Electro-magnetic transceiver combined with a pointing device

• US 5,870,080 A
• Filed: 03/14/1996
• Issued: 02/09/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gateway Incorporated (Acer, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Gateway 2000, Inc. (Acer, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gupta, Ajay, Burnett, Robert J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Saras, Steven J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEWIS, DAVID LEE
• Application Number:
  US08/615,421
• Time in Patent Office: 1,062 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/157, 345/158, 345/161, 345/163-167, 345/168, 345/179, 341/20, 359/142, 359/143, 359/145, 359/148, 359/154, 359/172, 375/222, 395/882, 395/884, 395/885, 395/892, 395/893, 395/309
• US Class Current: 345/163
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0384 Wireless input, i.e. hardware and software details of wireless interface arrangements for pointing devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0227 Cooperation and interconnection of the input arrangement with other functional units of a computer G06F3/023 - G06F3/037 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry

Abstract

A computer peripheral combines an electro-magnetic transceiver and a computer pointing device in the same housing, The pointing device cable provides the electrical connection between the electro-magnetic transceiver and the computer'"'"'s data bus. The transceiver receives information in the form of electro-magnetic pulses from an appropriately-equipped remote device, converts the pulses to electrical signals, and relays the electrical signals to the computer. The transceiver receives electrical signals addressed to the device from the computer, converts the electrical signals to electro-magnetic pulses, and relays the pulses to the remote device.

Claims

1. A peripheral device for a computer comprising:

a pointing device having a housing and circuitry within the housing to determine the position and command state of the pointing device, wherein the pointing device circuitry is electrically coupled to the computer for transmitting the position and command state of the pointing device to a processor in the computer and further coupled to a first I/O port plug by means of a first plurality of wires, and the first I/O plug is coupled to a first I/O port on the computer; and

an electro-magnetic transceiver positioned within the housing for converting electro-magnetic pulses to and from electrical signals representative of commands and data, the transceiver being electrically coupled to the processor for relaying such electrical signals between the transceiver and the processor and further coupled to a second I/O port plug by means of a second plurality of wires, and the second I/O port plug is coupled to a second I/O port on the computer, the transceiver comprising at least one sensor/emitter for sending and receiving electro-magnetic pulses intended for further peripheral devices,

wherein the first and second plurality of wires are bound together into a cable having the first and second I/O port plugs separated out of the cable at one end, the electro-magnetic pulses comprise radio frequency waves, and the sensor/emitter comprises an antenna lead incorporated into the cable.

2. A peripheral device for a computer comprising:

a pointing device having a housing and circuitry within the housing to determine the position and command state of the pointing device, wherein the pointing device circuitry is electrically coupled to the computer for transmitting the position and command state of the pointing device to a processor in the computer; and

an electro-magnetic transceiver positioned within the housing for converting electro-magnetic pulses to and from electrical signals representative of commands and data, the transceiver being electrically coupled to the processor for relaying such electrical signals between the transceiver and the processor, the transceiver comprising at least one sensor/emitter for sending and receiving electro-magnetic pulses intended for further peripheral devices,

wherein the electro-magnetic pulses comprise radio frequency waves and the sensor/emitter comprises an antenna lead incorporated into a cable coupling the pointing device circuitry and the electro-magnetic transceiver to the computer.

3. A computer system comprising:

a computer having a keyboard, monitor, memory, processor, a data bus, and a plurality of I/O ports, wherein each of the plurality of I/O ports is coupled to the data bus;

a pointing device having a housing and circuitry within the housing to determine the position and command state of the pointing device, wherein the pointing device circuitry is electrically coupled to the data bus of the computer for transmitting the position and command state of the pointing device to the processor and further coupled to a first I/O plug by means of a first plurality of wires, and the first I/O plug is coupled to a first one of the plurality of I/O ports; and

an electro-magnetic transceiver positioned within the housing for converting electro-magnetic pulses to and from electrical signals representative of commands and data, and electrically coupled to the data bus for relaying the electrical signals between the transceiver and the processor, the transceiver being coupled to a second I/O port plug by means of a second plurality of wires, and the second I/O port plug being coupled to a second one of the plurality of I/O ports, the transceiver comprising a sensor/emitter for sending and receiving electro-magnetic pulses between the transceiver and devices having corresponding sensor/emitters,

wherein the first and second plurality of wires are bound together into a cable having the first and second I/O port plugs separated out of the cable at one end, the electro-magnetic pulses comprise radio frequency waves, and the sensor/emitter comprises an antenna lead incorporated into the cable.

