IP Library Granted Patent US 11,157,092
Granted Patent B2
US 11,157,092 · App. 16/697,451 · Granted Oct 26, 2021

Smart mouse for an information handling system

Inventors: Karthikeyan Krishnakumar (Austin, TX); John Trevor Morrison (Round Rock, TX)
Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
G06F3/03543G06F1/169G06F3/0304G06F2203/0337
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,157,092
App. No.
16/697,451
Granted
Oct 26, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for a smart mouse that may include transmitting, by the mechanical switch of the smart mouse, a signal to a microcontroller unit of the smart mouse in response to a movement of the smart mouse caused by a user, the movement causing the mechanical switch to be in a closed position, the signal indicating that the mechanical switch is in the closed position; receiving, by the microcontroller unit, the signal indicating that the mechanical switch is in the closed position; and in response to receiving the signal: causing, by a power switch of the smart mouse, at least one battery of the smart mouse to provide power to an optical unit of the smart mouse, the provided power causing the optical unit to be in an on state, the on state of the optical unit causing the smart mouse to be electrically enabled for use.

Claims (66)

1. A smart mouse for an information handling system, the smart mouse comprising:

at least one battery;

a microcontroller unit;

an optical unit having an on state and an off state, the on state of the optical unit causing the smart mouse to be electrically enabled for use, the off state of the optical unit causing the smart mouse to be electrically disabled for use; and

a mechanical switch having an open position and a closed position, the mechanical switch configured to transmit a signal to the microcontroller unit in response to a movement of the smart mouse caused by a user, the movement of the smart mouse causing a pendulum arm of the mechanical switch to swing causing the mechanical switch to be in the closed position;

the microcontroller unit configured to:

receive the signal from the mechanical switch; and

cause the at least one battery to provide power to the optical unit, the provided power causing the optical unit to be in the on state, the on state of the optical unit causing the smart mouse to be electrically enabled for use;

monitor the smart mouse for an additional movement of the smart mouse caused by the user;

determine that a first threshold period has occured, the first threshold period comprising a period of time in which the additional movement of the smart mouse caused by the user has ended; and

in response to determining that the first threshold period has occurred:

cause the microcontroller unit to be in an idle state:

determine that a second threshold period has occurred, the second threshold period comprising a period of time in which the microcontroller unit has been in the idle state: and

in response to determining that the second threshold period has occurred:

cause the at least one battery to refrain from providing power to the optical unit causing the optical unit to be in the off state, the off state of the optical unit causing the smart mouse to be electrically disabled for use.

2. The smart mouse of claim 1 , wherein the smart mouse further includes:

a power switch electrically coupling the at least one battery to the optical unit, the power switch having an open power switch position and a closed power switch position, the power switch configured to:

receive a close signal transmitted from the microcontroller unit in response to the microcontroller unit receiving the signal from the mechanical switch; and

in response to receiving the close signal, cause the power switch to be in the closed power switch position, the closed power switch position causing the at least one battery to provide power to the optical unit causing the optical unit to be in the on state.

3. The smart mouse of claim 2 , wherein the power switch is further configured to:

receive an open signal transmitted from the microcontroller unit in response to the microcontroller unit determining that the second threshold period has occurred; and

in response to receiving the open signal, cause the power switch to be in the open power switch position, the open power switch position causing the at least one battery to refrain from proving power to the optical unit causing the optical unit to be in the off state.

4. The smart mouse of claim 1 , wherein the mechanical switch includes:

a pendulum pivot fastener configured to removably couple the mechanical switch to the smart mouse;

the pendulum arm having a first pendulum end and a second pendulum end, the first pendulum end including a pendulum hole configured to rotatably couple with the pendulum pivot fastener, the second pendulum end including a pendulum weight configured cause the pendulum arm to pivot about the pendulum hole in response to the movement of the smart mouse caused by the user;

a switch spring finger removably coupled to the pendulum arm;

an assembly bracket having a first bracket end and a second bracket end, the first bracket end including a bracket hole configured to couple with the pendulum pivot fastener, the second bracket end including a semicircular hole configured to allow the switch spring finger to traverse the semicircular hole as the pendulum arm pivots about the pendulum hole; and

a switch board removably coupled to the assembly bracket, the switch board including one or more contact pads, each contact pad configured to electrically couple with the switch spring finger when the switch spring finger traverses the semicircular hole of the assembly bracket, wherein the electric coupling generates the signal transmitted to the microcontroller unit in response to the movement of the smart mouse caused by the user.

5. The smart mouse of claim 1 , wherein the optical unit includes at least one of:

a light emitting diode (LED) configured to illuminate a surface underneath the smart mouse; and

a sensor configured to capture a plurality of successive images of the surface to detect a movement of the smart mouse.

6. The smart mouse of claim 1 , wherein the movement of the smart mouse caused by the user comprises a lateral movement caused by one or more lateral forces applied to the smart mouse by the user.

7. The smart mouse of claim 1 , wherein the signal transmitted to the microcontroller unit in response to the movement of the smart mouse caused by the user comprises a general-purpose input/output (GPIO) signal.

