Input device having a presence sensor

• US 7,995,034 B2
• Filed: 06/22/2006
• Issued: 08/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Marshall, James, Goh, Chun Beng, Pope, Jeremiah, Fosdick, Brad
• Primary Examiner(s): Lao; Lun-Yi
• Assistant Examiner(s): Suteerawongsa; Jarurat
• Application Number:
  US11/474,119
• Publication Number:
  US 20070296701A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,874 Days
• Field of Search: 345163-166, 345168-169, 345/211, 713/320
• US Class Current: 345/163
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3215 Monitoring of peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3231 Monitoring the presence, absence or movement of users
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3271 Power saving in keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0231 Cordless keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

A system and method for reducing power consumption of a wireless input device is disclosed. The input device may convert between a high power state and a low power state. In the high power state, a transmitter and light sources are activated, whereas both the transmitter and the light sources are deactivated in the low power state. Following a period of inactivity in which neither a key sensor for activatable keys nor a presence sensor for the user transmit input, the input device may convert from the high power state to the low power state to conserve energy. When the presence sensor detects the presence of the user, however, the input converts to the high power state wherein the transmitter and the light sources are activated.

Claims

1. A method comprising steps of:

determining a time delay for establishing a data connection between a wireless input device and a computer;

detecting, utilizing a presence sensor associated with the wireless input device, a presence proximal the wireless input device from a user absent state, wherein the data connection between the wireless input device and the computer is in a disabled state prior to detecting the presence of a user proximal to the wireless input device, wherein the disabled state comprises a dormant power state, the dormant power state comprising a first state in an ordered plurality of power states, wherein each of the ordered plurality of power states utilizes various degrees of power, wherein the ordered plurality of power states comprises the dormant state, a start radio link state, an update schedule state, a max backlight state, a reduced backlight state, a no backlight state and a break radio link state, wherein the dormant state comprises a plurality of dormant sub-states wherein a level of activity and power consumption for the wireless input device temporarily increases, without exiting the dormant power state, wherein the plurality of dormant sub-states comprises a first dormant sub-state, wherein in the first dormant sub-state, upon detecting an initial change in the presence sensor, a sample rate of the presence sensor is increased to determine whether the initial change in the presence sensor is background noise in an environment comprising the wireless input device and, if so, remaining in the dormant power state;

upon detecting a positive interaction with the wireless input device;

exiting the dormant state to enter subsequent states in the ordered plurality of power states; and

gradually increasing an intensity of a light source, the gradual increase in the intensity providing feedback indicating a current status of the data connection during a time period substantially equal to the time delay for establishing the data connection between the wireless input device and the computer, wherein a full illumination of the light source coincides with a full establishment of the data connection between the wireless input device and the computer from the disabled state, wherein the time delay for establishing the data connection between the wireless input device and the computer is predetermined based upon a plurality of time delay averages for establishing a data connection, from the disabled state, with various computer systems.

2. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the step of detecting a presence proximal the wireless input device from a user absent state includes utilizing portions of the sensor positioned adjacent edges of the wireless input device.

3. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the step of detecting a presence proximal the wireless input device from a user absent state includes utilizing a capacitive sensor.

4. The method recited in claim 1, further including a step of configuring the light source to illuminate controls of the wireless input device.

5. The method recited in claim 1, further including a step of configuring the wireless input device to be a keyboard.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising ignoring the presence proximal the wireless input device from the user absent state when a threshold comprising a plurality of user presence occurrences is exceeded, wherein each of the plurality of user presence occurrences do not include a positive interaction with the wireless input device.

6. A method of managing a power state between a wireless input device and a computer, comprising:

determining a time delay for establishing a data connection between a wireless input device and a computer;

detecting, utilizing a presence sensor associated with the wireless input device, a presence proximal the wireless input device from a user absent state, wherein the data connection between the wireless input device and the computer is in a disabled state prior to detecting the presence of a user proximal to the wireless input device, wherein the disabled state comprises a dormant power state, the dormant power state comprising a first state in an ordered plurality of power states, wherein each of the ordered plurality of power states utilizes various degrees of power, wherein the ordered plurality of power states comprises the dormant state, a start radio link state, an update schedule state, a max backlight state, a no backlight state and a break radio link state, wherein the dormant state comprises a plurality of dormant sub-states wherein a level of activity and power consumption for the wireless input device temporarily increases, without exiting the dormant power state, wherein the plurality of dormant sub-states comprises a first dormant sub-state, wherein in the first dormant sub-state, upon detecting an initial change in the presence sensor, a sample rate of the presence sensor is increased to determine whether the initial change in the presence sensor is background noise in an environment comprising the wireless input device and, if so, remaining in the dormant power state; and

upon detecting a positive interaction with the wireless input device

exiting the dormant state to enter subsequent states in the ordered plurality of power states; and

gradually increasing an intensity of a light source to indicate a current status of the data connection during the time delay for establishing the data connection between the wireless input device and the computer.

7. The method recited in claim 6, wherein the step of detecting a presence proximal the wireless input device from a user absent state includes utilizing portions of the sensor positioned adjacent edges of the wireless input device.

8. The method recited in claim 6, wherein the step of detecting a presence proximal the wireless input device from a user absent state, includes utilizing a capacitive sensor.

9. The method recited in claim 6, further including a step of configuring the light source to illuminate controls of the wireless input device.

10. The method recited in claim 6, further including a step of configuring the wireless input device to be a keyboard.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein the time delay for establishing the data connection between the wireless input device and the computer is predetermined based upon a plurality of time delay averages for establishing a data connection, from the disabled state, with various computer systems.

13. The method of claim 6, further comprising ignoring the presence proximal the wireless input device from the user absent state when a threshold comprising a plurality of user presence occurrences is exceeded, wherein each of the plurality of user presence occurrences do not include a positive interaction with the wireless input device.