Wireless mouse unit, wireless mouse and receiver

• US 20020061739A1
• Filed: 05/30/2001
• Published: 05/23/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Takamisawa Component Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Takamisawa Component Limited
• Inventors: Nakamura, Shuji, Watanabe, Kazuhiro, Koike, Tamotsu
• Granted Patent: US 6,801,967 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/343.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0384 Wireless input, i.e. hardware and software details of wireless interface arrangements for pointing devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry

Abstract

A wireless mouse unit has a wireless mouse generating signals for moving a cursor across a display screen, a rechargeable secondary battery cell built into the wireless mouse, and a receiver for receiving the signals transmitted from the wireless mouse, the receiver electrically connected to and powered by a computer via a cable. The receiver includes a charging terminal for recharging the rechargeable battery when the wireless mouse is placed in the receiver, eliminating the need for a special charger to recharge the rechargeable secondary battery cell built into the wireless mouse.

Claims

1. A wireless mouse unit comprising:

a wireless mouse generating signals for moving a cursor across a display screen;

a rechargeable secondary battery cell included in the wireless mouse; and

a receiver for receiving the signals transmitted from the wireless mouse, the receiver electrically connected to and powered by a computer via a cable,

the receiver including charging terminals for recharging the rechargeable secondary battery cell of the wireless mouse.

2. The wireless mouse unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the receiver includes a wireless mouse cradle shaped to accommodate the wireless mouse when the wireless mouse is set thereat when the wireless mouse is not in use, the charging terminals disposed so as to contact charging terminals provided on the wireless mouse when the wireless mouse is set at the wireless mouse cradle so as to allow recharging of the rechargeable secondary battery cell.

3. The wireless mouse unit as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a connector cable having at one end thereof a USB connector for connecting to a USB connector located on the computer and a second connector at another end thereof, wherein:

the receiver further comprises a connector for connecting to the second connector of the connector cable;

the wireless mouse further comprises;

a wireless mouse connector for connecting to the second connector of the connector cable; and

a USB microcontroller unit powered by power supplied from the computer via the wireless mouse connector; and

a battery charger for recharging the rechargeable secondary battery cell of the wireless mouse using electric power supplied from the computer via the cable when the wireless mouse is not in use, the battery charger being powered by power supplied from the computer via the wireless mouse connector.

4. The wireless mouse unit as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a connector cable having at one end thereof a USB connector for connecting to a USB connector located on the computer and a second connector at another end thereof; and

a USB-PS/2 conversion connector having a USB connector at one end thereof and a PS/2 connector at another end thereof,

the receiver further comprising;

a receiver connector for connecting to the second connector; and

a USB microcontroller unit that outputs a PS/2 mode signal when the USB connector at one end of the connector cable is connected to the computer via the USB-PS/2 converter connector.

5. The wireless mouse unit as claimed in claim 4, wherein the wireless mouse further comprises:

a wireless mouse connector for connecting to the second connector of the connector cable;

a USB microcontroller unit powered by power supplied from the computer via the wireless mouse connector and that switches to PS/2 mode when the USB connector at one end of the connector cable is connected to the computer via the USB-PS/2 converter connector; and

a battery charger for charging the rechargeable secondary battery cell of the wireless mouse using electric power supplied from the computer via the cable when the wireless mouse is not in use, the battery charger being powered by power supplied from the computer via the wireless mouse connector.

6. A wireless mouse that transmits wireless signals to a receiver connected to a computer so as to move a cursor through a display screen of the computer, the wireless mouse comprising:

a rechargeable secondary battery cell; and

charging terminals that connect to charging terminals disposed on the receiver when the wireless mouse is set on the receiver, such that when so set the rechargeable secondary battery cell is charged using electric power supplied from the computer.

7. The wireless mouse as claimed in claim 6, wherein a solar battery cell is provided on an upper surface of a body of the wireless mouse, the solar battery cell being electrically connected in parallel with the rechargeable secondary battery cell.

8. The wireless mouse as claimed in claim 6, further comprising:

an optical sensor unit having a light emitting element and an optical sensor chip for sensing light emitted from the light emitting element and reflected from a working surface on which the wireless mouse is set during operation; and

a built-in solar battery cell that captures a portion of the light emitted from the light emitting element,

the solar battery cell and the rechargeable secondary battery cell being electrically connected in parallel.

9. A wireless mouse that transmits wireless signals to a receiver connected to a computer so as to move a cursor through a display screen of the computer, the wireless mouse comprising:

a connector connected to a connector at one end of a cable extending from the computer, the cable being connected to a USB female connector on the computer; and

a USB microcontroller unit powered by electric power from the connector.

10. The wireless mouse as claimed in claim 9, that transmits wireless signals to a receiver connected to a computer so as to move a cursor through a display screen of the computer, the wireless mouse further comprising a rechargeable secondary battery cell such, power from the computer being used to charge the rechargeable secondary battery cell when the wireless mouse is connected to the connector at one end of the cable but not used.

11. A receiver connected to a computer and that receives wireless signals transmitted from a wireless mouse so as to move a cursor through a display screen of the computer, the receiver comprising:

wireless mouse cradle shaped to accommodate the wireless mouse when the wireless mouse is set thereat when the wireless mouse is not in use, charging terminals of the wireless mouse cradle disposed so as to contact charging terminals provided on the wireless mouse when the wireless mouse is set at the wireless mouse cradle so as to allow charging of the rechargeable secondary battery cell.

12. The receiver as claimed in claim 11, having a connector connected to the connector at the end of the cable extending from the computer and connected to the computer USB connector.