Hub structure for enabling communication with a large number of handheld electronic devices
US7844770B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 29, 2007 |
| Grant date | Nov 30, 2010 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 28, 2028 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F2213/4002
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A system for maintaining a large number of Handheld Electronic Devices (HEDs) includes a drawer having a divider structure configured to define compartments that are sized to hold the HEDs while the HEDs are stored in the drawer. A 20 port USB hub is provided in the drawer so that 20 HEDs may be connected to the USB hub while stored in the drawer. The USB hub allows the HEDs to be charged at a low rate while being synchronized with a computer and at a high rate when not being synchronized. The USB hub is designed using a tree structure of available USB hub chips to enable a larger number of USB ports. A microcontroller is provided to control the manner in which the computer is allowed to recognize the HEDs connected to the USB ports.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.