Flexible mobile device connectivity to automotive systems with USB hubs

摘要

A system which is configured to enable a vehicle's embedded USB Host system to connect to multiple mobile devices through a USB Hub, regardless of whether the mobile devices are configured to act as USB Hosts or USB Devices, without the need to add or provide OTG controllers in the system or additional vehicle wiring, or inhibiting the functionality of any consumer devices operating in USB Device mode connected to a vehicle system Hub while another consumer device connected to the same Hub operates in USB Host mode. Preferably, the system is configured to provide that no additional cabling is required, and no hardware changes are required to be made to the HU. The system can be employed between a vehicle's embedded USB Host, USB Hub and at least one consumer accessible USB port. In the case where the consumer device is acting as a USB Host, signals between the consumer device and the vehicle's embedded USB Host are processed through a bridge, thereby rendering the consumer device compatible with the vehicle's embedded USB Host.

主权项

1. A system disposed within a vehicle, comprising:
an embedded Universal Serial Bus (USB) Host system; a USB Hub having a plurality of USB Ports and interconnected to the embedded USB Host system, said USB Hub configured to simultaneously broadcast data from the embedded USB Host system to each USB Port in the plurality of USB Ports and to transmit data from each USB Port to the embedded USB Host system; a USB Bridge interconnected to the USB Hub and configured to connect the embedded USB Host system to a second USB Host; anda USB routing switch interconnected to the USB Bridge, the USB Hub, and the plurality of USB Ports, wherein the USB routing switch is configured to connect a first USB Port of the plurality of USB Ports to the USB Hub through the USB Bridge when a consumer device connected to the USB Port is the second USB Host and is configured to initiate bidirectional communication with the embedded USB Host, and wherein the USB routing switch is configured to connect the first USB Port directly to the USB Hub when the consumer device connected to the first USB Port is configured to only respond to communication from the embedded USB Host, thereby rendering the consumer device compatible with the embedded USB Host system.