IP Library Granted Patent US 8,711,096
Granted Patent B1
US 8,711,096 · App. 12/413,354 · Granted Apr 29, 2014

Dual protocol input device

Inventors: Ke-Cai Zeng (Fremont, CA); Jonathan Young (Boise, ID); Pulkit Shah (Bangalore, IN); Yansun Xu (Mountain View, CA); Eric Mann (Sammamish, WA); Shankar Subramani (Bangalore, IN)
Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,711,096
App. No.
12/413,354
Granted
Apr 29, 2014
Kind
B1
Abstract

A dual protocol input device for use with a host system is provided. In one embodiment, the input device comprises a chip with a number of semiconductor devices integrally formed thereon, including: an optical navigation sensor (ONS) to sense movement of the ONS relative to a surface; a wired protocol block to communicate data from the ONS to the host system by a wired communication protocol; a wireless protocol block to communicate data from the ONS to the host system by a wireless communication protocol; and a micro-controller coupled to the ONS, the wired protocol block and the wireless protocol block, to switch the input device between the wireless communication protocol and the wired communication protocol.

Claims (31)

1. A dual protocol input device comprising:

a chip with a number of semiconductor devices integrally formed thereon, including:

an optical navigation sensor (ONS) to sense movement of the ONS relative to a surface;

a wired protocol block to communicate data from the ONS to a host system by a wired communication protocol;

a wireless protocol block to communicate data from the ONS to the host system by a wireless communication protocol;

a micro-controller directly coupled through on-chip system bus to the ONS, the wired protocol block and the wireless protocol block, to control the ONS, the wired protocol block and the wireless protocol block to switch the input device between the wireless communication protocol and the wired communication protocol without interruption of data between the ONS and the host system or resetting the chip; and

a power system comprising a boost regulator to boost an output voltage from a battery in the input device to an operating voltage of the chip, a linear regulator to regulate power supplied through a wired connection to the input device, and a power controller configured to switch the power system between power supplied from the battery and power supplied through the wired connection independent of the communication protocol selected by the micro-controller.

2. An input device according to claim 1 , wherein the micro-controller detects a change in status of the wired connection to the host system, and automatically switches the input device between the wireless and wired communication protocols.

3. An input device according to claim 1 , wherein the power system is configured to supply power to the chip through the wired connection to operate the input device using the wired communication protocol while charging the battery with electrical power provided through the wired connection.

4. An input device according to claim 1 , further comprising a switch to enable a user to select between at least two of the following: power supplied from the battery, power supplied from the wired connection, and a battery charge mode.

5. An input device according to claim 1 , wherein the wired protocol block comprises a Universal Serial Bus (USB) protocol block to communicate data with the host system through a USB connector.

6. An input device according to claim 1 , wherein the wireless protocol block comprises a wireless USB protocol block to communicate data with the host system through a radio.

7. A dual protocol input device comprising:

a chip with a number of semiconductor devices integrally formed thereon, including:

an optical navigation sensor (ONS) to sense movement of the ONS relative to a surface;

a wired protocol block to communicate data from the ONS to a host system by a wired communication protocol;

a wireless protocol block to communicate data from the ONS to the host system by a wireless communication protocol;

a power system including a power controller to switch power supplied to the chip between a battery in the input device, a first wired connection to the host system, and a second wired connection to a power adapter separate from the host system, without resetting the chip; and

a micro-controller directly coupled through an on-chip system bus to the ONS, the power system, the wired protocol block and the wireless protocol block, to control operations thereof, and to switch the input device between the wireless communication protocol and the wired communication protocol without interruption of data between the ONS and the host system.

8. An input device according to claim 7 , wherein the power system further comprises a boost regulator to boost an output voltage of the battery to an operating voltage of the chip.

9. An input device according to claim 8 , wherein the power system further comprises a linear regulator to regulate power supplied through the wired connection, and a power controller to switch the power system between the boost regulator and the linear regulator.

10. An input device according to claim 8 , wherein the power system includes an on-chip battery charger to charge the battery through the wired connection.

11. An input device according to claim 10 , further comprising a switch to enable a user to select between at least two of the following:

power supplied from the battery, power supplied from the wired connection, and a battery charge mode.

12. A method of operating an input device comprising:

illuminating a surface to reflect images onto at least a portion of a chip including an optical navigation sensor (ONS), a wired protocol block, a wireless protocol block, and a micro-controller directly coupled through an on-chip system bus to the ONS, the wired protocol block and the wireless protocol block to control operations thereof;

sensing relative movement between the ONS and the surface;

determining status of a first wired connection coupling the wired protocol block to a host system; and

selecting, using the micro-controller, between different modes of operation based on the determined status of the first wired connection without interruption of data between the ONS and the host system or resetting the chip,

wherein the different modes of operation include a mode of operation in which data is communicated to the host system through the wireless protocol block and the wireless connection, and power is supplied to the chip through a second wired connection to a power adapter separate from the host system.

13. An input device according to claim 1 , wherein the mixed-signal array comprises configurable memories, logic blocks, an analog multiplexer (MUX), global analog interconnections (GAI), and General Purpose Input/Outputs (GPIOs).

Assignments (5)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE 8647899 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 035240 FRAME 0429. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SECURITY INTERST. Recorded Nov 3, 2020
From: CYPRESS SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION; SPANSION LLC
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 058002/0470 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 22, 2017
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC
To: CYPRESS SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION; SPANSION LLC
Reel/Frame 044949/0962 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 21, 2017
From: CYPRESS SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
To: MONTEREY RESEARCH, LLC
Reel/Frame 044938/0360 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 21, 2015
From: CYPRESS SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION; SPANSION LLC
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 035240/0429 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 24, 2009
From: ZENG, KE-CAI; YOUNG, JONATHAN; SHAH, PULKIT; XU, YANSUN; MANN, ERIC; SUBRAMANI, SHANKAR
To: CYPRESS SEMICONDUCTOR CORP.
Reel/Frame 023281/0398 →