GB2292995A - Solar-powered cordless cursor controller - Google Patents

Abstract

A cordless or wireless cursor controller 12 is powered by an energy converter 12 comprising a solar cell, diode 112, capacitor 113 for energy storage and regulation and a resistor 114. The cursor controller 12 has an infra-red photo diode 123, for transmitting signals to the computer, and a microprocessor 122. A system state sensor 124 and a chopper 125 may be provided to save energy. The invention removes the need for a battery charger and frequent changes of batteries. <IMAGE>

Description

CURSOR CONTROLLING APPARATUS The present invention is related to a cursor controlling apparatus, especially to a self-contained cursor controlling apparatus used with a computer.

A cursor controlling apparatus, e.g. a mouse or a tracking ball, is an apparatus used to determine a displacement a cursor should move, especially often used to determine a displacement a cursor should move on a monitor of a computer.

When used with a computer, a conventional cursor controlling apparatus is usually electrically connected to a computer such that the electric power for driving the cursor controlling apparatus can be obtained from the computer. In this case, the movement of the cursor controlling apparatus is confined within a relatively small area, which results in a shortcoming of inconvenience. Therefore, a wireless cursor controlling apparatus is provided for overcoming the shortcoming.

The electric power of a conventional wireless cursor controlling apparatus is always provided by a cell. The cell used for a cursor controlling apparatus can be either a disposable cell or a rechargeable one. However, no matter what kind of cell is used, there are still problems accompanied with it. First of all, the cursor controlling apparatus must often change cells if it uses disposable cells. The frequent replacement of the cells will result in inconvenience for a user, and the profuse use of disposable cells will also cause environmental contamination and waste of money. If rechargeable cells are used, the cursor controlling apparatus needs a charger to recharge the cell and an extra expense therefore has to be spent.

Furthermore, it is difficult for the disposed cells to be decomposed so that the harmful effect to the environment and to the descendants is apparant.

An object of the present invention is to provide a cursor controlling apparatus which is more economical.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a cursor controlling apparatus which is harmless to the environment.

In accordance with the present invention, a cursor controlling apparatus for moving a cursor on a monitor comprises a cursor controlling device, and an energy-converting device electrically connected to the cursor controlling device, receiving a light and converting the light into an electric energy for providing a power for the cursor controlling device.

The energy-converting device of the apparatus further comprises an energy-converting element, e.g. a solar cell, receiving the light and converting the light into the electric energy, an electricity-storing element, e.g. a capacitor, electrically connected to the energy-converting element for storing the electric energy therein, a diode electrically connected to the electricity-storing element for preventing the electric energy stored in the electricity-storing element from inversely flowing back to the energyconverting element, and a resistor electrically connected to the electricitystoring element for controlling an intensity of a current flowing into the cursor controlling apparatus.On the other hand, the cursor controlling device includes a displacement detector detecting a displacement information of the cursor controlling device and generating a voltage signal according to the displacement information, a microprocessor electrically connected to the displacement detector for receiving and converting the voltage signal into an energy signal, an electromagnetic wave emitting element, e.g. an infrared ray photo diode, electrically connected to the microprocessor for emitting electromagnetic wave to the monitor according to the energy signal to control a position of the cursor on the monitor.Besides, the cursor controlling device further comprises a group of push buttons electrically connected to the microprocessor for enabling the converting function of the microprocessor and a system state sensor electrically connected to the microprocessor for showing whether the cursor controlling device is under a stand-by state. In accordance with the present invention, the cursor controlling device is determined to be under a stand-by state when the group of push buttons has not been manipulated for a certain period of time. Then, the microprocessor suspends an action of main I/O ports thereof for saving power according to the state of the cursor controlling device shown by the system state sensor.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the cursor controlling device further comprises a chopper electrically connected to the infrared ray emitting element for saving a power consumed by the infrared ray emitting element.

The present invention may be best understood through the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a schematic circuit diagram showing a preferred embodiment of a cursor controlling apparatus according to the present invention.

The present invention will now be described more specifically with reference to the following embodiments. It is to be noted that the following descriptions of preferred embodiments of this invention are presented herein for purpose of illustration and description only, it is not intended to be exhaustive or to be limited to the precise form disclosed.

Refer now to Fig. 1 which is a schematic circuit diagram showing a preferred embodiment of a cursor controlling apparatus according to the present invention. In Fig. 1, an energy-converting device 11 which comprises an energy-converting element 111, e.g. a solar cell, a diode 112, an electricity-storing element 113, e.g. a capacitor, and a resistor 114, and a cursor controlling device 12 which comprises a displacement detector 121, a microprocessor 122 an infrared ray emitting element 123, e.g. an infrared ray photo diode, a system state sensor 124, a chopper 125 and a group of push buttons 126 are revealed.

The solar cell 111 first receives an external light, e.g. the sunlight or a light from the lamp, and then converting the light into an electric energy providing electric power for the cursor controlling device 12. In this case, the capacitor 113 of around 10000pF and installed in the energyconverting device 11 is provided to store superfluous electricity energy and regulate the electric power for the apparatus. When the light is intenser, the light received and converted by the solar cell 111 is more than usual and simultaneously, the obtained electric energy is more than what is needed. The superfluous electric energy will be stored in the capacitor 113 and will be released for use when the cursor controlling device 12 is used more frequently and needs more electric power. The function of the diode 112 is to prevent the electric energy stored in the capacitor 113 from inversely flowing back to the solar cell 111 when the solar cell is in a dark place. As for the resistor 114, it is used to control an intensity of a current flowing into the cursor controlling device 12.

