Power saving wireless mouse having receiver receptacle

A wireless mouse having a receptacle for the storage of the wireless receiver is provided. The wireless mouse has a power saving device configured such that it would be triggered to switch the wireless mouse into a power saving mode when the wireless receiver is stored in the receptacle. In the power saving mode, only a small amount of electricity is drawn to maintain the memory of the earlier configured and established identification code and the communication link. When the wireless receiver is removed from the receptacle, the power saving device is triggered to switch the wireless mouse back to a normal operation mode and the memorized identification code and communication link are used automatically to communication with the wireless receiver directly and immediately.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to the wireless mouse, and more particularly to a wireless mouse having a receptacle for the storage of its receiver and having a power saving mode for memorizing identification code and communication link when not in use.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

Wireless mouse has gained widespread popularity as it provides a greater degree of freedom to mouse operation and the user has one less cable to manage. However, the price to pay is that a wireless receiver has to be installed on the computer so as to receive RF signals emitted from the wireless mouse pertaining to its movement and button status.

Earlier wireless mouse and its wireless receiver are designed separately; when they are not in use, they are stored independently. Recently, there are some designs of the wireless mouse which configure a receptacle on the mouse body to house the wireless receiver when the wireless mouse is not in use.

Before using a wireless mouse, whether it has a receptacle for the wireless receiver or not, an identification code for the wireless mouse must be set up and a communication link must be established between the wireless mouse and receiver. Typically, this is conducted by pressing a link button on the wireless receiver and a code setup button on the wireless receiver so that the two are triggered to engage with each other in a code setup and link establishment process.

On the other hand, a wireless mouse usually draws the required electricity from an internal battery and has a power button usually configured at the bottom of the wireless mouse. When the wireless mouse is not in use, it could be turned off manually using the power button so as to save the battery electricity. Then, to use the wireless mouse, it has to be turned on manually using the power button again. The problem is that, once the wireless mouse is turned off, the earlier configured identification code and established communication link would be lost altogether and, therefore, the code setup and link establishment process has to be repeated every time the wireless mouse is turned off and then turned back on again later.

For some wireless mouse with receptacle, the wireless mouse is automatically turned off when the wireless receiver is stored in the receptacle and, thereby, triggers an internal mechanical switch to turn off the wireless mouse. Later when the wireless receiver is removed from the receptacle, the internal mechanical switch is triggered to turn on the wireless mouse automatically. Despite the improved convenience, such a wireless mouse suffers the same problem of repetitive code setup and link establishment process every time the wireless mouse is turned off and then turned back on again later. This is especially troublesome when the code setup button and/or the link button is configured so small that usually a pointed object (such as a pencil) is required to press these buttons.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary purpose of the present invention is to provide a wireless mouse which could be triggered to enter a power saving mode so that, when it is not in use, the earlier configured identification code and established communication link to the wireless receiver are stored and memorized. When the wireless mouse is returned to a normal operation mode, it will directly resume working using the stored identification code and communication link.

To fulfill the foregoing purpose, the present invention provides a power saving device inside the wireless mouse. The power saving device is configured such that it would be triggered to switch the operation mode of the wireless mouse from the normal operation mode to the power saving mode when the wireless receiver is stored in the receptacle of the wireless mouse. In the power saving mode, a small amount of electricity that is not enough for the normal operation of the wireless mouse is drawn from the internal battery of the wireless mouse to maintain the memory of the identification code and the communication link. When the wireless receiver is removed from the receptacle, the power saving device is triggered to switch the wireless mouse back to the normal operation mode and the memorized identification code and communication link are used automatically to communication with the wireless receiver directly and immediately.

