Wireless mouse unit, wireless mouse and receiver

• US 6,801,967 B2
• Filed: 05/30/2001
• Issued: 10/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Takamisawa Component Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Takamisawa Component Limited
• Inventors: Watanabe, Kazuhiro, Nakamura, Shuji, Koike, Tamotsu
• Primary Examiner(s): Elamin, A.
• Application Number:
  US09/866,648
• Publication Number:
  US 20020061739A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,224 Days
• Field of Search: 710/62, 345/168, 345/163, 345/180
• US Class Current: 710/62
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0384 Wireless input, i.e. hardware and software details of wireless interface arrangements for pointing devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry

Abstract

A wireless mouse unit has a wireless mouse generating signals for moving a cursor across a display screen, a rechargeable secondary battery cell built into the wireless mouse, and a receiver for receiving the signals transmitted from the wireless mouse, the receiver electrically connected to and powered by a computer via a cable. The receiver includes a charging terminal for recharging the rechargeable battery when the wireless mouse is placed in the receiver, eliminating the need for a special charger to recharge the rechargeable secondary battery cell built into the wireless mouse.

Claims

1. A wireless mouse unit comprising:

a wireless mouse to generate signals to move a cursor across a display screen;

a rechargeable secondary battery cell included in the wireless mouse;

a connector cable having at one end thereof a USB connector for connecting to a USB connector located on a computer and a second connector at another end thereof;

a USB-PS/2 conversion connector having a USB connector at one end thereof and a PS/2 connector at another end thereof;

a receiver to receive the signals transmitted from the wireless mouse,

wherein the receiver further comprises a connector detachably electrically connected to and powered by a computer via cable and an AC terminal detachably electrically connected to and powered by an AC adapter, so that the receiver is configured to be chargeable by either one of the connector and the AC terminal;

a receiver connector to connect to the second connector; and

a USB microcontroller unit to output a PS/2 mode signal when the USB connector at one end of the connector cable is connected to the computer via the USB-PS/2 converter connector.

2. The wireless mouse unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the receiver includes a wireless mouse cradle shaped to accommodate the wireless mouse when the wireless mouse is set thereat when the wireless mouse is not in use, the charging terminals disposed so as to contact charging terminals provided on the wireless mouse when the wireless mouse is set at the wireless mouse cradle so as to allow recharging of the rechargeable secondary battery cell.

3. The wireless mouse unit as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a connector cable having at one end thereof a USB connector for connecting to USB connector located on the computer and a second connector at another end thereof, wherein:

the receiver further comprises a connector for connecting to the second connector of the connector cable;

the wireless mouse further comprises;

a wireless mouse connector for connecting to the second connector of the connector cable; and

a USB microcontroller unit powered by power supplied from the computer via the wireless mouse connector; and

a battery charger for recharging the rechargeable secondary battery cell of the wireless mouse using electric power supplied from the computer via the cable when the wireless mouse is not in use, the battery charger being powered by power supplied from the computer via the wireless mouse connector.

4. The wireless mouse unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wireless mouse further comprises:

a wireless mouse connector for connecting to the second connector of the connector cable;

a USB microcontroller unit powered by power supplied from the computer via the wireless mouse connector and that switches to PS/2 mode when the USB connector at one end of the connector cable is connected to the computer via the USB-PS/2 converter connector; and

a battery charger for charging the rechargeable secondary battery cell of the wireless mouse using electric power supplied from the computer via the cable when the wireless mouse is not in use, the battery charger being powered by power supplied from the computer via the wireless mouse connector.

5. A wireless mouse that transmits wireless signals to a receiver connected to a computer so as to move a cursor through a display screen of the computer, the wireless mouse comprising:

a rechargeable secondary battery cell;

charging terminals that connect to charging terminals disposed on the receiver when the wireless mouse is set on the receiver, such that when so set the rechargeable secondary battery cell is charged using electric power supplied from the computer;

a connector terminal connecting to a connector at one end of a cable extending from the computer, the cable being connected to a USB female connector on the computer, to transmit signals to the computer so as to move the cursor through the display screen; and

a USB microcontroller unit powered by electric power from the connector at the one end of the cable.

6. The wireless mouse as claimed in claim 5, wherein a solar battery cell is provided on an upper surface of a body of the wireless mouse, the solar battery cell being electrically connected in parallel with the rechargeable secondary battery cell.

7. The wireless mouse as claimed in claim 5, further comprising:

an optical sensor unit having a light emitting element and an optical sensor chip for sensing light emitted from the light emitting element and reflected from a working surface on which the wireless mouse is set during operation; and

a built-in solar battery cell that captures a portion of the light emitted from the light emitting element,

the solar battery cell and the rechargeable secondary battery cell being electrically connected in parallel.

8. The wireless mouse as claimed in claim 5, that transmits wireless signals to the receiver connected to a computer so as to move a cursor, through a display screen of the computer, the wireless mouse further comprising the rechargeable secondary battery cell such that power from the computer is used to charge the rechargeable secondary battery cell when the wireless mouse is connected to the connector at one end of the cable, with the rechargeable secondary battery not being used to power the wireless mouse.

9. A receiver and wireless mouse connected to a computer, with the receiver receiving wireless signals transmitted from the wireless mouse so as to move a cursor through a display screen of the computer, comprising:

a wireless mouse cradle shaped to accommodate the wireless mouse when the wireless mouse is set thereat when the wireless mouse is not in use;

charging terminals disposed so as to contact charging terminals provided on the wireless mouse when the wireless mouse is set at the wireless mouse cradle so as to allow charging of a rechargeable secondary battery cell;

a power connector to provide power to the receiver in addition to power available from a detachable connector connected to the computer;

an optical sensor unit having a light emitting element and an optical sensor chip for sensing light emitted from a light emitting element and reflected from a working surface on which the wireless mouse is set during operation; and

a built-in solar battery cell that captures a portion of the light emitted from the light emitting element, wherein the rechargeable secondary battery cell is configured to be charged by the solar batter cell.

10. The receiver and wireless mouse as claimed in claim 9, wherein the detachable connector connected to a connector at an end of a cable extending from the computer and connected to a USB connector of the computer.