Abstract:
The present invention discloses a power saving device of a wireless mouse. The power saving device includes a switch and a key. When the wireless mouse is not in use for a period of time, the wireless mouse actuates an interrupt and enters into the sleep mode. If a user wants to use the mouse and touch the key, the key is depressed and the switch is actuated disabling the interrupt. Thus, the wireless mouse is in the operation mode again.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
         [0001]    This application claims priority of Taiwan Patent Application Serial No. 91107833 entitled “Device and Method for Power Saving of Wireless Mouse”, filed on Apr. 17, 2002.  
         FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The present invention relates to an improved power saving method of a wireless mouse, and more particularly, to a power saving method of a wireless mouse in the sleeping mode.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    Distinctive connection methods, such as wire or wireless connections, can be used to connect a personal computer and the peripherals. The wire connections between the personal computer and the peripherals may limit the relative disposition locations of the peripherals to the personal computer. Some peripherals, e.g. wireless mice, are coupled to a personal computer with wireless connections to provide convenience. A wireless mouse needs batteries to provide power, and battery&#39;s life cycle is limited. Accordingly, the user needs to concern about the power consumption of the wireless mouse.  
           [0004]    Since a user does not operate the wireless mouse all the times, one conventional way to save battery power is to force the wireless mouse entering the sleeping mode while not operating. A conventional wireless mouse usually implements the operation mode, idle mode, and sleeping mode. The operation mode has largest power consumption while the sleeping mode has lowest power consumption. Power consumption of the idle mode is between those of the operation mode and the sleeping mode.  
           [0005]    In the operation mode, a controller in a wireless mouse has to detect actions of mouse and buttons over the mouse in additional to control over the wireless communication module. In general, the power consumption of the operation mode is 14 mA. The controller turns off the wireless communication module in the idle mode, but still detects actions of mouse and buttons to return to the operation mode. In general, the power consumption of the idle mode is 5-7 mA. In the sleeping mode, the power consumption is 60-120 μA. In the deep sleeping mode, the controller not only turns off the wireless communication module but also does not detect actions of mouse and buttons. In general, the power consumption of the idle mode is 60-110 μA.  
           [0006]    Referring to FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B, a conventional power saving method is illustrated. When the wireless mouse is in the idle and sleeping modes, the controller detects actions of buttons. If buttons are activated, the wireless mouse returns to the operation mode from either idle or sleeping modes. The simple holding of the mouse does not render the wireless mouse entering into the operation mode.  
           [0007]    Referring to FIG. 1A, a conventional wireless mouse is in the operation mode in step  104 . In step  106 , the controller in the wireless mouse detects if it is not operated for  1  second. If it is “NO” in step  106 , the wireless mouse enters into the idle mode in step  108 . The controller checks, in step  110 , if the activation of the wireless mouse is made within  5  seconds while in the idle mode. When it is not operated in step  110 , the wireless mouse enters into the sleeping mode in step  112 . Afterwards, in step  114 , the controller checks user actions of the wireless mouse for 600 seconds. The conventional method proceeds to FIG. 1B when the wireless mouse is not operated in step  114 .  
           [0008]    Referring to FIG. 1B, the wireless mouse enters into the deep sleeping mode in step  118  when it is “NO” in step  114 . At this stage, the wireless mouse has not been not used for 10 minutes, e.g. in midnight or weekend when the wireless mouse has not been used for a long period of time. In the deep sleeping mode, the wireless mouse does not respond to the user operations. However, in step  120 , the controller counts 680 ms, and then the wireless mouse enters into the idle mode in step  122 . Afterwards, in step  124 , the wireless mouse checks users operations for 320 ms. The wireless mouse returns to the operation mode in step  104  if it is “YES” in step  124 , or returns to the deep sleeping mode in step  118  if it is “NO” in step  124 .  
           [0009]    The conventional power saving method, as shown in FIG. 1B, performs a loop consuming 1 second while the wireless mouse has not been used for a long period of time. The wireless mouse is in the deep sleeping mode for 680 ms to reduce power consumption and in the idle mode for 320 ms to detect mouse operations. The drawback for the conventional approach is that, when the wireless mouse is in the deep sleeping mode, the controller does not detect mouse operations until it enters into the idle mode. Furthermore, entering into the idle mode regularly consumes more power than the deep sleeping mode.  
           [0010]    As discussed above, the conventional power saving method cannot lower power consumption efficiently and cannot also respond to mouse operations immediately while in the deep sleeping mode. A demand for an improved power saving method with these features therefore exists.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0011]    An aspect of the present invention is to provide a power saving method for a wireless mouse and a mouse with a power saving device.  
           [0012]    The present invention discloses a power saving device of a wireless mouse. The wireless mouse has a switch. When the wireless mouse is not in used for a period of time, an interrupt is actuated enabling the wireless mouse to enter into the sleep mode. When a user touches the mouse and actuates the switch, the interrupt is disabled and the wireless mouse returns to the operation mode. There are two methods to actuate the switch. One method is that a key extends out of the housing via an opening, and the switch is actuated when the key is depressed. The other is a cover disposed on the housing, and the switch is actuated when the cover is depressed 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0013]    [0013]FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B are flow diagrams showing a conventional power saving method of a wireless mouse.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B are flow diagrams showing a power saving method of a wireless mouse in accordance an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 3A is a wireless mouse in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 3B is a cross-sectional diagram of a wireless mouse in FIG. 3A.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 3C is an explosive view of a wireless mouse in FIG. 3A.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 4A is a wireless mouse in accordance with another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional diagram of a wireless mouse in FIG. 4A.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 4C is an explosive view of a wireless mouse in FIG. 4A.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0021]    The present invention provides a power saving device for a wireless mouse. Such a wireless mouse consumes less power and, at the same time, is still sensitive to user operations while the wireless mouse is in the sleeping mode.  
