Identification device and method for device identification

• US 8,566,431 B2
• Filed: 01/16/2008
• Issued: 10/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Razer (Asia-Pacific) Pte. Ltd. (Razer Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Razer (Asia-Pacific) Pte. Ltd. (Razer Incorporated)
• Inventors: Ng, Chern Ann
• Primary Examiner(s): Pollack, Melvin H
• Application Number:
  US12/015,316
• Publication Number:
  US 20090182852A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,106 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709217-224, 709/227, 709/245, 709/248, 709/249
• US Class Current: 709/222
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/50 Address allocation

Abstract

A device having a unique identification or an identifier for uniquely identifying the device. The unique identification can be a series of alphanumeric characters, a series of numeric characters or letters of the alphabet. The device further comprises a storage module for storing the unique identification. The device also comprises a controller for establishing communication with a computing system over a network when the device is coupled to the network. The device has an address on the network, also known as a network address, when coupled thereto. The network address and the unique identification are transmittable by the controller to the computing system upon communication being established with computing system. The controller comprises a processor and a network access module for facilitating coupling of the device to the network. The device is able to receive data from the computing system, the data storable in the storage module.

Claims

1. A computer input device selected from a group consisting of a computer mouse, a joystick, and a keyboard, the computer input device couplable for use with a computer, the computer input device comprising:

a storage module comprising a solid state memory device;

an identifier for uniquely identifying the computer input device, the identifier being a unique serial number and stored on the solid state memory device of the storage module;

a software program stored on the solid state memory device, the software program executable to receive input of a user profile by a user of the computer input device, the user profile thereafter stored within the solid state memory device; and

a controller for establishing communication with a computing system over a network when the computer input device is coupled to the network, the controller adapted for obtaining an Internet Protocol (IP) address on the network when the computer input device is coupled to the network, the IP address associated with the computer input device, and corresponding to a physical location;

wherein the identifier, the user profile and the IP address are transmitted by the controller as a data packet to the computing system for updating a database on the computing system upon communication being established with the computing system.

2. The computer input device as in claim 1, wherein the identifier is a series of at least one of alphanumeric characters, numeric characters and letters of the alphabet.

3. The computer input device as in claim 1, the controller comprising:

a processor; and

a network access module for interfacing the processor with to thereby enable communication between the computer input device and the computing system over the network.

4. The computer input device as in claim 3, further comprising:

a socket for connecting the network access module to the network.

5. The computer input device as in claim 1, further comprising:

an interface for coupling the controller to a network access module of a secondary device when the computer input device is connected to the secondary device,

wherein the network access module is controllable by the controller for interfacing the controller with the network therethrough.

6. The computer input device as in claim 1, wherein the network is one of the Internet, a local area network (LAN) and a wide area network (WAN).

7. The computer input device as in claim 1, further comprising:

at least one actuator being actuable for generating actuation signals; and

a displacement transducer for detecting and transducing displacement into displacement signals,

wherein the computer input device is signal couplable to a computing device for communicating the actuation signals and the displacement signals thereto.

8. The computer input device as in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving data from the computing system, the received data being stored in the solid state memory device of the storage module of the computer input device.

45. The computer input device as in claim 1, wherein the software program stored is executable to at least one of store user preferences on the solid state memory device, track user network activity, and track warranty information corresponding to the computer input device.

46. The computer input device as in claim 1, wherein a user'"'"'s game settings can be stored in at least one of the solid state memory device of the computer input device and a database of the computing system, the software program executable to at least one of retrieve and update the user'"'"'s game settings that are stored in the at least one of the storage device of the computer input device and the database of the computing system.

49. The computer input device as in claim 3, wherein the network access module is configured to independently communicate with the computing system over the network.

9. A method comprising:

providing an identifier, the identifier being a unique serial number for identifying a computer input device couplable for use with a computer and selected from a group consisting of a computer mouse, a joystick, and a keyboard, the identifier stored in a solid state memory device of a storage module of the computer input device;

receiving input of a user profile by a user of the computer input device with a software program stored on the solid state memory device, the user profile thereafter stored within the solid state memory device;

detecting connection between the computer input device and a network;

initiating communication between the computer input device and a computing system in response to the computer input device being connected to the network;

determining an IP address of the computer input device on the network, the IP address corresponding to a physical location; and

transmitting the IP address, the user profile and the identifier as a data packet to the computing system for updating a database on the computing system.

10. The method as in claim 9, wherein the identifier is a series of at least one of alphanumeric characters, numeric characters and letters of the alphabet.

11. The method as in claim 9, detecting connection between the computer input device and the network comprising:

providing a network access module in the computer input device;

interfacing the network access module with the network; and

detecting connection between the network access module and the network.

12. The method as in claim 9, further comprising:

receiving data from the computing system by the computer input device.

13. The method as in claim 9, further comprising:

receiving user preferences provided by a user of the computer input device;

storing the user preferences in the solid state memory device; and

transmitting the user preferences to the computing system when the computer input device is connected to the network.

