POWER-SAVING INPUT DEVICE AND POWER-SAVING METHOD FOR SUCH INPUT DEVICE

• US 20130091369A1
• Filed: 05/23/2012
• Published: 04/11/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Primax Electronics Limited
• Original Assignee: Primax Electronics Limited
• Inventors: Shih, Yu-Yen
• Application Number:
  US13/479,059
• Publication Number:
  US 20130091369A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/323
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3206 Monitoring of events, devices or parameters that trigger a change in power modality
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3231 Monitoring the presence, absence or movement of users
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/325 Power saving in peripheral device
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

A power-saving method for an input device is provided. The power-saving method includes steps of: counting an idle time of the input device, judging whether an ambient luminance value in an environment of the input device is detected or not according to the idle time of the input device, and allowing the input device to enter a first shallow sleep mode or a deep sleep mode by judging whether the ambient luminance value is higher than or lower than a predetermined luminance value.

Claims

1. A power-saving input device, comprising:

a casing;

a luminance sensor disposed on a surface of said casing for detecting an ambient luminance value in an environment of said power-saving input device; and

a controlling circuit connected with said luminance sensor and storing a first predetermined time and a predetermined luminance value, wherein if said power-saving input device has been idle for a time period greater than said first predetermined time, said controlling circuit determines whether said power-saving input device enters a deep sleep mode or a first shallow sleep mode by comparing said ambient luminance value with said predetermined luminance value, wherein if said ambient luminance value is lower than said predetermined luminance value, said power-saving input device enters said deep sleep mode, wherein if said ambient luminance value is higher than said predetermined luminance value, said power-saving input device enters said first shallow sleep mode.

2. The power-saving input device according to claim 1, wherein after said power-saving input device enters said first shallow sleep mode, if said controlling circuit judges that said power-saving input device has been idle for a time period greater than said second predetermined time, said power-saving input device enters a second shallow sleep mode.

3. The power-saving input device according to claim 2, wherein after said power-saving input device enters said second shallow sleep mode, if said controlling circuit judges that said power-saving input device has been idle for a time period greater than said third predetermined time, said power-saving input device enters said deep sleep mode.

4. The power-saving input device according to claim 3, wherein if said power-saving input device is in said first shallow sleep mode, said controlling unit has a first power consumption level, wherein if said power-saving input device is in said second shallow sleep mode, said controlling unit has a second power consumption level, wherein if said power-saving input device is in said deep sleep mode, said controlling unit has a third power consumption level, wherein said first power consumption level is higher than said second power consumption level, and said second power consumption level is higher than said third power consumption level.

5. The power-saving input device according to claim 1, wherein said controlling circuit comprises:

a controlling unit for storing said first predetermined time and said predetermined luminance value, judging whether said power-saving input device has been idle for a time period greater than said first predetermined time, and comparing said ambient luminance value with said predetermined luminance value; and

an oscillator disposed within said casing and connected with said controlling unit, wherein if said power-saving input device is not idle, said oscillator issues a clock signal in every predetermined cycle.

6. The power-saving input device according to claim 5, wherein if said power-saving input device is in said first shallow sleep mode, said predetermined cycle is switched to a first cycle, wherein if said power-saving input device is in said second shallow sleep mode, said predetermined cycle is switched to a second cycle, wherein if said power-saving input device is in said deep sleep mode, said predetermined cycle is switched to a third cycle, wherein said third cycle is longer than said second cycle, and said second cycle is longer than said first cycle.

7. The power-saving input device according to claim 5, wherein said power-saving input device is a wireless keyboard, a wired keyboard, a wireless handwriting tablet or a wired handwriting tablet, said luminance sensor is a light sensor, and said controlling unit is a microprocessor.

8. The power-saving input device according to claim 5, further comprising a displacement sensor, which is disposed within said power-saving input device and partially exposed outside said casing, wherein said displacement sensor is connected with said controlling circuit for detecting a motion of said casing, thereby generating a displacement signal.

9. The power-saving input device according to claim 8, wherein said power-saving input device is a wireless mouse or a wired mouse, said luminance sensor is a light sensor, and said controlling unit is a microprocessor.

10. A power-saving method for an input device, said power-saving method comprising steps of:

counting an idle time of said input device;

judging whether an ambient luminance value in an environment of said input device is detected or not according to said idle time of said input device; and

allowing said input device to enter a first shallow sleep mode or a deep sleep mode by judging whether said ambient luminance value is higher than or lower than a predetermined luminance value, wherein if said ambient luminance value is lower than said predetermined luminance value, said input device enters said deep sleep mode, wherein if said ambient luminance value is higher than said predetermined luminance value, said input device enters said first shallow sleep mode.

11. The power-saving method according to claim 10, wherein if said idle time of said input device is greater than a first predetermined time, said ambient luminance value in said environment of said input device is detected, wherein if said idle time of said input device is smaller than said first predetermined time, said idle time of said input device is re-counted.

12. The power-saving method according to claim 10, wherein after said input device enters said first shallow sleep mode, said power-saving method further comprises steps of re-counting said idle time of said input device, and judging whether said input device enters a second shallow sleep mode by comparing said idle time of said input device with a second predetermined time.

13. The power-saving method according to claim 12, wherein after said input device enters said first shallow sleep mode, if said idle time of said input device is greater than said second predetermined time, said input device enters said second shallow sleep mode, wherein after said input device enters said first shallow sleep mode, if said idle time of said input device is smaller than said second predetermined time, said idle time of said input device is re-counted.

14. The power-saving method according to claim 12, wherein after said input device enters said second shallow sleep mode, said power-saving method further comprises steps of re-counting said idle time of said input device, and judging whether said input device enters a deep sleep mode by comparing said idle time of said input device with a third predetermined time.

15. The power-saving method according to claim 14, wherein after said input device enters said second shallow sleep mode, if said idle time of said input device is greater than said third predetermined time, said input device enters said sleep mode, wherein after said input device enters said second shallow sleep mode, if said idle time of said input device is smaller than said third predetermined time, said idle time of said input device is re-counted.

16. The power-saving method according to claim 10, wherein before said step of counting said idle time of said input device, said power-saving method further comprises a step of setting said predetermined luminance value, wherein said step of setting said predetermined luminance value comprises sub-steps of:

detecting said ambient luminance value;

setting a luminance value lower than said ambient luminance value as said predetermined luminance value; and

storing said predetermined luminance value.