High-frequency wireless peripheral device with auto-connection and auto-synchronization

• US 8,238,407 B1
• Filed: 12/28/2009
• Issued: 08/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Logitech Europe S A (Logitech International SA)
• Original Assignee: Logitech Europe S A (Logitech International SA)
• Inventors: Lavelle, Mark Thomas, Favey, Hugues Michel, Wegmuller, David Ernest, Schmid, Eric, Loughnane, Patrick Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Puente, Eva
• Application Number:
  US12/648,283
• Time in Patent Office: 953 Days
• Field of Search: 375/141, 375/133, 375/132, 375/140, 370/328, 370/254, 370/338
• US Class Current: 375/141
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/7156 Arrangements for sequence synchronisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2001/71563 Acquisition

Abstract

Automatic establishment of a connection between a human interface device and a host transceiver unit. A marriage ID is exchanged in a synchronization step. The marriage ID being used by both the host transceiver and the human interface device to calculate a spread spectrum modulation pattern. In one embodiment the spread spectrum modulation is a frequency hopping spread spectrum modulation.

Claims

1. A system for wireless transfer of data, said system comprising:

a host transceiver unit configured to be connected with a host device, and configured to wirelessly exchange data with a human interface device;

a human interface device configured to wirelessly exchange data with the host transceiver unit; and

computer readable media having instructions thereon, said instructions comprising routines for synchronizing said host transceiver unit and said human interface device for wirelessly exchanging data between said host transceiver unit and said human interface device at a spread spectrum modulation pattern which is determined by said host transceiver unit after said host transceiver unit and said human interface device have acknowledged each other'"'"'s presence, said instructions further providing a marriage ID, said marriage ID being used by both said host transceiver unit and said human interface device to calculate said spread spectrum modulation pattern, such that subsequent hops in said spread spectrum modulation pattern are not transmitted, but are calculated independently by said host transceiver unit and human interface device,

wherein said human interface device is configured to broadcast at one of a plurality of different device spread spectrum modulation patterns, each of which is a function of a device communication state, the device communication states including at least a scan state and connected state.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said spread spectrum modulation is a frequency hopping spread spectrum modulation.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said spread spectrum modulation is a direct sequence spread spectrum modulation.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said routines for synchronizing said host transceiver unit and said human interface device comprise the broadcasting of a first signal at a first broadcasting pattern by one of said host transceiver unit and said human interface device in response to powering up one of said host transceiver unit and said human interface device respectively, wherein said first signal is intended to be received by one of said human interface device and said host transceiver unit.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein said first signal comprises a proposal ID signal.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said routines for synchronizing said host transceiver unit and said human interface device comprise routines for causing said human interface device to switch to broadcasting at a broadcast pattern matching that of the host transceiver unit after a receipt of a signal transmitted by said host transceiver unit by said human interface device, thus synchronizing said host transceiver unit and said human interface device.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein said human interface device transmits an acknowledgment signal to said host transceiver unit after having switched to broadcasting at a pattern matching that of the host transceiver unit.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein said acknowledgment signal includes a signal originally sent by said host transceiver unit.

9. The system of claim 6 wherein said system is configured to transfer data between said host transceiver unit and said human interface device at a second broadcast pattern after said human interface device has synchronized with the host transceiver unit.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein said second broadcast frequency pattern is established by said host transceiver unit.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein said routines for synchronizing said host transceiver unit and said human interface device comprise routines for causing said host transceiver unit to switch to broadcasting at a broadcast pattern matching that of the human interface device after a receipt of a signal transmitted by said human interface device by said host transceiver unit, thus synchronizing said host transceiver unit and said human interface device.

12. The system of claim 1,

wherein said host transceiver unit is configured to broadcast at one of a plurality of host spread spectrum modulation patterns, each of which is a function of a host communication state;

said human interface device is configured to broadcasts at one of a plurality of device spread spectrum modulation patterns, each of which is a function of a device communication state; and

wherein said host transceiver unit and said human interface device broadcast at a same spread spectrum modulation pattern after said host receiver and said human interface device have acknowledged each other'"'"'s presence.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said host communication state comprise off, scan, and connected states, and wherein said device communication states comprise sleep, scan and connected states.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein said host transceiver unit and said human interface device wirelessly exchange data over a 2.4 GHz wireless connection.

15. The system of claim 1 wherein said host transceiver unit and said human interface device wirelessly exchange data over a 900 MHz wireless connection.

16. The system of claim 1 wherein said host transceiver unit and said human interface device wirelessly exchange data over a 2.4 GHz spread spectrum wireless connection.

17. The system of claim 1 wherein said host transceiver unit and said human interface device wirelessly exchange data over a 900 MHz spread spectrum wireless connection.

18. The system of claim 1 wherein said host device is selected from the group consisting of a personal computer, a handheld computer, an interactive set-top box, an interactive game console and combinations thereof.

19. The system of claim 1 wherein said human interface device is selected from the group consisting of a computer keyboard, a computer mouse, an interactive game controller, a joy stick, a gamepad, a computer steering wheel, an electronic camera and combinations thereof.

22. The system of claim 1 wherein said human interface device is configured to transmit at a reduced rate within a current spread spectrum modulation pattern when the human interface device is not receiving input from a user.

20. A wireless controller configured to establish a wireless link with a host device, said controller comprising:

a controller transceiver for transmitting data to and receiving data from a host transceiver, wherein said host transceiver is connected with said host device;

a processor connected with said controller transceiver and configured to process data from said host device and said controller; and

a computer readable media having instructions thereon, said instructions comprising routines for establishing a spread spectrum modulation pattern, wherein said routines are responsive to signals received from said host transceiver, said instructions further providing a marriage ID, said marriage ID being used by both said host transceiver and said controller to calculate said spread spectrum modulation pattern, such that subsequent hops in said spread spectrum modulation pattern are not transmitted, but are calculated independently by said host device and controller,

wherein said controller is configured to broadcast at one of a plurality of different controller spread spectrum modulation patterns, each of which is a function of a controller communication state, the controller communication states including at least a scan state and connected state.

21. A wireless human interface device configured to establish a wireless link with a host, said device comprising:

a transceiver for transmitting data to and receiving data from a host;

a processor connected with said transceiver and configured to process data from said host and said human interface device; and

a computer readable media having instructions thereon, said instructions comprising routines for establishing a spread spectrum modulation pattern, wherein said routines are responsive to signals received from said host, said instructions further recognizing a marriage ID from said host, said marriage ID being used by said human interface device to calculate said spread spectrum modulation pattern, such that subsequent hops in said spread spectrum modulation pattern are not transmitted, but are calculated independently by said human interface device,

wherein said human interface device is configured to broadcasts at one of a plurality of device spread spectrum modulation patterns, each of which is a function of a device communication state, the device communication states including at least a scan state and connected state; and

wherein said human interface device is configured to broadcasts at a same spread spectrum modulation pattern as said host after said human interface device has been acknowledged by said host.

23. The controller of claim 21 wherein said controller is configured to transmit at a reduced rate within a current spread spectrum modulation pattern when the controller is not receiving input from a user.