Patent Publication Number: US-2007115266-A1

Title: Portable device for controlling a computer and method therefor

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD  
      The present invention relates generally to portable devices, and particularly to a portable device for controlling a computer and method therefor.  
     GENERAL BACKGROUND  
      With the development of the computer technology, touchpads have become a necessary input device of a notebook. A touchpad allows a user of the notebook to exclude to bring the mouse combined therewith when taking the notebook to a remote location.  
      However, the touchpad is not convenient for user operations, thereby resulting in more work for user&#39;s operation, and causing the user to eagerly desire a mouse connected to the notebook. Usually, the user would opt for a small wireless mouse to operate the notebook. However, the wireless mouse generates a signal delay, a delay that does not meet the user&#39;s need for efficiency, especially when the user plays an intense game.  
      Additionally, with cheaper accessibility to other technological gadgets, people who likes listening to music via an audio signal generating device would further bring along the audio signal generating device when taking the notebook to a remote location. It is inconvenient for a user if the notebook, the mouse, and the audio signal generating device needs to be brought together.  
      Therefore, what is needed is a portable device for controlling a computer and method therefor to overcome the above-described problem.  
     SUMMARY  
      A portable device for controlling a computer is provided. The computer has a central processing unit (CPU) and a computer interface. The portable device includes a device interface; an input unit for receiving an operational input, and for generating a control signal corresponding to the operational input; a microcontroller unit (MCU) electrically connected to the device interface and the input unit; an operation interface for selecting either one of a computer controlled mode and a portable device controlled mode if the device interface is connected to the computer interface, wherein the input unit serves as an input unit for the computer in the computer controlled mode, and the input unit serves the audio signal generating device in the portable device controlled mode; wherein the MCU translates the control signal into a control instruction according to input mappings and transmits the control instruction to the computer via the computer interface in the computer controlled mode, and the CPU executes the control instruction.  
      A method for controlling a computer via a portable device is also provided. The method includes the steps of: (a) providing an input unit configured in the portable device for operational inputs; (b) providing an operation interface for selecting either one of a computer controlled mode and a portable device controlled mode if the portable device is connected to the computer, wherein the input unit serves as an input unit for the computer in the computer controlled mode, and the input unit serves the audio signal generating device in the portable device controlled mode; (c) receiving an operational input from the input unit, and generating a control signal corresponding to the operational input; (d) translating the control signal to a control instruction according to input mappings and transmitting the control instruction to the computer, if the input unit of the portable device is in the computer controlled mode; and (e) performing operations corresponding to the control instruction.  
      Other advantages and novel features will be drawn from the following detailed description of the embodiments with reference to the attached drawings, in which: 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is an application schematic diagram of a portable device for controlling a computer in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 2  is a flowchart of a preferred method for controlling a computer via the portable device of  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 3  is a flowchart of controlling a notebook to perform operations after one step of the method of  FIG. 2 , namely, entering into a notebook controlled mode; and  
       FIG. 4  is an application schematic diagram of a portable device for controlling a computer in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       FIG. 1  is an application schematic diagram of a portable device for controlling a computer in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention. The computer can be a personal computer (PC) or a notebook. In this exemplary embodiment as shown in  FIG. 1 , a notebook  1  is adopted as an example, and an audio signal generating device  2  is taken as an example of the portable device.  
      The notebook  1  includes a display unit  10 , a central processing unit (CPU)  11 , an input unit  12 , and a universal serial bus (USB) interface  13 . The audio signal processing device  2  includes a USB interface  20 , a microcontroller unit (MCU)  21 , an input unit  22 , a display unit  23 , and a memory  24 . In the preferred embodiment, the input unit  22  takes a touchpad as an example.  
      The audio processing device  2  further includes an operation interface (not shown). The operation interface is used for selecting a controlled mode, and can be in a menu option form or a key form. In the first preferred embodiment, the former is adopted as an example. When the USB interface  20  of the audio signal generating device  2  connects to the USB interface  13  of the notebook  1 , the MCU  21  is configured for controlling the display unit  23  to display a plurality of menu options. The menu options include a notebook controlled mode menu option label and an audio signal generating device controlled mode menu option label allowing a user to select either a notebook controlled mode or an audio signal generating device controlled mode. The touchpad  22  is operable to receive operational inputs, thus enabling a corresponding controlled mode. When the notebook controlled mode menu option label is selected, the touchpad  22  of the audio signal generating device  2  serves as a mouse, i.e. an input unit of the notebook  1 . Accordingly, the notebook  1  performs corresponding operations in response to operational inputs received by the touchpad  22  of the audio signal generating device  2  in the notebook controlled mode. Alternatively, when the audio signal generating device controlled mode menu option label is selected, the touchpad  22  of the audio signal generating device  2  explicitly serves the audio signal generating device  2 . Accordingly, the audio signal generating device  2  performs corresponding operations in response to operational inputs received by the touchpad  22 .  
