Battery operated ink capture device that operates in a normal power mode during active use and a minimum power mode during absence of active use

• US 6,691,233 B1
• Filed: 11/18/1999
• Issued: 02/10/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ecrio, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Ecrio, Inc.
• Inventors: Tracy, Charles A., Challa, Nagesh, Gobburu, Venkata T., Gannage, Michel E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): YANCHUS III, PAUL B
• Application Number:
  US09/442,603
• Time in Patent Office: 1,545 Days
• Field of Search: 178/18.01, 178/19.01, 248/371, 250/559, 345/168, 345/173, 348/76, 380/241, 455/462, 455/754, 707/503, 708/141, 710/5, 713/300, 713/320, 725/119
• US Class Current: 713/300
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3262 Power saving in digitizer or tablet
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0383 Signal control means within the pointing device

Abstract

A handwriting capture system includes a portable electronic tablet that capture pen strokes made on a standard pad of paper and transfer the captured pen strokes to a digital image capture device such as a personal data assistant or PDA using infrared communications circuitry. The portable electronic tablet is battery powered, and the handwriting capture system includes an infrared activated power switch to extend the useful lifetime of the battery by power up the electronic tablet and infrared communications circuitry only when the system is in use and otherwise by powering off the electronic tablet and much of the communications circuitry, in a manner that is entirely transparent to the user. An IR activity detector remains powered up when the system generally is powered off, and also furnishes power to at least the receiver section of the IR transceiver. When infrared activity occurs, the receiver section indicates that a signal has been received and the IR activity detector responds by signaling a switched power supply to apply normal operating power to the system.

Claims

1. A battery operated ink capture device for operating in a minimum power dissipation mode in the absence of active use thereof, and in a normal power dissipation mode during active use thereof, comprising:

a battery voltage terminal;

a switched power source having a control input, a power input, and a power output, the power output furnishing a normal operating voltage during the normal power dissipation mode and furnishing effectively a zero voltage during the minimum power dissipation mode;

a digitizer having a power input coupled to the power output of the switched power source;

a wireless communications port having a received signal output and a first power input;

a communications activity detector having an input coupled to the received signal output of the wireless communications port, an output coupled to the control input of the switched power source, and a power input coupled to the battery voltage terminal at least during the minimum power dissipation mode; and

a voltage selection circuit having a first voltage input terminal coupled to the battery voltage terminal, a second voltage input terminal coupled to the power output of the switched power source, and a voltage output coupled to the first power input of the wireless communications port, the first power input of the wireless communications port being coupled to the battery voltage terminal through the first voltage input terminal of the voltage selection circuit during the minimum power dissipation mode, and coupled to the power output of the switched power source through the second voltage input terminal of the voltage selection circuit during the normal power dissipation mode;

wherein the voltage selection circuit comprises a first diode having an anode and a cathode, and a second diode having an anode and a cathode, the respective cathodes of the first and second diode being connected together, the anode of the first diode being the first voltage input terminal of the voltage selection circuit, and the anode of the second diode being the second voltage input terminal of the voltage selection circuit.

2. A battery operated ink capture device for operating in a minimum power dissipation mode in the absence of active use thereof, and in a normal power dissipation mode during active use thereof, comprising:

a battery voltage terminal;

a switched power source having a control input, a power input, and a power output, the power output furnishing a normal operating voltage during the normal power dissipation mode and furnishing effectively a zero voltage during the minimum power dissipation mode;

a digitizer having a power input coupled to the power output of the switched power source;

a wireless communications port having a received signal output and a first power input;

a communications activity detector having an input coupled to the received signal output of the wireless communications port, an output coupled to the control input of the switched power source, and a power input coupled to the battery voltage terminal at least during the minimum power dissipation mode;

a voltage selection circuit having a first voltage input terminal coupled to the battery voltage terminal, a second voltage input terminal coupled to the power output of the switched power source, and a voltage output coupled to the first power input of the wireless communications port, the first power input of the wireless communications port being coupled to the battery voltage terminal through the first voltage input terminal of the voltage selection circuit during the minimum power dissipation mode, and coupled to the power output of the switched power source through the second voltage input terminal of the voltage selection circuit during the normal power dissipation mode; and

a voltage transition smoothing circuit, the first power input of the wireless communications port being coupled to the voltage output of the voltage selection circuit through the voltage transition smoothing circuit.