14. The method as in claim 9, further comprising:

detecting a network activity usage of the computer to which the computer input device is coupled to;

generating network activity usage data from the detected network activity usage of the computer; and

transmitting the network activity usage data to the computing system.

15. The method as in claim 9, wherein the network is one of the Internet, a local area network (LAN) and a wide area network (WAN).

47. The method as in claim 9, wherein the software program is executable to at least one of store user preferences on the solid state memory device, track user network activity, and track warranty information corresponding to the computer input device.

48. The method as in claim 9, the software program executable to enable storing a user'"'"'s game settings in at least one of the solid state memory device of the computer peripheral device and a database of the computing system, the software program being further executable to at least one of retrieve and update the user'"'"'s game settings that are stored in the at least one of the solid state memory device of the computer peripheral device and the database of the computing system.

16. A computer implemented method comprising:

detecting communication between a computer input device and a computing system over a network, the computer input device couplable for use with a computer and selected from a group consisting of a computer mouse, a joystick, a keyboard, and a gaming console;

receiving an IP address, a user profile, and an identifier as a data packet from the computer input device by the computing system, the identifier being a unique serial number for uniquely identifying the computer input device, the user profile received from a user of the computer input device through a software program stored, both the identifier and the user profile stored in a solid state memory device of a storage module of the computer input device, and the IP address indicating location of the computer input device on the network, the IP address being obtainable by the computer input device upon coupling thereof to the network;

determining a physical location of the computer input device using the IP address; and

updating a database with the IP address, the user profile, at least one of time and date of receipt of the address, the user profile and the identifier by the computing system, and the physical location of the computer input device.

17. The method as in claim 16, wherein the identifier is a series of at least one of alphanumeric characters, numeric characters and letters of the alphabet.

18. The method as in claim 16, wherein the network is one of the Internet, a local area network (LAN) and a wide area network (WAN).

19. The method as in claim 16, detecting communication between the computer input device and the computing system over the network comprising:

detecting connection between a network access module and the computing system.

20. The method as in claim 16, further comprising:

receiving user preferences by the computing system from the computer input device, the user preferences being provided by a user of the computer input device; and

storing the received user preferences in a storage module of the computing system.

21. The method as in claim 16, comprising:

providing an interface for enabling one of accessing and editing of the user profile stored in the database.

22. The method as in claim 16, further comprising:

receiving network activity usage data from the computer input device by the computing system, the network activity usage data being generated by the computer input device in response to network activity usage of the computer to which the computer input device is coupled to; and

storing the network activity usage data in the storage module of the computing system.

23. The method as in claim 22, further comprising:

generating analytics from the network activity usage data.

24. The method as in claim 16, further comprising:

providing at least one update;

providing an indication in the database of one of presence and absence of the at least one update associated with the identifier; and

transmitting the at least one update to the computer input device in response to absence of the at least one update being indicated by the database.

25. The method as in claim 24, the at least one update being one of a software update, a firmware update and a driver update.

26. The method as in claim 16, further comprising:

recording the at least one of time and date of receipt of the IP address, the user profile and the identifier by the computer system as at least one of a start time and a start date of a warranty duration associated with the computer input device.

27. A computer input device-readable medium having stored therein a plurality of programming instructions, which when executed, the instructions cause the computer input device to:

detect connection with a network;

initiate communication with a computing system on the network in response to connection with the network;

obtain an IP address on the network, the IP address being associated with the computer input device corresponding to a physical location; and

transmit the IP address, a user profile received from a user of the computer input device, and an identifier as a data packet to the computing system when connected to the network,

wherein the computer input device is couplable for use with a computer and selected from a group consisting of a computer mouse, a joystick, and a keyboard, the identifier being a unique serial number for uniquely identifying the computer input device and stored in a solid state memory device of a storage module of the computer input device.

28. The computer input device-readable medium as in claim 27, wherein the identifier is a series of at least one of alphanumeric characters, numeric characters and letters of the alphabet.

29. The computer input device-readable medium as in claim 27, wherein the connection between the computer input device and the network is facilitated by a network access module in the computer input device.

30. The computer input device-readable medium as in claim 27, wherein the plurality of programming instructions, which when executed, the instructions cause the computer input device to:

receive data from the computing system.

31. The computer input device-readable medium as in claim 27, wherein the plurality of programming instructions, which when executed, the instructions cause the computer input device to:

receive user preferences provided by a user of the computer input device; and

transmit the user preferences to the computing system.

32. The computer input device-readable medium as in claim 27, wherein the plurality of programming instructions, which when executed, the instructions cause the device to:

detect a network activity usage of the computer to which the computer input device;

generate network activity usage data from the detected network activity usage of the computer; and

transmit the network activity usage data to the computing system.

33. The computer input device-readable medium as in claim 27, wherein the network is one of the Internet, a local area network (LAN) and a wide area network (WAN).

