Key scanning circuit, wake-up module and input device

Abstract

The embodiment of the utility model provides a key scanning circuit, an awakening module and input equipment. The key scanning circuit is configured to be connected with a transmitting end of an optical key of the equipment and connected with a main control unit of the equipment; and the key scanning circuit is used for receiving a working mode signal of the main control unit and generating a scanning signal with a corresponding frequency based on the working mode signal so as to periodically drive the transmitting end of the optical key to emit an optical signal. The chip independent of the main control unit is adopted, the state of the optical key is scanned, the equipment is awakened in time, the standby power consumption of the optical key is effectively reduced, and the endurance time of the whole equipment is prolonged.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the technical field of input devices, and particularly relates to a key scanning circuit, a wake-up module, and an input device. Background Art

[0002] In order to improve response speed and stability, more and more input devices, such as mice, keyboards, game pads, etc., use optical keys instead of traditional mechanical keys. For wireless input devices, when not in use for a long time, the device will enter a sleep state to save power consumption. After entering the sleep state, if it is detected that an optical key is pressed or triggered, the device will be woken up to ensure the normal use of the device.

[0003] In the existing technology, when a wireless input device is in the sleep state, the main MCU (Microcontroller Unit) of the wireless input device needs to periodically monitor whether an optical key is pressed or triggered to wake up the device in a timely manner. Since the main MCU has a relatively high power consumption, the power consumption of the input device wake-up detection is relatively high.

[0004] Therefore, there is an urgent need to provide a low-power key scanning device to reduce the power consumption of the wireless input device when it is in the sleep state. Summary of the Utility Model

[0005] This application provides a key scanning circuit, a wake-up module, and an input device, providing a key scanning circuit independent of the main control unit to scan the state of the optical keys of the input device, reducing the power consumption of the input device when it is in the sleep state, and extending the standby time of the input device.

[0006] In the first aspect of the embodiments of this application, a key scanning circuit is provided. The key scanning circuit is configured to be connected to the emission end of the optical key of the device and to the main control unit of the device; the key scanning circuit is used to receive the working mode signal of the main control unit and generate a scanning signal with a corresponding frequency based on the working mode signal to periodically drive the emission end of the optical key to emit an optical signal.

[0007] By scanning the state of the optical key through a chip independent of the main control unit, the main control unit can be completely in the sleep state when the device is in the sleep state, greatly reducing the power consumption of the optical key state scanning, thereby reducing the power consumption of the device when it is in the sleep state and improving the battery life of the entire device.

[0008] It should be noted that the optical key in the embodiments of the present application refers to a key implemented by using a photoelectric sensor, including a transmitting end, a receiving end, and a key mechanism; when the key mechanism is not triggered, the key structure blocks the optical signal emitted by the transmitting end, resulting in the receiving end being unable to receive the optical signal emitted by the transmitting end; when the key mechanism is triggered, the optical signal emitted by the transmitting end is received by the receiving end and converted into an electrical signal for output.

[0009] In a possible implementation manner, the key scanning circuit and the main control unit are deployed on the same circuit board.

[0010] By deploying the key scanning circuit and the main control unit on the same circuit board, the integration degree is improved, the production cost is reduced, and the overall required space is reduced.

[0011] In a possible implementation manner, the device includes a plurality of optical keys, the key scanning circuit includes a plurality of interfaces, and the key scanning circuit transmits the generated scanning signals to the transmitting ends of different optical keys through different interfaces.

[0012] When the device includes a plurality of optical keys, by connecting each optical key through a plurality of interfaces respectively, the scanning of the states of all optical keys is realized, so that when any one of the optical keys is triggered, the device can be awakened, and the convenience degree of device awakening is improved.

[0013] In a possible implementation manner, the key scanning circuit further includes a power supply module.

[0014] On the premise of sharing the circuit board with the main control unit, the key scanning circuit is powered by an independent power supply, which supports independent optical key scanning when the MCU is in sleep; it avoids the situation of sharing the power supply with the main control unit, where the power supply module of the main control unit needs to be turned on during optical key scanning, resulting in relatively high power consumption.

[0015] In a possible implementation manner, the key scanning circuit is encapsulated in the transmitting end of the optical key.

[0016] By encapsulating the key scanning circuit in the transmitting end of the optical key, while having a high integration degree, it avoids adjusting the circuit board. Only the original optical key of the device needs to be directly replaced, with little workload for improving the device and being easy to implement.

[0017] In a possible implementation manner, the scanning signal is a Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) signal.

