Title of Invention

MUNTI-FUNCTIONAL PERIPHERAL WITH A PUSH BUTTON FOR DISCONNECTING AN UNIVERSAL SERIAL BUS DEVICE

Abstract

ABSTRACT The present invention in general relates to the field of Multi Functional Peripherals (MFPs) and in particular to a push button to disconnect/reset a USB device connected to the MFP. When the push button is pressed, the data transfer to the USB device is terminated. Further the power supply to the USB device is also terminated, making it safe to remove from MFP without any loss of data. Using the push button the user can directly disconnect/reset the USB device without having to go through the menu driven user interface of the MFP.

Full Text

FIELD OF INVENTION The present invention, in general, relates to the field of multifunction peripherals (MFP's). More particularly, the present invention relates to an MFP that has a push button to disconnect/reset an USB device connected to the particular MFP. DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART All presently available MFPs have USB ports through which USB devices are connected and accessed. For example, a USB memory device such as a pen drive can be connected to tile MFP through the USB port. Then, once the upload/download of data is performed, the USB device is usually disconnected from the MFP using a software support provided in the parent device. But, with such a design, the user has to navigate through the complicated menu driven user interface on the LCD screen in order to reach the software support. It is this software support that calls the USB driver to disconnect from the MFP and disconnects the power supply to the USB device. Once these series of operations had been performed, the user will be prompted to take out the USB device safely. In other words, there are no hardware parts currently available in the market that could disconnect a USB device from a MFP in one-go. Every time a user wants to disconnect a USB device from an MFP, he/she has no choice but to navigate through the menu driven user interface to reach the software support, implying that the user may loose substantial time if he has to disconnect a number of USB devices. The same is the case with resetting a USB device; there are no hardware parts that can reset a USB device for next use presently available in the market. In the patent titled" Method and apparatus for flushing of a device cache and suspending/shutting-down the device" (US20030023410A1), it describes a method of initiating the suspension of a device (e.g., external storage) connected to the parent device (e.g., computer). The device to be disabled can be any device which can be connected to the USB port of the parent device. In a nutshell. the invention discloses the use of a push button or a toggling switch to disable or uncouple the device. However, according to this invention, the button/switch is located on the device rather on the parent device. Moreover, the parent device in this case is a computer rather than a printer or an MFP. In another patent (US20060190666A1), titled "Computer system and control method of the same", it describes a computer system with an information processing system which takes command from an interface and transmits signals to carry out tasks to the peripheral devices. The patent publication discloses a method of safe disconnection of a USB device connected to the information processing system (e.g., a Personal Computer). The method involves the use of a push button, which when pressed down causes the CPU to carry out a predetermined process to safely disconnect the USB device. However, here, the push button is external to the information processing system and not a part of it. Moreover, the information processing system is a PC rather than an MFP. From the foregoing, it is obvious that, even though the prior art literature does talks about a push button mechanism to safely disconnect a USB device attached to a parent device, none of the publications explicitly mentions that the parent device to be an MFP. Further, none of the prior art mentions that the push button is located on a MFP and that can be used to disconnect/reset an USB device connected to the MFP in one-go rather than having to click through menus. The present invention tries to solve these issues by suggesting a push button mechanism by which a USB device can be disconnected and reset from an MFP in one-go without having to navigate through complex software menus. Also, according to the current invention, the push button sits on the parent device itself. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore the primary otpject of the invention to provide a push button mechanism by which a USB device can be disconnected or reset from an MFP. It is another object of the invention that the push button remains on the parent device itself. It is another object of the invention to let the user disconnect and reset the USB device in one-go rather than having to navigate through complex software menus. It is yet another objective of the invention that the same USB device can be again accessed by the MFP, even without physically removing it and plugging it again. Accordingly, the present invention provides for a method by which a USB device can be disconnected - and reset - from an MFP by pressing a push button, the method comprising, • Closing the connection between the USB device and MFP. • Disconnecting the power supply to the USB device. • Resetting the USB device. • Prompting the user to take out the USB device safely. The invention also envisages a system that facilitates the disconnecting of a USB device from an MFP, the system comprising, • A push button. • Controller/microprocessor • Associated circuitry/interface. These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the ensuing detailed description of the invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which depicts the flowchart of the various stages of disconnecting the USB device from an MFP by pressing a push button. