System for receiving ID-codes from at least one wireless transmitter having a plurality of transmitter buttons each of them being individually programmed

• US 6,571,299 B1
• Filed: 01/25/1999
• Issued: 05/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Current Works, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Current Works, Inc.
• Inventors: Valencia, Heladio, Schroyer, Robert, McGuire, Rick, Mosenfelder, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): ELAMIN, ABDELMONIEM I
• Application Number:
  US09/236,429
• Time in Patent Office: 1,583 Days
• Field of Search: 710/6, 345/2, 345/158, 345/327, 340/825.52
• US Class Current: 710/6
• 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

A wireless, remote, programmable keyboard input system for computers is provided. A single receiver is capable of simultaneous receipt of RF ID-Code transmissions from multiple remote transmitters, is plugged into the keyboard port of the central processing unit of a computer. The computer'"'"'s standard keyboard is then plugged into the receiver and remains fully functional. The RF ID-Code of each button of each remote hand held transmitter is a unique fixed code. The receiver in this system is programmed by associating, in the receiver'"'"'s memory, a unique transmitter button ID-Code with the scancode or modified scancode of a key or modified key from the standard keyboard of the computer. When the receiver, in the operation mode, recognizes that RF ID-Code from that transmitter button, it pulls the associated scancode or modified scancode from its memory and sends it off to the CPU of the computer. When several such previously programmed RF ID-Codes are sent to the receiver in succession, the receiver recognizes them in sequence and sends the corresponding scancodes or modified scancodes off to CPU in that same sequence. The invention can operate using either radio frequency or infrared frequency waves. A method of programming the system is also provided.

Claims

1. A wireless, remote keyboard input system comprising:

a receiver for receiving transmitted ID-Codes, the receiver further comprising a first connector means for connecting the receiver to a central processing unit keyboard port, a second connector means for accepting a standard keyboard, the standard keyboard remaining fully and independently able to communicate with the central processing unit through the receiver;

at least one wireless transmitter having a plurality of transmitter buttons, each of the plurality of the transmitter buttons of the at least one wireless transmitter being individually programmed by the standard keyboard as enabled by the receiver, each of the plurality of the transmitter buttons having a unique ID-Code and the receiver retaining a scancode corresponding to each ID-Code as programmed, each of the plurality of transmitter buttons enabling activation of circuit means for transmitting the ID-Code to the receiver from the transmitter,

whereby the standard keyboard can directly communicate with the central processing unit through the receiver and the at least one transmitter can communicate with the receiver through activating the circuit means which transmits the ID-Code to the receiver, the receiver recognizing the ID-Code, associates the ID-Code with the corresponding scancode previously programmed into the receiver from the standard keyboard, the receiver then transmitting the appropriate scancode to the central processing unit.

2. The wireless, remote keyboard input system of claim 1 wherein the receiver further comprises means for programming, the means for programming enabling the receiver to recognize the ID-Code transmitted by any individual transmitter button of the at least one wireless transmitter as corresponding to the preselected individual scancodes of the standard keyboard.

3. The wireless, remote keyboard input system of claim 2 wherein the means for programming further includes means for creating “

macro”

commands wherein activation of the circuit means for any individual transmitter button of the at least one wireless transmitter transmits an ID-Code recognized by the receiver as corresponding to multiple scancodes of the standard keyboard.

4. The wireless, remote keyboard input system of claim 1 wherein the at least one further comprises means for sequentially accepting ID-Codes and then transmitting, in the same sequential order, the scancodes associated with the ID-Codes from the transmitter button, even when more than one transmitter is actively using the input receiver.

5. The wireless, remote keyboard input system of claim 1 wherein the at least one wireless transmitter broadcasts fixed radio frequency wave ID-Codes to the receiver.

6. The wireless, remote keyboard input system of claim 1 wherein the at least one wireless transmitter broadcasts fixed infrared wave ID-Codes to the receiver.

7. The wireless, remote keyboard input system of claim 1 wherein the at least one wireless transmitter is a battery powered, hand held member.

8. The wireless, remote keyboard input system of claim 1 wherein the at least one wireless transmitter includes a light source for confirming the transmission of the ID-Code, the light source being energized by activation of the circuit means of any individual transmitter button.

9. The wireless, remote keyboard input system of claim 1 wherein the at least one wireless transmitter includes a sound source for confirming the transmission of the ID-Code, the sound source being energized by activation of the circuit means of any individual transmitter button.