[0018] By driving the transmitting end of the optical key with the PWM signal, it has high reliability, is easy to control, and at the same time, saves energy consumption.

[0019] In a possible implementation, the key scanning circuit includes a signal generating circuit and a controller; the signal generating circuit is configured to be connected to the transmitting end of the optical key and generate a pulse width modulation signal; the controller is configured to be connected to the main control unit, receive the working mode signal of the main control unit, and adjust the frequency of the pulse width modulation signal generated by the signal generating circuit based on the working mode signal.

[0020] By controlling the frequency of the PWM signal output by a single signal generating circuit through the controller to scan the state of the optical key, the circuit structure complexity is low and it is easy to implement.

[0021] In a possible implementation, the key scanning circuit includes a gating circuit and a multi-channel signal generating circuit. The gating circuit is configured to be connected to both the main control unit and the transmitting end of the optical key; the signal generating circuit is used to generate a pulse width modulation signal, and the frequencies of the pulse width modulation signals generated by different channels of the signal generating circuit are different; the gating circuit is used to receive the working mode signal of the main control unit and select a pulse width modulation signal generated by one channel of the signal generating circuit based on the working mode signal and output it to the transmitting end of the optical key.

[0022] By generating scanning signals of multiple frequencies through multiple signal generating circuits and selecting a scanning signal of one of the frequencies for output by the gating circuit to scan the state of the optical key, the control logic is simple and the accuracy of the frequency of the output scanning signal is improved.

[0023] The second aspect of the embodiments of the present application provides a wake-up module, including an optical key and the key scanning circuit provided in the first aspect of the present application; the optical key includes a transmitting end, a receiving end, and a key mechanism located between the transmitting end and the receiving end; when the key mechanism is not triggered, the optical signal output by the transmitting end is blocked; when the key mechanism is triggered, the optical signal output by the transmitting end is received by the receiving end and converted into an electrical signal; the receiving end is configured to be connected to the main control unit to transmit the converted electrical signal to the main control unit to wake up the main control unit in a sleep state.

[0024] Through the wake-up module, the main control unit in a sleep state is woken up based on the state of the optical key, and the circuit for scanning the state of the optical key is independent of the main control unit, and the power consumption of state scanning is low, thereby reducing the power consumption of the whole machine in a sleep state and improving the battery life.

[0025] The third aspect of the embodiments of the present application provides an input device, including a main control unit, an optical key, and the key scanning circuit provided in the first aspect of the present application.

[0026] In a possible implementation, the input device is a wireless input device.

[0027] In a possible implementation, the input device is a mouse, a keyboard, or a gamepad.

[0028] The key scanning circuit, wake-up module, and input device provided in this application separate the optical key status scanning module, that is, the key scanning circuit, from the main control unit of the device. Thus, when the whole machine is in the sleep state, the main control unit can be completely in the sleep state. The key scanning circuit independent of the main control unit scans the status of the optical key based on the generated low-frequency scanning signal to achieve key trigger or press recognition, thereby timely waking up the main control unit in the sleep state to promptly respond to user operations. Using an independent key scanning circuit for optical key scanning reduces the power consumption of key status scanning on the premise of ensuring the response speed, thus reducing the power consumption of the whole machine during sleep; for wireless input devices, it effectively improves the battery life of the device. Description of the Drawings

[0029] Figure 1 It is a schematic structural diagram of an optical key;

[0030] Figure 2A It is a waveform diagram of the key signal output by the optical key;

[0031] Figure 2B It is a waveform diagram of the key signal output by the mechanical key;

[0032] Figure 3 It is a schematic structural diagram of an input device wake-up module;

[0033] Figure 4 It is a schematic structural diagram of a key scanning circuit provided by an embodiment of this application;

[0034] Figure 5 It is a layout schematic diagram of a key scanning circuit provided by an embodiment of this application;

[0035] Figure 6 It is another layout schematic diagram of a key scanning circuit provided by an embodiment of this application;

[0036] Figure 7 It is a schematic structural diagram of the optical key 200 provided by an embodiment of this application;

[0037] Figure 8 It is a schematic diagram of another key scanning circuit provided by an embodiment of this application;

[0038] Figure 9 It is a schematic diagram of yet another key scanning circuit provided by an embodiment of this application;

[0039] Figure 10 Schematic diagram of a wake-up module provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0040] Figure 11 Schematic diagram of an input device provided by an embodiment of the present application.

