Systems and methods for intermittently communicating diagnostic information from user input devices

• US 6,178,527 B1
• Filed: 09/24/1997
• Issued: 01/23/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Unwired Planet LLC (JP Morgan Chase & Co)
• Original Assignee: Ericsson, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Vidales, Carlos E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Beausoliel, Jr., Robert W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Baderman, Scott T.
• Application Number:
  US08/936,661
• Time in Patent Office: 1,217 Days
• Field of Search: 714/25, 714/31, 714/40, 714/44, 340/635, 340/636, 379/21, 379/29, 455/423
• US Class Current: 714/44
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0757 by exceeding a time limit, i.e. time-out, e.g. watchdogs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3041 where the computing system component is an input/output interface interconnection of, or transfer of information or other signals between, memories, input/output devices or central processing units G06F13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3055 Monitoring arrangements for monitoring the status of the computing system or of the computing system component, e.g. monitoring if the computing system is on, off, available, not available error or fault processing without redundancy G06F11/0703; error detection or correction by redundancy in data representation G06F11/08; error detection or correction by redundancy in operation G06F11/14; error detection or correction by redundancy in hardware G06F11/16
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3485 for I/O devices
• 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 3/023 Arrangements for converting discrete items of information into a coded form, e.g. arrangements for interpreting keyboard generated codes as alphanumeric codes, operand codes or instruction codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0231 Cordless keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2207/048 Inductive or infrared coupling

Abstract

A user input device, e.g., a wireless keyboard, for providing user inputs to a receiver unit via a communications medium intermittently transmits diagnostic messages in the communications medium such that a diagnostic message is transmitted after a predetermined interval following transmission of a preceding diagnostic message has expired. A receiver unit is responsive to the communications medium and configured to receive the transmitted diagnostic message and process the received diagnostic message to determine a status of the user input device. Preferably, the user input device is configured to transmit a diagnostic message following at least one of passage of a predetermined fixed time interval after a diagnostic message was previously transmitted from the user input device and acceptance of a predetermined number of user inputs at the user input device after a diagnostic message was previously transmitted from the user input device.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a user input device configured to provide user inputs to a communications medium, said user input device intermittently transmit stored diagnostic messages via the communications medium such that a diagnostic message is transmitted after a predetermined time interval following transmission of a preceding diagnostic message;

a receiver unit, responsive to the communications medium, which is configured to receive the transmitted diagnostic message and process the received diagnostic message to determine a status of said user input device; and

wherein said user input device is configured to transmit a diagnostic message following both passage of a predetermined fixed time interval and acceptance of a predetermined number of user inputs at said user input device after a diagnostic message was previously transmitted from said user input device.

2. A system according to claim 1:

wherein said user input device comprises;

diagnostic information determining means for determining diagnostic information;

intermittent diagnostic message transmitting means, responsive to said diagnostic information determining means, for transmitting a diagnostic message corresponding to the determined diagnostic information in said communications medium following a predetermined fixed time interval after a diagnostic message was previously transmitted from said user input device; and

wherein said receiver unit comprises;

diagnostic message receiving means, responsive to said communications medium, for receiving the transmitted diagnostic message; and

diagnostic message processing means, responsive to said diagnostic message receiving means, for processing the received diagnostic message to determine a status of said user input device.

3. A system according to claim 2:

wherein said user input device further comprises;

user input accepting means for accepting a user input; and

user input message transmitting means, responsive to said user input accepting means, for transmitting a corresponding user input message in said communications medium; and

wherein said receiver unit further comprises;

user input message receiving means, responsive to said communications medium, for receiving the transmitted user input message.

4. A system according to claim 3, wherein said diagnostic information determining means comprises means, responsive to said user input accepting means, for determining the diagnostic information in response to acceptance of a user input.

