Docking station for a wireless mouse with control of a computer

• US 20050152111A1
• Filed: 01/12/2004
• Published: 07/14/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Brown, Mark L., Gehring, Shane, Skurdal, Vincent C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,200,765 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/679.410
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3215 Monitoring of peripheral devices

Abstract

A docking station for a wireless mouse includes an output for communicating with a computer and a mouse detector for detecting when the mouse is docked in the docking station. The docking station is configured to transmit a signal to the computer to automatically deactivate the computer when the mouse is docked in the docking station.

Claims

1. A control system for a computer, said system comprising:

a wireless mouse for interacting with said computer; and

a docking station for said wireless mouse;

wherein said docking station comprising a mouse detector configured to detect when said mouse is docked in said docking station and transmit a signal to said computer to deactivate said computer when said mouse is docked in said docking station.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein:

said wireless mouse comprises a rechargeable battery; and

said docking station further comprising a charger for recharging said rechargeable battery.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said mouse detector comprises a current detector for detecting when current flows through said charger to charge said rechargeable battery.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said docking station further comprising a receiver for receiving a mouse signal from said wireless mouse and relaying that mouse signal to said computer.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a Universal Serial Bus connection between said docking station and said computer.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said mouse detector comprises a switch which is actuated when said mouse is docked in said docking station.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said mouse detector comprises an open circuit which is closed by one or more contacts on said mouse when said mouse is docked in said docking station.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said computer is placed in a standby mode in response to said signal.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said computer is placed in a hibernation mode in response to said signal.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said computer is shut down in response to said signal.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein said computer is locked in response to said signal

12. The system of claim 1, wherein said mouse detector transmits a signal to said computer to automatically activate said computer when said mouse is removed from said docking station.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said computer requests input of a user identifier upon receipt of said signal to automatically activate said computer.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein said user identifier is a password.

15. A docking station for a wireless mouse, said station comprising:

an output for communicating with a computer; and

a mouse detector for detecting when said mouse is docked in said docking station;

wherein said docking station is configured to transmit a signal to said computer to automatically deactivate said computer when said mouse is docked in said docking station.

16. The docking station of claim 15, further comprising a charger for recharging a rechargeable battery in said wireless mouse.

17. The docking station of claim 16, wherein said mouse detector comprises a current detector for detecting when current flows through said charger to charge said rechargeable battery.

18. The docking station of claim 15, wherein said docking station further comprising a receiver for receiving a mouse signal from said wireless mouse and relaying that mouse signal to said computer.

19. The docking station of claim 15, wherein said output comprises a Universal Serial Bus connection between said docking station and said computer.

20. The docking station of claim 15, wherein said mouse detector comprises a switch which is actuated when said mouse is docked in said docking station.

21. The docking station of claim 15, wherein said mouse detector comprises an open circuit which is closed by one or more contacts on said mouse when said mouse is docked in said docking station.

22. The docking station of claim 15, wherein said computer is placed in a standby mode in response to said signal.

23. The docking station of claim 15, wherein said computer is placed in a hibernation mode in response to said signal.

24. The docking station of claim 15, wherein said computer is shut down in response to said signal.

25. The docking station of claim 15, wherein said computer is locked in response to said signal

26. The docking station of claim 15, wherein said docking station is further configured to transmit a signal to said computer to automatically activate said computer when said mouse is removed from said docking station.

27. A docking station for a wireless mouse, said station comprising:

means for communicating with a computer; and

means for detecting when said mouse is docked in said docking station;

wherein said docking station is configured to transmit a signal to said computer to automatically deactivate said computer when said mouse is docked in said docking station.

28. The docking station of claim 27, further comprising means for recharging a rechargeable battery in said wireless mouse.

29. The docking station of claim 28, wherein said means for detecting comprise a current detector for detecting when current flows through said means for recharging to charge said rechargeable battery.

30. The docking station of claim 27, further comprising means for receiving a mouse signal from said wireless mouse and relaying that mouse signal to said computer.

31. The docking station of claim 27, wherein said means for detecting comprise a switch which is actuated when said mouse is docked in said docking station.

32. The docking station of claim 27, wherein said means for detecting comprise an open circuit which is closed by one or more contacts on said mouse when said mouse is docked in said docking station.

33. The docking station of claim 27, wherein said computer is placed in a standby mode in response to said signal.

34. The docking station of claim 27, wherein said computer is placed in a hibernation mode in response to said signal.

35. The docking station of claim 27, wherein said computer is shut down in response to said signal.

36. The docking station of claim 27, wherein said computer is locked in response to said signal.

37. The docking station of claim 27, wherein said docking station is further configured to transmit a signal to said computer to automatically activate said computer when said mouse is removed from said docking station.

38. The docking station of claim 27, wherein said means for communicating comprise a Universal Serial Bus.

39. A method of controlling a computer, said method comprising:

interacting with said computer with a wireless mouse;

detecting when said mouse is docked in a docking station; and

transmitting a signal to said computer from said docking station to deactivate said computer when said mouse is docked in said docking station.

40. The method of claim 39, further comprising recharging a rechargeable battery of said mouse with a charger in said docking station.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein detecting said mouse comprises detecting when current flows through said charger to charge said rechargeable battery.

42. The method of claim 39, further comprising receiving a mouse signal from said wireless mouse with said docking station and relaying that mouse signal to said computer.

43. The method of claim 39, wherein said detecting said mouse comprises actuating a switch when said mouse is docked in said docking station.

44. The method of claim 39, wherein said detecting said mouse comprises closing an open circuit of said docking station with one or more contacts on said mouse when said mouse is docked in said docking station.

45. The method of claim 39, further comprising placing said computer in a standby mode in response to said signal to deactivate.

46. The method of claim 39, further comprising placing said computer in a hibernation mode in response to said signal to deactivate.

47. The method of claim 39, further comprising shutting down said computer in response to said signal to deactivate.

48. The method of claim 39, further comprising locking said computer in response to said signal to deactivate.

49. The method of claim 39, further comprising transmitting a signal to said computer from said docking station to automatically activate said computer when said mouse is removed from said docking station.

50. The method of claim 49, further comprising requesting input of a user identifier upon receipt of said signal to automatically activate said computer.

51. The method of claim 50, wherein said user identifier is a password.

52. Computer-readable instructions stored on a computer-readable medium, said instructions, when executed, causing a computer to:

receive a signal from a wireless mouse docking station indicating that a wireless mouse has been docked; and

deactivate in response to said signal.

53. The instructions of claim 52, wherein said computer is shut down in response to said signal.

54. The instructions of claim 52, wherein said computer enters hibernation in response to said signal.

55. The instructions of claim 52, wherein said computer is placed in standby mode in response to said signal.

56. The instructions of claim 52, further comprising a user interface with which a user selects how the computer is deactivated in response to said signal.

57. The instructions of claim 52, wherein said instructions further cause said computer to:

receive a signal from said docking station indicating that said mouse has been undocked; and

reactivate said computer in response to said signal.

58. The instructions of claim 57, wherein said instructions further cause said computer to request a user identifier upon reactivating said computer.

59. The instructions of claim 58, wherein said user identifier is a password.