The goal of this project is to create a working adapter between a wired Xbox 360 controller and a Nintendo 64 game console. The signals from the Xbox 360 controller USB port data pins (Data+ and Data-) will be picked up and modified appropriately by a microcontroller; the modified 32-bit output signal will feed into the console. I am not going to inquire on how to perform the bulk of the tasks, rather a means of surpassing a roadblock that occurred during preliminary testing.

A computer running a Windows 7 OS is typically capable of locating drivers for the controller, which then allows the controller to communicate with the PC. Rather than plugging into a USB port, however, I have provided 5V directly from a power supply across the VCC and GND terminals on the physical male USB stick appended to the controller. This was partially a success in that the light indicating power is received turned on; but only momentarily, for about a third of a second. The light then turned off until I reconnected the DC signal. In other words lifting a lead from either GND or VCC and then reconnecting caused the light to blink again - for about a third of a second each and every time it was tested.

I presume there is a particular sequence of data that needs to be sent in through the two data pins, that the Windows driver would know how to communicate with. In this way a computer with the drivers installed will power the controller on and then immediately initiate some sort of coded signal through the data pins to keep the controller powered on indefinitely. It is at this point that I believe the controller can send data through the USB data pins, to the computer, though which the signal will vary based on the combination of buttons being pressed. Because I cannot get the controller to stay on I cannot even begin to test this, so it is all theoretical to me.

Could anyone shed light on what I may be doing wrong in powering the controller? Am I required to send data in the same way a Microsoft driver would to get the light to stay on? If so, how can I know the required signals to be sent? Am I potentially missing something else? I could not find a datasheet for the Xbox 360 controller that contains any information on how to intercept its signals and provide power (no shock there), so I have addressed my question here in hopes that someone has knowledge in this area.

Not looking particularly for a quick reply, just one that may concretely address these low-level questions.