JPH0619621A - Cordless input device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent the crosstalk of the input signals and also to decrease the variation of response time of a cordless input device by securing a constitution where the local oscillation frequency supplied from an oscillation part is controlled by an oscillation frequency control part for switching of channels and an individual channel is assigned to each device by use of a multi-channel system. CONSTITUTION:An oscillation frequency control part 40 controls the local oscillation frequency supplied from an oscillation part 42 to switch the channels. A reception part 44 checks whether the channel determined by the part 40 is used or not and reports this checking result to the part 40. The part 44 has another function to transmit the signals received from a computer serving as a receiver. A signal detecting part 30 detects the moved quantity of the X and Y coordinates and the press signal of a click button based on the revolution of a ball. Then a signal converting part 32 produces plural tones of the proper frequency corresponding to each detected signal and supplies these tones to a transmission part 34 after synthesization thereof. The part 34 transmits the signals through the channel determined by the part 40.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cordless input device for transmitting an input signal by using a multi-channel system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, for example, in a mouse for inputting coordinates to a computer by using the rotation of a ball, a mouse having a code for transmitting an input signal causes the code to be disturbed or moved when a moving operation is performed. It was difficult to use because the twist hindered the smooth movement of the mouse. Therefore, in order to improve the operability, for example, as shown in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 1-76633, the code for transmitting the input signal is removed, and the input signal is modulated to transmit the input signal by using radio waves. There has been developed a cordless mouse provided with a modulation section for transmitting the modulated signal and a transmission section for transmitting the modulated signal.

However, with the recent development and popularization of computers, an environment in which many computers are installed in one room, such as a computer room, is increasing. Therefore, when a plurality of cordless mice are used within a range where radio wave interference occurs, there arises a problem that interference occurs. As a countermeasure, for example, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 3-4313, in a cordless mouse on the transmitting side, a device identification code of the cordless mouse is added to an input signal transmitted from the transmitting unit, and a computer on the receiving side is added. Then, interference is prevented by using a method in which only a signal to which a device identification code of a cordless mouse to be used, which is predetermined among the received signals, is treated as a valid signal.

[0004]

However, in the method of adding a device identification code as described above, when a single channel system is used, a plurality of cordless input devices are used within a range where radio wave interference occurs. In the environment, the receiving unit on the computer side receives all the signals transmitted from the transmitting unit of each cordless input device,
Since it is necessary to judge which signal is valid for each received signal, interference can be prevented, but
Since the processing load changes depending on the usage environment, there arises a problem that the response time varies.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems. By allocating an individual channel to each device using the multi-channel method, interference of input signals can be prevented, and It is an object of the present invention to provide a multi-channel type cordless input device that reduces fluctuations in response time of the cordless input device.

[0006]

To achieve this object, the cordless input device of the present invention has an oscillation frequency control unit for controlling a local oscillation frequency for switching channels.

[0007]

In the cordless input device of the present invention having the above-mentioned structure, the channel is switched by the oscillation frequency control unit controlling the local oscillation frequency supplied by the oscillation unit, and an individual channel is assigned to each cordless input device. It is possible to prevent interference and reduce variations in response time.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment in which the present invention is embodied in a cordless mouse will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a cordless mouse 1 as a multi-channel cordless input device embodying the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the transmission antenna 12 viewed from the side, and FIG.
The click button 14, the electronic circuit 16 including each unit such as the transmission unit and the oscillation frequency control unit, the ball 18 that rotates with the movement of the mouse, the power supply unit 20, the power supply switch 22, and there are no available channels. And a display section 24 indicating that.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a cordless mouse as a cordless input device embodying the present invention. The oscillation frequency control unit 40 switches the channel by controlling the local oscillation frequency supplied by the oscillation unit 42. The receiving unit 44 has a function of checking whether the channel defined by the oscillation frequency control unit 40 is used, transmitting the result to the oscillation frequency control unit 40, and a function of receiving a transmission signal from the receiving computer.

In the signal detector 30, the amount of movement in the X coordinate and Y coordinate directions and the click button 1 are determined based on the rotation of the ball 18.
The signal of pressing 4 is detected, and the signal converting unit 32 forms a plurality of tones having natural frequencies corresponding to the detected signals, synthesizes the tones, and then supplies them to the transmitting unit 34. The transmission unit 34 transmits the signal supplied from the signal conversion unit 32 through the channel determined by the oscillation frequency control unit 40, and outputs only the carrier wave when there is no signal to be transmitted. Further, when setting the channel to be used, the device identification code and channel setting code unique to each cordless mouse set by the device identification code setting unit 36 are transmitted to the receiving computer. The display unit 38 displays this when there is no available free channel.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a receiving device on the computer side embodying the present invention. The receiving unit 56 has a function of receiving a signal from the cordless mouse on the channel determined by the oscillation frequency control unit 60,
There is a function of checking whether the channel setting code and the device identification code equal to the value set by the device identification code setting unit 58 are received in the received signal, and transmitting the result to the oscillation frequency control unit 60. The transmitter 52 transmits the channel setting completion code to the cordless mouse 10 after the setting of the channel to be used is completed. The signal conversion unit 62 separates the received signal by a filter corresponding to the above-mentioned natural frequency to obtain respective signals of the movement amount in the X-coordinate and Y-coordinate directions and the pressing of the click button, and the main body of the computer via the interface 64. To enter.

