EP1232428A1

EP1232428A1 - Adapter for connecting a computer system to a computer network

Info

Publication number: EP1232428A1
Application number: EP00971989A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Todd Landfried; Jason Shiffer
Original assignee: Viator Networks Inc
Current assignee: Viator Networks Inc
Priority date: 1999-10-19
Filing date: 2000-10-19
Publication date: 2002-08-21
Also published as: AU1071501A; WO2001031426A1; EP1232428A4; CA2388598A1

Abstract

A network interface (12) independent of the computer system allows the user's computer system to connect (46) to a network without the recurring cost and requirement of a network adapter directly installed in the user's computer system. The present adaptation of the invention combines two standard computer interfaces into a single external unit able to automatically switch between an Ethernet (16) or USB (14) interface without the necessity of an external power source. When a connection is made between the PC's USB port and the current invention, USB-to-Ethernet conversion (32) is accomplished. When the USB connection is removed, a direct connection may be made between the legacy Ethernet port of the user's PC and the computer network. When a new computer is procured the network controller internal to the computer system is not necessary, if a transceiver type on the computer system is supported by the invention's installed implementation.

Description

ADAPTER FOR CONNECTING A COMPUTER SYSTEM TO A COMPUTER NETWORK

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention is directed to a device for connecting a network capable system to a computer network.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Currently, if a network capable system is to be connected to a computer network, a network device of some kind such as, but not limited to, an Ethernet card is procured from a third party and installed directly into the system's local bus architecture. The third party device while locally installed, becomes part of that system's local hardware aichiteccure. T -.^ local device is considered part of that system and is in most cases retired as part of that system when the system is retired at the end of it's term as a viable resource to the user. The third party network device currently is always considered part of the system that connects the network capable system to the overall network infrastructure.

Because of the limitations of the bus systems utilized in most computer systems available to users on the general market, most network systems are limited to the number of devices it can utilize at any one time. In response to this, several standards have emerged to alleviate this burden on users . As of the year 2000, the most popular of which now is the Universal Serial Bus (USB) , which while useful today, the concept of the USB is not new. Commodore 64 computers used a similar concept technology in the mid 1980s. Though USB and Commodore's solution to extra system bus expansion have little protocol relation in the underlying technologies, the overall concept is nearly identical .

The concept of technologies for extra system buses has always been generally devised by system manufactures to side step local system limitations by introducing exterior protocols via a negotiated protocol compliant system port, thereby allowing the system to communicate to exterior components while not requiring the components to be directly attached to the said system's local bus architecture.

Most notable of this technology is the fact that in all efforts to expand computer systems to date, including the Commodore 64 ' s serial based expansion system and USB ' s similar but not directly related external peripheral/non-local bus expansion system and protocols, and including the changes in bus architectures to date (including ISA/EISA/VESA/MCA/PCI/AGP) ; no architectures for network devices to date have removed themselves from the local bus architecture system. The network device is still considered by the user and by generally accepted accounting principles to be part of the computer system itself.

The average life of a computer system, that is considered acceptable to a user, shrinks every year. The cost of each computer system capable of re-establishing it's connection to a network currently always includes some type of network interface that is considered part of the computer system. Since the network itself remains fixed while upgrades to its infrastructure continue, the need for a networked adapter to oe considered part of the local computer system is becoming obsolete .

A need exists to produce an adapter allowing the user's computer system to be alternatively connected to and operate through an accessible computer system port, such as USB or serial, as well as standard networking interfaces such as Ethernet .

Additionally, a need also exists for a system in which the user does not require that the network interface be directly connected or be considered part of the local system. A need exists for the network interface to be considered as part of ⁺-'~o network architecture and infrastructure and separated from the local computer system ana alleviating its expense from the recycling costs of computer system upgrades would be a benefit to the users. This event alone would save users billions of dollars each year m their computer system recycling costs whe,, implemented .

The network adapter as currently known to the technology industries is subject to needless recycling costs based on the purchase of new computer systems that are normally not related to network speed but CPU and storage expansion needs. The network adapter should be removed from the capital budgets and personal expenses of their users and moved into their infrastructure expenses. As presented above, there is a very strong fiscal need to remove the network adapter from its existence from the local computer system. There is a strong fiscal need to migrate this resource to part of the overal 1 network infrastructure.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The deficiencies in the prior technical specifications are addressed by the present invention which is directed to an adapter providing access for a computer system to a computer network by means of a USB-to-Ethernet transceiver. The current specifications of the adapter is meant as current applications of the invention though not meant as a limitation to the invention. The currently described technical application of the invention is based on the current limitations of transceivers available including but not limited to USB and Ethernet.

The adapter, independent of the computer system can be directly mounted on a wall or any part of the user's infrastructure. The adapter is not required to be directly associated with the user's computer system. The present invention for the first time removes the burden of the network device from the computer system and integrates the network device into the user's infrastructure. The invention also encapsulates current technologies by allowing existing computer systems based on local computer system network controllers to connect to the network via a pass though adapter. The invention also allows a migration path to non-computer system based network devices in the future including but not limited to USB transceiver types. Whereas the invention serves the purpose of the network controller for systems that are absent of such a local network device.

The present invention will become clearer m the light of the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment of this invention described in connection with t e following drawings. DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 shows a front view of the adaptor according to the present invention;

Figure 2 shows a cutaway side view of the adaptor of the present invention; and

Figure 3 illustrates a circuit diagram used with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Figure 1 illustrates a front view of the present invention 10. This invention includes an adaptor 12 provided therein with a device for converting USB format to Ethernet format. This device includes a first port 16 utilizing a wire or other cable 18 connecting an Ethernet port 24 provided on the exterior of the user's PC 22 to the adapter 12. Similarly, a second port 14 is provided connecting the USB port 26 provided on the exterior of the PC 22 to the adapter 12 employing a wire or other cable 20.