The microprocessor 122 receives the energy from the energy-converting device 11 and proceeds the main controlling function of the cursor controlling apparatus. The displacement detector 121 generally comprising a photo encoder which further includes an X- and a Y-grid wheels, a photo diode and a photo transistor, a potentiaometer, a piezo element, and a foil strain qauges is used to convert the displacement of the cursor controlling apparatus into a voltage signal. The voltage signal is then processed by the microprocessor 122 and converted into an energy signal. The infrared ray photo diode 123 transmits the energy signal to the computer by way of emitting infrared ray to the computer. The computer will proceed decoding after it has received the infrared ray information.

The ON/OFF state of a group of push buttons 126 is used to initiate the execution of the microprocessor 122.

Of course, in order not to waste the energy converted from the light by the solar cell 111, the apparatus further includes a system state sensor 124 and a chopper 125. The sensor 124 is electrically connected to the microprocessor 122 and the push buttons 126 for showing whether the cursor controlling device 12 is under a stand-by state and the cursor controlling device 12 is detennined to be under a stand-by state when the group of push buttons 126 has not been manipulated for a certain period oftime, e.g. 5 seconds. Then, the microprocessor 122 suspends the action of main I/O ports thereof and only proceeds a state-detecting function at intervals of a certain time, e.g. 0.1 sec, for saving power if the state of the cursor controlling device 12 shown by the system state sensor 124 is stand-by.Furthermore, the microprocessor 122 also detects the state of the displacement detector 121 If the state of the displacement detector 121 remains unchanged for a certain period of time, the microprocessor 122 will stop the light emission of the photo diode of the displacement detector 121 to save power. When the microprocessor 122 detects the state change of the system state sensor 124 or the displacement detector 121, it will enable the emission of the photo diode to detect the rotating state of the X- and Y-grid wheels, and the execution of the control action of main I/O ports thereof again. The chopper 125 can convert the continuous pulse signals outputted by the microprocessor 122 into intermittent high frequency pulse outputs so that the power consumption of the infrared ray photo diode 123 can be economized. Besides, because high frequency pulses obtained from the chopper 125 have a constant frequency, the computer can only receive a high frequency infrared ray signal and the noises from the natural environment can be filtered out.

To sum up, according to the present invention, solar cells are utilized to convert the external light into electric energy provided for the cursor controlling device, so it is unnecessary for a user to change cells often and purchase a charger addtionally. On the other hand, the cursor controlling apparatus has not to stop working for waiting a new cell or recharging its cell any more. Moreover, we do our best to fulfill our duty in avoiding the environmental contamination.

Claims (12)

CLAIMS:

1. A cursor controlling apparatus for moving a cursor on a monitor, comprising: a cursor controlling device; and an energy-converting device electrically connected to said cursor controlling device, receiving a light and converting said light into an electric energy for providing a power for said cursor controlling device.

2. An apparatus according to Claim 1, characterized in that said energyconverting device comprises: an energy-converting element receiving said light and converting said light into said electric energy; an electricity-storing element electrically connected to said energyconverting element for storing said electric energy therein; a diode electrically connected to said electricity-storing element for preventing said electric energy stored in said electricity-storing element from inversely flowing back to said energy-converting element; and a resistor electrically connected to said electricity-storing element for controlling an intensity of a current flowing into said cursor controlling apparatus.

3. An apparatus according to Claim 2, characterized in that said energyconverting element is a solar cell.

4. An apparatus according to Claim 2, characterized in that said electricity-storing element is a capacitor.

5. An apparatus according to any one of Claims 1-4, characterized in that said cursor controlling device includes: a displacement detector detecting a displacement information of said cursor controlling device and generating a voltage signal according to said displacement information; a microprocessor electrically connected to said displacement detector for receiving and converting said voltage signal into an energy signal; an electromagnetic wave emitting element electrically connected to said microprocessor for emitting an electromagnetic wave to said monitor according to said energy signal to control a position of said cursor on said monitor.

6. An apparatus according to Claim 5, characterized in that said cursor controlling device further comprises a group of push buttons electrically connected to said microprocessor for enabling said converting function of said microprocessor.

7. An apparatus according to Claim 5 or 6, characterized in that said cursor controlling device further comprises a system state sensor electrically connected to said microprocessor for showing whether said cursor controlling device is under a stand-by state.

8. An apparatus according to Claim 7, characterized in that said cursor controlling device is determined to be under a stand-by state when said group of push buttons has not been manipulated for a certain period of time.

9. An apparatus according to Claim 7 or 8, characterized in that said microprocessor suspends an action of main I/O ports thereof for saving power according to said state of said cursor controlling device shown by said system state sensor.

10. An apparatus according to any one of Claims 5-9, characterized in that said cursor controlling device further comprises a chopper electrically connected to said electromagnetic wave emitting element for saving a power consumed by said electromagnetic wave emitting element.

11. An apparatus according to any one of Claims 5-10, characterized in that said electromagnetic wave emitting element is an infrared ray photo diode.

12. An apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.