US 12,135,673 B2
Baseboard management controller and operation method thereof
Hung Liu, Hsinchu (TW); and Chih-Chiang Tsao, Hsinchu (TW)
Assigned to ASPEED Technology Inc., Hsinchu (TW)
Filed by ASPEED Technology Inc., Hsinchu (TW)
Filed on Dec. 19, 2022, as Appl. No. 18/084,523.
Claims priority of application No. 111139952 (TW), filed on Oct. 21, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2024/0134816 A1, Apr. 25, 2024
Prior Publication US 2024/0232123 A9, Jul. 11, 2024
Int. Cl. G06F 13/42 (2006.01); G06F 13/38 (2006.01)
CPC G06F 13/4282 (2013.01) [G06F 13/382 (2013.01); G06F 2213/0042 (2013.01)] 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A baseboard management controller, comprising:
a path switching circuit;
a host interface circuit, coupled to the path switching circuit, wherein the host interface circuit is adapted to be electrically connected to a host circuit outside the baseboard management controller;
a universal serial bus (USB) hub controller, coupled to the path switching circuit;
a USB physical layer circuit, coupled to the path switching circuit, wherein the USB physical layer circuit is adapted to be electrically connected to an external USB host or an external USB device outside the baseboard management controller; and
a control circuit, configured to control the path switching circuit to selectively couple the host interface circuit to the USB hub controller, selectively couple the USB hub controller to the USB physical layer circuit, or selectively couple the host interface circuit to the USB physical layer circuit;
wherein the path switching circuit comprises:
a first switch circuit, having a first terminal and a second terminal respectively coupled to the host interface circuit and the USB hub controller, wherein the first switch circuit is turned on when the baseboard management controller operates in an internal bus mode;
a second switch circuit, having a first terminal and a second terminal respectively coupled to the USB hub controller and the USB physical layer circuit, wherein the second switch circuit is turned on when the baseboard management controller operates in a USB device mode; and
a third switch circuit, having a first terminal and a second terminal respectively coupled to the host interface circuit and the USB physical layer circuit, wherein the third switch circuit is turned on when the baseboard management controller operates in a USB host mode.