WIRELESS KEYBOARD

• US 20140253452A1
• Filed: 03/08/2013
• Published: 09/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Miller, Grant D., Nassar, Nader M., Newns, Dennis M.
• Granted Patent: US 9,524,033 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0231 Cordless keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/70 having a plurality of operating members associated with different sets of contacts, e.g. keyboard mounting together a plurality of independent switches H02B
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2239/076 Key stroke generating power
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2300/032 using RFID technology in switching devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/14 Protecting elements, switches, relays or circuit breakers

Abstract

Embodiments include a wireless keyboard having a plurality of keys and a plurality of radio frequency identification (RFID) tags, wherein each of the plurality of RFID tags are coupled to one of the plurality of keys. Each of the RFID tags are configured to transmit a signal when one of the plurality of keys coupled to RFID tag is pressed.

Claims

1. A wireless keyboard comprising:

a plurality of keys; and

a plurality of radio frequency identification (RFID) tags, wherein each of the plurality of RFID tags are coupled to one of the plurality of keys,

wherein each of the RFID tags is configured to transmit a signal when one of the plurality of keys coupled to the RFID tag is pressed.

2. The wireless keyboard of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of piezoelectric materials coupled to the plurality of RFID tags and disposed beneath a cover of each of the plurality of keys, wherein each of the plurality of piezoelectric materials are configured to provide power to each of the plurality of the RFID tags.

3. The wireless keyboard of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of piezoelectric materials are configured to provide about 10⁻

9 J of power per keystroke.

4. The wireless keyboard of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of RFID tags comprises a passive RFID tag configured to receive power from an RFID reader.

5. The wireless keyboard of claim 1, wherein the signal transmitted comprises a device identification portion and a key identification portion.

6. The wireless keyboard of claim 5, wherein the device identification information portion comprises a unique identification number of the wireless keyboard.

7. The wireless keyboard of claim 5, wherein the key identification information portion comprises a unique identification number of one of the plurality of keys coupled to the RFID tag.

8. A wireless keyboard comprising:

a plurality of keys, each of the plurality keys comprising;

a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag; and

a piezoelectric material configured to provide power to the RFID tag, the piezoelectric material disposed beneath a cover of the key;

wherein the RFID tag is configured to transmit a signal when one of the plurality of keys coupled to the RFID tag is pressed.

9. The wireless keyboard of claim 8, wherein the signal transmitted comprises a device identification portion and a key identification portion.

10. The wireless keyboard of claim 9, wherein the device identification information portion comprises a unique identification number of the wireless keyboard.

11. The wireless keyboard of claim 10, wherein the key identification information portion comprises a unique identification number of the key coupled to the RFID tag.

12. The wireless keyboard of claim 8, wherein the piezoelectric material is configured to provide about 10⁻

9 J of power per keystroke.

13. A wireless keyboard system comprising:

a wireless keyboard comprising;

a plurality of keys; and

a plurality of radio frequency identification (RFID) tags, wherein each of the plurality of RFID tags are coupled to one of the plurality of keys,

wherein each of the RFID tags are configured to transmit a signal when the key coupled to RFID tag is pressed; and

a computing device comprising an RFID reader configured to receive the signal from each of the plurality of RFID tags.

14. The wireless keyboard system of claim 13, wherein the wireless keyboard further comprises a plurality of piezoelectric materials coupled to the plurality of RFID tags and disposed beneath a cover of each of the plurality of keys, wherein each of the plurality of piezoelectric materials are configured to provide power to each of the plurality of the RFID tags.

15. The wireless keyboard system of claim 13, wherein each of the plurality of RFID tags comprises a passive RFID tag configured to receive power from the RFID reader of the computing device.

16. The wireless keyboard system of claim 13, wherein the signal transmitted comprises a device identification portion and a key identification portion.

17. The wireless keyboard system of claim 14, wherein each of the plurality of piezoelectric materials are configured to provide about 10⁻

9 J of power per keystroke.

18. The wireless keyboard system of claim 16, wherein the device identification information portion comprises a unique identification number of the wireless keyboard.

19. The wireless keyboard system of claim 16, wherein the key identification information portion comprises a unique identification number of the key coupled to the RFID tag.