34. A machine-readable medium having stored therein a plurality of programming instructions, which when executed, the instructions cause the machine to:

connect to a network for establishing communication between the machine and a computer input device, the computer input device couplable for use with a computer and selected from a group consisting of a computer mouse, a joystick, and a keyboard;

receive an IP address, a user profile received from a user of the computer input device, and an identifier as a data packet from the computer input device, the identifier being a unique serial number for uniquely identifying the computer input device and stored in a solid state memory device of a storage module of the computer input device, and the IP address for indicating location of the computer input device on the network and corresponding to a physical location of the computer input device, the IP address being obtainable by the computer input device upon coupling thereof to the network; and

update a database with the IP address, the user profile and the identifier and at least one of time and date of receipt of the IP address, the user profile and the identifier by the machine.

35. The machine-readable medium as in claim 34, wherein the identifier is a series of at least one of alphanumeric characters, numeric characters and letters of the alphabet.

36. The machine-readable medium as in claim 34, wherein the network is one of the Internet, a local area network (LAN) and a wide area network (WAN).

37. The machine-readable medium as in claim 34, wherein communication with the computer input device over the network is facilitated by a network access module.

38. The machine-readable medium as in claim 34, wherein the plurality of programming instructions, which when executed, the instructions cause the machine to:

receive user preferences from the computer input device, the user preferences being provided by a user of the computer input device; and

store the received user preferences in a storage module of the machine.

39. The machine-readable medium as in claim 34, wherein the plurality of programming instructions, which when executed, the instructions cause the machine to:

provide an interface for enabling one of accessing and editing of the user profile stored in the database.

40. The machine-readable medium as in claim 34, wherein the plurality of programming instructions, which when executed, the instructions cause the machine to:

receive network activity usage data from the computer input device, the network activity usage data being generated by the computer input device in response to network activity usage of the computer to which the computer input device is coupled to; and

store the network activity usage data in the storage module of the computing system.

41. The machine-readable medium as in claim 40, wherein the plurality of programming instructions, which when executed, the instructions cause the machine to:

generate analytics from the network activity usage data.

42. The machine-readable medium as in claim 34, wherein the plurality of programming instructions, which when executed, the instructions cause the machine to:

provide at least one update;

provide an indication in the database of one of presence and absence of the at least one update associated with the identifier; and

transmit the at least one update to the computer input device in response to absence of the at least one update being indicated by the database.

43. The machine-readable medium as in claim 42, the at least one update being one of a software update, a firmware update and a driver update.

44. The machine-readable medium as in claim 34, wherein the plurality of programming instructions, which when executed, the instructions cause the machine to:

record the at least one of time and date of receipt of the IP address, the user profile and the identifier by the machine as at least one of a start time and a start date of a warranty duration associated with the computer input device.

50. A computer input device selected from a group consisting of a computer mouse, a joystick, a keyboard, and a gaming console, the computer input device comprising:

a storage module comprising a solid state memory;

an identifier for uniquely identifying the computer input device, the identifier being a unique serial number and stored on the solid state memory of the storage module;

a software program stored on the solid state memory device, the software program executable to receive input of a user profile by a user of the computer input device, the user profile thereafter stored within the solid state memory device;

a controller comprising a network access module configured to independently establish communication with a computing system over a network, the controller adapted to obtain an IP address on the network upon establishment of communication between the network access module and the computing system,

the IP address associated with the computer input device and corresponding to a physical location;

wherein the identifier, the user profile and the IP address are transmittable as a data packet to the computing system for updating a database on the computing system upon establishment of communication between the network access module and the computing system.

51. The computer input device as in claim 50, wherein the software program is executable to at least one of store user preferences on the solid state memory device, track user network activity, and track warranty information corresponding to the computer input device.

52. The computer input device as in claim 50, further comprising:

at least one actuator being actuable for generating actuation signals; and

a displacement transducer for detecting and transducing displacement into displacement signals,

wherein the network access module is configured to communicate the actuation signals and the displacement signals to the computing system.

53. A system comprising:

a network;

a computer peripheral device coupled to the network and associated with a user, the computer peripheral device comprising;

a storage module including a solid state memory device storing an identifier being a unique serial number for uniquely identifying the computer peripheral device, a user profile received from a user, and a software program; and

a controller for executing the software program, obtaining an IP address on the network when the computer peripheral device is coupled to the network, the IP address associated with the computer peripheral device and corresponding to a physical location, establishing network communication with a computer, and transmitting the address and the identifier to the computer upon the establishing network communication with the computer; and

a computer system coupled to the network, the computer system comprising a computer coupled to a database, the computer system configured for communicating with the computer peripheral device over the network, receiving the identifier from the computer peripheral device, storing the identifier in a database, and at least one of (a) tracking the computer peripheral device'"'"'s network location and corresponding physical location, and (b) allocating a warranty start date for the computer peripheral device.

54. The system of claim 53, wherein the software program is executable by the controller for storing computer peripheral device usage information and communicating the computer peripheral device usage information to the computer system, the computer peripheral device usage information comprising user network activities.

55. The system of claim 54, wherein the computer system is further configured for processing the computer peripheral device usage information and storing resultant analytics in the database.