8. A method for electrically enabling and electrically disabling a smart mouse for an information handling system using a mechanical switch, the method comprising:

transmitting, by the mechanical switch of the smart mouse, a signal to a microcontroller unit of the smart mouse in response to a movement of the smart mouse caused by a user, the movement of the smart mouse causing a pendulum arm of the mechanical switch to swing causing the mechanical switch to be in a closed position, the signal indicating that the mechanical switch is in the closed position;

receiving, by the microcontroller unit, the signal indicating that the mechanical switch is in the closed position; and

in response to receiving the signal:

causing, by a power switch of the smart mouse, at least one battery of the smart mouse to provide power to an optical unit of the smart mouse, the provided power causing the optical unit to be in an on state, the on state of the optical unit causing the smart mouse to be electrically enabled for use;

monitoring, by the microcontroller unit, the smart mouse for an additional movement of the smart mouse caused by the user;

determining, by the microcontroller unit, that a first threshold period has occured, the first threshold period comprising a period of time in which the additional movement of the smart mouse caused by the user has ended; and

in response to determining that the first threshold period has occurred: causing, by the microcontroller unit the microcontroller unit to be in an idle state;

determining, by the microcontroller cunit, that a second threshold period has occured, the second threshold period comprising a period of time in which the microcontroller unit has been in the idle state;

in response to determining that the second threshold period has occurred:

causing, by the power switch, the at least one battery to refrain from providing power to the optical unit causing the optical unit to be in an off state, the off state of the optical unit causing the smart mouse to be electrically disabled for use.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein causing the at least one battery to refrain from providing power to the optical unit comprises:

receiving, by the power switch, an open signal transmitted by the microcontroller unit in response to determining that the second threshold period has occurred; and

in response to receiving the open signal:

causing, by the open signal, the power switch to be in an open power switch position, the open power switch position causing the at least one battery to refrain from providing power to the optical unit causing the optical unit to be in the off state.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein causing the at least one battery of the smart mouse to provide power to the optical unit of the smart mouse comprises:

receiving, by the power switch, a close signal transmitted by the microcontroller unit in response to the microcontroller unit receiving the signal indicating that the mechanical switch is in the closed position; and

in response to receiving the close signal:

causing, by the close signal, the power switch to be in a closed power switch position, the closed power switch position causing the at least one battery to provide power to the optical unit causing the optical unit to be in the on state.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the power switch is configured to electrically couple and electrically decouple the at least one battery and the optical unit.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the optical unit includes at least one of:

a light emitting diode (LED) configured to illuminate a surface underneath the smart mouse; and

a sensor configured to capture a plurality of successive images of the surface to detect a movement of the smart mouse.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the movement of the smart mouse caused by the user comprises a lateral movement caused by one or more lateral forces applied to the smart mouse by the user.

14. The method of claim 8 , wherein the signal transmitted to the microcontroller unit in response to the movement of the smart mouse caused by the user comprises a general-purpose input/output (GPIO) signal.

15. A mechanical switch of a smart mouse, the mechanical switch comprising:

a pendulum pivot fastener configured to removably couple the mechanical switch to the smart mouse;

a pendulum arm having a first pendulum end and a second pendulum end, the first pendulum end including a pendulum hole configured to rotatably couple with the pendulum pivot fastener, the second pendulum end including a pendulum weight configured cause the pendulum arm to pivot about the pendulum hole in response to a movement of the smart mouse caused by the user;

a switch spring finger removably coupled to the pendulum arm;

an assembly bracket having a first bracket end and a second bracket end, the first bracket end including a bracket hole configured to couple with the pendulum pivot fastener, the second bracket end including a semicircular hole configured to allow the switch spring finger to traverse the semicircular hole as the pendulum arm pivots about the pendulum hole; and

a switch board removably coupled to the assembly bracket, the switch board including one or more contact pads, each contact pad configured to electrically couple with the switch spring finger when the switch spring finger traverses the semicircular hole of the assembly bracket.

16. The mechanical switch of claim 15 , wherein the pendulum arm pivots about the pendulum hole in an oscillating manner.

17. The mechanical switch of claim 15 , wherein the movement of the smart mouse caused by the user comprises a lateral movement caused by one or more lateral forces applied to the smart mouse by the user.

Assignments (9)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (053311/0169) Recorded Jun 23, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 060438/0742 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (053546/0001) Recorded Jun 23, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL MARKETING L.P. (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.); DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC. AND WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.); EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 071642/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (052216/0758) Recorded Jun 23, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 060438/0680 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST AF REEL 052243 FRAME 0773 Recorded Nov 2, 2021
From: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 058001/0152 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 5, 2020
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 053311/0169 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 22, 2020
From: CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES INC.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A.
Reel/Frame 053546/0001 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Mar 26, 2020
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
Reel/Frame 052243/0773 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (NOTES) Recorded Mar 24, 2020
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 052216/0758 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 27, 2019
From: KRISHNAKUMAR, KARTHIKEYAN; MORRISON, JOHN TREVOR
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.
Reel/Frame 051127/0487 →