Notebook computer with detachable infrared multi-mode input device

• US 7,298,359 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2001
• Issued: 11/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Koike, Nobuyuke, Kim, Darren, Vasudeo, Ashok, Hamano, Takeshi
• Primary Examiner(s): CHANG, KENT WU
• Application Number:
  US09/894,568
• Publication Number:
  US 20010033267A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,337 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/158, 345/161, 345/163, 345/164, 345/165, 345/166, 345/167, 345/168, 345/169, 361/683, 361/686
• US Class Current: 345/158
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/169 the I/O peripheral being an integrated pointing device, e.g. trackball in the palm rest area, mini-joystick integrated between keyboard keys, touch pads or touch stripes G06F1/1643 takes precedence; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1698 the I/O peripheral being a sending/receiving arrangement to establish a cordless communication link, e.g. radio or infrared link, integrated cellular phone details of antennas disposed inside a computer H01Q1/2266
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3259 Power saving in cursor control device, e.g. mouse, joystick, trackball
• 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 3/0231 Cordless keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0312 for tracking the rotation of a spherical or circular member, e.g. optical rotary encoders used in mice or trackballs using a tracking ball or in mouse scroll wheels tracking relative movement in co-operation with a regularly or irregularly patterned surface, e.g. as in optical mice G06F3/0317; constructional details of scroll or thumb-wheels G06F3/0362; optical rotary encoders G01D5/3473
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0338 with detection of limited linear or angular displacement of an operating part of the device from a neutral position, e.g. isotonic or isometric joysticks
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03541 Mouse/trackball convertible devices, in which the same ball is used to track the 2D relative movement
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03549 Trackballs G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0383 Signal control means within the pointing device
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

A notebook computer comprises a plurality of conventional sensors disposed on the notebook computer to achieve a wide-angle infrared sensor response. An infrared input device comprises a mouse and a touchpad with an improved energy management system to reduce power consumption and a user settable identification code to prevent crosstalk with other infrared devices.

Claims

1. An input device for a computer, comprising:

a housing;

a rotatable ball coupled to said housing;

an optical encoder comprising photo-interruptors disposed in said housing, said optical encoder providing output signals in response to rotation of said ball;

a control circuit, said control circuit receiving as inputs said output signals of said optical encoder, said control circuit also capable of controlling the power to said photo-interruptors of said optical encoder;

wherein said control circuit conserves power by operating said optical encoder in a periodic-pulsed mode when said ball is at rest longer than a preselected time interval and said control circuit utilizes said signals of said encoder in said periodic-pulsed mode to determine when to resume a continuous position sensing encoder mode;

an infrared transmitter to transmit data corresponding to the output signals of said optical encoder;

wherein the infrared transmitter transmits the data as bytes with a start bit; and

wherein no infrared data are transmitted when said ball is in said power conservation state; and

a user settable identification code.

2. An input device for a computer, comprising:

a housing;

a rotatable ball coupled to said housing;

an optical encoder comprising photo-interruptors disposed in said housing, said optical encoder providing output signals in response to rotation of said ball;

a control circuit, said control circuit receiving as inputs said output signals of said optical encoder, said control circuit also capable of controlling the power to said photo-interruptors of said optical encoder;

wherein said control circuit conserves power by operating said optical encoder in a periodic-pulsed mode when said ball is at rest longer than a preselected time interval and said control circuit utilizes said signals of said encoder in said periodic-pulsed mode to determine when to resume a continuous position sensing encoder mode;

a wireless transmitter for transmittings the data corresponding to the output of said optical encorder;

wherein said wireless transmitter transmits the data as bytes with a start bit; and

wherein no data are transmitted when said ball is in said power conservation state; and

a user settable identification code.