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig 1 shows USB port and the push button Fig 2 depicts the flowchart when the Push-button is used to disconnect the USB hardware device Fig 3 portrays the functional diagram of the push button Fig 4 displays the options available for the MFP with a push button DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be explained with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood however that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. The following description and drawings are not to be construed as limiting the invention and numerous specific details are described to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention, as the basis for the claims and as a basis for teaching one skilled in the art how to make and/or use the invention. However in certain instances, well-known or conventional details are not described in order not to unnecessarily obscure the present invention in detail. Fig 1 depicts the usage of push button in conjunction with USB Port. This button helps the user to directly disconnect the connected USB device(s) from the USB port. As per the present invention, when a user wants to disconnect the USB device from the USB port, he simply presses the push button. When the button is pressed, it internally evokes the software routines that helps disconnect the device gracefully, i.e. by closing all the existing active connections and then disconnecting the electrical signal, after which the USB device can be safely removed from the MFP without any data loss. This sequence of operation is given in the form of flowchart in fig 2. Further, since the push button is an ON-OFF type of button, the same push button also serves to reset the USB device for next use. The functioning of the push button is given in detail in fig 3. The push button in the MFP is internally connected to the external interrupt pin of micro controller / processor (fig 3) such that when any high to low transition takes place on the external interrupt pin, an external interrupt is triggered. When the push-button is not pressed (open-circuit), the external interrupt pin will be high. When the push¬button is pressed, it closes the circuit thereby driving the external interrupt pin input low. In other words, a high to low transition takes place at the external interrupt pin when the push button is pressed. This triggers the external interrupt. i In certain micro controllers/processors, external interrupt occurs when low to high transition takes place. In such scenarios, fig 3 can be changed as desired. In short, the push button-logic can be designed or implemented by various methods. The present implementation is one of the methods. Now, in the external interrupt sub-routine, the safety removal of USB hardware function is called. This closes all the existing active connections with the USB device and disconnects the electrical signal, thereby letting the user to safely disconnect the USB device from the MFP sans any data loss. On the other hand, if the USB device is not already connected to the USB port in the first place, when plugging in one, the automatic hardware detection sub¬routines (fig 4) in the MFP will scan the USB ports for any possible USB devices. If it recognizes the presence of an USB device attached to the USB port, a connection will be established and the MFP now could make data access from/to the USB device. Once data access is over, the USB device can be safely disconnected by pressing the pushbutton. The pushbutton in the MFP also serves to reset the USB hardware device without having to physically remove it from the USB port. When the push button is pressed, the existing active connections with the USB device will be closed and the electrical supply will be cut-off. This will safely disconnect the USB hardware device so that it will be ready for next use. Now, in case, if the USB hardware device is not physically removed from the USB port when the MFP prompts to do so, then the automatic hardware detection sub-routines (fig 4) in the MFP will again scan the USB port for USB devices and again it recognizes the USB hardware and in turn it will be accessed by the MFP. In other words, pressing the pushbutton also resets the same USB device for another use that there is no need to physically remove it from the USB port and plug it again for the MFP to identify it. It will also be obvious to those skilled in the art that other control methods and apparatuses can be derived from the combinations of the various methods and apparatuses of the present invention as taught by the description and the accompanying drawings and these shall also be considered within the scope of the present invention. Further, description of such combinations and variations is therefore omitted above. It should also be noted that the host for storing the applications include but not limited to a microchip, microprocessor, handheld communication device, computer, rendering device or a multi function device. Although the present invention has been fully described in connection with the preferred embodiments thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be noted that various changes and modifications are possible and are apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications are to be understood as included within the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims unless they depart there from. GLOSSARY OF TERMS AND DEFINITIONS AND REFERENCES THEREOF MFP: Multi-function peripheral USB: Universal Serial Bus WE CLAIM 1. A method to disconnect/reset a USB device connected to an MFP in one- go, without having to navigate through any complex software menus, by the press of a push button the method comprising, • Closing the connection between the USB device and MFP • Disconnecting the power supply to the USB device • Resetting the USB device • Prompting the user to remove the USB device safely. 2. A system to facilitate the disconnecting of a USB device from an MFP, post data access, the system comprising, • A push button • Controller/microprocessor • Associated circuitry/interface. 3. The system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the push button is located on the MFP 4. The system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the push button is connected to the external interrupt pin of micro controller / processor. 5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the safety removal of USB hardware function is triggered by an external interrupt, which in turn is activated by a change of state occurring at the external interrupt pin. 6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the same USB device can be again accessed by the MFP if it is not taken out when the MFP prompts to remove it safely. 7. A method to disconnect/reset a USB device connected to an MFP in one- go, without having to navigate through any complex software menus, by the press of a push button, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 8. A system to facilitate the disconnecting of a USB device from an MFP post data access, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Documents:

2436-CHE-2007 AMENDED CLAIMS 21-02-2014.pdf

2436-CHE-2007 AMENDED PAGES OF SPECIFICATION 21-02-2014.pdf

2436-CHE-2007 FORM-1 21-02-2014.pdf

2436-CHE-2007 FORM-13 12-12-2013.pdf

2436-CHE-2007 FORM-5 21-02-2014.pdf

2436-CHE-2007 POWER OF ATTORNEY 21-02-2014.pdf

2436-CHE-2007 EXAMINATION REPORT REPLY RECEIVED 21-02-2014.pdf

2436-che-2007 abstract.pdf

2436-che-2007 claims.pdf

2436-che-2007 correspondence others.pdf

2436-che-2007 description (complete).pdf

2436-che-2007 drawings.pdf

2436-che-2007 form-1.pdf

2436-CHE-2007 FORM-13 17-12-2013.pdf