RFID-based input device

• US 8,547,335 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2010
• Issued: 10/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Cohen, Guy M.
• Primary Examiner(s): SHERMAN, STEPHEN G
• Application Number:
  US12/847,087
• Publication Number:
  US 20100289744A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,159 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-184, 178 1801- 1809, 178/18.11, 178 1901- 1907
• US Class Current: 345/163
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0395 Mouse pads
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/153 ATM switching fabrics having parallel switch planes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/254 Centralised controller, i.e. arbitration or scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/3009 Header conversion, routing tables or routing tags
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/3072 Packet splitting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/3081 ATM peripheral units, e.g. policing, insertion or extraction
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/45 Arrangements for providing or supporting expansion

Abstract

A device for use with a computer system includes: an array of antennas for transmitting and receiving radio frequency signals; a portable unit operating within radio frequency range of the array of antennas, wherein a location of the portable unit is estimated by the radio frequency signals transmitted from the portable unit to a processor device. The device also includes storage for storing user identification.

Claims

1. An input device for use with a computer system, the input device comprising:

a pad comprising;

a first antenna providing power to a portable unit;

a radio frequency transmitter;

a radio frequency receiver;

a data link transferring data between the pad and the computer system; and

an array of antennas transmitting and receiving radio frequency signals for tracking a location of the portable unit, wherein a phase and power of signals received in each array element of the antenna array depends on said signal'"'"'s relative position from the portable unit;

wherein a location of the portable unit in three-dimensional space relative to the pad is calculated by a processor device interpreting the radio frequency signals transmitted from the portable unit to the antenna array as coordinates in three-dimensional space;

wherein the processor device uses the coordinates to update a corresponding position and movement of a cursor displayed on a screen of the computer system; and

the portable unit operating without a battery within radio frequency range of the array of antennas, said portable unit comprising;

memory storing an identifier;

a second antenna; and

electronic circuitry operably coupled with the second antenna.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the portable unit is operated as a computer mouse over the pad.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the location of the portable unit is estimated by one of triangulation, multilateration, and time difference of arrival methods.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein when triangulation is used, the antenna array includes directional antennas;

wherein each antenna in the antenna array includes two directional antennas having a maximum gain shifted by ninety degrees with respect to each other.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the location of the portable unit includes spatial (x, y, z) coordinates of the portable unit, and a device orientation.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the memory stores identification of a user of the computer system.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the transmitting radio frequency circuit transmits at a different frequency than the array of antennas.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the portable unit is wrist-worn.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the portable unit is operated as a wearable ring.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the array of antennas transmit in both a low frequency and in a high frequency, and wherein transmitting at the low frequency is used to power the portable device, and wherein transmitting at the high frequency is used for acquiring the portable unit location.

11. The device of claim 1 wherein the first and second antennas are of different frequencies, a first frequency for powering the portable unit, and a second frequency for acquiring a position of said portable unit.

12. The device of claim 1 wherein the pad further comprises the processor device.

13. The device of claim 1 wherein the portable unit transmits the radio frequency signal from the portable unit in a different frequency than a signal transmitted from the pad.

14. The device of claim 13 wherein a receiver at each antenna in the antenna array is tuned to the frequency of the signal from the portable unit and does not recognize signals that are transmitted at a different frequency.