Capacitive wake-up mechanism for hand held data entry unit

• US 6,269,449 B1
• Filed: 12/02/1994
• Issued: 07/31/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Dell USA LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell USA LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Kocis, Thomas J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Myers, Paul R.
• Application Number:
  US08/347,990
• Time in Patent Office: 2,433 Days
• Field of Search: 395/750, 364/707, 271/2
• US Class Current: 713/310
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3215 Monitoring of peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/325 Power saving in peripheral device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3271 Power saving in keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0231 Cordless keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

Method and apparatus for transitioning an electronic device operable in a reduced power consumption mode from the reduced power consumption mode to a full power mode immediately before a user attempts to operate the device is disclosed. A hand held intelligent data entry unit (IDEU) of the present invention is provided with a noncontact sensor for detecting the prepense of a user'"'"'s hand within an predefined actuation region of the IDEU while the IDEU is operating in a low power consumption mode. Responsive such detection, the sensor generates a wake up signal to a microprocessor of the IDEU for causing the IDEU to transition from the low power consumption mode to a full power mode.

Claims

1. A hand-held data entry apparatus, responsive to the physical presence of a user of the apparatus, comprising:

a processing unit which operates under control of an operating system;

a power consumption circuit connected to said processing unit;

means for effecting operation of said apparatus under a plurality of activity modes of operation including;

a second power consumption mode wherein the power consumed by said apparatus supports active operation of said apparatus;

a first power consumption mode, which decreases the power consumption of said apparatus from that consumed in said second mode;

a third power consumption mode which decreases the power consumption of said apparatus from that consumed in said first mode;

an activity monitor for monitoring the activity of said apparatus and for generating a plurality of control signals where each of said control signals indicates a different activity mode of said apparatus;

power control means coupled to said activity monitor for receiving said control signals and in response to said control signals selecting and operating under one of said plurality of modes of operation;

means for detecting the physical presence of a user within an actuation area of said apparatus;

means for generating a first signal responsive to said detection; and

means responsive to said first signal for causing said power control means to select a mode of operation for said apparatus independently of said control signals generated by said activity monitor, wherein said selected mode of operation results in an increase in power consumption of said apparatus.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first and second power consumption modes comprise a low power consumption mode and a full power mode, respectively.

3. The noncontact wake up mechanism of claim 1 wherein said means responsive to said first signal comprises a microcontroller.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means for detecting and generating comprises a capacitive sensor.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means for detecting and generating comprises a noncontact sensor selected from the group consisting of an optical sensor, an ultrasonic sensor and a passive infrared intrusion sensor.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

means for transmitting said first signal to a host system operating in a first power consumption mode to transition to a second power consumption mode.

7. A hand-held intelligent data entry unit (“

IDEU”

) automatically operable in either a low power consumption mode or an active mode, the hand-held IDEU comprising;

a microcontroller;

a noncontact sensor for detecting the presence of a user'"'"'s hand within a predefined actuation region of said hand-held IDEU while said hand-held IDEU is operating in said low power mode; and

means responsive to said detection for generating a wake up signal to said microcontroller for causing said hand-held IDEU to operate in said active mode.

8. The hand-held IDEU of claim 7 further comprising at least one input device connected to said microcontroller for receiving user input.

9. The device of claim 8 wherein said microcontroller further comprises:

a timeout timer for generating a timeout signal responsive to expiration of a predetermined time period in which no user input is received by said at least one input device while said battery powered electronic device is operating in said active mode; and

means responsive to said timeout signal for causing said battery powered electronic device to operate in said low power consumption mode.

10. The hand-held IDEU of claim 9 further comprising a nonvolatile memory device connected to said microcontroller, wherein said microcontroller further comprises a volatile memory device and said means responsive to said timeout signal comprises means for writing contents of said volatile memory device to said nonvolatile memory device.

11. The hand-held IDEU of claim 7 wherein said noncontact sensor comprises a capacitive sensor.

12. The hand-held IDEU of claim 11 wherein said capacitive sensor comprises:

means for measuring a voltage drop across a reference capacitor; and

means for generating said wake up signal when said measured voltage drop exceeds a preset threshold voltage.

13. The hand-held IDEU of claim 12 wherein the value of said preset voltage determines a size of said actuation region.

14. The hand-held IDEU of claim 7 wherein said noncontact sensor comprises a sensor selected from the group consisting of an optical sensor, an ultrasonic sensor and a passive infrared intrusion sensor.

15. The hand-held IDEU of claim 7 further comprising means for transmitting said wake up signal to a microprocessor of a host system electrically connected to said hand-held IDEU for causing said host system to transition from a low power consumption mode to an active mode.

16. The hand-held IDEU of claim 7 further comprising a power supply for providing power to components thereof.

17. The hand-held IDEU of claim 16 wherein said power supply comprises at least one battery.

18. A method of operating a hand-held electronic data entry device, the method comprising:

while preferentially operating said hand-held electronic data entry device in a first power consumption mode, detecting the presence of a user'"'"'s hand within an actuation region surrounding said hand-held electronic data entry device;

responsive to said detection, generating a wake up signal to a microcontroller of said hand-held electronic data entry device; and

responsive to said wake up signal, causing said hand-held electronic data entry device to operate in a second power consumption mode;

wherein said hand-held electronic data entry device consumes more power in said second power consumption mode than in said first power consumption mode.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein said first and second power consumption modes comprise a reduced power consumption mode and a full power mode, respectively.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein said step of causing said hand-held electronic device to operate in a second power consumption mode comprises:

applying power to a volatile memory device of said microcontroller; and

writing data stored in a nonvolatile memory device of said hand-held electronic device to said volatile memory device.

21. The method of claim 18 further comprising:

applying said wake up signal to a host system connected to said hand-held electronic device and operating in a reduced power consumption mode for causing said host system to operate in a full power mode.

22. The method of claim 18 further comprising:

while said hand-held electronic device is operating in said second power consumption mode, monitoring user input via at least one input device connected to said microcontroller;

responsive to expiration of a predetermined time period in which no user input is detected, generating a second signal to said microcontroller;

responsive to said second signal, causing said hand-held electronic device to operate in said first power consumption mode.