US Patent 9529758 Multiple port configuration

An method of configuring an electronic device having a plurality of serial ports, each of which is configurable to act in either a host port or a slave port mode, includes entering a port configuration state at the device, and, in this port configuration state detecting a trigger event and configuring each of the serial ports of the device in a defined one of its host port or slave port modes. The trigger event may be the proximity of one of the serial ports of the electronic device to a port of another external device in its slave mode. In response, the proximate serial port of the electronic device may assume its host port mode, and the remaining serial ports of said electronic device may assume the slave port mode.