User programmable computer peripheral using a peripheral action language

• US 8,335,876 B2
• Filed: 06/24/2004
• Issued: 12/18/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Anthony G. Davenport, Hyde, John W.
• Original Assignee: Anthony G. Davenport, Hyde, John W.
• Inventors: Davenport, Anthony G., Hyde, John W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Unelus, Ernest
• Application Number:
  US10/876,111
• Publication Number:
  US 20040263477A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,099 Days
• Field of Search: 345/163, 345/167, 345/157, 345/158, 345/161, 710/67
• US Class Current: 710/67
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/023 Arrangements for converting discrete items of information into a coded form, e.g. arrangements for interpreting keyboard generated codes as alphanumeric codes, operand codes or instruction codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0383 Signal control means within the pointing device

Abstract

A peripheral input device for a computer utilizes the USB (or equivalent) connectivity standard to deliver complex inputs to the computer. The input device includes an onboard microcontroller that uses the peripheral action language of the invention to generate the complex inputs in response to simple user inputs. The microcontroller is connected o) to an action table and sequence table and a library of Local Device emulation functions that are accessed in response to any user input (a local event) to determine the programmed action(s) to be generated in response to the event. The invention may be embodied in a mouse, keyboard, or other peripheral device, or in a stand-alone module connected between conventional input devices and a digital machine.

Claims

1. A peripheral device for a computer, including:

a microcontroller running a peripheral action language program, said microcontroller having;

means for receiving input events generated by a user;

action lookup means for correlating input events with dissimilar output actions;

said action lookup means including a library of peripheral emulation functions stored in a non-volatile memory and adapted to run under the peripheral action language program;

output means for transmitting said output actions to the computer;

said device being adapted to be moved by a user on a surface in an XY plane and including a movement sensor for detecting movement of the device on the surface in the XY plane, and one of said input events comprising a movement signal from said movement sensor;

said movement sensor including an optical movement detector, and said input event comprising a lift event in which the user raises said device from said XY plane and lifts and separates said device from said surface a sufficient distance so that said optical movement detector breaks optical contact with said surface in the XY plane.

2. The peripheral device of claim 1, wherein said output action comprises a reset function in the computer.