[0041] Description of the reference numerals in the drawings:

[0042] 10 - Wake-up module;

[0043] 20 - Input device;

[0044] 100 - Scanning circuit;

[0045] 102 - Signal generation circuit;

[0046] 104 - Controller;

[0047] 106 - Gating circuit;

[0048] 200 - Optical key;

[0049] 202 - Transmitting end;

[0050] 204 - Receiving end;

[0051] 206 - Key mechanism;

[0052] 208 - Key body;

[0053] 300 - Main control unit. Specific embodiments

[0054] The terms used in the embodiments section of the present application are only used to explain the specific embodiments of the present application and are not intended to limit the present application.

[0055] Unless the context requires otherwise, throughout the specification and claims, the term "comprise" and its other forms, such as the third-person singular form "comprises" and the present participle form "comprising", are construed in an open, inclusive sense, i.e., "including, but not limited to". In the description of the specification, the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "exemplary embodiments", "example", or "some examples", etc. are intended to indicate that the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics related to the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present disclosure. The schematic representations of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. In addition, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described above may be included in any one or more embodiments or examples in any appropriate manner.

[0056] In addition, in this application, orientation terms such as "front" and "rear" are defined relative to the orientation of the components shown in the drawings. It should be understood that these directional terms are relative concepts, which are used for description and clarification relative to, and they may change accordingly with the change of the orientation of the components placed in the drawings.

[0057] In the embodiments of this application, "and / or" is merely a description of the association relationship of associated objects, indicating that there can be three relationships. For example, A and / or B can represent: A exists alone, A and B exist simultaneously, and B exists alone. In addition, the character " / " in this article generally represents an "or" relationship between the front and rear associated objects.

[0058] In recent years, optical keys (also known as optical micro switches or optical keys) have been widely used in input devices due to their advantages of long service life, high stability, and fast response speed.

[0059] Figure 1 is a schematic structural diagram of an optical key, as Figure 1 shown, generally an optical key includes a transmitting end, a receiving end, and a key mechanism. The transmitting end is used to emit an optical signal under the action of a driving signal. The transmitting end includes a light-emitting diode, generally an infrared transmitting tube; the receiving end includes a photosensitive element, generally an infrared receiving tube.

[0060] The key mechanism includes parts located at the transmitting end and the receiving end. In the default state, this part blocks the optical signal emitted by the transmitting end, resulting in the receiving end being unable to receive the optical signal. When the key mechanism is triggered, the optical signal emitted by the transmitting end is received by the receiving end, and the receiving end converts the received optical signal into an electrical signal and outputs it.

[0061] The key mechanism has two states: the triggered (or pressed) state and the untriggered state (default state). When the key mechanism is untriggered, i.e., in the default state, the key mechanism blocks the optical signal emitted by the transmitting end, so that the receiving end cannot receive the optical signal and thus cannot output an electrical signal. When the key mechanism is triggered, i.e., clicked or pressed by the user, the optical signal emitted by the transmitting end is received by the receiving end.

[0062] Exemplarily, the key mechanism may include a key body, a shielding piece and a connecting shaft. The key body and the shielding piece are connected by the connecting shaft to drive the shielding piece to move. In the default state, the shielding piece is located between the transmitting end and the receiving end of the optical key, blocking the optical signal emitted by the transmitting end. When the key body is pressed or triggered, the connecting shaft drives the shielding piece to move, so that the shielding piece does not block the light emitted by the transmitting end, and the light emitted by the transmitting end is received by the receiving end. After the key body is restored, the connecting shaft drives the shielding piece to move and returns to the default state.

[0063] Figure 2A is the waveform diagram of the key signal output by the optical key, Figure 2B is the waveform diagram of the key signal output by the mechanical key, as Figure 2A and Figure 2B shown, the key signal output by the optical key, that is, the electrical signal output by the receiving end of the optical key, has high stability, does not require additional signal processing, and has a fast key response speed. For traditional mechanical keys, that is, keys that rely on the contact between metal reed pieces and contacts to transmit signals, as the metal contacts wear and age, the jitter of the key signal (electrical signal) output by the mechanical key increases, as shown in the part circled by the dotted line in Figure 2B . It is easy to recognize a single click operation as a double click operation. To overcome this problem, mechanical keys need to add a debounce algorithm, and the processing of the debounce algorithm takes a certain amount of time, resulting in a higher delay of the mechanical key. Compared with mechanical keys, optical keys have no problem of contact aging and have obvious advantages in terms of delay and key life.