4. A computer system comprising:

a computer having a keyboard, monitor, memory, processor, and a data bus;

a pointing device having a housing and circuitry within the housing to determine the position and command state of the pointing device, wherein the pointing device circuitry is electrically coupled to the data bus of the computer for transmitting the position and command state of the pointing device to the processor; and

an electro-magnetic transceiver positioned within the housing for converting electro-magnetic pulses to and from electrical signals representative of commands and data, and electrically coupled to the data bus for relaying the electrical signals between the transceiver and the processor, the transceiver comprising a sensor/emitter for sending and receiving electro-magnetic pulses between the transceiver and devices having corresponding sensor/emitters,

wherein the electro-magnetic pulses comprise radio frequency waves and the sensor/emitter comprises an antenna lead incorporated into a cable coupling the pointing device circuitry and the electro-magnetic transceiver to the computer.

5. A peripheral device for a computer comprising:

a pointing device having a housing and circuitry within the housing to determine the position and command state of the pointing device, the circuitry coupled to a first I/O port plug by means of a first plurality of wires, and the first I/O port plug further coupled to a first I/O port on the computer for transmitting the position and command state of the pointing device to a processor in the computer; and

an electro-magnetic transceiver positioned within the housing for converting radio frequency waves to and from electrical signals, the transceiver coupled to a second I/O port plug by means of a second plurality of wires, and the second I/O port plug further coupled to a second I/O port on the computer for relaying such electrical signals between the transceiver and the processor,

wherein the first and second plurality of wires are bound together into a cable having the first and second I/O port plugs separated out of the cable at one end, and an antenna lead is incorporated into the cable and functions as a sensor/emitter for sending and receiving radio frequency waves intended for further peripheral devices.

6. A peripheral device for a computer comprising:

a pointing device having a housing and circuitry within the housing to determine the position and command state of the pointing device, the circuitry coupled to a cable which is further coupled to an intelligent serial I/O bus in the computer for transmitting the position and command state of the pointing device to a processor in the computer; and

an electro-magnetic transceiver positioned within the housing for converting radio frequency waves to and from electrical signals, the transceiver coupled to the cable for relaying such electrical signals between the transceiver and the processor,

wherein an antenna is lead incorporated into the cable and functions as a sensor/emitter for sending and receiving radio frequency waves intended for further peripheral devices.

7. A computer system comprising:

a computer having a keyboard, monitor, memory, processor, a data bus, and plurality of I/O ports, wherein the data bus and each of the plurality of I/O ports is coupled to the data bus;

a pointing device having a housing and circuitry within the housing to determine the position and command state of the pointing device, the circuitry coupled to a first I/O port plug by means of a first plurality of wires, and the first I/O port plug further coupled to a first one of the plurality of I/O ports for transmitting the position and command state of the pointing device to the processor; and

an electro-magnetic transceiver positioned within the housing for converting radio frequency waves to and from electrical signals, the transceiver coupled to a second I/O port plug by means of a second plurality of wires and the second I/O port plug further coupled to a second one of the plurality of I/O ports for relaying the electrical signals between the transceiver and the processor,

wherein the first and second plurality of wires are bound together into a cable having the first and second I/O port plugs separated out of the cable at one end, and an antenna lead is incorporated into the cable and functions as a sensor/emitter for sending and receiving radio frequency waves between the transceiver and devices having corresponding sensor/emitters.

8. A computer system comprising:

a computer having a keyboard, monitor, memory, processor, a data bus, and an intelligent serial I/O bus, wherein the processor and the serial I/O bus are coupled to the data bus;

a pointing device having a housing and circuitry within the housing to determine the position and command state of the pointing device, the pointing device circuitry coupled to a cable which is further coupled to the serial I/O bus for transmitting the position and command state of the pointing device to the processor; and

an electro-magnetic transceiver positioned within the housing for converting radio frequency waves to and from electrical signals, the transceiver coupled to the cable for relaying the electrical signals between the transceiver and the processor,

wherein an antenna lead is incorporated into the cable and functions as a sensor/emitter for sending and receiving radio frequency waves between the transceiver and devices having corresponding sensor/emitters.