System for RF communication between a computer and a remote wireless data input device

• US 5,793,359 A
• Filed: 08/05/1996
• Issued: 08/11/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mitsumi Electric Co., Ltd. (MinebeaMitsumi Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Mitsumi Electric Co., Ltd. (MinebeaMitsumi Inc.)
• Inventors: Ushikubo, Yasumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Powell, Mark R.
• Application Number:
  US08/691,008
• Time in Patent Office: 736 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/168, 345/169, 348/734, 364/189, 341/22, 341/31, 341/176
• US Class Current: 345/169
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0213 Arrangements providing an integrated pointing device in a keyboard, e.g. trackball, mini-joystick for pointing devices integrated in a laptop computer G06F1/169; joysticks G05G9/047; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0231 Cordless keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2207/048 Inductive or infrared coupling

Abstract

A wireless data input device requiring no cable for connection to the keyboard or to the pointing device. A wireless keyboard 16 incorporating a pointing device has a data encoder 21 and an RF transmitter 22, and transmits the key data and the pointing cursor data to the reception unit 3 which is connected to a keyboard connector 6 and to a mouse connector 7 of a computer 1 through connection cables 8 and 9. The reception unit 3 has a data decoder 11 and an input/output control unit 12, and decodes the received data and inputs them to the computer through bidirectional communication.

Claims

1. A system for RF communication between a computer and a remote wireless data input device comprising:

a wireless data transmission unit having an alphanumeric keyboard or a command keyboard, a pointing device, an encoder for converting alphanumeric or command key data and pointing device control data into RF signal communication data, and an RF signal transmitter; and

a reception unit remote to the computer having an RF signal receiver, a decoder for decoding said RF signal communication data, and an input/output control unit, wherein said reception unit is connected through connection cables to both a keyboard connector and a pointing device connector of a computer.