The present invention provides the following advantages. The receiver receptacle provides a convenient and safe storage of the wireless receiver when the wireless mouse is not in use and when carrying the wireless mouse. In addition, by means of the receiver receptacle, the wireless mouse could be automatically switched between the normal operation mode and the power saving mode, which conveniently and effectively conserves the electricity of the wireless mouse's internal battery. Furthermore, the power saving mode of the wireless mouse allows the wireless mouse to memorize the earlier configured and established identification code and communication link so that, when the wireless mouse is switched back to the normal operation mode, re-configuring the identification code and re-establishing the communication link are avoided.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Please refer toFIGS. 1 and 3. As illustrated, a wireless mouse1according to the present embodiment has a receptacle10which a wireless receiver2could be stored inside. The wireless mouse1is therefore easy to carry without worrying losing the wireless receiver2. For ease of reference, the side of the wireless mouse1where the receptacle10's opening (not numbered) is located is referred to as the rear side and the side opposite to receptacle opening is referred to the front side, hereinafter. Please also refer toFIG. 2. At the bottom of the wireless mouse1and on a side of the wireless receiver2, there are a code setup button11and a link button21respectively. By pressing the code setup button11and the link button21, the wireless mouse1and receiver2would setup their identification code and establish a communication link therebetween. At the end of the receptacle10deep inside the wireless mouse1, there is a power switch101configured such that, when the wireless receiver2is stored or removed, the power switch101would be turned off or on automatically. Also at the bottom of the wireless mouse1and close to the rear end of the receptacle10, there is an eject button12configured such that, when it is engaged, the wireless receiver2would be expelled out of the receptacle10by a spring element13inside the wireless mouse1.

At the front end of the wireless mouse1, there is a charging connector14for connecting to an external power source (not shown) via an appropriate cable (not shown) so as to charge an internal chargeable battery. In the present embodiment, the charging connector14is a Universal Serial Bus (USB) mini 5-pin connector and, by connecting a computer's USB port to the charging connector14using an USB cable, the wireless mouse1is able to draw electricity from the computer's USB port to charge the internal chargeable battery of the wireless mouse1.

FIG. 4is a circuit layout showing the internal circuits of the wireless mouse1and the wireless receiver2according to an embodiment of the present invention. Within the wireless mouse1's circuit, in the normal operation mode, the transmitter chip15is driven by a normal operating voltage. In the present embodiment which is powered by two 1.5V batteries, the normal operating voltage is 3V. When the operating voltage drops below a threshold, say 2.5V, the wireless mouse1would enter the power saving mode which uses minimum electricity to maintain the wireless mouse1's memory of the identification code and communication link of the wireless mouse1and receiver2. The operating voltage could be as low as 0.6 V in the present embodiment. When the operating voltage of the wireless mouse1returns to the normal operating voltage (i.e., 3V), the wireless mouse1is automatically switched from the power saving mode to the normal operation mode, and the memorized identification code and communication link is automatically used for the transmission to the wireless receiver2.

A section of the circuit shown inFIG. 4marked by the black box is a power saving device3. When the wireless receiver2is not plugged into the receptacle10of the wireless mouse1, the electricity from the battery100passes through the mechanical switch K1(101) and reaches the point VBT. The electricity then goes through inductor L2, diode D1, capacitor C24for a DC conversion, and a stable DC voltage around 3V is established across the capacitor C24so as to keep the normal operation of the wireless mouse1. When the wireless receiver2is stored in the receptacle10, the mechanical switch K1(101) is pressed so that the electricity from the battery100is directed to the anode of diode D2and reaches capacitor C24via the resistor R12. The inductor L2receives no electricity and therefore cannot perform DC conversion. The introduction of the resistor R12and the diode D1causes the voltage across the capacitor C24to be lower than the normal operating voltage of the wireless mouse1. For example, assuming that the battery100provides a voltage around 3.2 V, and diode D2provides a voltage drop around 0.6˜0.7 V, a reasonable choice of the resistor R12would bring the voltage across the capacitor C24below 2.5 V As such, the wireless mouse1would enter the power saving mode and a small amount of electricity is drawn to maintain the memory of the identification code and communication link.

On the other hand, when the wireless receiver2is ejected and removed from the receptacle10, the mechanical switch K1(101) resumes its normal position causing the voltage across the capacitor C24returns to the normal operating voltage (3V). As such, the wireless mouse1automatically resumes its working.