Dean Arnold Rice

US Patent:

20070046634, Mar 1, 2007

Filed:

Aug 31, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/217251

Inventors:

Dean Rice - Simi Valley CA, US

Assignee:

Minebea Co., Ltd. - Tokyo

International Classification:

G09G 5/00

US Classification:

345168000

Abstract:

A method for operating one or more computing input devices in a power saving mode. The method includes providing a computer input device having a wireless sensing device coupled to a processing unit. The wireless sensing device and the processing unit are provided in a housing of the computing input device. The method includes monitoring for one or more packets using the wireless sensing device from a wireless tag device, which can be portable and capable of being personalized. The method brings the wireless tag device within a selected spatial proximity of the computer input device including the wireless sensing device. The method captures the one or more packets using the wireless sensing device after the wireless tag device is within the selected spatial proximity of the computer input device. The method initiates a wake up process using the processing unit of the computer input device from information derived from the one or more packets from the wireless sensing device.

US Patent:

20050104853, May 19, 2005

Filed:

Nov 13, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/714095

Inventors:

Chatree Sitalasai - La Crescenta CA, US
Toshisada Takeda - Simi Valley CA, US
Dean Rice - Simi Valley CA, US
John Guo - Oak Park CA, US
Charles Fauble - Queen Creek AZ, US

International Classification:

G09G005/08

US Classification:

345163000, 340686100, 20006145R

Abstract:

A wake-up system for an input device having a circuit board inside it has a motion sensor mounted on the printed circuit board inside the input device. The motion sensor has a motion signal output and the wake-up system further include a detection circuit connected to the motion signal output. The detection circuit has a wake-up signal output. The input device can be an optical wireless mouse. The motion sensor may be a mechanical motion sensor such as a tilt sensor having a ball contact and stationary contacts. The stationary contacts may be printed directly on the printed circuit board. The ball contact and stationary contacts form an electrical switch and are gold-plated. The ball contact is conductive. The motion sensor may be sealed to avoid corrosion. The detection circuit detects a change of state of whether the electrical switch formed by the ball contact and stationary contact is opened or closed. A first embodiment can amplify the motion signal from the motion sensor and a second embodiment can detect a low signal from the motion sensor. Also disclosed is a method of waking up an input device such as a mouse and an input device comprising the wake-up system.