10. A programmable keyboard input system for computers comprising:

a plurality of programmable transmitters having a plurality of transmitter buttons, each transmitter button of each of the plurality of transmitters enabling the transmission of an ID-Code;

a programmable receiver for receiving the transmitted ID-Code from any of the transmitter buttons of any of the plurality of transmitters, the programmable receiver further including first connector means for connecting the receiver to a keyboard port of a central processing unit of a computer and second connector means for accepting a standard keyboard,

means for programming the plurality of transmitter buttons on the plurality of transmitters and the receiver, the means for programming including a switch on the receiver for initializing a programming sequence, the programming sequence enabling the ID-Code of each of the transmitter buttons of the plurality of transmitters to be programmed with a unique scancode, the unique scancode being received from the standard keyboard and assigned by the receiver to correspond to the ID-Code of each of the transmitter buttons, the unique scancode of each ID-Code being stored into a memory in the receiver,

the programming sequence resulting in the programmable receiver recognizing the ID-Code transmitted by any of the plurality of transmitter buttons of any of the plurality of transmitters as corresponding to the unique scancode from the standard keyboard and stored in the memory, the programmable receiver further including means for sequentially accepting the ID-Codes from any of the plurality of transmitters in sequential order and then sending the corresponding associated scancodes to the central processing unit of the computer in the same sequential order in which the transmissions are received by the programmable receiver from the plurality of transmitters.

11. The programmable keyboard input system for computers of claim 10 wherein the means for programming further includes means for creating “

macro”

commands wherein the receiver recognizes a single transmitted ID-Code from the plurality of transmitters as initiating a series of scancodes from a standard keyboard.

12. The programmable keyboard input system for computers of claim 10 wherein the plurality of transmitters broadcasts radio frequency wave ID-Codes to the receiver.

13. The programmable keyboard input system for computers of claim 10 wherein the plurality of transmitters broadcasts fixed infrared wave ID-Codes to the receiver.

14. The programmable keyboard input system for computers of claim 10 wherein the plurality of transmitters is a battery powered, hand held member.

15. The programmable keyboard input system for computers of claim 10 wherein the plurality of transmitters includes a light source and a sound source for confirming the transmission of the ID-Code, the light source and the sound source being energized by activation of circuit means of any individual transmitter button.

16. A method for programming a wireless, remote keyboard input system for a computer, the computer of the type having at least a central processing unit having a keyboard port, a standard keyboard further having keyboard port attachment means, and a monitor, comprising the steps of:

connecting a receiver to the keyboard port of the central processing unit, the receiver being adapted to accept the standard keyboard port attachment means,

connecting the keyboard port attachment means of the standard keyboard to the receiver,

supplying power to at least the central processing unit,

activating a programming switch on the receiver, the programming switch initializing a programming sequence,

pressing a selected button located on a remote wireless transmitter, the transmitter transmitting an ID-Code that identifies the selected button of the transmitter, the receiver receiving the ID-Code from the transmitter,

pressing a selected key on the standard keyboard, the standard keyboard transmitting the selected key to the receiver to define a scancode, the receiver assigning the scancode to the ID-Code of the selected button of the transmitter and storing the scancode into memory,

completing the programming sequence by returning the system to a normal operating mode, and

whereby upon activation of the selected button of the transmitter, the ID-Code of the selected button is received by the receiver, the receiver identifies the appropriate scancode in memory and transmits this appropriate scancode to the central processing unit.

17. The method of claim 16 further including the step of programming the selected button on the wireless transmitter to correspond to the scancodes that define a modified key from the standard keyboard.

18. A method for programming macro commands into a keyboard input system for computers, the computer of the type having at least a central processing unit having a keyboard port, a standard keyboard further having keyboard port attachment means, and a monitor, comprising the steps of:

connecting a receiver to the central processing unit keyboard port, the receiver being adapted to accept the keyboard port attachment means,

connecting the keyboard port attachment means of the standard keyboard to the receiver,

supplying power to at least the central processing unit,

activating a programming switch on the receiver, the programming switch initializing a programming sequence,

pressing a selected button located on a remote wireless transmitter, the transmitter transmitting an ID-Code that identifies the selected button of the transmitter, the receiver receiving the ID-Code from the transmitter,

pressing a multiple set of selected keys on the standard keyboard the standard keyboard transmitting the multiple set of selected keys to the receiver to define a series of scancodes that are designed to transmit a macro command to the central processing unit, the receiver assigning the series of scancodes to the ID-Code of the selected button of the transmitter and storing the series of scancodes into memory,

completing the programming sequence by returning the system to a normal operating mode, and

whereby upon activation of the selected button of the transmitter, the ID-Code of the selected button is received by the receiver, the receiver identifies the appropriate series of scancodes in memory and transmits this appropriate series of scancodes to the central processing unit for execution of the macro command.