Power reduction for unintentional activation of a wireless input device

• US 20050235169A1
• Filed: 04/14/2004
• Published: 10/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lou, Wenkwei
• Granted Patent: US 7,237,132 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/320
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3259 Power saving in cursor control device, e.g. mouse, joystick, trackball
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3271 Power saving in keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0231 Cordless keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0383 Signal control means within the pointing device
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

An improved method and apparatus for reducing power consumption of a wireless input device when the wireless input device is unintentionally activated, and thereby significantly reduces the amount of power needed to operate the associated circuitry over an extended period of time. In one embodiment, an unintentional activation of the wireless input device is detected; power consuming circuitry of the wireless input device is disabled responsive to the detection; a removal of the unintentional activation of the wireless input device is detected; and the power consuming circuitry of the wireless input device for normal operation is enabled.

Claims

1. A method for reducing power consumption of a wireless input device when the wireless input device is unintentionally activated, the method comprising:

detecting an unintentional activation of the wireless input device;

disabling power consuming circuitry of the wireless input device responsive to the detecting of the unintentional activation;

detecting a removal of the unintentional activation of the wireless input device; and

enabling the power consuming circuitry of the wireless input device for normal operation.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting a removal comprises asynchronously detecting a removal.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting a removal comprises synchronously detecting a removal.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless input device is a keyboard.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless input device is a mouse.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting an unintentional activation comprises detecting an object accidentally placed on the wireless input device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting an unintentional activation comprises detecting activation of the wireless input device and detecting the unintentional activation of the wireless input device after a predetermined period of time from the activation of the wireless input device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the disabling power consuming circuitry comprises causing a processing unit to disable the power consuming circuitry of the wireless input device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless input device includes a processing unit and the disabling power consuming circuitry comprises disabling the processing unit and related control logic of the wireless input device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting a removal comprises detecting an edge of a signal generated when the unintentional activation of the wireless input device is removed.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the enabling power consuming circuitry comprises causing a processing unit to enable the power consuming circuitry of the wireless input device.

12. The circuit of claim 1, wherein the wireless input device includes a processing unit and the enabling power consuming circuitry comprises enabling the processing unit and related control logic of the wireless input device.

13. A circuit for reducing power consumption of a wireless input device when the wireless input device is unintentionally activated, comprising:

means for detecting an unintentional activation of the wireless input device;

means for disabling power consuming circuitry of the wireless input device responsive to the detecting of the unintentional activation;

means for detecting a removal of the unintentional activation of the wireless input device; and

means for enabling the power consuming circuitry of the wireless input device for normal operation.

14. The circuit of claim 13, wherein the means for detecting a removal comprises means for asynchronously detecting a removal.

15. The circuit of claim 13, wherein the means for detecting a removal comprises means for synchronously detecting a removal.

16. The circuit of claim 13, wherein the wireless input device is a keyboard.

17. The circuit of claim 13, wherein the wireless input device is a mouse.

18. The circuit of claim 13, wherein the means for detecting an unintentional activation comprises means for detecting an object accidentally placed on the wireless input device.

19. The circuit of claim 13, wherein the means for detecting an unintentional activation comprises means for detecting activation of the wireless input device and means for detecting the unintentional activation of the wireless input device after a predetermined period of time from the activation of the wireless input device.

20. The circuit of claim 13, wherein the means for disabling power consuming circuitry comprises means for causing a processing unit to disable the power consuming circuitry of the wireless input device.

21. The circuit of claim 13, wherein the wireless input device includes a processing unit and the means for disabling power consuming circuitry comprises means for disabling the processing unit and related control logic of the wireless input device.

22. The circuit of claim 13, wherein the means for detecting a removal comprises means for detecting an edge of a signal generated when the unintentional activation of the wireless input device is removed.

23. The circuit of claim 13, wherein the means for enabling power consuming circuitry comprises means for causing a processing unit to enable the power consuming circuitry of the wireless input device.

24. The circuit of claim 13, wherein the wireless input device includes a processing unit and the means for enabling power consuming circuitry comprises means for enabling the processing unit and related control logic of the wireless input device.

25. A wireless input device capable of reducing power consumption when the wireless input device is unintentionally activated, comprising:

a wireless interface unit;

a processing unit coupled to the wireless interface unit;

an input/output unit coupled to the wireless interface unit and the processing unit; and

a power management unit, wherein the power management unit includes;

detection circuitry for detecting an unintentional activation of the wireless input device,

disabling circuitry for disabling power consuming circuitry of the wireless input device responsive to the detecting of the unintentional activation,

a flip-flop for detecting a removal of the unintentional activation of the wireless input device, and

enabling circuitry for enabling the power consuming circuitry of the wireless input device for normal operation.

26. A wireless input device of claim 25, wherein the flip-flop is asynchronous.

27. A wireless input device of claim 25, wherein the flip-flop is synchronous.