PERIPHERAL DEVICE WITH MULTI-TRANSMISSION CAPABILITY

The present disclosure provides a wireless peripheral device with multi-transmission capability. The wireless peripheral device wirelessly transmits a control signal to a wireless receiver. The wireless peripheral device comprises a first wireless transmitting unit, a second transmitting unit, and a processing unit. The second transmitting unit receives a responding signal from the wireless receiver. The capable transmission distance of the first transmitting unit is larger than the capable transmission distance of the second transmitting unit. The processing unit is coupled to the first transmitting unit and the second transmitting unit. The processing unit transmits the control signal through the second transmitting unit to the wireless receiver when the strength of the responding signal is at a high intensity range. The processing unit transmits the control signal through the first transmitting unit to the wireless receiver when the strength of the responding signal is at a low intensity range.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Please refer toFIG. 1showing a block diagram of a wireless peripheral device with multi-transmission capability according to a first embodiment of the instant disclosure. The wireless peripheral device with multi-transmission capability1(hereinafter referred to as the wireless peripheral device) wirelessly transmits a control signal to a wireless receiver. The wireless peripheral device1could be a wireless mouse, a wireless keyboard or a wireless gamepad . . . etc. The wireless peripheral device1comprises a first wireless transmitting unit11, a second wireless transmitting unit12, a processing unit13, an input unit14, a memorizing unit15, a power storing unit16and a display unit17. A wireless receiver21could generate a responding signal S. In the present embodiment, the wireless receiver21is a transceiver.

The processing unit13is coupled to the first wireless transmitting unit11, the second wireless transmitting unit12, the input unit14, the memorizing unit15, the power storing unit16and the display unit17. The power storing unit16is coupled to the second wireless transmitting unit12.

The second wireless transmitting unit12receives the responding signal S from the wireless receiver21. The capable transmission distance of the first wireless transmitting unit11is larger than the capable transmission distance of the second transmitting unit12. In the present embodiment, the first wireless transmitting unit11is a Bluetooth transmitting unit, a WiFi transmitting unit or a Zigbee transmitting unit. The second wireless transmitting unit12is a Near Field Communication (NFC) transmitting unit. However, the first wireless transmitting unit11and the second wireless transmitting unit12of the present invention are not restricted thereto. As long as the capable transmission distance of the first wireless transmitting unit11is larger than that of the second transmitting unit12.

The input unit14generates the control signal, the control signal varies depending on the type of the input unit14. For example, when the wireless peripheral device1is a mouse, the input unit14may be a trackball of the mouse, an optical sensing element or a button on the mouse. The trackball or the optical sensing element could generate a cursor signal, and the button could generate a button signal. When the wireless peripheral device1is a keyboard, the input unit14may be a key on the keyboard.

The processing unit13selectively transmits the control signal to the wireless receiver21through the first wireless transmitting unit11or the second wireless transmitting unit12according to the responding signal S. The processing unit13transmits the control signal to the wireless receiver21through the second wireless transmitting unit12when the signal strength of the responding signal S is in a high intensity range. The high intensity range is a range that the signal strength of the responding signal S higher than a first threshold value. The distance between the wireless peripheral device1and the wireless receiver21affects the signal strength of the responding signal S received by the second wireless transmitting unit12. When the distance between the wireless peripheral device1and the wireless receiver21is larger (or less), the signal strength of the responding signal S would be weaker (or stronger). In other words, a high intensity range could be predetermined, and when the signal strength of the responding signal S is in the high intensity range, it means that the distance between the wireless peripheral device1and the wireless receiver21is short enough, such that the wireless peripheral device1could utilize the second wireless transmitting unit12to exchange information with the wireless receiver21.

The processing unit13transmits the control signal to the wireless receiver21through the first wireless transmitting unit11when the signal strength of the responding signal S is in a low intensity range. The low intensity range is a range that the signal strength of the responding signal S lower than a second threshold value, the first threshold value and the second threshold value are independent of each other. The first threshold value may be larger than the second threshold value, or the first threshold value may be equal to the second threshold value. In other words, a low intensity range could be predetermined, and when the signal strength of the responding signal S is in the low intensity range, it means that the distance between the wireless peripheral device1and the wireless receiver21is not short enough, such that the wireless peripheral device1utilizing the second wireless transmitting unit12could not exchange information with the wireless receiver21.

The memorizing unit15may pre-store a first identification information. When the signal strength of the responding signal S is in the low intensity range, the first wireless transmitting unit11may process a wireless link with the wireless receiver21according to the first identification information. On the other hand, the first identification information may also be offered by the wireless receiver21, and the processing unit13controls the second wireless transmitting unit12to receive the first identification information coming from the wireless receiver21, and then the processing unit13stores the first identification information to the memorizing unit15. In other words, the wireless link between the first wireless transmitting unit11and the wireless receiver21could be established according to the first identification information. Conventionally, when utilizing wireless technology, such as Bluetooth, to configure the link between the first wireless transmitting unit11and the wireless receiver21, a pairing process have to be conducted. The mentioned pairing process usually carried out with a manual pressing of a button, manipulating a switch or entering the pairing code. However, in the preset embodiment, the first identification information could be directly used by the wireless receiver21for identification of the first wireless transmitting unit11, such that the manual pairing or configuration could be neglected. The wireless link manner of the first wireless transmitting unit11or the second transmitting unit12with the wireless receiver21are described as follows with of an actual use situation of the user.

