Wireless human interface device with integrated temperature sensor

• US 7,532,116 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2008
• Issued: 05/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hulvey, Robert W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bugg; George A
• Assistant Examiner(s): LAU, HOI CHING
• Application Number:
  US12/046,738
• Publication Number:
  US 20080211667A1
• Time in Patent Office: 426 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.27, 340/539.26, 340/584, 340/588, 463/37, 600/390, 600/528, 705/2, 345/163, 345/106, 345/156, 345/158
• US Class Current: 340/539.27
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 21/00 Measuring or testing not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 1/024 for remote indication
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 13/00 Thermometers specially adapted for specific purposes

Abstract

A wireless human interface device (HID) includes an input interface module for accepting inputs from a user; a microprocessor for processing the accepted inputs; a wireless transmitter for transmitting the accepted inputs to a host; and a temperature sensor for determining the temperature of the wireless HID, wherein the microprocessor transmits the sensed temperature via the wireless transmitter to the host for displaying.

Claims

1. A wireless human interface device (HID) including:

an input module configured to accept manual input from a human being;

a temperature sensor configured to;

facilitate the regulation of a wireless transmitter, and

detect the temperature of at least a portion of the wireless HID; and

the wireless transmitter configured to transmit the accepted input and detected temperature to a host device.

2. The wireless HID of claim 1, wherein the wireless transmitter includes a Bluetooth transmitter.

3. The wireless HID of claim 1, wherein the temperature sensor includes a duty cycle less than ten percent (10%).

4. The wireless HID of claim 1, wherein the temperature sensor is configured to detect an ambient temperature and not be affected by a temperature of the human being.

5. The wireless HID of claim 1, wherein the temperature sensor is configured to detect changes in a temperature of the human being.

6. The wireless HID of claim 1, wherein the host includes a computing device.

7. A game controller comprising:

a plurality of input modules configured to accept input from a human being;

a temperature sensor configured to;

facilitate the regulation of a wireless transmitter, and

determine the temperature of at least a part of the human being; and

the wireless transmitter configured to wirelessly transmit the determined temperature to a game system.

8. The game controller of claim 7, wherein the temperature sensor is configured to determine the relative temperature difference between the human being and an ambient temperature.

9. The game controller of claim 7, wherein the temperature sensor is configured to determine the temperature of the hand of the human being.

10. The game controller of claim 7, wherein the temperature sensor is configured to provide biofeedback to the game system.

11. The game controller of claim 7, wherein the transmitter is configured to recalibrate itself based at least in part upon the temperature detected by the temperature sensor.

12. The game controller of claim 7, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit the temperature to the game system in such a way as to facilitate the display of the temperature by the game system.

13. The game controller of claim 7, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit the temperature in a manner substantially compliant with the Bluetooth HID standard.

14. The game controller of claim 13, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit the temperature using a usage code.

15. The game controller of claim 13, wherein the transmitter is configured to, in response to a request for a description of capabilities of the game controller, transmit that the game controller is capable of transmitting temperature.

16. A keyboard comprising:

a microprocessor configured to receive input data from a human being via keys;

a temperature sensor configured to;

facilitate the regulation of a wireless transmitter, and

detect the temperature of at least part of the keyboard; and

the wireless transmitter configured to wirelessly transmit the detected temperature and data provided by the microprocessor to a host device.

17. The keyboard of claim 16 wherein the microprocessor is configured to calibrate the transmitter responsive to the detected temperature.

18. The keyboard of claim 16 wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit using a protocol substantially complaint with the Bluetooth protocol.

19. The keyboard of claim 16 wherein the temperature sensor is configured to not be substantially affected by a temperature of the human being.

20. The keyboard of claim 16 wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit the detected temperature to the host device for displaying.