5. A system comprising:

a user input device configured to provide user inputs to a communications medium, said user input device intermittently transmitting stored diagnostic messages via the communications medium such that a diagnostic message is transmitted after a predetermined time interval following transmission of a preceding diagnostic message;

a receiver unit, responsive to the communications medium, which is configured to receive the transmitted diagnostic message and process the received diagnostic message to determine a status of said user input device;

wherein said user input device comprises;

diagnostic information deter means for determining diagnostic information;

intermittent diagnostic message transmitting means, responsive to said diagnostic information determining means for transmitting a diagnostic message corresponding to the determined diagnostic information in said communications medium following a predetermined fixed time interval after a diagnostic message was previously transmitted from said user-input device;

wherein said receiver unit comprises;

diagnostic message receiving means, responsive to said communications medium, for receiving the transmitted diagnostic message;

diagnostic message processing means, responsive to said diagnostic message receiving means, for processing the received diagnostic message to determine a status of said user input device;

wherein said user input device further comprises;

user input accepting means for accepting a user input;

user input message transmitting means, responsive to said user input accepting means, for transmitting a corresponding user input message in said communications medium;

wherein said receiver unit further comprises;

user input message receiving means, responsive to said communications medium, for receiving the transmitted user input message; and

wherein said user input message transmitting means and said diagnostic message transmitting means comprises a circuit responsive to a user input, which transitions to a higher power consumption active mode from a lower power consumption standby mode in response to acceptance of a user input and which transitions to the standby mode after the user input and diagnostic messages are transmitted.

6. A system comprising:

a use input device configured to provide user inputs to a communications medium, said user input device intermittently transmitting stored diagnostic messages via the communications medium such that a diagnostic message is transmitted after a predetermined time interval following transmission of a preceding diagnostic message;

a receiver unit, responsive to the communications medium, which is configured to receive the transmitted diagnostic message and process the received diagnostic message to determine a status of said user input device;

wherein said user input device comprises;

diagnostic information determining means for determining diagnostic information;

intermittent diagnostic message transmitting means, responsive to said diagnostic information determining means, for transmitting a diagnostic message corresponding to the determined diagnostic information in said communications medium following a predetermined fixed time interval after a diagnostic message was previously transmitted from said user input device;

wherein said receiver unit comprises;

diagnostic message receiving means, responsive to said communications medium, for receiving the transmitted diagnostic message;

diagnostic message processing mea responsive to said diagnostic message receiving means, for processing the received diagnostic message to determine a status of said user input device;

wherein said user input device further comprises;

user input accenting means for accepting a user input;

user input message transmitting means, responsive to said user input accepting means, for transmitting a corresponding user input message in said communications medium;

wherein said receiver unit further comprises;

user input message receiving means, responsive to said communications medium, for receiving the transmitted user input message;

wherein said diagnostic information determining means comprises means, responsive to said user input accepting means, for determining the diagnostic information in response to acceptance of a user input;

wherein said user input accepting means comprises a plurality of keys; and

wherein said diagnostic information determining means comprises means, responsive to said plurality of keys, for determining diagnostic information in response to a keystroke performed on a key of said plurality of keys.

7. A system comprising:

a user input device configured to provide user inputs to a communications medium, said user input device intermittently transmitting stored diagnostic messages via the communications medium such tat a diagnostic message is transmitted after a predetermined time interval following transmission of a preceding diagnostic message;

a receiver unit responsive to the communications medium, which is configured to receive the transmitted diagnostic message and process the received diagnostic, message to determine a status of said user input device;

wherein said user input device comprises;

diagnostic information determining means for determining diagnostic information;

intermittent diagnostic message transmitting means, responsive to said diagnostic information determining means, for transmitting a diagnostic message corresponding to the determined diagnostic information in said communications medium following a predetermined fixed time interval after a diagnostic message was previously transmitted from aid user input device;

wherein said receiver unit comprises;

diagnostic message receiving means, responsive to said communications medium, for receiving the transmitted diagnostic message;

diagnostic message processing means, responsive to said diagnostic message receiving means, for processing the received diagnostic message to determine a status of said user input device;

wherein said user input device further comprises;

user input accenting means for accepting a user input;

user input message transmitting means, responsive to said user input accepting means, for transmitting a corresponding user input message in said communications medium;

wherein said receiver unit further comprises;

user input message receiving means, responsive to said communications medium, for receiving the transmitted user input message; and

wherein the user input message and the diagnostic message comprise respective codes selected from a common code set.

