Bidirectional wireless number pad and keyboard

• US 20040246150A1
• Filed: 07/03/2003
• Published: 12/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Logitech Europe S A (Logitech International SA)
• Original Assignee: Logitech Europe S A (Logitech International SA)
• Inventors: Monney, Patrick, Tabasso, Alain, Richard, Alexis, Sheehan, Peter, Pavillard, Denis
• Granted Patent: US 7,253,750 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 341/22
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/021 Arrangements integrating additional peripherals in a keyboard, e.g. card or barcode reader, optical scanner
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0213 Arrangements providing an integrated pointing device in a keyboard, e.g. trackball, mini-joystick for pointing devices integrated in a laptop computer G06F1/169; joysticks G05G9/047; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0219 Special purpose keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0231 Cordless keyboards

Abstract

The present invention uniquely separates the number pad from a keyboard providing a separate, wireless device. This separate wireless device with the number pad includes a display and has multiple modes of operation.

Claims

1. A computer interface system comprising:

a hub connected to said computer and configured to communicate wirelessly with at least three peripheral devices;

a wireless mouse for wirelessly communicating with said hub;

a wireless keyboard for wirelessly communicating with said hub, said wireless keyboard having an alphanumeric keyboard but no separate number pad; and

a wireless numeric keyboard for wirelessly communicating with said hub, said wireless numeric keyboard including a number pad and a display.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said wireless numeric keyboard is configured with two modes of operation, a first mode as a number pad and a second mode as a calculator.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said wireless numeric keyboard is configured to provide a navigating function.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising a media button on one of said wireless keyboard and said wireless numeric keyboard, said media button being configured to launch a media application.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein said media application comprises one of an application for playing music, an application for displaying a video and an application for displaying still pictures.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said wireless mouse, wireless keyboard and wireless numeric keyboard all communicate using Bluetooth™

technology with said hub.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein said hub is connected to a USB port of said computer.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein said wireless keyboard and wireless numeric keyboard each include media buttons for performing the same functions.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein said media buttons include a volume up button, a volume down button and a mute button.

10. A computer interface system comprising:

a hub connected to said computer via a USB port and configured to communicate wirelessly using Bluetooth™

technology with at least three peripheral devices;

a wireless mouse for wirelessly communicating with said hub;

a wireless keyboard for wirelessly communicating with said hub, said wireless keyboard having an alphanumeric keyboard but no separate number pad;

a wireless numeric keyboard for wirelessly communicating with said hub, said wireless numeric keyboard including a number pad and a display, wherein said wireless numeric keyboard is configured to provide a navigating function; and

a media button on one of said wireless keyboard and said wireless numeric keyboard, said media button being configured to launch a media application, said media application comprises one of an application for playing music, an application for displaying a video and an application for displaying still pictures.