Light emitting diodes (LEDs) 28 and 30 are used to indicate the manner m which the device is operating. The function of these LEDs will be described hereinbelow. It is noted that other types of indicator devices could be used as a substitute for these LEDs 28, 30.

Figures 2 and 3 illustrate the components and circuitry provided within the adapter 12. The USB port 14 connects the USB cable 20 to a USB-to-Ethernet board/chip 32. A connector 34 is provided between the port 14 and the board 32 provided within the body of the adapter 12. LEDs 28 and 30 are also connected to the board 32.

The Ethernet port 16 is connected to the PC 22 through a standard male RJ-45 type of connector 42. This male connector 42 is directly connected to a standard female RJ-45 connector 44 provided within the adapter 12. A second standard female PJ-'J connector 46 is provided within the device 12 to connect the adapter 12 to a host computer network through a cable conductor or other wire 50.

The USB-to-Ethernet board 32 is provided with both input and output connectors 33, 35. The input connectors 33 are connected to the connector 34 which m turn is connected to the second port 14. The output connectors 35 are connected to relays 36 and 38 as shown m the diagram illustrated in Figure 3. Connectors 44 and 46 are also connected to the relays 36, 38 as shown m Figure 3. It is noted that although two relays 36 and 38 are illustrated, it can be appreciated that one relay or several relays may be employed for the purpose of either connecting the USB cable directly to the RJ-45 connector 46 or connecting the cable 18 directly to the RJ-45 connector 46.

In operation, the user would connect the Ethernet cable 18 from port 24 of the PC 22 to the input port 16 of the adapter 12. Similarly, the user would connect the USB port 14 of the adapter 12 directly to the USB port 26 provided on the exterior of the PC 22 through cable 20. It is noted that these connections are made regardless of whether the user's PC 22 is provided with an internal Ethernet card. When the USB cable 20 is connected to the adapter 12, the PC's motherboard bus would send a 5 volt power signal to the USB port 14 which is sensed by the USB-to-Ethernet board 32. This signal would drive the relays 36, 38 to a particular position allowing connection between the USB-to-Ethernet board 32 directly to the RJ-45 connector 46 which would in turn be in connection with the computer network through cable 50. In this situation, the USB signal transmitted to the adapter 12 will be converted to the Ethernet format by the board 32 and then this information would be directly transmitted to the RJ-45 connector 46.

When the user disconnects the USB cable 20, the 5 volt signal would not be sensed and the relay would revert to a default position in which there is a direct connection between the RJ-45 connectors 42 and 46. In this default position, a direct Ethernet connection is then made between the user's PC 22 and the computer network through the cable 50. It can be easily appreciated that the use of this 5 volt power signal would negate the necessity for an external power supply.

The LEDs 28 and 30 are used for diagnostic purposes to determine if the adapter 12 is operating properly. For example, if diode 28 is on, this would indicate that the adapter 12 is receiving power from the PC and is connected to the network. However, if the diode 28 is off, this would indicate that the adapter 12 is not receiving power from the PC or that the unit is not connected to the network. When diode 30 is flashing, this would indicate that data is being transferred to or from the network. If this diode 30 is off, no data is being transferred to or from the network.

While the invention has been described with reference to a specific embodiment, modifications and variations may be constructed without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A device for connecting a computer system to a computer network, comprising: an adapter connected to the computer system and the computer network, and physically located external to the computer system and the computer network, allowing information m first and second incompatible formats to be transferred between the computer system and the computer network, said adapter provided with a conversion device for converting between said first and second incompatible formats.

2. The device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said adapter is provided with a first input port connecting information in said first format from the computer system to said adapter, said adapter further provided with a second input port connecting information in said second format from the computer system to said adapter and an output port connecting said adapter to the computer network.

3. The device in accordance with claim 2, wherein said first format is m the Ethernet format and said second format is m the USB format and wherein said first input port is connected to said adapter by an Ethernet cable and said second input port is connected to said adapter by a USB cable.

4. The device in accordance with claim 3, wherein said adapter is provided with a sensing device for sensing when sai USB cable is connected between said second input port and the computer system.

5. The device in accordance with claim 4, wherein a power signal is sent from the computer system to said adapter when said sensing device senses a connection between said USB cable and said second input port, thereby enabling said conversion device to convert from said USB format to said Ethernet format for connection over said output port to the computer network.

6. The device in accordance with claim 4 for directly connecting said first input port to said output port when said sensing device does not sense a connection between said USB cable and said second input port.

7. A method of connecting a computer system to a computer network allowing one of first and second incompatible formats to be sent from the computer system to the computer network, comprising the steps of: connecting an adapter between the computer system and the computer network, said adapter physically located external to the computer system and the computer network; and providing a conversion device in said adapter for converting between said first and second formats.

8. The method m accordance with claim 7, further including the steps of: making a first connection oetween the computer system and said adapter for connecting information in said first format from the computer system to said adapter- making a second connection between the computer system and said adapter for connecting information m said second format from the computer system to said adapter.

9. The method m accordance with claim 8 wherein said first format is in the Ethernet format and said second format is in the USB format .

10. The method in accordance with claim 9, further including the step of: sensing when said second connection is completed from the computer system to said adapter.

11. The method in accordance with claim 10 further including the steps of: transmitting a power signal from the computer system to said conversion device; and enabling said conversion device to convert from said USB format to said Ethernet format for connection to the computer network.