[0064] Figure 3 is a schematic structural diagram of an input device wake-up module, as Figure 3 shown. After the input device enters the sleep state, such as when the user does not operate the input device for a long time, the main control unit of the input device, that is, the main MCU, needs to periodically scan the state of the optical key to wake up the input device in time. The transmitting end of the optical key emits light periodically under the action of the PWM signal output by the main MCU. When the key mechanism is triggered, the optical signal emitted by the transmitting end can be received by the receiving end and converted into an electrical signal. The electrical signal converted by the receiving end is transmitted to the main MCU to complete a click recognition. After receiving the electrical signal output by the receiving end of the optical key, the main MCU wakes up the input device in the sleep state.

[0065] In the above method of using the main MCU to scan the status of the optical key, since the main MCU needs to activate many modules during operation, such as the power module, communication module, clock module, etc., to ensure the output of the PWM signal, the power consumption of the optical key status scan is relatively high. For wireless input devices, this will result in a shorter battery life for the entire device.

[0066] To solve the above technical problems, the embodiments of the present application provide a key scan circuit, which realizes separating the function of scanning the key status from the main control unit of the device, such as the above-mentioned main MCU. A separate key scan circuit is used to scan the status of the optical key, so that the main MCU can be completely in the sleep state when the device is in the sleep state. The main MCU only needs to send the working mode signal to the key scan circuit when switching the working mode. The key scan circuit will determine the frequency of the scan signal used for scanning the status of the optical key based on the working mode signal of the main MCU. For example, a lower frequency is used during sleep, and a higher frequency is used during non-sleep, such as when working, which greatly reduces the power consumption of the key status scan, realizes low-power key scanning, effectively reduces the power consumption when the device is in the sleep or standby state, and for wireless devices, can effectively improve the battery life of the device.

[0067] The following will combine with the accompanying drawings to give a detailed description of the key scan circuit, wake-up module and input device provided by the embodiments of the present application.

[0068] Figure 4 It is a schematic structural diagram of a key scan circuit provided by an embodiment of the present application. As Figure 4 shown, the key scan circuit 100 provided by the embodiment of the present application is configured to be connected to the transmitting end 202 of the optical key 200 of the device, and to be connected to the main control unit 300 of the device. The key scan circuit 100 is used to receive the working mode signal of the main control unit 300 and generate a scan signal with a corresponding frequency based on the working mode signal to periodically drive the transmitting end 202 of the optical key 200 to emit an optical signal.

[0069] When the key scan circuit 100 is connected to the device, the scan circuit 100 needs to be connected to the transmitting end 202 of the optical key 200 of the device and to the main control unit 300 of the device, so as to realize scanning the optical key 200 of the device with a scan signal of a corresponding frequency based on the working mode of the main control unit 300, and realize the trigger recognition of the optical key 200.

[0070] Continue to refer to Figure 4 , the receiving end 204 of the optical key 200 is connected to the main control unit 300 to transmit the key signal output by the receiving end 204 to the main control unit, and realize the trigger recognition of the optical key 200.

[0071] The key scanning circuit 100 is a functional module independent of the main control unit 300. When the device is in the sleep state, the state of the optical key can be periodically scanned by the key scanning circuit 100, while the main control unit of the device can maintain a low-power sleep mode.

[0072] The key scanning circuit 100 can be independently powered or share the same power supply with the main control unit 300.

[0073] Under the action of different working mode signals, the optical key 200 can output scanning signals of different frequencies to the transmitting end 202 of the optical key 200.

[0074] When the main control unit 300 switches the working mode, it can send the switched working mode to the key scanning circuit 100.

[0075] When the working mode of the main control unit 300 is the sleep mode, when the optical key 200 is triggered or pressed, that is, when the key structure 206 of the optical key 200 is pressed, the optical signal emitted by the transmitting end 202 of the optical key 200 can be received by the receiving end 204 and converted into an electrical signal. The electrical signal converted by the receiving end 204 is transmitted to the main control unit 300 as the key signal of the optical key 200, thereby switching the working mode of the main control unit 300 from the sleep mode to the working mode.

[0076] Continue to refer to Figure 4 , when the device is in the sleep state, the main control unit 300 does not need to control the transmitting end 202 of the optical key 200. It only needs to transmit the working mode signal to the key scanning circuit 100 when entering the sleep or being awakened, that is, when the working mode is switched. The key scanning circuit 100 independently scans the state of the optical key 200 at a corresponding frequency based on the received working mode signal.

[0077] The key scanning circuit 100 can adjust the frequency of the scanning signal according to the state (also known as the working mode) of the device or the main control unit. For example, when the device is in the sleep state, the frequency of the scanning signal is reduced to save power.

