Abstract:
A mouse having a heating function is provided. The mouse includes a shell, a cable connected to a host computer for transmitting signal from the mouse to the host computer, and a heating device mounted in the shell. The heating device includes an electric heater, and a switch connected in series with the electric heater to a power source.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The invention relates to an input device for use in a computer system. In particular, the present invention relates to a mouse having a heating function. 
       DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART 
       [0002]    The internal components of a computer mouse are very simple. In view of the space required for these components, the volume of available space remaining in the mouse is comparatively great. That is because the size of the housing of the mouse is designed for being conveniently and comfortably grasped by a user, and thus most of the inside space of the mouse is vacant. 
         [0003]    A conventional mouse includes a shell, two buttons, and optionally a scroll wheel. The shell includes an upper portion and a lower portion. The buttons and the scroll wheel are disposed at the front part of the upper portion for finger pressing, and a rear part of the upper portion is in a raised shape for comfortable contact with a palm of the user. 
         [0004]    When the user operates the mouse under a low temperature, the user&#39;s hand may become cold and numb. 
         [0005]    What is needed is a mouse having a heating function. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    An exemplary mouse having a heating function is provided. The mouse includes a shell, a cable connected to a host computer for transmitting signal from the mouse to the host computer, and a heating device mounted in the shell. The heating device includes an electric heater, and a switch connected in series with the electric heater to a power source. 
         [0007]    Other advantages and novel features will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which: 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is a partly cut away side view of a mouse in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a schematic circuit diagram of the mouse of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is a partly cut away side view of a mouse in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is a schematic circuit diagram of the mouse of  FIG. 3 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0012]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , a mouse in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a shell, a cable  260 , and a heating device  200  mounted in the shell. 
         [0013]    The shell includes an upper portion  120  and a lower portion  140 . A front part of the upper portion  120  is used as a finger operating portion  122  that includes two buttons  124  (only one is shown) and a scroll wheel  126 . The buttons  124  and the scroll wheel  126  are configured for finger pressing. A rear part of the upper portion  120  has a raised palm holding portion  132 . The lower portion  140  includes a sidewall  142 , which is connected with the upper portion  120 . 
         [0014]    The heating device  200  includes an electric heater  220  and a switch  240 . The switch  240  is placed on the sidewall  142  of the lower portion  140 . The electric heater  220  is mounted in the lower portion  140  under the palm holding portion  132  of the upper portion  120 . The switch  240  is used to turn the electric heater  220  on and off. The cable  260  extends out of the shell to connect with a host computer. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the cable  260  is a universal serial bus (USB) cable. The cable  260  is used to transmit signals of the buttons  124  and the scroll wheel  126  to the host computer and transmit power from the host computer to the electric heater  220 . 
         [0015]    Referring also to  FIG. 2 , a USB power supply source Vcc in the host computer is electrically connected to the electric heater  220  and the switch  240  via the cable  260 . When the switch  240  is turned on the electric heater  220  generates heat. The heat produced by the electric heater  220  is conducted to the shell warming a user&#39;s hand. 
         [0016]    Referring also to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , a mouse in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a heating device  300  similar to the first preferred embodiment. The heating device  300  includes the electric heater  220  and the switch  240 , and further includes a scroll wheel switch  250  and a rheostat R. The scroll wheel switch  250  is placed on the sidewall  142  of the lower portion  140 . The rheostat R is connected in series with the scroll wheel switch  250  and forms a branch circuit. The branch circuit is connected in parallel with the electric heater  220 . The scroll wheel  126  is connected to an adjusting bar of the rheostat R. Scrolling the scroll wheel  126  moves the adjusting bar of the rheostat R to change the resistance of the rheostat R. 
         [0017]    When the user wants to turn on the heater  220 , the switch  240  is turned on and heat is generated by the electric heater  220 , warming the shell to thereby warm the user&#39;s hand. 
         [0018]    The user can adjust a temperature at the shell, by use of the scroll wheel switch  250 . When the scroll wheel switch  250  is turned on the scroll wheel  126  is cut off from the host computer to prevent accidental input of the scroll wheel  126 , and is capable of adjusting voltage to the electric heater  220  by changing resistance of the rheostat R, thus providing an adjustable hand held heater. 
         [0019]    Alternatively, the electric heater  220  can also be automatically switched on or off by a software and a sensor. For example, the sensor senses temperature at a location of the mouse, and the software sends out a command in response to the sensed temperature to the electric heater  220  to open the electric heater  220 . The command sent out from the software is transmitted to the electric heater  220  via the cable  260 . 
         [0020]    Otherwise, the mouse can be a wireless mouse without the cable  260 , and the power source providing power to the heating device is a battery installed within the shell. 
         [0021]    The mouse in accordance with the preferred embodiments of the present invention can increase comfort for the user by warming the user&#39;s hand. Further, used as a hand held heater, other parts of the user&#39;s body can be warmed as well. 
         [0022]    It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the preferred embodiments have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structures and functions of the embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, equivalent material and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.