Standard configurable universal serial bus (USB) device identifier
US6931456B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 9, 2003 |
| Grant date | Aug 16, 2005 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 26, 2023 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F9/4411
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
The present invention provides a USB peripheral device belonging to a model line of identical peripheral devices. The peripheral device includes a USB interface enabling connection of the peripheral device to a USB port of a host device. The peripheral device also includes a memory for storing a USB device identifier. The USB device identifier comprises a standard USB device identifier that is the same for all the peripheral devices of the model line. The standard USB device identifier identifies each peripheral device in the model line to the host device as identical devices, thereby preventing device driver reinstallation and communication port reassignment when swapping one peripheral device for another peripheral device from the same model line. This enables identical peripheral devices to be “hot-swappable” such that they can be interchanged on the host device, even when the host device is powered up and running. Corresponding methods are also provided.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.