Abstract:
A wireless peripheral for a processor-based device may include a plurality of operators or control buttons that are operated to indicate commands. Those commands may be forwarded over a wireless link in the form of electrical signals to the processor-based device. Operation of the controls or operators may be converted into electrical energy which may be utilized to power the wireless peripheral.

Description:
BACKGROUND  
         [0001]    This invention relates generally to wireless devices such as peripherals for processor-based devices including personal computers, processor-based appliances, and game consoles.  
           [0002]    In a number of cases, a peripheral or input/output device may be conveniently carried with the user to operate a remote processor-based device. In such case, the user can position himself or herself where desired with greater freedom of movement relative to the controlled processor-based device. Thus, wireless keyboards and mice have become very popular.  
           [0003]    Generally, wireless peripherals are battery powered and operate under an appropriate protocol such as a radio frequency or infrared protocol. As long as the user is sufficiently close to a base station or the controlled processor-based device, the processor-based device and the peripheral may communicate, regardless of whether the user moves or not.  
           [0004]    Some peripheral devices such as consoles used to control game devices have generally not been amenable to such wireless links. Despite the fact that gaming situations may involve a plurality of users who may prefer to spread out in a room, wireless controls have not been widely adopted. Constant actuation of the gaming controls and the need for frequent and fast communications with the processor-based system that is being controlled means that the power dissipation of the remote control consoles is relatively high. Thus, batteries may have an extremely short life, necessitating constant changes and risking power failures in the middle of games. In addition, the weight involved in providing sufficient battery power to such consoles, may make those consoles somewhat unwieldy.  
           [0005]    Thus, there is a need for a better way to power wireless devices in relatively high power consumption applications. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0006]    [0006]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0007]    [0007]FIG. 2 is a schematic depiction of one embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 in a different position; and  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 4 is a schematic depiction of another embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0010]    Referring to FIG. 1, a wireless device  10  may communicate with a remote processor-based system over an interface  12 . In one embodiment, the interface  12  may be an infrared interface that enables communications with the remote processor-based device using a suitable infrared protocol. Alternatively, the interface  12  may be a radio frequency interface which communicates with a similar interface associated with the processor-based device.  
         [0011]    In some embodiments, the wireless device  10  may be a game console that includes selection buttons  16  and a joystick  18 . A game console may be utilized to control a processor-based game that is being run on a remote processor-based system.  
         [0012]    In other embodiments, the wireless device  10  may be a mouse, a keyboard, or any of a variety of input/output devices for processor-based systems. All that is needed is that the wireless device  10  include controls that are actively operated. The selections that are made through the button  16  and joystick  18  are conveyed to the interface  12  for a transmission to the remote processor-based system (not shown).  
         [0013]    Referring to FIG. 2, the wireless device  10  may include an infrared signal transmitter  12   a  in one embodiment. The transmitter  12   a  receives signals from an in-console signal generating circuitry  36 . The circuitry  36  may be contained within the housing  14  of the device  10  in one embodiment.  
         [0014]    When the button  16  is depressed, it compresses a coil spring  22  in one embodiment. The shaft  17  of button  16  is pressed downwardly into the console  14  through an opening therein. Connected to the free end of the shaft  17  is a saw-tooth operator  24 . The saw-tooth operator  24  may be coupled to the shaft  17  via a pivoting connection  28 . The operator  24  is biased to the left in FIG. 2 by a coil spring  26  coupled to the housing  14 . Thus, the operator  24  includes teeth  25  that are biased into engagement with the teeth  27  of a gear wheel  30 . The gear wheel  30  may be coupled to a flywheel  22  in some embodiments.  
         [0015]    The downward operation of the button  16  results in downward movement of the shaft  17  and the operator  24 . The operator  24  is biased into engagement with the teeth  27  of the gear wheel  30 . Thus, the translation of the button  16  is converted into rotation in the direction of the arrow D of the gear wheel  30 . The rotation of the gear wheel  30  results in rotation of the link  33  around its axis.  
         [0016]    A flywheel  32  may be mounted on the gear wheel  30  to increase the energy storage capability of the gear wheel  30 . The rotation of the link  33  about its axis results in rotational motion that is converted into electricity by the generator  34 .  
         [0017]    The potential generated by the generator  34  is supplied across the terminals of a storage capacitor  42 . The storage capacitor  42  may then power the in-console generating circuitry  36 . The wireless device  10  may produce sufficient power to generate signals for transmission to the remote processor-based device and to operate displays that may reside on the wireless device  10 . In some embodiments, depending on the frequency of button  16  operation, an additional battery  40  may be provided as well.  
         [0018]    Movement of the button  16  may be detected by a sensor  38  which is also conveyed to the circuitry  36 . The signals developed by the circuitry  36  may be passed through the infrared signal transmitter  12   a  in one embodiment. In other embodiments, transmitters other than infrared signal transmitters may be utilized as described previously.  
         [0019]    When the button  16  is released, it springs upwardly in the direction of arrow C shown in FIG. 3. That is, the coil spring  22  attempts to return to its initial position by biasing the button  16  upwardly. The upward movement of the button  16  lifts the shaft  17  and operator  24 . The upward movement biases the operator  24  against the tension supplied by the coil spring  26  because of the saw-tooth shape of the teeth  25 . In particular, the surface  29  of each tooth  25  is biased by the teeth  27  so that the operator  24  is pushed to the right in FIG. 3. Thus, the operator  24  disengages from the gear wheel  30  preventing reverse rotation thereof. In some cases, the gear wheel  30  may continue to spin, for example, under the influence of the flywheel  32 , as indicated by the arrow D.  
         [0020]    Thus, the repeated actuation of control button  16  on the housing  14  may be converted into potential. The generated potential may be utilized to power the wireless device  10  either without batteries or in conjunction with batteries.  
         [0021]    In some embodiments, other control devices may also be equipped with power conversion devices. For example, the joystick  18  may be coupled to a shaft  50  that is mounted on a ball and socket joint  52 . Thus, the joystick  18  may be rotated relative to the ball and socket joint  52 . Rotation of the shaft  50  may be detected by a sensor  54  and provided to the in-console generating circuit  36 . In one embodiment, the circuitry  36  may be coupled to a transmitter  12   a.    
         [0022]    Rotation of the joystick  18  in the direction of the arrow E in FIG. 4 translates the operator  24  to the right causing the teeth  25  to rotate the gear wheel  30  having teeth  27 . Thus, the gear wheel  30  is rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow F causing rotation of the link  33 . Again, the rotation of the link  33  powers a generator  34  which produces a charge across the storage capacitor  42 . This charge then operates as a power source for the circuitry  36 .  
         [0023]    When the joystick  38  is operated in a direction opposite the direction E, the operator  24  disengages from the gear wheel  30  in one embodiment. In some cases, additional operators  24  may be utilized to capture the available energy in all directions of displacement of the joystick  18 .  
         [0024]    While the present invention has been described with respect to a limited number of embodiments, those skilled in the art will appreciate numerous modifications and variations therefrom. It is intended that the appended claims cover all such modifications and variations as fall within the true spirit and scope of this present invention.