[0078] The frequency of the scanning signal output by the key scanning circuit 100 can be specifically set according to different states or working conditions of the device and stored in the key scanning circuit 100. The MCU only needs to input a new working mode signal into the key scanning circuit 100 when the working mode is switched. The key scanning circuit 100 can complete a quick switch according to the mapping relationship between the stored working mode signal and the frequency or control signal, and output the scanning signal of the corresponding frequency of the new working mode.

[0079] Since the key scanning circuit 100 is only responsible for driving the transmitting end 202 of the optical key 200 and has a simple function, its power consumption during operation is much lower than that of the main control unit 300. Therefore, compared with the method of using the main control unit 300 to drive the transmitting end 202 of the optical key 200, the power consumption of the drive is greatly reduced.

[0080] Taking the working mode signal including two signals, namely the sleep signal and the working signal, as an example, when the main control unit is in the sleep mode or state, its working mode signal is the sleep signal. Under the action of the sleep signal, the key scanning circuit 100 generates a scanning signal with a lower frequency and outputs it to the transmitting end 202 of the optical key 200 to scan the state of the optical key 200 at a lower frequency. When the main control unit is in the working mode or state, its working mode signal is the working signal. Under the action of the working signal, the key scanning circuit 100 generates a scanning signal with a higher frequency and outputs it to the transmitting end 202 of the optical key 200 to scan the state of the optical key 200 at a higher frequency.

[0081] Exemplarily, the frequency of the scanning signal output to the transmitting end 202 under the sleep signal can be 10 Hz or a frequency below 10 Hz to reduce power consumption; the frequency of the scanning signal output to the transmitting end 202 under the working signal can be 1 kHz or above 1 kHz to reduce the key delay and improve the response speed.

[0082] Exemplarily, the sleep signal and the working signal can be a low level and a high level respectively.

[0083] The key scanning circuit 100 may include a signal generating circuit and a controller. The signal generating circuit is used to generate a scanning signal with a corresponding frequency under the action of the control signal of the controller, and the controller is used to generate the control signal of the signal generating circuit based on the working mode signal of the main control unit 300.

[0084] The scanning signal can be any periodic pulse signal used to drive a light emitting diode, such as a PWM signal, a PFM (Pulse Frequency Modulation) signal, etc.

[0085] The key scanning circuit provided in this embodiment realizes the separation of the optical key status scanning module, that is, the key scanning circuit, from the main control unit of the slave device. Thus, when the whole machine is in the sleep state, the main control unit can be completely in the sleep state, and the key scanning circuit independent of the main control unit scans the status of the optical key based on the generated low-frequency scanning signal to realize key trigger or press recognition, so as to wake up the main control unit in the sleep state in time and respond to user operations in time. By using an independent key scanning circuit for optical key scanning, the power consumption of key status scanning is reduced on the premise of ensuring the response speed, thereby reducing the power consumption of the whole machine during sleep; for wireless input devices, the battery life of the device is effectively improved.

[0086] Figure 5 FIG. is a layout schematic diagram of a key scanning circuit provided in an embodiment of the present application. As Figure 5 shown, in order to save production costs, the key scanning circuit 100 can be deployed on the same circuit board as the main control unit 300, such as a PCB (Printed Circuit Board).

[0087] The key scanning circuit 100 can be added to the PCB where the main control unit 300 is located. The form of the key scanning circuit 100 can be an integrated circuit (IC), a chip or other forms.

[0088] Continue to refer to Figure 5 , on the PCB, the key scanning circuit 100 is connected to the transmitting end 202 of the optical key 200 ( Figure 5 not shown in ) to control the transmitting end 202 to periodically emit optical signals, and the receiving end 204 of the optical key 200 ( Figure 5 not shown in ) remains connected to the main control unit 300.

[0089] When wiring the PCB, it is necessary to connect the transmitting end 202 of the optical key 200 to the interface of the key scanning circuit 100, and the receiving end 204 to the interface of the main control unit 300.

[0090] In some embodiments, the device includes multiple optical keys 200, and the key scanning circuit 100 includes multiple interfaces. The key scanning circuit 100 transmits the generated scanning signals to the transmitting ends 202 of different optical keys 200 through different interfaces. Figure 5 Taking the device including 2 optical keys 200 as an example, such as the left and right keys of a mouse.