8. A system comprising:

a user input device configured to provide user inputs to a communications medium, said user input device intermittently transmitting stored diagnostic messages via the communications medium such that a diagnostic message is transmitted after a predetermined time interval following transmission of a preceding diagnostic message;

a receiver unit, responsive to the communications medium, which is configured to receive the transmitted diagnostic message and process the received diagnostic message to determine a status of said user input device;

wherein said user input device comprises;

diagnostic information determining means for determining diagnostic information;

intermittent diagnostic message transmitting means, responsive to said diagnostic information determining means, for transmitting a diagnostic message corresponding to the determined diagnostic information in said communications medium following a predetermined fixed time interval after a diagnostic message was previously transmitted from said user input device;

wherein said receiver unit comprises;

diagnostic message receiving means, responsive to said communications medium, for receiving the transmitted diagnostic message;

diagnostic message processing means, responsive to said diagnostic message receiving means, for processing the received diagnostic message to determine a status of said user input device;

wherein said user input device further comprises;

user input accepting means for accepting a user input;

user input message transmitting means, responsive to said user input accepting means, for transmitting a corresponding user input message in said communications medium;

wherein said receiver unit further comprises;

user input message receiving means, responsive to said communications medium, for receiving the transmitted user input message; and

wherein said intermittent diagnostic message transmitting means comprises means for transmitting a diagnostic message immediately after transmission of a user input message.

9. A user input device for providing user inputs to a receiver unit, the user input device comprising:

diagnostic information determining means for determining diagnostic information relating to the user input device;

means for storing said diagnostic information, intermittent diagnostic message transmitting means, responsive to said means for storing, for intermittently transmitting diagnostic messages such that a diagnostic message corresponding to the determined diagnostic information is transmitted after a predetermined time interval following transmission of a preceding diagnostic message has expired;

user input accepting means for accepting a user input;

user input message transmitting means, responsive to said user input accepting means, for transmitting a corresponding user input message in said communications medium;

wherein said diagnostic information determining means comprises means, responsive to said user input accepting means, for determining the diagnostic information in response to acceptance of a user input; and

wherein said user input message transmitting means and said diagnostic message transmitting means comprise a circuit, responsive to a user input, which transitions to a higher power consumption active mode from a lower power consumption standby mode in response to acceptance of a user input and which transitions to the standby mode after the user input and diagnostic messages are transmitted.

10. A user input device for providing user inputs to a receiver unit, the user input device comprising:

diagnostic information determining means for determining diagnostic information relating to the user input device;

means for storing said diagnostic information;

intermittent diagnostic message transmitting means, responsive to said means for storing, for intermittently transmitting diagnostic messages such that a diagnostic message corresponding to the determined diagnostic information is transmitted after a predetermined time interval following transmission of a preceding diagnostic message has expired;

user input accepting means for accenting a user input;

user input message transmitting means, responsive to said user input accepting means, for transmitting a corresponding user input message in said communications medium;

wherein said diagnostic information determining means comprises means, responsive to said user input accepting means, for determining the diagnostic information in response to acceptance of a user input;

wherein said user input accepting means comprises a plurality of keys; and

wherein said diagnostic information determining means comprises means, responsive to said plurality of keys, for determining diagnostic information in response to a keystroke performed on a key of said plurality of keys.

11. A user input device for providing user inputs to a receiver unit, the user input device comprising:

diagnostic information determining means for determining diagnostic information relating to the user input device;

means for storing said diagnostic information;

intermittent diagnostic message transmitting means, responsive to said means for storing, for intermittently transmitting diagnostic messages such that a diagnostic message corresponding to the determined diagnostic information is transmitted after a predetermined time interval following transmission of a preceding diagnostic message has expired;

user input accepting means for accepting a user input user input message transmitting means, responsive to said user input accepting means, for transmitting a corresponding user input message in said communications medium;

wherein said diagnostic information determining means comprises means, responsive to said user input accepting means, for determining the diagnostic information in response to acceptance of a user input; and

wherein the user input message and the diagnostic message comprise respective codes selected from a common code set.

