device and the second application through the physical interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2013
    Publication date: April 17, 2014
    Applicant: Honeywell International, Inc. d.b.a. Honeywell Scanning & Mobility
    Inventor: Aldo Caballero
  • Patent number: 8700815
    Abstract: A peripheral device comprises a first entity and a second entity. In operation, the first/second entities are configured to respectively: receive a first/second entity-related message from at least one other device to indicate the availability of the at least one other device for attachment, send, to the at least one other device, a first/second entity-related message indicating the availability for communication with the at least one other device, receive, from the at least one other device, a first/second entity-related signal including a first/second entity-related peripheral device identifier, send a first/second entity-related response to the at least one other device, receive, from the at least one other device, a first/second entity-related device response, and send, to the at least one other device, a first/second entity-related second peripheral response including the first/second entity-related peripheral device identifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Tri-County Excelsior Foundation
    Inventor: Robert J Donaghey
  • Patent number: 8700812
    Abstract: A method for a data card to identify an OS, an apparatus and a communication system thereof are provided according to the embodiments of the present invention. The method includes: receiving, by a USB device through a disc port, an SCSI command sent by the OS to be identified; and upon receiving an SCSI command carrying operation code 0XBB, identifying that the OS to be identified is Mac OS; upon receiving an SCSI command carrying operation code 0XA2, identifying that the OS to be identified is Windows Vista SP2 or later versions of Windows OS. With the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of the present invention, no dedicated driver programs need to be developed for some OSs to identify these OSs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Huawei Device Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Dongfeng Zhang, Zhenhui Nie
  • Patent number: 8700827
    Abstract: A matching device carries out data exchange between a processing unit and a wireless peripheral device and/or a communication object associated with the peripheral device. The matching device includes a communication interface with the processing unit; a wireless communication interface with the wireless peripheral device; information stating means for stating technical capacity information to the processing unit, enabling the latter to select an appropriate driver/communication means; and data-processing means. The data-processing means is capable of carrying out a matching of an exchange protocol and/or formats of data to be exchanged between the processing unit and the communication object. The technical capacities stated by the stating means pertains to the wireless peripheral device and/or to the communication object associated therewith, the technical capacities being considered to pertain to the matching device by the processing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Gemalto SA
    Inventor: Grégory Capomaggio
  • Patent number: 8700810
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes at least one endpoint communicating with a host, and an endpoint controller dividing each of the at least one endpoint into a majority of sub-endpoints and performing numbering to each of the divided sub-endpoints. The endpoint controller transmits a packet generated by the host to any one of the sub-endpoints.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sung Geun Park, Chul Joon Choi, Keon Han Sohn
  • Patent number: 8700885
    Abstract: A semiconductor device correctly switches endian modes regardless of the current endian mode of an interface. The semiconductor device includes a switching circuit and a first register. The switching circuit switches an interface to be used in big endian or little endian mode. The first register holds control data of the switching circuit. The switching circuit sets the interface in little endian mode when first predetermined control information is supplied to the first register, and sets the interface in big endian mode when second predetermined control information is supplied to the first register. The control information can be correctly inputted without being influenced by the endian setting status.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Goro Sakamaki, Yuri Azuma
  • Patent number: 8700826
    Abstract: A super I/O module for controlling at least one I/O port of a computer system is provided. The super I/O module includes a controller, a signal detector and a selector. The controller supports functions corresponding to the I/O port. The signal detector receives an input signal from the I/O port, and detects whether the input signal has an identification code. When detecting that the input signal has the identification code, the signal detector generates a selection signal according to the identification code. The selector receives the selection signal and selectively provides the input signal to the controller or a function circuit of the computer system according to the selection signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Nuvoton Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Yueh-Yao Nain, Wen-Pin Chu, Yu-Chang Chou
  • Patent number: 8700820
    Abstract: A method for accessing a Universal Serial Bus (USB) device attached to the home gateway is provided to solve the problem that after the USB device is attached to the home gateway, the USB device becomes an exclusive device of the home gateway, and application software on a personal computer (PC) or other terminals can not be directly used to transparently access the USB device. The method includes: receiving a USB message of the USB device attached to the home gateway; and adapting the USB message to a network packet and sending the network packet to a virtual USB device interface of a terminal to be read by an application program of the terminal; or parsing a network packet sent by the terminal through the virtual USB device interface into a USB data frame and writing the USB data frame into the USB device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Huawei Device Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Bichao Chen
  • Patent number: 8694693