Please refer toFIG. 2Ashowing a schematic diagram of a wireless peripheral device with multi-transmission capability transmitting a control signal through a second wireless transmitting unit according to an embodiment of the instant disclosure. The wireless receiver21is installed to a computer2. The distance between the wireless peripheral device1and the wireless receiver21is short enough, such that the signal strength of the responding signal S is in a high intensity range. The processing unit13makes the control signal be transmitted to the wireless receiver21through the second wireless transmitting unit12. Meanwhile, although the first wireless transmitting unit11may also be linked with the wireless receiver, but the wireless peripheral device1exchanges information with the wireless receiver21through the second wireless transmitting unit12. The first identification information stored in the memorizing unit15is coming from the wireless receiver21and the first identification information is for the identification process of wireless linking the first wireless transmitting unit12and the wireless receiver21. The processing unit13of the wireless peripheral device1controls the second wireless transmitting unit12to receive the first identification information coming from the wireless receiver21, then the processing unit13stores the first identification information to the memorizing unit15. Therefore, the identification process of wireless link between the first wireless transmitting unit11and the wireless receiver21may be simplified according to the first identification information received by the second wireless transmitting unit12. The first wireless transmitting unit11may provide the first identification information to the wireless receiver21, in which the first identification information is obtained by the second wireless transmitting unit12previously. On the other hand, the memorizing unit15may also store a second identification information, when the second wireless transmitting unit12is a Near Field Communication (NFC) transmitting unit, the second identification information is a Near Field Communication Tag (NFC Tag) of the second wireless transmitting unit12. The NFC Tag could make the second wireless transmitting unit12be linked to the wireless receiver21directly without any manual setting, such that the rapid pairing and connection could be accomplished.

Please refer toFIG. 2Bshowing a schematic diagram of a wireless peripheral device with multi-transmission capability transmitting a control signal through a first wireless transmitting unit according to an embodiment of the instant disclosure. When the distance between the wireless peripheral device1and the wireless receiver21is not short enough, such that the responding signal S is in the low intensity range, meanwhile the wireless peripheral device1utilizes the first wireless transmitting unit11to exchange information with the wireless receiver. Further, the second wireless transmitting unit12may receive the information of any near-field wireless device (not shown inFIG. 2B) neighboring to the wireless peripheral device1, and the processing unit controls the first wireless transmitting unit11to transmit the information of the near-field wireless device to the wireless receiver21. In other words, the wireless receiver21may receive the information of the near-filed wireless device near to the wireless peripheral device1by the first wireless transmitting unit11. Thus, the problem that the capable transmission distance is not enough could be solved. Meanwhile, the wireless peripheral device1is a reading means, such that the wireless receiver21may read the information of the near-field wireless device far away from the wireless receiver21but neighboring to the wireless peripheral device1.

Referring toFIG. 1again. The power storing unit16is coupled to the second wireless transmitting unit12. The second wireless transmitting unit12may transmit an electrical power to the power storing unit, and the electrical power is coming from the wireless receiver21through near-field electromagnetic field. That is, the wireless receiver21may charge the wireless peripheral device1through the second wireless transmitting unit12. Further, the processing unit13determines whether the electrical power stored in the power storing unit16is lower than a power threshold value. The processing unit13controls the display unit17to display a low power indicating signal when the electrical power stored in the power storing unit16is lower than the power threshold value. The display unit17may be a light-emitting element such as a light-emitting-diode (LED), or an image displaying element such as a liquid crystal display (LCD). When the electrical power stored in the power storing unit16of the wireless peripheral device1is not enough, the display unit17may prompt the user with a visual manner. For example, displaying the low power indicating signal of the display unit17could be accomplished by light-emitting of the LED or image-displaying of the LCD.

Please refer toFIG. 3showing a block diagram of a wireless peripheral device with multi-transmission capability according to another embodiment of the instant disclosure. The wireless peripheral device3transmits a control signal to a wireless receiver21. The wireless peripheral device3comprises a first wireless transmitting unit31, a second wireless transmitting unit32, a processing unit33, an input unit34, a memorizing unit35, a power storing unit36, a display unit37and a switch38. The second wireless transmitting unit32receives the responding signal S coming from the wireless receiver21. The capable transmission distance of the first wireless transmitting unit32is larger than the capable transmission distance of the second wireless transmitting unit32. The wireless peripheral device3of the present embodiment is significantly identical to the embodiment shown inFIG. 1except for differences specified in the follows. The wireless peripheral device3comprises the switch38coupled to the processing unit33. The processing unit33transmits the control signal to the wireless receiver21through the first wireless transmitting unit31or the second wireless transmitting unit32according to the setting of the switch38. In other words, by setting the switch38, the user manipulating the wireless peripheral device3could select the first wireless transmitting unit31or the second wireless transmitting unit32to transmit the control signal to the wireless receiver21. Other elements of the wireless peripheral device3is the same as to that of the wireless peripheral device1in the previous embodiment, thus the redundant information is not repeated.

In summary, the peripheral device with multi-transmission capability offered in the embodiments may select the first wireless transmitting unit or the second wireless transmitting unit to transmit the control signal to the wireless receiver according to the signal strength of the responding signal or the setting of the switch. The first identification information received through the second wireless transmitting unit may be used to the identification process of linking between the first wireless transmitting unit and the wireless receiver. Additionally, when the wireless peripheral device is far away from the wireless receiver and the first wireless transmitting unit is wireless linking to the wireless receiver, the information of the near-field wireless device received (or read) by the second wireless transmitting unit may be transmitted to the wireless receiver through the first wireless transmitting unit.