Alps Electric Co., Ltd.

Alps Electronics Co., Ltd.

Sadakazu Shiga

Masaru Komatsu

Minoru Numata

Norio Abe

Naoyuki Hatano

In order to turn on the main power unit, when it is off, of a computer in a turned-off state from a keyboard, power is supplied from an auxiliary power unit to a USB controller on the keyboard unit side and a power supply startup unit on the computer side, and on the other hand when power supply to a line switching unit is cut off, switching sections are switched over to connect signal lines of the USB controller and input terminals of a differential amplifying unit, respectively. When a specific signal is supplied from the keyboard unit, a power supply startup signal (power ON signal) is supplied from the power supply startup unit to the main power unit to enable the main power unit to be started up.

Computer power supply startup apparatus

In detecting units for detecting the rotating operation of a ball, respective photoemitters serving as light sources are intermittently driven to emit light and respective photodetectors receive the light. A control unit recognizes a moving speed in the X-axial direction and that in the Y-axial direction from detection signals obtained by the detecting units. In the control operation of the control unit, when an increase in operating speed is detected, a light emitting period of each of the photoemitters is reduced. When a decrease in operating speed is detected, the light emitting period of each photoemitter is extended.

Intermittent operating type pointing device

An apparatus for turning on a computer power supply in which when an input operation of a predetermined key is carried out, predetermined H signals are output to a first signal line and a second signal line of a USB chip provided in a keyboard. Since this signal combination is not a USB standard signal combination, they can be distinguished from ordinary data signals. Since a wake-up device which has received these signals outputs predetermined start-up signals to a main power supply, the main power supply can be turned on. When the main power supply is turned on, connections of a first relay contact and a second relay contact of a switching device switch are switched, whereby first signal lines and second signals between the host computer and a keyboard are connected together, making it possible to carry out communication using the signals. By virtue of this structure, it is possible to start up the host computer whose main power supply is in an off state by operating the keyboard.

USB apparatus that turns on computer power supply using signals substantially longer than information conveying pulse widths when predetermined operation is performed on input device

A wireless keyboard, provided with an optical signal transmitter, includes an inputting function to an information processing device and a control function of an electrical appliance. The wireless keyboard includes a plurality of manufacturer codes for selectively performing optical control of a specific electrical appliance of a specific manufacturer. The electrical appliance is controlled by selecting a specific manufacturer code from the manufacturer codes and transmitting the specific manufacturer code. It is preferable that the wireless keyboard includes an abbreviation symbol corresponding to each manufacturer code. The manufacturer code is selected by inputting the abbreviation symbol.

Wireless keyboard

An optical detecting apparatus designed to reduce the time taken to stabilize the operation after a moment at which a power supply for the apparatus is turned on, as well as to limit the power consumption in a standby state. Three operating modes: a normal mode, an intermittent mode, and a precharge mode are changed by controlling two switches sw-Led and sw-Ref. In the normal mode, both the switches sw-Led and sw-Ref are maintained in the on state and the circuit of the invention is used for the same operation as the conventional circuit. In the intermittent mode, for the purpose of achieving low power consumption in the standby state, both the switches sw-Led and sw-Ref are turned on and off at a predetermined on-off ratio to make the circuit operate in an intermittent manner (that is, by turning on and off light emitting diodes at a predetermined on-off ratio). In the precharge mode, the switch sw-Led is turned on immediately after turning on the power supply while the switch sw-Ref is maintained in the off state, thereby quickly charging capacitors.

Optical detecting apparatus and coordinate inputting apparatus using the detecting apparatus

When the ball of a mouse is rotated, an up/down counter outputs a count N according to the direction of rotation and the amount of rotation. A controller compresses the count N to seven-bit data according to a conversion table. The controller also attaches L-button data indicating the state of the L button of the mouse to the most significant bit of the compressed seven-bit data. Then, the controller changes the bit positions of the eight-bit data, and reverses each bit value. The eight-bit data to be transferred has been thus completed. The controller sends bit by bit in series the data from a lower bit to a signal processing unit.

Signal processing system

A keyboard for reducing the power consumption of the controller when scanning the keys in the key matrix and/or transmitting the key codes of operated keys. The operation mode of the keyboard is switched from the normal mode to the stop mode to stop the operation of the clock signal generator and the operation of the controller including the generation of a scan signal for the key matrix when all keys arranged in the key matrix are held in the key-off state for longer than a predetermined period of time, for example five seconds, after any of the keys has been operated or when any of the keys in the key matrix has been keyed on and held in the key-on state for longer than a predetermined period of time, for example 60 seconds.

