Hi guys,
followed your thread for a while and decided to join with my C1000.
I got the following idea and would like to read what you are thinking.
First as far as I understood there is a unused USB-host-port inside the Z.
Secondly there is a (for normal users) unused COM-port (unlike you like to do some deep hacking).
Thirdly there is a unused I2C-Bus.
My idea (most is nearly the same as proposed already ) would be as followed. Use or create a tiny USB-hub. Maybe buy a tiny one and "cut off" everything unneeded like LEDs, Plugs (hard soldering the USB stuff), everything related to external power etc.
Buy a tiny Wifi-, a Bluetooth-, and a Flashmemory-Stick. Cut again everything which we do not need internally.
Solder everything together and attach it to the free USB-port.
Up to here it is more or less the same as Da_Blitz and albertr discussed already.
My next step would be the use of either the I2C or the COM port with a I/O Expander to create 3 I/O pins (maybe the COM itself can provide some pseudo I/O already).
This I like to do to save the generic GPIO (you never know for what they are needed ).
Use one of these tiny ICs to switch the power to the different USB lines. (I saw one from Maxim with a bunch of additional features like current control etc.). Create a little logic circuit
In addition it should be easy to create a "driver" for a COM-based power-controller
Now I should be able to turn on memory, WLAN or bluetooth individual. If all turned off, the logic circuit will turn off the power to the USB-hub just to save juice.
Thats more or less my silly idea of a way how it could work. Any comments
Zuse
CC. Maxim (this is no ad, I do not get money ) shows tiny WLAN, Bluetooth, GPS etc. modules and ICs. Maybe one way to create a "professional" daughterboard to upgrade the Z.