    Abstract: In accordance embodiments of the present disclosure a method may include receiving a user indication of a desired association between at least one of a plurality of modular information handling systems and at least one or one or more information handling resources. The method may also include communicating one or more control signals to one or more switching elements housed in a chassis configured to house the plurality of modular information handling systems and the one or more information handling resources, such that a selected modular information handling system is communicatively coupled to a selected information handling resource in accordance with the user indication of the desired association.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Timothy M. Lambert, Babu Chandrasekhar, Michael A. Brundridge
  • Patent number: 8694700
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for eliminating the need for a complete synchronization due to failure of a data protection appliance in a continuous data protection system having a replication splitter. In one embodiment, a continuous data protection system includes a source side having a source side storage array with a splitter and a data protection appliance, where processing includes initiating a source side splitter session, initializing a first I/O tracking mechanism for the splitter session, and activating the splitter to a source side processing active state to continuously push I/O data from the source side to the target side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: EMC Corporation
    Inventors: Assaf Natanzon, Arieh Don, David Meiri
  • Patent number: 8694691
    Abstract: A system includes an initiator device including an initiator interface. A target device includes a target interface that communicates with the initiator interface via a protocol. The protocol supports commands being sent from the initiator device to the target device. The protocol does not support commands being sent from the target device to the initiator device. The target interface is configured to send a command to the initiator device via the protocol. The initiator interface is configured to execute the command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Marvell World Trade Ltd.
    Inventor: Abhijeet P. Gole
  • Patent number: 8688871
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an electronic device receives inputs of video signals from a plurality of input systems. The electronic device includes a priority determination table, a video switching instruction module, a video switching module. In the priority determination table, video display priorities of the video signals from the input systems are determined in advance. The video switching instruction module instructs to switch among the video signals from the input systems on the basis of the priorities determined in the priority determination table. The video switching module switches among the video signals from the input systems according to a switching instruction from the video switching instruction module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Masahiko Takakusaki
  • Patent number: 8688888
    Abstract: A computer peripheral device, which is adapted to a computer system having a system-end connecting interface, includes a device-end connecting interface, an impedance unit and a control unit. The device-end connecting interface includes a power pin and a ground drain pin. The power pin electrically connects to a power source of the computer system and generates a voltage level on the ground drain pin. The impedance unit electrically connects to the power pin and ground drain pin of the device-end connecting interface respectively and decreases the voltage level of the ground drain pin optionally. The control unit electrically connects to the ground drain pin of the device-end connecting interface and determines a USB specification of the system-end connecting interface according to the voltage level of the ground drain pin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Giga-Byte Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tzu Chieh Lin
  • Patent number: 8683091
    Abstract: Systems and methods for operating a universal serial bus are described herein. The method includes sending packet data from a USB2 device to a USB2 host on a pair of signal lines, and after sending the packet data, sending an End-Of-Packet (EOP) signal from the USB2 device to the USB2 host. The method also includes, entering the USB2 device into idle state after sending the EOP signal. The method also includes sending a digital ping from the USB2 device to the USB2 host to indicate device presence during idle state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Huimin Chen, Kok Hong Chan
  • Patent number: 8683090
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus for determining whether an accessory includes particular circuitry. A host device may measure a first voltage and a second voltage received from an accessory, where the voltages are provide through the accessory from a power source. Before measuring the second voltage, the host device may send an instruction to the accessory instructing the accessory to alter an impedance of the power path between the power source and the host device, and the host device may draw at least a threshold amount of current from the power source via the accessory. The host device may then determine whether the accessory includes particular circuitry based on the relationship between the first voltage and the second voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Scott Mullins, Alexei Kosut, Jeffrey J. Terlizzi, Zachary C. Rich
  • Patent number: 8683190
    Abstract: Circuits, methods, and apparatus that allow signals that are compliant with multiple standards to share a common connector on an electronic device. An exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a connector that provides signals compatible with a legacy standard in one mode and a newer standard in another mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: William P. Cornelius, William O. Ferry, James E. Orr
  • Patent number: 8683086
    Abstract: A remote control of the present invention automatically identifies one or more peripheral devices which need to be programmed with the remote control. In some embodiments, the remote control is able to visually identify a peripheral device from an image, obtain the configuration information for the peripheral device, and program itself in the background according to the configuration information. These tasks are advantageously performed by the remote control, without user input. The remote control can be programmed to support a plurality of peripheral devices. When the remote control is used to control a peripheral device, the remote control will first present a selection list on the display screen. The selection list includes all the peripheral devices that the remote is communicatively coupled with. Upon the user selecting the desired peripheral device to be controlled, the remote control dynamically outputs a customized user interface associated with the selected peripheral device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Flextronics AP, LLC.