Keyboard with power saving function and data storage capabilities

A circuit board comprises: a plurality of solder lands, a wiring pattern having a plurality of wiring lines connected to the solder lands, respectively, an output terminal formed at one end of each of the wiring lines of the wiring pattern, an integrated control circuit connected to the solder lands, and a grounding pattern to be held at a ground potential. The grounding pattern has grounding lines formed between the adjacent wiring lines of the wiring pattern, respectively, so as to be coupled to the wiring lines by capacitive coupling.

Printed wiring board with grounding lines arranged between wiring lines

A signal processing system which can perform cable transmission or optical transmission of data at the time of data transmission between a keyboard (1) and a signal processing unit to thereby has flexibility of data transmission. This signal processing system is composed of the keyboard (1), the signal processing unit and a receiving adapter unit. Further, the keyboard (1) consists of: a key matrix (6); a control portion (6) for outputting switch data corresponding to an operated key; a data transmitting portion (9) for outputting switch data through a cable (4); an optical data transmitting portion (10) for performing optical transmission of switch data; and a power supply (11). The receiving adapter unit is provided with: a data receiving portion for receiving switch data transmitted through the cable (4); an optical data receiving portion for receiving optical data transmitted by performing optical transmission; a storage portion for storing switch data received by a data receiving portion or an optical data receiving portion; and a transmission/reception control portion for converting switch data read from the storage portion into a switch code, for transmitting the switch code to the signal processing unit and for processing a signal supplied from the signal processing unit.

Signal processing system for transmission of data between a keyboard and

An operation inputting apparatus is disclosed by which, even if a load detection output remains after an operation of a stick type operation member is stopped by an operator, a load detection output which coincides with stopping of the operation of the stick type operation member can be obtained. A pressure detection sensor detects a load force applied to the stick type operation member upon operation of the stick type operation member, and a comparison circuit compares a load detection value obtained from the pressure detection sensor with a preset load value. A timer circuit adjusts a count value in response to a result of the comparison and detects the count value equal to zero to produce a zero detection output. A judgment level production section sets two judgment levels for presence or absence of an output in response to the zero detection output. The judgment levels are set such that the judgment level for presence or absence of an output when the zero detection output is supplied is higher than the judgment level for presence or absence of an output when the zero detection output is not supplied.

Operation inputting apparatus

A keyboard for lowering the power consumption for key code transmission and enhancing the reliability in code transmission. When key codes corresponding to an operated key in the laid out keys are transmitted to a signal processing unit, a status code indicating whether a function key (Shift, Control or Alt key) has been operated is also transmitted at the same time, transmitting no key-on repeat code that is obtained when one key is operated continuously as with a conventional keyboard.

Keyboard

An operational input apparatus having an internal input apparatus and an external additional input apparatus wherein the internal data obtained by the operation of the internal input apparatus and the external data obtained by the operation of the external additional input apparatus are selectively transferred to an equipment main body and including: a changeover circuit for changing over the connection to the equipment main body; a data detector for detecting the change in the internal data and the external data separately; an internal data counter and an external data counter which start counting at the detection of the respective changes in the internal and the external data and clear the count values after a predetermined period of time; and a changeover controller which controls a switch to change over periodically and alternately when the count values of the internal data counter and the external data counter are both zero, and when a count value is obtained, controls the switch to change over to the side wherein the count value is obtained.

Operational input apparatus

An N-key rollover circuit including a matrix of crossing drive and output lines, switch elements connected between the drive and output lines, series resistors connected to the switch elements and current detectors connected to the output lines. A grounded current detection resistor is connected to an input terminal of each current detector, each current detection resistor having a resistance value which is smaller than the resistance value of the series resistors such that most of the drive transmitted through a selected switch element onto an output line passes through the current detection resistor, even if more than one switch element is selected.

N-key rollover circuit

A keyboard with N-key rollover has a matrix of key columns and lines for successively issuing key codes for depressed keys. When first and second keys on the same column are detected as being depressed and then a third key on the same line as one of the first and second keys is detected as being depressed, or when first and second keys on the same line are detected as being depressed and then a third key on the same column as one of the first and second keys is detected as being depressed, a key code for the third key or a key code for a fourth key detected in error upon depression of the third key are prevented from being issued.

Growing community of inventors

Fukushima-ken, Japan

Sadakazu Shiga