Wire/wireless keyboard for use in a computer system and a method of operating the same

• US 6,211,862 B1
• Filed: 03/13/1998
• Issued: 04/03/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Inventors: Park, Hee-Duck, Lee, Surg-June
• Primary Examiner(s): WU, XIAO MIN
• Application Number:
  US09/042,003
• Time in Patent Office: 1,117 Days
• Field of Search: 345/168, 345/169, 345/156, 345/158, 345/157, 345/2, 345/173, 345/170, 345/171, 341/22
• US Class Current: 345/169
• 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

Abstract

An advanced wire/wireless keyboard for use in a computer system, which comprises a user ID (identification) setting function. When the keyboard operates with wireless communication, the keyboard controller allows delivery of the user ID information, to which an keyboard data signal is added, to the computer main unit 10. With this keyboard, the noise generation is prevented by generating a specific wireless signal corresponding to the user ID information. The keyboard has a rechargeable battery and a battery charging circuit for charging the rechargeable battery during wire communication for subsequent use during wireless communication.

Claims

1. In a computer system, comprising:

a keyboard adapted for data transmission in either a wire communications mode or else in a wireless communications mode;

a computer main unit comprising a main system and a power supply source, said system adapted for receiving data information from the keyboard via a one of said wire communications mode and said wireless communications mode; and

a connector cable for connecting the keyboard to the computer main unit, when the keyboard and the computer main unit operate in said wire communications mode;

said keyboard comprising a rechargeable battery and a wireless transceiver for transforming data information into wireless signals for wireless transmission to the computer main unit during said wireless communication mode;

the improvement comprising;

a controller adapted for controlling data information transmission from the keyboard, said data information to be transmitted by the wireless transceiver to the computer main unit during wireless communications mode and to be transmitted through the connector cable during wire communications mode; and

adapted for causing said rechargeable battery to be charged with a power voltage supplied from the power supply source of the computer main unit via the connector cable during wire communications mode.

2. The computer system of claim 1, further comprised of said connector cable comprising a cable plug at both ends, and said keyboard comprising a jack connected to the cable plug for wire communications.

3. The computer system of claim 1, further comprised of said keyboard comprising means for detecting whether the connector cable is connected to the computer main unit, and switching operation of the keyboard from wireless communications to wire communications when the connector cable is connected to the computer main unit.

4. The computer system of claim 1, further comprised of said keyboard comprising an identification setting means for preventing noise generation with wireless communications.

5. The computer system of claim 4, further comprised of said controller adding identification data corresponding to an identification setting state of the identification setting means to the data information and generating identification data added information to the wireless transceiver for wireless transmission to the computer main unit, when the keyboard operates with the wireless communications.

6. The computer system of claim 1, further comprised of said computer main unit comprising a wireless transceiver for receiving data information transmitted from the keyboard during wireless communications.

7. The computer system of claim 1, said computer main unit comprises user identification information stored within, said keyboard transmits, before use, a keyboard data wireless signal comprising identification information from said keyboard to said computer main unit, said computer main unit compares said identification information of said keyboard data wireless signal with said user identification information and if said identification information of said keyboard data wireless signal matches with said user identification information stored within said computer main body, said computer main unit allows wireless communication between said keyboard and said computer main unit, and if said identification information of said keyboard data wireless signal does not match with said user identification information stored within said computer main body, said computer main body disallows wireless communication between said keyboard and said computer main unit.

8. In a wire/wireless keyboard for use in a computer system having a computer main unit, said keyboard comprising:

a wireless transceiver for transforming data information into wireless signals and for transmitting the wireless signals to the computer main unit;

a socket for receiving a connector cable adapted to be connected between the keyboard and the computer main unit; and

a rechargeable battery and a rechargeable circuit for charging the rechargeable battery with a power voltage supplied from the power supply source of the computer main unit during wire communications;

the improvement comprising;

a controller adapted for controlling data information transmission from the keyboard, said data information to be transmitted by the wireless transceiver to the computer main unit during a wireless communications mode and to be transmitted through the connector cable to the computer main unit during a wire communications mode; and

adapted for causing said rechargeable battery to be charged with a power voltage supplied from the power supply source of the computer main unit via the connector cable during wire communications mode.

9. The keyboard of claim 8 further comprising a DIP switch in said keyboard to provide user identification for preventing noise generation during wireless keyboard communication.

10. The keyboard of claim 8 further comprising a DIP switch in said computer main unit to provide user identification for preventing noise generation during wireless keyboard communication.

11. The keyboard of claim 9 further comprising a DIP switch in said computer main unit to provide user identification for preventing noise generation during wireless keyboard communication, wherein the DIP switch settings in said computer main body must be identical to the DIP switch settings in said keyboard in order for said wireless keyboard to function.

12. The computer system of claim 8, said computer main unit comprises user identification information stored within, said keyboard transmits, before use, a keyboard data wireless signal comprising identification information from said keyboard to said computer main unit, said computer main unit compares said identification information of said keyboard data wireless signal with said user identification information and if said identification information of said keyboard data wireless signal matches with said user identification information stored within said computer main body, said computer main unit allows wireless communication between said keyboard and said computer main unit, and if said identification information of said keyboard data wireless signal does not match with said user identification information stored within said computer main body, said computer main body disallows wireless communication between said keyboard and said computer main unit.

13. A method of improving power usage when operating a computer system having a wire/wireless keyboard, said method comprising the steps of:

(1) determining whether the keyboard is connected to a computer main unit of the computer system via a connector cable for data transmission;

(2) when the keyboard is connected to the computer main unit via said connector cable;

(a) transmitting key input data from the keyboard to the computer main unit via said connector cable for operation and (b) charging a rechargeable battery located in the keyboard via the connector cable, with a power supplied from the computer main unit; and

(3) when the keyboard is not connected to the computer main unit via said connector cable, transmitting wireless signals corresponding to said key input data from the keyboard to the computer main unit for operation.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprised of said wireless signals including user identification data specific to the computer main unit to avoid noise interference from other wireless devices in the proximity of the computer system.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a keyboard data wireless signal by said computer main unit from said keyboard, said keyboard data wireless signal comprising identification information from the keyboard;

comparing said received keyboard data wireless signal with a preset user identification information stored in said computer main unit;

enabling wireless operation between said keyboard and said computer main unit when said identification information from said keyboard data wireless signal agrees and matches said preset user identification information stored in said computer main unit; and

disabling wireless operation between said keyboard and said computer main unit when said identification information from said keyboard data wireless signal disagrees and does not match said preset user identification information stored in said computer main unit.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a keyboard data wireless signal by said computer main unit from said keyboard, said keyboard data wireless signal comprising identification information from the keyboard;

comparing said received keyboard data wireless signal with a preset user identification information stored in said computer main unit;

enabling wireless operation between said keyboard and said computer main unit when said identification information from said keyboard data wireless signal agrees and matches said preset user identification information stored in said computer main unit; and

disabling wireless operation between said keyboard and said computer main unit when said identification information from said keyboard data wireless signal disagrees and does not match said preset user identification information stored in said computer main unit.