Abstract:
A power mouse pad for a computer includes a rechargeable mouse, a mouse pad having a working surface facilitating the rechargeable mouse to work thereon, a charging element including a first charging unit provided at the mouse pad and a second charging unit provided at the rechargeable mouse to electrically charge the rechargeable mouse when said first charging unit connects with the second charging unit; and a connector provided at the mouse pad for electrically and communicatively connecting with the computer to draw electrical power from the computer in order to charge the rechargeable mouse.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE OF RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This is a non-provisional application of a provisional application having an application No. 61/335,533 and a filing date Jan. 7, 2010. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to a mouse pad and mouse, and more particularly to a mouse pad which is able to charge the battery of the mouse. 
         [0004]    2. Description of Related Arts 
         [0005]    Personal computer (PC) and laptop computer are widely used in every field of modern life. As the development of the computer related technology, the accessories of computer is also well developed which largely empower the utility of the computer. These accessories include input devices such as keyboard and mouse, external storage such as flash drive and external hard drive, output devices such as speakers  70 , and other electronic devices such as printer, cell phone, camera, etc. 
         [0006]    All these accessories bring a lot of convenience to the computer users, but also bring a problem. Too many external accessories need to communicate with the computer which makes the connection very complex and confusing. The computer producer has to provide more ports for different standards of connection which increases the costs. The user also has to carry many accessories with his laptop. This is not convenient. 
         [0007]    One approach partially solves the problem which is using wireless connection. For example, more and more laptops are using cordless mice. The cordless mouse communicates with the computer through wireless technology which breaks the limitation of a cord. Now another problem comes. These wireless devices have to carry power supply which is battery by themselves. So replacing or recharging of battery gives some extra effort for the user to take care. Therefore, it is necessary to necessary to organize and simplify the connection, and provide convenient power for those cordless devices. Because mouse and mouse pad are the devices that every computer needs, they are employed in the present invention for solving the problems mentioned above. 
       SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
       [0008]    Almost every computer has a mouse, and a mouse pad is also necessary to assist the performance of the mouse. They are the devices a user muse carry with his/her laptop, and are always connected with his/her PC. Therefore in the present invention, the mouse pad is utilized to organize the external connection of the computer, and to charge the cordless mouse. 
         [0009]    The main object of the present invention is to provide a power mouse pad which provides power to the cordless mouse. 
         [0010]    Another object of the present invention is to provide a power mouse pad which charges the mouse without wire. 
         [0011]    Another object of the present invention is to provide a power mouse pad which charges the mouse with wire. 
         [0012]    Another object of the present invention is to provide a power mouse pad which is easy to align the mouse for charging. 
         [0013]    Another object of the present invention is to provide a power mouse pad which is able to indicate the status of charging. 
         [0014]    Another object of the present invention is to provide a power mouse pad which organizes the connection of the accessory of the computer. 
         [0015]    Another object of the present invention is to provide a power mouse pad which provides ports for external devices to connect with the computer. 
         [0016]    Another object of the present invention is to provide a power mouse pad which simplifies the external connection of the computer. 
         [0017]    Another object of the present invention is to provide a power mouse pad which carries personal information of the user to configure the computer connected with the mouse pad as the user&#39;s preference. 
         [0018]    Another object of the present invention is to provide a power mouse pad which reduces the items the user needs to carry with. 
         [0019]    In order to accomplish the above objects, the present invention provides a power mouse pad for a computer, comprising: 
         [0020]    a mouse communicatively connected with the computer wirelessly which comprises a rechargeable battery; 
         [0021]    a working surface facilitating the mouse to work; 
         [0022]    a charging element arranged inside the mouse pad to charge the rechargeable battery of the mouse; and 
         [0023]    a connector electrically and communicatively connected with the computer. 
         [0024]    These and other objectives, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, the accompanying drawings, and the appended claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0025]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the mouse pad of the present invention. 
           [0026]      FIG. 2  is a top view of the mouse pad of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0027]    Referring to the  FIGS. 1 and 2  of the drawings, in a preferred embodiment, the mouse pad of the present invention comprises a mouse  10  and a working surface  20 . The mouse  10  is communicatively connected with a computer wirelessly. The computer includes desktop, laptop, and other electronic devices with processor. When the mouse  10  is sliding on the working surface  20 , the mouse  10  senses the relative movement upon the mouse pad and generate signals. The mouse  10  then transfers the signals to the computer as input to control the computer. The communication between the mouse  10  and the computer is using current technology such as electoral-magnetic waves which is known by person skilled in the art. The mouse  10  further comprises a rechargeable battery  11  providing power for the performance of the mouse  10  which is rechargeable. 
         [0028]    The mouse pad further comprises a connector  30  electrically connected with the computer, and a charging element  40  integrated within the mouse pad to charge the rechargeable battery  11  of the mouse  10 . The connector  30  connects the mouse pad and the computer electrically and communicatively. In a preferred embodiment, the connector  30  is a USB connector  30 . In this manner the computer is able to provide power to the mouse pad, and communicate with the mouse pad with data. The charging element  40  is electrically connected with the connector  30  to receive the power supply from the computer and transfer the power to charge the rechargeable battery  11  of the mouse  10 . 
         [0029]    The charging is achieved wirelessly or conductively. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the charging element  40  is using wireless charging which transfers energy to the rechargeable battery  11  of the mouse  10  via electromagnetic field. It is called inductive charging. The charging element  40  comprises a converting circuit  41  electrically connected with the connector  30  of the mouse pad to convert the current received from the computer to an alternating current. The charging element  40  also comprises a first induction coil  42  electrically connected with the converting circuit  41  and embedded beneath the working surface  20  of the mouse pad. The first induction coil  42  generates an alternative electromagnetic field with the alternating current pass through. 