3. A battery operated ink capture device as in claim 2 wherein the voltage transition smoothing circuit comprises a resistor-capacitor network.

4. A battery operated ink capture device as in claim 2 wherein the voltage transition smoothing circuit comprises a low pass filter.

5. A battery operated ink capture device for operating in a minimum power dissipation mode in the absence of active use thereof, and in a normal power dissipation mode during active use thereof, comprising:

a battery voltage terminal;

a switched power source having a control input, a power input, and a power output, the power output furnishing a normal operating voltage during the normal power dissipation mode and furnishing effectively a zero voltage during the minimum power dissipation mode;

a digitizer having a power input coupled to the power output of the switched power source;

a wireless communications port having a received signal output and a first power input, the first power input being coupled to the battery voltage terminal at least during the minimum power dissipation mode;

a communications activity detector having an input coupled to the received signal output of the wireless communications port, an output coupled to the control input of the switched power source, and a power input coupled to the battery voltage terminal at least during the minimum power dissipation mode; and

an infrared transceiver module;

wherein the wireless communications port further comprises a second power input, a receiver section, and a transmitter section;

the receiver section includes the first power input to the wireless communications port and the transmitter section includes the second power input to the wireless communications port; and

the second power input to the wireless communications port is coupled to the power output of the switched power supply; and

wherein the receiver section and the transmitter section are sections of the transceiver module;

the first power input of the wireless communications port is V_DD; and

the second power input of the wireless communications port is ANODE.

6. A battery operated ink capture device for operating in a minimum power dissipation mode in the absence of active use thereof, and in a normal power dissipation mode during active use thereof, comprising:

a battery voltage terminal;

a switched power source having a control input, a power input, and a power output, the power output furnishing a normal operating voltage during the normal power dissipation mode and furnishing effectively a zero voltage during the minimum power dissipation mode;

a digitizer having a power input coupled to the power output of the switched power source;

a wireless communications port having a received signal output and a first power input, the first power input being coupled to the battery voltage terminal at least during the minimum power dissipation mode; and

a communications activity detector having an input coupled to the received signal output of the wireless communications port, an output coupled to the control input of the switched power source, and a power input coupled to the battery voltage terminal at least during the minimum power dissipation mode;

wherein the communications activity detector comprises;

a pulse extension circuit having an input and an output, the input of the communications activity detector being the input of the pulse extension circuit; and

a transistor switch having first and second controlled terminals and a control terminal, the first controlled terminal being coupled to the power input of the communications activity detector, the second controlled terminal being coupled to the output of the communications activity detector, and the control terminal being coupled to the output of the pulse extension circuit.

7. A handwriting capture system operating in a minimum power dissipation mode in the absence of active use thereof, and in a normal power dissipation mode during active use thereof, comprising:

a battery voltage terminal;

a switched power source having a control input, a power input, and a power output, the power output furnishing a normal operating voltage during the normal power dissipation mode and furnishing effectively a zero voltage during the minimum power dissipation mode;

a digitizer tablet having a power input coupled to the power output of the switched power source and a digital signal output;

a first infrared communications transceiver port including a first section having a received signal output and a first power input, and a second section coupled to the digital signal output of the digitizer and having a second power input, the first power input being coupled to the battery voltage terminal at least during the minimum power dissipation mode and the second power input being coupled to the power output of the switched power source;

a communications activity detector having an input coupled to the received signal output of the infrared communications transceiver port, an output coupled to the control input of the switched power source, and a power input coupled to the battery voltage terminal at least during the minimum power dissipation mode; and

a digital image capture device having a second infrared communications transceiver port, the second communications port being disposed within range of the first communications ports;

wherein the switched power source comprises a DC-DC converter;

the communications activity detector comprises a pulse extension circuit and a transistor switch coupled to the pulse extension circuit; and

the digital image capture device is a personal data assistant.