1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to digital computers; and more particularly to wireless interface devices coupled to digital computers.
2. Related Art
Digital computers have been known in the art for years. Personal digital computers typically include a case, a video display, and one or more input/output devices. The case typically includes a power supply, a cooling fan, a motherboard, interface ports, peripheral cards, a disk drive, and other components. Contained on the motherboard are a processor, memory, a processor chip set, and one or more peripheral buses. The peripheral cards interface input/output devices with the motherboard via the peripheral buses. Other input/output devices may couple directly to the motherboard via appropriate connectors, e.g., devices coupled via a parallel port, devices coupled via a serial port, and devices coupled via a USB.
Input devices receive input from a user or another source while output devices provide output to a user or another destination. Keyboards, computer mice, microphones, scanners, etc. are typically considered input devices because they receive input but provide no output. Monitors, speakers, printers, etc. are considered output devices because they provide output to the user but receive no input from the user. Other devices, such as touch sensitive monitors, that both receive input and produce output are considered to be both input and output devices.
Wireless communication technology has rapidly advanced over the past few years. Resultantly, computer input/output devices are now being called upon to wirelessly communicate with their “host” computers. Wireless keyboards and mice now couple via wireless connections to their host computers. These “wireless” input devices provide great benefits in that they require no wired connections with their host computers.
Various operational difficulties may arise, however, in using a wireless input device in place of a wired input device. One particular problem arises during power-up or reset in which the host computer is booted. When the host computer is boot strapped (boot or booted) it first executes a Basic Input Output System (BIOS) that is typically retrieved from static memory. The BIOS performs a status check on the host computer and then, once the status check is completed, initiates loading of an Operating System (OS) that is contained on a hard disk, CD ROM, or other storage device. However, the BIOS has limited ability to recognize peripheral devices. Currently, most, if not all BIOSs do not support wireless user input devices. To access the BIOS of the host computer or to cause the OS to enter a non-standard mode of operation requires input from a keyboard. Further, interaction with the BIOS may also require or allow input from a mouse. Thus, in order to perform these operations, a user must temporarily employ a wired keyboard and/or a wired mouse. Such additional difficulty in connecting and using the wired keyboard and/or wired mouse is unwieldy and may cause the user to give up his or her wireless user input device.
Thus, there is a need in the art for a solution to the unavailability of wireless user input devices during startup or reset prior to the loading of the OS.