Computer system with passive wireless payboard

• US 20060114129A1
• Filed: 12/15/2005
• Published: 06/01/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ezero Technologies LLC
• Original Assignee: Ezero Technologies LLC
• Inventors: Henty, David L.
• Granted Patent: US 9,069,387 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 341/22
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0231 Cordless keyboards

Abstract

A wireless keyboard and reader combination comprises a keyboard having a plurality of keys, an antenna, and a plurality of passive transponder circuits coupled to the antenna and associated with the keys. The passive transponder circuits are selectively coupled to receive power from the antenna and provide a coded response identifying a key in response to key activation. An associated reader includes a source of an interrogating field applied to the antenna of the keyboard and a decoder for determining the coded response from the passive transponder circuits.

Claims

1-3. -3. (canceled)

4. A computer system, comprising:

a monitor;

a processor;

a reader comprising a source of an interrogating field and a decoder; and

a wireless keyboard having a plurality of keys and one or more antennas adapted to selectively reflect said interrogating field in response to key activation.

6. A computer system as set out in claim 4, wherein the antenna is dimensioned on the order of magnitude of the wavelength of the interrogating field.

7. A computer system as set out in claim 6, wherein the antenna is approximately one half the wavelength of the interrogating field.

8. A computer system as set out in claim 4, wherein one antenna is coupled to plural keys.

9. A computer system as set out in claim 4, wherein the antenna is selected from the group consisting of a half wavelength dipole antenna, a bowtie antenna, a multi-element half dipole antenna or a folded dipole antenna.

10. A computer system as set out in claim 4, wherein the keyboard further comprises a modulation circuit responsive to key activation and coupled to modulate the reflectivity of the one or more antennas.

11. A computer system as set out in claim 10, further comprising a power source coupled to the modulator circuit and separate from said one or more antennas.

5. A method for short range wireless transmission of data between a freely movable keyboard, having one or more manually activated keys and one or more antennas, wherein the one or more antennas are adapted to reflectively couple to the interrogating field, and a receiver, the method comprising:

providing an electromagnetic interrogating field;

reflecting the interrogating field from the one or more antennas configured in the keyboard;

modulating the reflected field with a coded response in response to activation of the one or more keys; and

detecting the modulated reflected field at the receiver.

12. A method for short range wireless transmission of data as set out in claim 5, wherein the antenna is dimensioned on the order of magnitude of the wavelength of the interrogating field.

13. A method for short range wireless transmission as set out in claim 5, further comprising providing power for said modulating from a power source separate from the one or more antennas adapted to reflectively couple to the interrogating field.

14. A method for short range wireless transmission of data as set out in claim 13, wherein providing power from a separate power source comprises providing power from a second antenna on the keyboard separate from the one or more antennas adapted to reflectively couple to the interrogating field.

15. A method for short range wireless transmission of data as set out in claim 5, wherein plural keys are selectively coupled to a single antenna.

16. A method for short range wireless transmission between a computer system or entertainment system having a receiver and a freely movable input device having one or more manually activated inputs, comprising:

transmitting an interrogating field to the movable input device;

transmitting a backscatter modulated return field to the receiver, employing an antenna configured in the movable input device and dimensioned to reflectively couple to the interrogating field, in response to activation of a manually activated input on the input device; and

detecting the backscatter modulated return field at the receiver.

17. A method for short range wireless transmission as in claim 16, wherein the antenna is dimensioned on the order of the magnitude of the wavelength of the interrogating field.

18. A method for short range wireless transmission as in claim 16, wherein power for modulating the return field is provided by the interrogating field.