    Inventors: Brian Reeves, Richard Pocklington
  • Publication number: 20140082235
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method performed by one or more computing devices includes identifying, at a first computing device, a composite device having one or more interfaces; calling a driver in conjunction with an initialization of the composite device; identifying the one or more interfaces associated with the composite device; determining whether to redirect any of the one or more interfaces to a second computing device; and redirecting to the second computing device any of the one or more interfaces that were determined to require redirection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2013
    Publication date: March 20, 2014
    Inventor: Puneet Kaushik
  • Patent number: 8677043
    Abstract: An A filler module may include, but is not limited to: a body portion; and at least one conductive portion receivable within a component port of a computing device. A method for initializing a computing system may include but is not limited to: detecting a presence or absence of one or more filler modules within one or more computing device component ports; and determining compliance with an allowed filler module configuration according to the detection of the presence or absence of the one or more filler modules withing the one or more computing device component ports. A system comprising: a computing device component port; and a processing device configured to: detect a presence or absence of one or more filler modules within one or more computing device component ports, and determine compliance with an allowed filler module configuration according to the detection of the presence or absence of the one or more filler modules within the one or more computing device component ports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: David T. Windell, Jeffrey J. Smith, Timothy A. Meserth, Seth D. Lewis
  • Patent number: 8677040
    Abstract: A host-peripheral adaptor includes a host adaptor and a portable peripheral adaptor. The host adaptor includes a substantially flat peripheral-adaptor-side interface. The peripheral-adaptor-side interface is designed in a way that it is not easy to tamper with. The portable peripheral adaptor includes a host-adaptor-side interface that is designed to operatively connect to the peripheral-adaptor-side interface of the host adaptor. The portable peripheral adaptor also includes one or more peripheral-side interfaces for accommodating one or more peripheral devices such as a storage media. The portable peripheral adaptor and the host adaptor include a set of data lines and the host adaptor also includes circuitry for recognizing the specific type of a peripheral device and, based on its specific type, for setting a suitable communication path to transfer data between a host and the peripheral device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Sandisk IL Ltd.
    Inventor: Itzhak Pomerantz
  • Patent number: 8677036
    Abstract: A power control device coupled to a power supply device and an information processing device, and configured to control a power supply from the power supply device to the information processing device, the power control device including: a first input/output unit configured to input/output data from/to the information processing device; a second input/output unit configured to input/output data from/to the power supply device by a change of state of signal lines; a storage unit configured to store data input from the first input/output unit and the second input/output unit; and a control unit configured to execute a conversion process for converting data input from the first input/output unit to a change of state of a signal line that can be output from the second input/output unit, and converting a change of state of a signal line input from the second input/output unit to a data format that can be output from the first input/output unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Fujitsu Component Limited
    Inventors: Shinichi Katayama, Naoyuki Nagao
  • Patent number: 8677037
    Abstract: In one embodiment of the invention, a memory apparatus for improved write performance is disclosed. The memory apparatus includes a base printed circuit board (PCB) having an edge connector for plugging into a host server system; a card level power source to provide card level power during a power failure; a memory controller coupled to the card level power source and having one or more memory channels; and one or more non-volatile memory devices (NVMDs) coupled to the card level power source and organized to respectively couple to the memory channels controlled by the memory controller. Each memory controller provides queuing and scheduling of memory operations on a channel for each NVMD in the memory channels. Responsive to power failure, the memory controller receives card level power and changes the scheduling of memory operations to the NVMDs in each memory channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Virident Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Vijay Karamcheti, Ashwin Narasimha
  • Publication number: 20140075062
    Abstract: A KVM (K: Keyboard, V: Video, M: Mouse) switch includes: a plurality of first ports each of which is connected to at least one of a computer and another KVM switch, the another KVM switch having a plurality of third ports connectable to a computer; a second port; a connection unit that selects a first port from the plurality of first ports, and connects the selected first port to the second port; and a control unit that transmits a control signal to the another KVM switch via the selected first port when the first port connected to the computer is connected to the second port, the control signal being a signal for selecting a third port to be connected to the second port from the third ports.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2013