12. A user input device for providing user inputs to a receiver unit, the user input device comprising:

diagnostic information determining means for determining diagnostic information relating to the user input device;

means for storing said diagnostic information;

intermittent diagnostic message transmitting means, responsive to said means for storing, for intermittently transmitting diagnostic messages such that a diagnostic message corresponding to the determined diagnostic information is transmitted after a predetermined time interval following transmission of a preceding diagnostic message has expired;

user input accepting means for accepting a user input;

user input message transmitting means, responsive to said user input accepting means, for transmitting a corresponding user input message in said communications medium;

wherein said diagnostic information determining means comprises means, responsive to said user input accepting means, for determining the diagnostic information in response to acceptance of a user input; and

wherein said intermittent diagnostic message transmitting means comprises means for transmitting a diagnostic message immediately after transmission of a user input message.

13. A method of communicating diagnostic information from a user input device that is configured to communicate user inputs to a receiver unit the method comprising the steps of:

storing diagnostic information associated with the user input device; and

intermittently transmitting a diagnostic message from the user input device, wherein the diagnostic message is transmitted from the user input device after a predetermined time interval following transmission of a preceding diagnostic message;

wherein said step of transmitting is preceded by the step of determining diagnostic information, and wherein said step of transmitting comprises the step of transmitting a diagnostic message corresponding to the determined diagnostic information;

the method further comprising the steps of;

accepting a user input at the user input device;

transmitting a corresponding user input message from the user input device;

wherein said step of determining comprises the step of determining the diagnostic information in response to acceptance of the user input;

wherein the user input device includes a plurality of keys, and wherein said step of determining comprises the step of determining diagnostic information in response to a keystroke performed on a key of said plurality of keys.

14. A method of communicating diagnostic information from a user input device that is configured to communicate use inputs to a receiver unit, the method comprising the steps of:

storing diagnostic information associated with the user input device; and

intermittently transmitting a diagnostic message from the user input device, wherein the diagnostic message is transmitted from the user input device after a predetermined time interval following transmission of a preceding diagnostic message;

wherein said step of transmitting is preceded by the step of determining diagnostic information, and wherein said step of transmitting comprises the step of transmitting a diagnostic message corresponding to the determined diagnostic information;

further comprising the steps of;

accepting a user input at the user input device;

transmitting corresponding user input message from the user input device; and

wherein the user input message and the diagnostic message comprise respective codes selected from a common code set.

15. A method of communication diagnostic information from a user input device that is configured to communicate user inputs to a receiver unit the method comprising the steps of:

storing diagnostic information associated with the user input device; and

intermittently transmitting a diagnostic message from the user input device, wherein the diagnostic message is transmitted from the user input device after a predetermined time interval following transmission of a preceding diagnostic message;

wherein said step of transmitting is preceded by the step of determining diagnostic information and wherein said step of transmitting comprises the step of transmitting a diagnostic message corresponding to the determined diagnostic information;

further comprising the steps of;

accepting a user input at the user input device;

transmitting a corresponding user input message from the user input device; and

wherein said step of transmitting a diagnostic message comprises the step of transmitting a diagnostic message immediately after transmission of a user input message.

16. A system

a user input device configured to provide user inputs to a communications medium, said user input device intermittently transmitting stored diagnostic messages via the communications medium such that a diagnostic message is transmitted after a predetermined time interval following transmission of a preceding diagnostic message:

a receiver unit, responsive to the communications medium, which is configured to receive the transmitted diagnostic message and process the received diagnostic message to determine a status of said user input device; and

wherein the stored diagnostic messages are stored in external memory.

17. A method of communicating diagnostic information from a user input device that is configured to communicate user inputs to a receiver unit, the method comprising the steps of:

storing diagnostic information associated with the user input device; and

intermittently transmitting a diagnostic message from the user input device wherein the diagnostic message is transmitted from the user input device after a predetermined time interval following transmission of a preceding diagnostic message; and

wherein the step of storing comprises the step of storing the diagnostic information associated with the user input device in external memory.