[0091] The number of optical buttons 200 on the device may be one or more. When the device includes multiple optical buttons 200, the number of available interfaces of the button scanning circuit 100 should be greater than or equal to the number of optical buttons 200 on the device, so as to connect to the emission ends 202 of the respective optical buttons 200 through different interfaces and implement the status scanning of the optical buttons 200 on the device.

[0092] By deploying the main control unit 300 and the button scanning circuit 100 of the device on the same circuit board, the number of circuit boards is reduced, the wiring path is short, and the production cost is reduced. At the same time, it provides the possibility for the miniaturization of the device. Through the sufficient available interfaces of the button scanning circuit 100, connecting to the emission ends 202 of the respective optical buttons 200 on the device, the status scanning of the optical buttons 200 on the device is realized, improving the comprehensiveness of the scanning, enabling the user to wake up the sleeping device by pressing any one of the optical buttons 200, and improving the convenience of waking up the device.

[0093] In some embodiments, the button scanning circuit 100 can be independently powered, that is, the button scanning circuit 100 includes a power module to meet the requirement of still being able to scan the status of the optical button 200 after the main control unit 300 enters the sleep state.

[0094] The frequency of the scanning signal output by the button scanning circuit 100 under different working mode signals can be configured by software to meet the usage requirements of different devices. Taking a wireless mouse as an example, when the mouse is in the working mode, the frequency of the scanning signal can be 1 KHz or above to reduce the button delay; while when the mouse is in the sleep mode, the frequency of the scanning signal can be reduced to 10 Hz or below to reduce the power consumption.

[0095] In some embodiments, the button scanning circuit 100 can be deployed inside the optical button 200, thereby improving the integration degree.

[0096] A small integrated circuit can be added inside the optical button 200, that is, the button scanning circuit 100, and the button scanning circuit 100 is connected to the emission end 202 of the optical button 200.

[0097] Figure 6 Another layout schematic diagram of the button scanning circuit provided by the embodiment of the present application is as Figure 6 shown. When laying out, the button scanning circuit 100 can be encapsulated in the emission end 202 of the optical button 200.

[0098] The emission end 202 of the optical button 200 includes a substrate and an infrared emission tube. The button scanning circuit 100 can be encapsulated on the substrate and connected to the infrared emission tube to drive the infrared emission tube to emit light periodically.

[0099] By encapsulating the key scanning circuit 100 inside the optical key 200, a new optical key 200 is obtained. This optical key 200 does not require the main control unit 300 to perform scanning and can complete low-frequency status scanning by itself when the device or the main control unit 300 is in a sleep state.

[0100] The original optical keys of the device can be replaced with the optical keys 200 encapsulated with the key scanning circuit 100, with relatively minor modifications to the device and low workload for the modifications.

[0101] Figure 7 It is a schematic structural diagram of the optical key 200 provided by an embodiment of the present application, as Figure 7 shown. The optical key 200 includes a key body 208, a transmitting end 202, a receiving end 204, a key mechanism 206, and a key scanning circuit 100.

[0102] The key scanning circuit 100 can be encapsulated inside the transmitting end 202 and connected to the transmitting tube of the transmitting end 202, and drives the transmitting tube to emit light periodically through the output scanning signal.

[0103] The PWM signal has high flexibility and stability and is easy to control. The PWM signal can be used as the scanning signal to drive the transmitting end 202 of the optical key 200 to emit light periodically.

[0104] Figure 8 It is a schematic diagram of another key scanning circuit provided by an embodiment of the present application, as Figure 8 shown. The key scanning circuit 100 provided in this embodiment includes a signal generating circuit 102 and a controller 104.

[0105] The signal generating circuit 102 is configured to be connected to the transmitting end 202 of the optical key 200 for generating a PWM signal; the controller 104 is configured to be connected to the main control unit 300 for receiving the working mode signal of the main control unit 300 and adjusting the frequency of the PWM signal generated by the signal generating circuit 102 based on the received working mode signal.

[0106] The signal generating circuit 102 can be any PWM signal generator with adjustable frequency.

[0107] The controller 104 can be any controller for adjusting the frequency of the PWM signal generator. The controller 104 takes the working mode signal of the main control unit 300 as the input signal and converts this input signal into a control signal for adjusting the frequency of the signal generating circuit 102, so as to output PWM signals with different frequencies according to different working modes.

[0108] A lookup table can be stored in the controller 104, and the control signals corresponding to each working mode signal are stored in the lookup table. The controller 104 can determine the corresponding control signal from the lookup table based on the received working mode signal, and output the control signal to the signal generation circuit 102, so as to control the signal generation circuit 102 to output a PWM signal with a corresponding frequency.

