System and method for using infrared remote control packet delivery in a wireless keyboard having a pointing device

• US 6,538,595 B1
• Filed: 01/26/2000
• Issued: 03/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Scientific-Atlanta Incorporated (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lott, William L., Chang, David I., Tucker, John R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Horabik, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): WONG, ALBERT KANG
• Application Number:
  US09/491,561
• Time in Patent Office: 1,154 Days
• Field of Search: 341/22, 341/26, 341/176, 341/29, 341/178, 345/168, 345/156, 345/169, 710/6, 710/63
• US Class Current: 341/178
• 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 3/023 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 3/04892 Arrangements for controlling cursor position based on codes indicative of cursor displacements from one discrete location to another, e.g. using cursor control keys associated to different directions or using the tab key arrangements for controlling cursor position based on coordinate signals G06F3/038

Abstract

An infrared (IR) keyboard having a communication protocol and a method for operating same includes circuitry for converting a standard recognized keystroke into a corresponding IR data word for transmission to an IR receiver. The IR keyboard includes circuitry and logic which determines the type of key being actuated and assigns a communication protocol based upon the detected key. An IR code word corresponding to the detected key is associated with the key press and is transmitted from the IR keyboard to an IR receiver using a protocol corresponding to the type of key detected.

Claims

1. An infrared (IR) keyboard having a communications protocol, said protocol comprising:

means for converting a standard recognized keystroke into a corresponding IR data word;

means for prioritizing said IR data word; and

means for transmitting said IR data word.

2. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein said standard recognized keystroke is chosen from within a group, wherein the group is a set of Table One typematic keys, a set of Table Two typematic keys, a set of Table Two make/break keys or a set of Table Two make only keys.

3. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein a plurality of said corresponding IR data words are separated by at least a 37 millisecond (ms) delay.

4. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein a plurality of said corresponding IR data words are separated by at least a 43 millisecond (ms) delay.

5. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein said data word is repeated every 425 ms.

6. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein said keystroke is a key press event.

7. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein said keystroke is a key release event.

8. The keyboard of claim 4, wherein a priority IR data word is transmitted after said 43 ms delay following one of said plurality of said corresponding IR data words.

9. The keyboard of claim 1, further comprising a pointing device.

10. A method for operating an infrared (IR) keyboard, the method comprising the steps of:

detecting, in a keyboard, a standard recognized keystroke;

converting said standard recognized keystroke into a corresponding IR data word;

prioritizing said IR data word; and

transmitting said IR data word based on its priority.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said standard recognized keystroke is chosen from within a group, wherein the group is a set of Table One typematic keys, a set of Table Two typematic keys, a set of Table Two make/break keys or a set of Table Two make only keys.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of assigning a communication protocol to said IR data word.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein a plurality of said corresponding IR data words are separated by at least a 37 millisecond (ms) delay.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein a plurality of said corresponding IR data words are separated by at least a 43 millisecond (ms) delay.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of repeating said data word every 425 ms.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein said keystroke is a key press event.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein said keystroke is a key release event.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein a priority IR data word is transmitted after said 43 ms delay following one of said plurality of said corresponding IR data words.

19. An infrared (IR) keyboard comprising:

circuitry configured to convert a standard recognized keystroke into a corresponding IR data word;

circuitry configured to prioritize said IR data word; and

circuitry configured to transmit said IR data word.

20. The keyboard of claim 19, wherein said standard recognized keystroke is chosen from within a group, wherein the group is a set of Table One typematic keys, a set of Table Two typematic keys, a set of Table Two make/break keys or a set of Table Two make only keys.

21. The keyboard of claim 19, wherein a plurality of said corresponding IR data words are separated by at least a 37 millisecond (ms) delay.

22. The keyboard of claim 19, wherein a plurality of said corresponding IR data words are separated by at least a 43 millisecond (ms) delay.

23. The keyboard of claim 19, wherein said data word is repeated every 425 ms.

24. The keyboard of claim 19, wherein said keystroke is a key press event.

25. The keyboard of claim 19, wherein said keystroke is a key release event.

26. The keyboard of claim 22, wherein a priority IR data word is transmitted after said 43 ms delay following one of said plurality of said corresponding IR data words.

27. The keyboard of claim 19, further comprising a pointing device.

28. A computer readable medium having a program for operating an infrared (IR) keyboard, the program comprising logic configured to perform the steps of:

detecting, in a keyboard, a standard recognized keystroke;

converting said standard recognized keystroke into a corresponding IR data word;

prioritizing said IR data word; and

transmitting said IR data word based on its priority.

29. The program of claim 28, wherein said standard recognized keystroke is chosen from within a group, wherein the group is a set of Table One typematic keys, a set of Table Two typematic keys, a set of Table Two make/break keys or a set of Table Two make only keys.

30. The program of claim 28, further comprising logic configured to perform the step of assigning a communication protocol to said IR data word.

31. The program of claim 28, wherein a plurality of said corresponding IR data words are separated by at least a 37 millisecond (ms) delay.

32. The program of claim 28, wherein a plurality of said corresponding IR data words are separated by at least a 43 millisecond (ms) delay.

33. The program of claim 28, further comprising the step of repeating said data word every 425 ms.

34. The program of claim 28, wherein said keystroke is a key press event.

35. The program of claim 28, wherein said keystroke is a key release event.

36. The program of claim 32, wherein a priority IR data word is transmitted after said 43 ms delay following one of said plurality of said corresponding IR data words.