Integrated Virtual Hub Chip

Abstract

An apparatus that includes a serial port configured to interface with a separate host, one serial interface engine (SIE) connected to the serial port, and at least a first interface unit and a second interface unit connected to the one serial interface engine. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a virtual hub comprising a firmware unit configured to emulate a hub having multiple ports. In another alternative embodiment, the apparatus is a Universal Serial Bus (USB) peripheral and the serial port is a Universal Serial Bus port. In another alternative embodiment, apparatus is housed within a keyboard.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A method of emulating a hub having multiple ports, the method comprising:
 transferring data with a separate host;   transferring data between one serial interface engine (SIE) and a first interface; and   transferring data between the one serial interface engine and a second interface.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the first interface unit is a keyboard interface. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the second interface unit is a flash media drive interface. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the one serial interface engine, the first interface, and the second interface is housed within a keyboard. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the method is performed by a Universal Serial Bus (USB) peripheral. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the serial interface engine is connected to a controller, and the first interface unit and the second interface unit are connected to the controller. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the method further comprises transferring data between the serial interface unit and a third interface unit. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the serial interface engine (SIE), the first interface unit, and the second interface unit are integrated on a single device. 
     
     
         29 . A method of interconnecting a plurality of ports to a host USB interface, comprising:
 providing a firmware unit connected to a plurality of ports and to a host USB interface; and   emulating in said firmware unit a hub having a plurality of ports.   
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29  wherein the emulating step comprises representing the ports as USB entities. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 29  wherein at least one of the ports comprises a serial interface. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 29  further comprising providing one serial interface engine connected between said firmware unit and at least two of said ports. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 29  wherein said ports are selected from a group comprising: a human interface device, a secure channel device, a video capture device, a printer device, a scanner device, and a wireless class device. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33  wherein a secure channel device comprises hash algorithms. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34  wherein the hash algorithms are selected from a group consisting of MD5, SHA-1, SHB-256, SHA-384, SHA-512, HMAC-MD5, HMAC-SHA1. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 33  wherein the wireless class device supports a wireless protocol selected from a group consisting of a 802 standard, Bluetooth and wireless USB. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36  wherein the 802 standard wireless protocol is selected from a group consisting of 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11e, 802.11g. 
     
     
         38 . A method emulating a USB hub, comprising:
 providing a controller connected to a plurality of interface units and to a host USB interface; and   emulating in said controller that said interface units are a plurality of ports.   
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38  wherein the emulating step comprises representing interfaces units as USB entities. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 38  wherein at least one of the interface units comprises a serial interface. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 38  further comprising providing one serial interface engine connected between said controller and at least two of said interface units. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 38  wherein interface units are selected from a group comprising: a human interface device, a secure channel device, a video capture device, a printer device, a scanner device, and a wireless class device. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 42  wherein a secure channel device comprises hash algorithms. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 43  wherein the hash algorithms are selected from a group consisting of MD5, SHA-1, SHB-256, SHA-384, SHA-512, HMAC-MD5, HMAC-SHA1. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 42  wherein the wireless class device supports a wireless protocol selected from a group consisting of a 802 standard, Bluetooth and wireless USB. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 45  wherein the 802 standard wireless protocol is selected from a group consisting of 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11e, 802.11g. 
     
     
         47 . A method emulating a USB hub, comprising:
 providing a controller connected to a plurality of serial interface units and to a host USB interface; and   emulating in said controller that said interface units are a plurality of USB entities.   
     
     
         48 . A method emulating a USB hub, comprising:
 providing a controller connected to a plurality of interface units and to a host USB interface; and   emulating in said controller that said interface units are USB entities.