      In this exemplary embodiment, the touchpad  22  preferably includes a rotational input unit and a button disposed in the center or middle of the rotational input device (not shown). In the notebook controlled mode, the touchpad  22  can identify four kinds of operational inputs, and generate a control signal corresponding to each operational input. For example, when the button is clicked one time, the touchpad  22  processes the operational input as a single click on a left key of a mouse (not shown); when the button is clicked two times, the touchpad  22  processes the operational input as a double click on a right key of the mouse; when the rotational input unit is rotated in a clockwise direction, the touchpad  22  processes the operational input as a forward scroll movement on a scroll wheel of the mouse; when the rotational input unit is rotated in a counterclockwise direction, the touchpad  22  processes the operational input as a backward scroll movement on the scroll wheel of the mouse. Each processing manner can be regarded as an input mapping between the touchpad  22  and the mouse. In other preferred embodiments, the input unit  22  is different from the touchpad  22 , accordingly, each operational input on the input unit  22  can be processed according to corresponding input mappings between operational inputs on the input unit  22  and operational inputs on the mouse.  
      The MCU  21  translates the control signal into a corresponding control instructions according to the above-described input mappings, and transmits the control instructions to the notebook  1  via the USB interface  20 . The control instructions can be recognized by the notebook  1 .  
      The CPU  11  receives the control instructions via the USB interface  13 , and executes the control instructions. In the preferred embodiment, when the audio signal generating device  2  is selective to work in the notebook controlled mode, the input unit  12  of the notebook  1  and the touchpad  22  of the audio signal generating device  2  can both be used simultaneously to perform operational inputs on the notebook  1 . The display unit  10  is provided for displaying a user interface.  
       FIG. 2  is a flowchart of a preferred method for controlling a computer via the portable device of  FIG. 1 . In step S 200 , the audio signal generating device  2  connects to a USB interface  13  of the notebook  1  via the USB interface  20  thereof. In step S 201 , the MCU  21  controls the display unit  23  to display menu options. The menu options include the notebook controlled mode menu option label and the audio signal generating device controlled mode menu option label allowing a user to select either one of the notebook controlled mode and the audio signal generating device controlled mode of the audio signal generating device  2 . In step S 202 , the touchpad  22  receives an operational input for the menu options. In step S 203 , the MCU  21  determines whether the notebook controlled mode is selected according to the operational input. If so, in step S 205 , the touchpad  22  of the audio signal generating device  2  in the notebook controlled mode serves as the mouse of the notebook  1 , and the notebook  1  performs corresponding operations in response to operational inputs received by the touchpad  22  of the audio signal generating device  2 . Otherwise, in step S 204 , the touchpad  22  of the audio signal generating device  2  explicitly serves the audio signal generating device  2 .  
       FIG. 3  is a flowchart of a described-above step S 205  of  FIG. 2 , namely, performing corresponding operations under the notebook controlled mode in response to operational inputs received by the touchpad  22 . In step S 300 , the touchpad  22  receives an operational input, and generates a corresponding control signal. In step S 301 , the MCU  21  translates the control signal into the control instructions according to the above-described input mappings. In step S 302 , the MCU  21  transmits the control instructions to the notebook  1 . In step S 303 , the CPU  11  of the notebook  1  receives the control instructions via the USB interface  13  thereof, and performs the operation corresponding to the control instructions.  
       FIG. 4  is an application schematic diagram of a portable device for controlling a computer (hereafter, “the portable device”) in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the present invention. The portable device of the second preferred embodiment is the same as that of the first preferred embodiment, except that a key  25  is included in the audio signal generating device  2 . In the second preferred embodiment, the operation interface is in a key form.  
      When the USB interface  20  of the audio signal generating device  2  connects to the USB interface  13  of the notebook  1 , and the key  25  receives an operational input, the MCU  21  controls the touchpad  22  to enter a computer controlled mode according to the operational input. In the notebook controlled mode, the touchpad  22  of the audio signal generating device  2  serves as a mouse, i.e. an input unit of the notebook  1 . Accordingly, the notebook  1  performs corresponding operations in response to operational inputs received by the touchpad  22  of the audio signal generating device  2  in the notebook controlled mode. When the key  25  receives an operation input again, the touchpad  22  of the audio signal generating device  2  explicitly serves the audio signal generating device  2 . Accordingly, the audio signal generating device  2  performs corresponding operations in response to operational inputs received by the touchpad  22 .  
      Although the present invention has been specifically described on the basis of the preferred embodiment including the preferred method, the invention is not to construed as being limited thereto. Various changes or modifications may be made to the embodiment including the method without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.