The operation of this embodiment having the above configuration will be described below with reference to the flow charts of FIGS.

First, the cordless mouse 10 on the transmitting side
When the power is turned on by pressing the power switch 22, the setting mode of the channel used for transmitting and receiving the input signal is entered. In step S1, the oscillation frequency control unit 40 initializes the local oscillation frequency supplied by the oscillation unit 42, and sets the channel to be checked first.

Next, in step S2, the receiving unit 44 determines whether or not a signal of a predetermined level or higher can be detected in the set channel, and if detected, the channel is in use and the process proceeds to step S3. If it cannot be detected, it is determined that the channel is an empty channel, and the process proceeds to step S6. If there is a channel that has not been checked in step S3, the process proceeds to step S4, in which the oscillation frequency controller 40 switches the local oscillation frequency supplied by the oscillator 42 to set the channel to be checked next, and then step S4.
Return to 2. If there is no channel that has not been checked in step S3, that is, if all the channels are used, in step S5 the display unit 38 informs the user that there is no currently available empty channel,
In step S6, the channel where the signal of the predetermined level or higher is not detected in step S2 is set as the channel for transmitting the input signal. Therefore, the receiving unit 44 fixes the local oscillation frequency supplied by the oscillating unit 42. It gives an instruction to the oscillation frequency control unit 40.

Next, since it is necessary to set the channel to be used also on the receiving side computer side to this set channel, in step S7, the set channel is used to set the channel setting code and the device identification code. The transmission unit 34 transmits the device identification code set by the unit 36 to the computer for a certain period of time. In step S8, the CPU waits until it receives the channel setting completion code transmitted after setting the channel on the computer side, and when the channel setting completion code is received, the channel setting mode ends,
After that, a transmission mode for transmitting a coordinate position signal and a click pressing signal using the set channel is entered.

In the computer which is the receiving side of the input signal, after the power is turned on, interrupts are made at regular intervals until the channel used by the cordless mouse is set, and the channel setting mode is entered. In step S10, the oscillation frequency control unit 60 initializes the local oscillation frequency supplied by the oscillation unit 54, and sets the channel to be checked first.

Next, in step S11, the receiving unit 56 determines whether or not a signal of a predetermined level or higher is detected on the set channel, and when it is detected, the checked channel is set by the cordless mouse of its own device. In step S14, it is determined whether the channel is a closed channel. If not detected, the process proceeds to step S12. If there is a channel that has not been checked in step S12, the process proceeds to step S13, in which the oscillation frequency controller 60 switches the local oscillation frequency supplied by the oscillator 54 to set the channel to be checked next, and then returns to step S11. Step S
If there are no unchecked channels in 12,
That is, when all the channels have been checked, the interrupt processing in the channel setting mode ends without determining the set channel, and waits until the next channel setting processing interrupt occurs.

In step S14, it is checked whether or not a channel setting code exists in the received signal. If not, it is determined that the channel is used by another cordless mouse, and the process proceeds to step S12 to check the next channel.
If the channel setting code exists, step S15
It is checked whether or not the device identification code received together with the channel setting code at the same as the value set by the device identification number setting unit 58.

However, it is assumed that the device identification number of the cordless mouse to be used is set on the computer side. If they do not match, the process proceeds to step S12 to check the next channel. If they match, it is judged that a channel setting request is received from the cordless mouse of the own device, and step S
In step 16, the channel for receiving the input signal is set to the channel in which the channel setting code and the device identification code are detected, and in step S17, it is confirmed that the setting of the channel used on the computer side is completed.
In order to notify 0, a channel setting completion code is transmitted to the cordless mouse 10 using this set channel. As a result, the channel setting is completed, and thereafter, the input signal from the cordless mouse can be received using the set channel.

As described above, the oscillation frequency control unit switches the local oscillation frequency of the oscillation unit so that each cordless input device can set a channel that is not used by another input device from a plurality of channels.

[0022]

As is apparent from the above description,
Since the cordless input device of the present invention uses the multi-channel method, each device can exclusively use one channel. Therefore, even if a plurality of cordless input devices are simultaneously used within the range where radio wave interference occurs, the processing load does not depend on the number of cordless input devices,
There is an advantage that the response of the cordless input device does not vary much.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view of a cordless mouse embodying the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a cordless mouse according to this embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a receiving device on the computer side in the present embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an operating state of the cordless input device according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an operating state of a receiving device on the computer side in the present embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Cordless mouse 40 Oscillation frequency controller

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A cordless input device having a transmitter for transmitting an input signal to a host side, comprising an oscillation frequency controller for controlling a local oscillation frequency for switching channels, and a cordless multi-channel cordless device. Input device.