[0109] By providing a single-channel PWM signal generation circuit with adjustable frequency, the output of a PWM signal with a specified frequency is realized, which simplifies the circuit structure of the key scanning circuit 100.

[0110] Figure 9 FIG. is a schematic diagram of another key scanning circuit provided by an embodiment of the present application. As Figure 9 shown, the key scanning circuit 100 provided in this embodiment includes a multi-channel signal generation circuit 102 and a gating circuit 106. Figure 9 Taking the number of channels of the signal generation circuit 102 as k as an example, k is a positive integer greater than or equal to the number of working mode signals.

[0111] The signal generation circuit 102 is used to generate PWM signals. The PWM signals generated by different channels of the signal generation circuit 102 have different frequencies, such as Figure 9 the PWM signals with frequencies f1 to fk in.

[0112] In this embodiment, the frequency of the PWM signal output by the signal generation circuit 102 is fixed, that is, the frequency of the output PWM signal is not adjustable.

[0113] The gating circuit 106 is configured to be connected to both the main control unit 300 and the transmitting end 202 of the optical key 200. The gating circuit 106 is used to receive the working mode signal of the main control unit 300, and select a pulse width modulation signal generated by one channel of the signal generation circuit 102 based on the working mode signal and output it to the transmitting end 202 of the optical key 200 to realize periodic driving of the transmitting end 202 to emit light.

[0114] When there are multiple optical keys 200 of the device, the gating circuit 106 is configured to be connected to the transmitting end 202 of each optical key 200 among the multiple optical keys 200 to scan the states of the optical keys 200.

[0115] The multi-channel signal generation circuit 102 can be encapsulated in a chip. The chip outputs PWM signals with multiple frequencies, and the gating circuit 106 selects one of the frequencies of the PWM signals based on the working mode signal and outputs it.

[0116] The levels of different working mode signals are different. The gating circuit 106 can select the PWM signal generated by one of the signal generation circuits 102 and output it based on the value of the input level.

[0117] The PWM signals of multiple frequencies are provided by the multi-channel signal generation circuit 102, and one of the scanning signals output by the signal generation circuit 102 is selected and output by the gating circuit. The circuit logic is simple and easy to implement. Compared with the method of adjusting the frequency of the PWM signal output by the signal generation circuit 102, it has high stability and improves the accuracy of the PWM signal frequency control.

[0118] Figure 10 The following is a schematic structural diagram of a wake-up module provided by an embodiment of the present application, as Figure 10 shown. The wake-up module 10 includes a key scanning circuit 100 and one or more optical keys 200. Figure 10 Taking 3 optical keys 200 as an example.

[0119] The optical key 200 includes a transmitting end 202, a receiving end 204, and a key mechanism 206 located between the transmitting end 202 and the receiving end 204; when the key mechanism 206 is not triggered, the optical signal output by the transmitting end 202 is blocked; when the key mechanism 206 is triggered, the optical signal output by the transmitting end 202 is received by the receiving end 204 and converted into an electrical signal; the receiving end 204 is configured to be connected to the main control unit 300 to transmit the converted electrical signal to the main control unit 300 to wake up the main control unit 300 in the sleep state.

[0120] After receiving the electrical signal converted by the receiving end 204 of the optical key 200, the main control unit 300 switches its working mode from the sleep mode to the working mode, and sends a working signal to the key scanning circuit 100, so that the key scanning circuit 100 outputs a scanning signal with a higher frequency to timely identify the state of the optical key 200 and improve the response speed.

[0121] If the electrical signal converted by the receiving end 204 of the optical key 200 is not received for a long time, the state of the main control unit in the working mode switches to the sleep mode, and a sleep signal is sent to the key scanning circuit 100, so that the key scanning circuit 100 outputs a scanning signal with a lower frequency to reduce power consumption.

[0122] Figure 11 The following is a schematic structural diagram of an input device provided by an embodiment of the present application, as Figure 11 shown. The input device 20 includes a key scanning circuit 100, one or more optical keys 200, and a main control unit 300. Figure 11 Taking 2 optical keys 200 as an example.

