Computer pointing device having theme identification means

• US 7,007,238 B2
• Filed: 05/20/2002
• Issued: 02/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lawrence F. Glaser
• Inventors: Glaser, Lawrence F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Luu, Sy D.
• Application Number:
  US10/147,914
• Publication Number:
  US 20030076357A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,380 Days
• Field of Search: 715/765, 715/861, 715/789, 715741-743, 715744-745, 715747-748, 715/866, 345/157, 345/163, 345/765, 345/861, 345/789, 345/744, 345/748, 345/866
• US Class Current: 715/765
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/34 involving the use of external additional devices, e.g. dongles or smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2113 Multi-level security, e.g. mandatory access control
• 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 pointing device operable with a computer system having a graphical user interface. The pointing device includes a unique identifier that is associated with the pointing device, wherein a theme of the graphical user interface is automatically changed in accordance with the unique identifier. The theme may be a desktop theme. The unique identifier may also initiate a security protocol.

Claims

1. A peripheral device operable with a computer system having a graphical user interface, the peripheral device comprising:

transmitting means for transmitting data between the peripheral device and the computer system; and

identification means for presenting to the computer system, via the transmitting means, a unique identifier associated with the peripheral device, wherein a security protocol is initiated by the computer system based on the unique identifier presented by the transmitting means to the computer system.

2. The peripheral device of claim 1, wherein the means for transmitting data between the peripheral device and the computer system comprises a cable.

3. The peripheral device of claim 2, wherein the cable is modularly coupled with the peripheral device.

4. The peripheral device of claim 1, wherein the means for transmitting data between the peripheral device and the computer system comprises an optoelectronic transmitter and receiver.

5. The peripheral device of claim 1, wherein the means for transmitting comprises an electromagnetic transmitter and receiver.

6. The peripheral device of claim 1, wherein the identification means comprises a semiconductor memory which is disposed in the peripheral device.

7. The peripheral device of claim 6, wherein the semiconductor memory is non-volatile.

8. The peripheral device of claim 6, wherein the semiconductor memory is modifiable.

9. The peripheral device of claim 1, wherein the unique identifier corresponds to a pointer stored in a look-up table that is stored in the computer system.

10. The peripheral device of claim 1, wherein the unique identifier further includes user data.

11. The peripheral device of claim 10 wherein the unique identifier further includes user preferences.

12. The peripheral device of claim 1, wherein the security protocol includes.

13. The peripheral device of claim 1, wherein the unique identifier is identifiable by an operating system of the computer system.

14. The peripheral device of claim 13, wherein the unique identifier is automatically identifiable by the operating system.

15. The peripheral device of claim 13, wherein the unique identifier can be masked from the computer system.

16. The point device of claim 1, wherein the peripheral device is wireless.

17. The peripheral device of claim 16, wherein only a single wireless peripheral device of a plurality of wireless peripheral devices is active at any one time.

18. A computer system, comprising:

a plurality of peripheral devices connected to the computer system, each of said devices having a unique identifier associated with a particular aspect of a unique desktop theme, said plurality of peripheral devices operable in combination to display said unique desktop theme.