Complex switch control system

• US 8,125,354 B2
• Filed: 09/17/2007
• Issued: 02/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Quanta Computer
• Original Assignee: Quanta Computer
• Inventors: Lu, Cheng-Cheng, Wu, Yu-Tsang
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Albert
• Assistant Examiner(s): Benlagsir, Amine
• Application Number:
  US11/898,844
• Publication Number:
  US 20080297201A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,625 Days
• Field of Search: 341/20, 341/22, 341/21, 341/23, 327/31, 330/278, 330/279
• US Class Current: 341/22
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 19/1732 by limitation or reduction of the pin/gate ratio for data-processing equipment G06F1/22
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 9/08 of duration- or width-mudulated pulses or of duty-cycle modulated pulses

Abstract

A complex switch control system including many switches, a switching voltage control circuit and a comparator is provided. The switching voltage control circuit converts an operating voltage into a switching voltage according to the states of the switches. The comparator compares the switching voltage with a reference voltage and outputs a switch state signal to a keyboard controller. A duty cycle of the switch state signal corresponds to the states of the switches.

Claims

1. A complex switch control system, comprising:

a plurality of switches;

a switching voltage control circuit including a voltage divider, for converting an operating voltage into a switching voltage according to states of the switches; and

a comparator for comparing the switching voltage with a reference voltage being a periodic waveform that changes value linearly, and outputting a switch state signal to a keyboard controller,

wherein a duty cycle of the switch state signal corresponds to the states of the switches.

2. The complex switch control system according to claim 1, wherein the switch state signal is outputted to a general purpose input/output (GPIO) pin of the keyboard controller.

3. The complex switch control system according to claim 1, wherein the switches comprise:

a first switch having a first end coupled to the operating voltage; and

a second switch having a first end coupled to the operating voltage.

4. The complex switch control system according to claim 3, wherein the switching voltage control circuit comprises:

a first switch resistor having a first end coupled to the second end of the first switch;

a second switch resistor having a first end coupled to the second end of the second switch;

a dividing resistor having a first end coupled to the second end of the first switch resistor and the second end of the second switch resistor, and a second end coupled to a grounding voltage; and

an operation amplifier having a first end coupled to the first end of the dividing resistor and a second input end coupled to an output end of the operation amplifier which outputs the switching voltage.

5. The complex switch control system according to claim 4, wherein the voltage level of the switching voltage changes along with the states of the switches.

6. The complex switch control system according to claim 5, wherein the reference voltage is a triangle-wave signal.

7. The complex switch control system according to claim 6, wherein the switch state signal is a squared-wave signal.

8. The complex switch control system according to claim 7, wherein when the voltage level of the switching voltage changes, the duty cycle of the switch state signal changes accordingly and the keyboard controller determines the states of the switches according to the switch state signal.