[0123] In the input device 20, the input end of the key scanning circuit 100 is connected to the main control unit 300 to receive the working mode signal output by the main control unit 300; the output end of the key scanning circuit 100 is respectively connected to the emitting ends 202 of the respective optical keys 200 to transmit the output scanning signal, such as a PWM signal, to the emitting ends 202 of the respective optical keys 200, thereby driving the emitting tubes of the emitting ends 202 to emit light. When the optical key 200 is pressed or triggered, the light emitted by the emitting end 202 is received by the receiving end 204 of the optical key 200 and converted into an electrical signal. The receiving end 204 of the optical key 200 is connected to the main control unit 300, and the electrical signal converted by the receiving end 204 is output to the main control unit 300, realizing one-time recognition of the triggering of the optical key 200 to wake up the sleeping main control unit 300, or the main control unit 300 outputs a corresponding operation instruction based on the recognized triggering operation of the optical key 200.

[0124] After receiving the electrical signal converted by the receiving end 204 of any one of the optical keys 200, the sleeping main control unit 300 switches its working mode from the sleep mode to the working mode and sends a working signal to the key scanning circuit 100.

[0125] Exemplarily, the input device can be a mouse, a keyboard, a gamepad, etc.

[0126] The input device can be a wireless input device, and it further includes a wireless communication module, such as a Bluetooth module.

[0127] When the input device is a wireless mouse, the number of the optical keys 200 can be two, respectively corresponding to the left button and the right button of the mouse. When the input device is a wireless keyboard, any one of the keys on the wireless keyboard can be an optical key 200.

[0128] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise clearly defined and limited, the terms "installation", "connection", and "connection" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, it can be a fixed connection, or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, and can be the communication inside two components or the interaction relationship between two components. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in the embodiments of the present application can be understood according to specific situations.

[0129] The terms "first", "second", "third", "fourth", etc. (if any) in the description, claims, and drawings of the embodiments of the present application are used to distinguish similar objects, and do not necessarily need to be used to describe a specific order or sequence.

[0130] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, rather than limiting them; although the embodiments of the present application have been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those of ordinary skill in the art should understand that they can still modify the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or perform equivalent replacements on some or all of the technical features; and these modifications or replacements do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application.

Claims

1. A key scanning circuit, characterized in that: The key scanning circuit is configured to be connected to a transmitting end of an optical key of a device and to be connected to a main control unit of the device; The key scanning circuit is used to receive the working mode signal of the main control unit, and generate a scanning signal of a corresponding frequency based on the working mode signal to periodically drive the transmitting end of the optical key to emit a light signal.

2. The key scanning circuit according to claim 1, characterized in that: The key scanning circuit and the main control unit are arranged on the same circuit board.

3. The key scanning circuit according to claim 2, characterized in that: The device includes a plurality of optical keys, the key scanning circuit includes a plurality of interfaces, and the key scanning circuit transmits the generated scanning signals to the transmitting ends of different optical keys through different interfaces.

4. The key scanning circuit according to claim 2, characterized in that: The key scanning circuit also includes a power supply module.

5. The key scanning circuit according to claim 1, characterized in that: The key scanning circuit is packaged at the transmitting end of the optical key.

6. The key scanning circuit according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The scanning signal is a pulse width modulation signal.

7. The key scanning circuit according to claim 6, characterized in that: The key scanning circuit includes a signal generating circuit and a controller; The signal generating circuit is configured to be connected to the transmitting end of the optical key and used to generate a pulse width modulation signal; The controller is configured to be connected to the main control unit, to receive an operating mode signal of the main control unit, and to adjust the frequency of the pulse width modulation signal generated by the signal generating circuit based on the operating mode signal.

8. The key scanning circuit according to claim 6, characterized in that: The key scanning circuit includes a gating circuit and a multi-channel signal generating circuit, and the gating circuit is configured to be connected to both the main control unit and the transmitting end of the optical key; The signal generating circuit is used to generate a pulse width modulation signal, and the pulse width modulation signals generated by the signal generating circuits of different paths have different frequencies; The gating circuit is used to receive the working mode signal of the main control unit, and select a pulse width modulation signal generated by a signal generating circuit based on the working mode signal to output to the transmitting end of the optical key.

9. A wake-up module, characterized in that: Comprising an optical key and a key scanning circuit according to any one of claims 1 to 8; The optical key comprises a transmitting end, a receiving end, and a key mechanism located between the transmitting end and the receiving end; when the key mechanism is not triggered, the optical signal output by the transmitting end is blocked; When the key mechanism is triggered, the optical signal output by the transmitting end is received by the receiving end and converted into an electrical signal; The receiving end is configured to be connected to the main control unit to transmit the converted electrical signal to the main control unit to wake up the main control unit in a dormant state.

10. An input device, characterized in that: The invention comprises a main control unit, an optical key and a key scanning circuit provided by any one of claims 1 to 8.

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