         [0022]    Referring to FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B, an exemplary power saving method is shown in flow diagrams. The wireless mouse is in the operation mode of step  204 . When the wireless mouse is not activated for a period of time T1 in step  206 , the mouse enters into idle mode in step  208 . If the activation interval does not exceed T1, the wireless mouse stays in the operation mode in step  204 . When the wireless mouse is in idle mode, a controller checks the wireless mouse in step  210 . The wireless mouse returns to an operation mode in step  204  when it is operated in step  210 . If it is “NO” in step  210 , then step  212  is proceeded and an interrupt is enabled. After the interrupt is enabled, the wireless mouse enters into the sleeping mode in step  216 . When a user utilizes the wireless mouse in step  218  and the interrupt is disabled in step  219 , the wireless mouse returns to the operation mode in step  204 . If the user does not utilize the wireless mouse in step  218 , it stays in the sleeping mode in step  216 . The length of T1 and T2 may be configured by the power saving method. For example, T1 may be 1 second and T2 may be 5 seconds. T1 maybe 2 seconds and T2 may be 10 seconds.  
         [0023]    In the present invention, the wireless mouse enters into the sleeping mode entirely and consumes lowest power. The wireless mouse does not return to the operation mode until the interrupt is disabled. Therefore, the power saving method of the present invention can save more power than that in prior art.  
         [0024]    The present invention provides two exemplary embodiments of power saving device for achieving objects of the invention. The power saving device includes a switch coupling to the controller on a print circuit board in the wireless mouse. The switch may be an electronic switch or a leaf spring. When the wireless mouse is not in use for a period of time, it enters into the sleeping mode. When the user utilizes the wireless mouse, the switch is actuated to disable the interrupt, and the wireless mouse returns to the operation mode.  
         [0025]    Referring to FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B, wireless mouse  300  is an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Wireless mouse  300  includes housing  304 , wheel  330 , and buttons  308 ,  310 . The number of buttons  308 ,  310  and wheel  330  depends on the wireless mouse design and is not restricted by the appearance in FIG. 3A. Cover  302  is disposed on housing  304 . FIG. 3B is a cross-sectional diagram of wireless mouse  300 . Cover  302  is coupled to switch  312 , and print circuit board  328  is disposed under switch  312 . When a user touches cover  302 , cover  302  is depressed to actuate switch  312 . Consequently, the interrupt is disabled and wireless mouse  300  returns to the operation mode.  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 3C is an explosive view of wireless mouse  300 . Housing  304  includes a plurality of holes  332 . Cover  302  is coupled to switch  312  by passing through hole  332 . Cover  302  returns to an undepressed position by resilience of switch  312  or by resilient units, such as springs  314 ,  316 . Springs  314  and  316  contact to cover  302  via holes  332 . Cover  302  has positioning shafts  318 , which corresponds to positioning holes  320  located on housing  304 . When cover  302  and housing  304  are assembled together, the positioning shafts  318  are inserted into corresponding positioning holes  320 , such that cover  302  moves between depressed and undepressed positions. Cover  302  is undepressed while the wireless mouse is not in use and in the sleeping mode. While cover  302  is depressed, wireless mouse disables the interrupt and returns to the operation mode. The operation mode is not disturbed by the interrupt. The interrupt is actuated only if wireless mouse  300  is not operated by a user for a period of time and enters into the sleeping mode.  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 4A is another exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Components in wireless mouse  400  are similar to those in wireless mouse  300 . The major difference is key  412  replacing cover  302 . The shape and position of key  412  varies according to the mouse design. Key  412  may be disposed on an upper side of housing  402  for operation convenience. FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional diagram of wireless mouse  400 . Key  412  is coupled to switch  414 , and print circuit board  424  is disposed under switch  414 . When a user touches key  412 , key  412  is depressed to actuated switch  414 . Consequently, the interrupt is disabled and wireless mouse  400  returns to the operation mode.  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 4C is an explosive view of wireless mouse  400 . Key  412  returns to an undepressed position by resilience of switch  414  or by a resilient unit, such as spring  416 . Key  412  is undepressed while the wireless mouse is not in use and in the sleeping mode. While key  412  is depressed, wireless mouse  400  disables the interrupt and returns to the operation mode. The operation mode is not disturbed by the interrupt. The interrupt is actuated only if wireless mouse  400  is not operated by a user for a period of time and enters into the sleeping mode.  
         [0029]    While this invention has been described with reference to illustrative embodiments, this description is not intended to be construed in a limiting sense. Various modifications of the illustrative embodiments, as well as other embodiments of the invention, will be apparent to persons skilled in the art upon reference to this description. It is therefore contemplated that the appended claims will cover any such modifications or embodiments as falling within the true scope of the invention.