         [0030]    The mouse  10  also comprises a second induction coil  12  electrically connected with the rechargeable battery  11  thereof. The second induction coil  12  is embedded on the bottom of the mouse  10 . When the mouse  10  is placed over the first conduction coil, the first induction coil  42  induces voltage in the second induction coil  12  which then charges the rechargeable battery  11 . In this manner, the energy provided by the computer is transferred to the rechargeable battery  11  as charging. 
         [0031]    In the preferred embodiment, the second conduction coil has an area cooperating to the bottom of the mouse  10 . The first conduction coil has the same area of larger area as the second conduction coil. In the preferred embodiment the mouse pad has more than one first conduction coils distributed in different position of the mouse pad. When the mouse  10  is placed over any first conduction coil can realize charging. Therefore the total area of the first conduction coil is enlarged and the second conduction coil of the mouse  10  has more chance to be coupled with the first conduction coil. The position of the first conduction coils are also marked on the working surface  20  of the mouse pad for the user to identify. 
         [0032]    When it is being used, the mouse pad is connected with the computer through USB. The computer provides energy to the charging element  40  of the mouse pad. The charging element  40  charges the rechargeable battery  11  of the mouse  10  when the mouse  10  is over the first conduction coil. When the user is not using the mouse  10 , he/she can just move the mouse  10  on the mark on the working surface  20  of the mouse pad to charge the rechargeable battery  11 . In this way, the rechargeable battery  11  will keep being charged to guarantee the power supply to the mouse  10 . 
         [0033]    In an alternative embodiment, the charging is achieved conductively. The charging element  40  comprises two charging electrodes  43  electrically connected with the charging circuit, and the mouse  10  comprises two battery electrodes  13  respectively which are electrically connected with the rechargeable battery  11 . When the two charging electrodes  43  and the two battery electrodes  13  are coupled together, the charging is performing. Referring to  FIG. 2 , in a preferred embodiment, the charging element  40  comprises a charging lot  44  located on the corner of the mouse pad. The charging electrodes  43  are positioned at the charging lot  44  and are accessible by the battery electrodes  13  of the mouse  10 . In order to properly connect the charging electrodes  43  and battery electrodes  13 , the mouse pad also comprises a parking arrangement  50  which further comprises a first parking element  51  and a second parking element  52 . The first parking element  51  is affixed on the charging lot  44 , and the second parking element  52  is affixed on the mouse  10 . When the first parking element  51  and the second parking element  52  are coupled together, the charging electrodes  43  and the battery electrodes  13  are properly aligned and well connected for charging. The coupling is detachable so the charging can be terminated anytime when the mouse  10  is needed to work. In a preferred embodiment, the first parking element  51  and the second parking element  52  are coupled by magnet. 
         [0034]    In an alternative embodiment, the charging is achieved by other methods, for example, using USB connection for charging. 
         [0035]    The mouse pad further comprises an indicator  60  for indicating the performance of the mouse pad. In a preferred embodiment, the indicator indicates by light. Referring to  FIG. 1 , the indicator has two LED  61  and  62  integrated on the two opposite edges of the mouse pad. One LED  61  is red and the other LED  62  is green. When the charging element  40  of the mouse pad is charging the rechargeable battery  11  of the mouse  10 , the green LED is light  62 . When the charging element  40  stops charging, but the charging element  40  and the rechargeable battery  11  are still connected or interacting, the red LED  61  is light. This provides the use a direction idea of what is happening about the charging. 
         [0036]    In an alternative embodiment, the indicator indicates by sound. Referring to  FIG. 2 , the indicator comprises a speaker  70  which is located at the corner of the mouse pad. The speaker plays different sound signals representing different status of the charging performance. For example, when the charging is completed, the speak play beeps continuously. 
         [0037]    In another embodiment, the mouse pad comprises a subwoofer and/or speakers  70 . When the mouse pad is connected with the computer, the speakers  70  are electrically connected with the computer though the USB connection. Therefore the computer can play sound using these speakers  70 . 
         [0038]    In another embodiment, the mouse pad comprises a flash memory  80  embedded inside the mouse pad. When the mouse pad is connected with the computer, the flash memory  80  is electrically connected with the computer. The user can read and write the flash memory  80  as a data storage. The user can store his personal information in the flash memory  80  of the mouse pad, so when the mouse pad is connected with any computer, the personal information will be available. It is useful for many situations such as play game. The user can store his/her preferred configuration and personal information. When he/she connected the mouse pad with any computer, the information and configuration will be installed to particular game. So the user can play the game with his preferred setting. In addition, the mouse pad comprises a joystick for games which is communicatively connected with the computer wirelessly. 
         [0039]    Alternatively, the mouse pad comprises an embedded hard drive  81  as a storage. The mouse pad also comprises USB port  82  as extension port which is able to be connected with other equipments using USB connection to communicatively connect with the computer, for example, a flash drive, or a printer, etc. 
         [0040]    As the mouse pad comprises a suited mouse  10 , the mouse pad and mouse  10  are designed in pair to have an integral effect. For example, the mouse pad is 
         [0041]    In summary, the power mouse pad of the present invention provides large convenience for charging cordless mouse  10 . It also provides a lot of functions and capabilities to expend the connection of the computers. 
         [0042]    One skilled in the art will understand that the embodiment of the present invention as shown in the drawings and described above is exemplary only and not intended to be limiting. 
         [0043]    It will thus be seen that the objects of the present invention have been fully and effectively accomplished. It embodiments have been shown and described for the purposes of illustrating the functional and structural principles of the present invention and is subject to change without departure from such principles. Therefore, this invention includes all modifications encompassed within the spirit and scope of the following claims.