Keyboard

• US 7,886,092 B2
• Filed: 08/25/2008
• Issued: 02/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.), Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.), Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Xie, Shu, Xiao, Yun-Shan
• Primary Examiner(s): Kindred; Alford W
• Assistant Examiner(s): Martinez; David E
• Application Number:
  US12/197,320
• Publication Number:
  US 20100023659A1
• Time in Patent Office: 897 Days
• Field of Search: 710/36, 710/62, 710/72
• US Class Current: 710/62
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/021 Arrangements integrating additional peripherals in a keyboard, e.g. card or barcode reader, optical scanner
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0227 Cooperation and interconnection of the input arrangement with other functional units of a computer G06F3/023 - G06F3/037 take precedence

Abstract

A keyboard includes a keyboard control circuit, a card reader unit, at least one universal serial bus (USB) interface, a switch, and a BLUETOOTH unit. The USB interface is capable of coupling to the card reader unit. The BLUETOOTH unit is selectively connected to the keyboard control circuit or the card reader unit via the switch.

Claims

1. A keyboard comprising:

a keyboard control circuit;

a card reader unit;

at least one universal serial bus (USB) interface coupled to the card reader unit;

a switch comprising a first terminal, a second terminal, and a third terminal; and

a BLUETOOTH unit to selectively connect to the keyboard control circuit or the card reader unit via the switch, wherein the first terminal of the switch is connected to the BLUETOOTH unit, the second terminal of the switch is connected to the card reader unit, the third terminal of the switch is connected to the keyboard control circuit.

2. The keyboard as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one USB interface is arranged on a back of the keyboard.

3. The keyboard as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an indicate apparatus to indicate status of an USB apparatus which is connected to the card reader unit via one of the at least one USB interface, wherein the indicate apparatus is connected to the card reader unit, and arranged on an upper surface of the keyboard.

4. The keyboard as claimed in claim 3, wherein the indicate apparatus is a lamp.

5. A computer system comprising:

a motherboard;

a BLUETOOTH module connected to the motherboard; and

a keyboard comprising;

a keyboard control circuit;

a card reader unit;

at least one universal serial bus (USB) interface coupled to the card reader unit;

a switch comprising a first terminal, a second terminal, and a third terminal; and

a BLUETOOTH unit to selectively connect to the keyboard control circuit or the card reader unit via the switch, and communicating with the BLUETOOTH module for data exchange with the motherboard, wherein the first terminal of the switch is connected to the BLUETOOTH unit, the second terminal of the switch is connected to the card reader unit, the third terminal of the switch is connected to the keyboard control circuit.

6. The computer system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the at least one USB interface is arranged on a back of the keyboard.

7. The computer system as claimed in claim 5, further comprising an indicate apparatus to indicate status of an USB apparatus which is connected to the card reader unit via one of the at least one USB interface, wherein the indicate apparatus is connected to the card reader unit, and arranged on an upper surface of the keyboard.

8. The computer system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the indicate apparatus is a lamp.