Patent Publication Number: US-2012044144-A1

Title: Computer mouse having sound-box function

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present disclosure relates to computer mice and, particularly, to a computer mouse having a sound-box function. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     A computer generally includes a host computer, a monitor, a keyboard, a mouse, and an individual speaker as separate components. It is inconvenient to have so many separate parts as well as costly. At present, mice are generally uni-functional, only being used as input devices of computers. Therefore, there is room for improvement in the art. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Many aspects of the embodiments can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present embodiments. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. 
         FIG. 1  is an isometric view of an exemplary embodiment of a computer mouse having a sound-box function. 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram of the computer mouse of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The disclosure, including the drawings, is illustrated by way of example and not by limitation. It should be noted that references to “an” or “one” embodiment in this disclosure are not necessarily to the same embodiment, and such references mean at least one. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , an embodiment of a computer mouse  100  having a sound-box function includes a shell  10 , a switch  20 , a sound box  30 , an audio circuit  40 , an universal serial bus (USB) hub  50 , and a mouse circuit  60 . In one embodiment, the switch  20  is a button switch. The sound box  30  is a speaker. The switch  20  and the sound box  30  are set on the shell  10 . The shell  10  defines at least one sound hole  32  therein, aligning with the sound box  30 . In one embodiment, the sound box  30  is set on an inner surface of a top of the shell  10 , and the switch  20  is set on a front side surface of the shell  10 . In other embodiments, the sound box  30  and the switch  20  can be set on other locations of the shell  10  according to need. 
     The USB hub  50  is connected to a USB connector  80  through a cable  70 . The USB hub  50  is also connected to the mouse circuit  60  and the audio circuit  40 . The audio circuit  40  is connected to the sound box  30 . The switch  20  is connected to the audio circuit  40 . 
     In use, the USB connector  80  is connected to a USB interface of a host computer, to communicate the mouse  100  with the host computer. When the sound box  30  is not on, the mouse  100  functions only as an input device, namely, the mouse circuit  60  receives operation signals input by a user and outputs the operation signals to the host computer through the USB hub  50  and the USB connector  80 . The host computer controls the computer according to the received operation signals. When the computer operates an audio file, namely, the host computer outputs audio signals to the audio circuit  40  through the USB connector  80  and the USB hub  50 , and if the switch  20  is pressed to turn on the sound box  30 , the audio circuit  40  outputs the audio file through the sound box  30 , and sound comes out through the sound hole  32 . When the switch  20  is pressed again, the sound box  30  is turned off, the audio circuit  40  does not output the audio file through the sound box  30 . 
     The mouse  100  not only can be used as an input device of the computer, but also can be used as a speaker, saving cost and space. 
     It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present disclosure have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the disclosure, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the disclosure to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.