Method and apparatus for performing power conservation in a pointing device located on a wireless data entry device

• US 5,990,868 A
• Filed: 04/01/1997
• Issued: 11/23/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Compaq Computer Corporation (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Frederick, John W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hjerpe, Richard A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, FRANCIS N
• Application Number:
  US08/831,113
• Time in Patent Office: 966 Days
• Field of Search: 345/163, 345/165, 345/167, 345/157, 345/158, 345/164, 345/166, 345/168, 395/750.01, 395/750.06, 395/750.04, 395/750.05, 348/589, 361/680, 341/176
• US Class Current: 345/158
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3259 Power saving in cursor control device, e.g. mouse, joystick, trackball
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0384 Wireless input, i.e. hardware and software details of wireless interface arrangements for pointing devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0213 Arrangements providing an integrated pointing device in a keyboard, e.g. trackball, mini-joystick for pointing devices integrated in a laptop computer G06F1/169; joysticks G05G9/047; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0219 Special purpose keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0231 Cordless keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03549 Trackballs G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2207/048 Inductive or infrared coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2300/022 Application wake up; switches or contacts specially provided for the wake up or standby shift of a circuit
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

A remote control input device for use with a computer system is disclosed. The remote control input device typically includes means for wirelessly connecting the remote control input device to the computer system, a trackball, coupled to the connecting means for manipulating a pointing icon displayed on the video monitor, and a power source that powers the remote control input device. The remote control input device further includes a power management means for managing the power of the power source by monitoring the status and activity of the trackball used on the remote control input device. The remote control input device typically includes a first set of keys that provide input to the computer system and a second set of keys that are assigned to the trackball that control the pointing icon manipulated by the trackball. Additionally, the remote control input device may be a keyboard type arrangement with a trackball attached and first and second wrist wings can be located adjacent on either side of the keys typically below the key set in order to provide adequate support of the wrists during operation.

Claims

1. A remote control input device for use with a computer system, the computer system having a video monitor, a processing unit, coupled to said video monitor, and a first wireless transmitter/receiver unit, said remote control input device comprising:

a second wireless transmitter/receiver unit connected to the remote control input device, wherein the first wireless transmitter/receiver unit and the second wireless transmitter/receiver unit communicate data;

a power source that powers said remote control input device; and

a power management device;

the remote control input device including a cursor pointing device and a first plurality of keys coupled to a keyboard, wherein the power management device sets the cursor pointing device into an active mode, or into one of a plurality of sleep modes, the cursor pointing device being monitored for activity at different intervals in each of the sleep modes, and wherein the power management device sets the cursor pointing device from an initial sleep mode into a subsequent sleep mode upon activation of one of the first plurality of keys, the cursor pointing device being monitored for activity more often in subsequent the sleep mode than in the initial sleep mode.

2. The remote control input device according to claim 1 further comprising:

a second plurality of keys, coupled to a trackball, that control a pointing icon.

3. The remote control input device according to claim 1 further comprising:

first and second wrist wings, located adjacent, on either side and below the first plurality of keys, constituting a keyboard.

4. The remote control input device according to claim 3 wherein said power management device schedules monitoring according to a level of input.

5. The remote control input device according to claim 3 wherein a sleep mode selector unit selects an activity level based on the level of idleness of said remote control input device.

6. A video system comprising:

a video monitor;

a display output controller, coupled to said video monitor;

a remote controller, further comprising;

a keyboard having a fist plurality of keys;

a trackball, coupled to a wireless transceiver, for manipulating a pointing icon displayed on said video monitor, wherein the wireless transceiver exchanges information between said video system and said trackball; and

a power management unit that sets the trackball into an active mode or one of a plurality of sleep modes, the power management unit setting the trackball from an initial sleep mode into a subsequent sleep mode when one of the first plurality of keys on the keyboard is activated, wherein the power management unit checks the trackball for input more often in the subsequent sleep mode than in the initial sleep mode.

7. The video system according to claim 6 wherein said remote controller further comprises:

a second plurality of keys, coupled to said trackball, that control said pointing icon.

8. The video system according to claim 6 wherein said remote controller further comprises:

first and second wrist wings, located adjacent, on either side and below a first plurality of keys.

9. The video system according to claim 6 wherein said power management unit schedules monitoring according to a level of trackball activity.

10. The video system according to claim 6 wherein a sleep mode selector selects an activity level based on the level of idleness of said trackball.

11. A method of managing power usage in a remote controller having a trackball pointing device and a keyboard comprising the steps of:

setting the trackball pointing device into an initial sleep mode, where the initial sleep mode is chosen from a plurality of sleep modes;

subsequently, detecting that a key on the keyboard has been activated; and

setting the trackball pointing device into a subsegment sleep mode, where the trackball pointing device is monitored for activity more often in the subsequent sleep mode than in the initial sleep mode.

12. The method of managing power of claim 11 wherein sad step of setting the trackball pointing device into an initial sleep mode reduces power by idling a microprocessor scheduled to monitor the activity of said trackball pointing device and process the activity of said trackball pointing device.

13. The method of managing power of claim 11 further comprising setting the trackball pointing device into an active mode upon detecting activation of the trackball pointing device.

14. The method of managing power of claim 13 wherein said setting the trackball pointing device into an initial sleep mode step further comprises the step of selecting a second level of monitoring of said trackball pointing device according to a predetermined level of idleness of said remote controller.

15. The method of managing power of claim 14 further comprising selecting a third sleep mode for said trackball pointing device according to a second predetermined level of idleness of said remote controller exceeding said predetermined level of idleness.