    Publication date: March 13, 2014
    Applicant: FUJITSU COMPONENT LIMITED
    Inventors: Kazuhiro YASUNO, Masato Hirose
  • Publication number: 20140075061
    Abstract: An adapter for providing connectivity between a host connector of a host device and an accessory connector of an accessory that is incompatible with the host connector is described. The adapter can include a host interface connector that is compatible with the host connector, and an accessory interface connector that is compatible with the accessory connector of the accessory. The adapter may further include an identification module that can provide adapter identification information to a host device connected to the host interface connector, and may also include an authentication module that can authenticate an accessory connected to the accessory interface connector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2012
    Publication date: March 13, 2014
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel J. Fritchman, Tony Chi Wang Ng, Jeffrey J. Terlizzi, Scott Krueger
  • Patent number: 8671234
    Abstract: Methods and systems are described for enabling improved interface between a dual-mode multimedia source that supports a pair of data formats and a sink device operable using inputs in a third data format. An adaptor device enabling improved connectivity as well as backward compatibility with legacy devices is disclosed. The system enables the transmission of sideband channel configured in an I2C over AUX format thereby enabling increased performance in sideband channels of a dual-mode source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Osamu Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 8671235
    Abstract: A switch device that allows a user to use the same non-Bluetooth user console (e.g., keyboard, mouse) to control both non-Bluetooth computers and Bluetooth master machines such as tablet computers, smart phones, etc. The switch device includes a console port for connecting to the console and one or more computer ports for connecting to one or more computers, as well as a Bluetooth module for communicating with Bluetooth master machines. A controller processes input device data received via the console port, and either sends the data to a selected Bluetooth master machine or a selected computer, or perform other functions such as switching, Bluetooth device pairing and disconnecting based on the input device data. The controller stores link information of the Bluetooth master machines already paired with the computer switch for quickly switching to a Bluetooth master machine. The switch device can be with or without video switching.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: Aten International Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shu-Ching Tung, Ping-Wen Tsai, Hsiang-Jui Yu, Chao-Hsuan Hsueh
  • Patent number: 8667076
    Abstract: An arrangement is provided in which a Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) device exposes a service for mapping a UPnP discovered content item to a server message block (SMB) location. The service is arranged to expose an SMB share path to a user at a remote client using a UPnP protocol. The user is then enabled with access to the share via SMB to gain file access, write changes or exercise file level control of the discovered content item. Authentication is optionally utilized to verify that the user is authorized to receive the SMB share location from the service or to verify that the user is authorized to access the SMB share.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: James Walter, Daniel Plastina, Kasy Srinivas, Anders Klemets, William F. Schiefelbein
  • Patent number: 8661164
    Abstract: A USB device enumeration process implemented in a USB device is described. The USB device first detects a type of the operating system (OS) of the USB host connected to the device, and performs device enumeration using a process selected from multiple stored processes based on the detected host OS type. To detect the host OS type, the USB device first presents itself to the host as a USB MSD or HID, performs device enumeration to collect OS behavior factors from the host, and determines the OS type from the OS behavior factors. Thereafter, the USB device performs actual device enumeration by presenting itself as the USB device it actually is, using an enumeration process specific to the detected host OS type. The multiple stored enumeration processes are customer configurable. Further, a method is provided to stop an enumeration process when the host is in a BIOS stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Mediatek Inc.
    Inventors: Jin-Ru Chen, Ying-Che Hsu, Tsao-Jiang Chang, Wen-Juin Huang
  • Patent number: 8656065
    Abstract: A programmable interface circuit includes channel(s) including a digital logic block having terminals for receiving control signals from a process controller block, for providing logic signals, and terminals for receiving processed signal data. An analog logic block includes a current output digital to analog converter (DAC). An output circuit block includes first and second field terminals (S1,S2) and a sense resistor, wherein current from the DAC is coupled to S1 and the sense resistor is coupled to S2. The analog logic block includes a first and a second multi-channel multiplexer (MUX), an operational amplifier, and an analog to digital converter (ADC). The control signals automatically select from signal modes including an analog output (AO) mode, a digital output (DO) mode, an analog input (AI) mode, a digital input (DI) mode, and at least one additional signal mode provided by adding a sub-mode to the AI mode or DI mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Gerhart, Christopher Ladas, Angela Lordi, Benjamin J. Stad