Adapter for wirelessly interfacing a full-size stand alone keyboard with a handheld computing device

Claim 2

An adapter for interfacing a portable handheld electronic computing device with a standalone keyboard, comprising: a keyboard port for coupling to the standalone keyboard to receive keyboard generated signals; a converter coupled to the keyboard port to convert the keyboard generated signals to converted signals; and a wireless transmitter coupled to the converter to transmit the converted signals to the handheld electronic computing device.

Claim 3

An adapter as recited in claim 1 wherein the transmitter comprises an IR transmitter.

Claim 4

An adapter as recited in claim 1 wherein the transmitter comprises an RF transmitter.

Claim 5

An adapter as recited in claim 1 further comprising a power supply coupled to supply power to the converter and the transmitter.

Claim 6

An adapter as recited in claim 1 further comprising an AC adapter input.

Claim 7

An adapter for interfacing a portable handheld computing device with a full-size standalone QWERTY keyboard, comprising: a keyboard input alternately connectable to and disconnectable from a keyboard plug of a full-size standalone QWERTY keyboard, the keyboard input receiving a scan code indicative of an activated key on the keyboard when the keyboard input is connected to the keyboard plug; a converter coupled to the keyboard input to convert the scan code into an ASCII/special-key code; and an infrared transmitter coupled to the converter to transmit the ASCII/special-key code via infrared to the handheld computing device.

Claim 8

An adapter for interfacing a portable handheld computing device with a full-size standalone QWERTY keyboard, comprising: a keyboard input alternately connectable to and disconnectable from a keyboard plug of a full-size standalone QWERTY keyboard, the keyboard input receiving a scan code indicative of an activated key on the keyboard when the keyboard input is connected to the keyboard plug; a converter coupled to the keyboard input to convert the scan code into an ASCII/special-key code; and an infrared transmitter coupled to the converter to transmit the ASCII/special-key code via infrared to the handheld computing device.

Claim 9

An adapter as recited in claim 6, wherein the converter comprises a BIOS integrated circuit.

Claim 10

An adapter as recited in claim 6 further comprising a power supply coupled to supply power to the converter and the infrared transmitter.

Claim 11

An adapter as recited in claim 6 further comprising an AC adapter input.

Claim 12

An adapter for interfacing a keyboard with a handheld electronic computing device, the adapter being configured to couple to the keyboard to convert keyboard generated signals to code and to transmit the code via a wireless link to the handheld electronic computing device.

Claim 13

An adapter for interfacing a keyboard with a handheld electronic computing device, the adapter being configured to couple to the keyboard to convert keyboard generated signals to code and to transmit the code via a wireless link to the handheld electronic computing device.

Claim 14

An adapter as recited in claim 10, comprising an IR transmitter.

Claim 15

An adapter as recited in claim 10, comprising an RF transmitter.

Claim 16

An adapter as recited in claim 10, comprising a power supply.

Claim 17

An adapter as recited in claim 10, comprising an AC adapter input.

Claim 18

An assembly comprising: a handheld electronic computing device equipped with a wireless receiver; and a keyboard adapter for coupling to a full-size standalone keyboard to convert keyboard generated signals to code and to transmit the code via a wireless link to the wireless receiver of the handheld electronic computing device.

Claim 19

An assembly comprising: a handheld electronic computing device equipped with a wireless receiver; and a keyboard adapter for coupling to a full-size standalone keyboard to convert keyboard generated signals to code and to transmit the code via a wireless link to the wireless receiver of the handheld electronic computing device.

Claim 20

An assembly as recited in claim 15, wherein: the wireless receiver in the handheld electronic computing device comprises an IR receiver; and the keyboard adapter is equipped with an IR transmitter to transmit the code via an IR link to the IR receiver.

Claim 21

An assembly as recited in claim 15, wherein: the wireless receiver in the handheld electronic computing device comprises an RF receiver; and the keyboard adapter is equipped with an RF transmitter to transmit the code via an RF link to the RF receiver.

Claim 22

A computing assembly as recited in claim 15, wherein the keyboard adapter includes a power supply.

Claim 23

An assembly comprising: a full-size standalone keyboard having a serial cable; and an adapter configured to be connected to the keyboard cable to convert keyboard generated signals to code, the adapter comprising a wireless transmitter to transmit the code via a wireless link to a handheld electronic computing device.

Claim 24

An assembly comprising: a full-size standalone keyboard having a serial cable; and an adapter configured to be connected to the keyboard cable to convert keyboard generated signals to code, the adapter comprising a wireless transmitter to transmit the code via a wireless link to a handheld electronic computing device.

Claim 25

A computing assembly as recited in claim 19, wherein the keyboard comprises an ergonomic, full-size keyboard.

Claim 26

A computing assembly as recited in claim 19, wherein the wireless transmitter comprises an IR transmitter.

Claim 27

A computing assembly as recited in claim 19, wherein the wireless transmitter comprises an RF transmitter.

Claim 28

A computing assembly as recited in claim 19, wherein the adapter includes a power supply.

Claim 31

A method as recited in claim 24, wherein the transmitting step comprises the step of transmitting the code as an IR signal.

Claim 32

A method as recited in claim 24, wherein the transmitting step comprises the step of transmitting the code as an RF signal.

Claim 33

A standalone adapter for interfacing a standalone keyboard with a handheld electronic computing device, the standalone adapter comprising: a keyboard port for coupling to the standalone keyboard to receive keyboard generated signals; a converter coupled to the keyboard port to convert the keyboard generated signals to converted signals; a wireless transmitter coupled to the converter to transmit the converted signals to the handheld electronic computing device without a physical connection between the adapter and the computing device; and an encasing to package the keyboard port, the converter, and the wireless transmitter within a single integrated device.

Claim 34

A standalone adapter for interfacing a standalone keyboard with a handheld electronic computing device, the standalone adapter comprising: a keyboard port for coupling to the standalone keyboard to receive keyboard generated signals; a converter coupled to the keyboard port to convert the keyboard generated signals to converted signals; a wireless transmitter coupled to the converter to transmit the converted signals to the handheld electronic computing device without a physical connection between the adapter and the computing device; and an encasing to package the keyboard port, the converter, and the wireless transmitter within a single integrated device.

Claim 35

A standalone adapter as recited in claim 27, further comprising a power supply to power the converter and the wireless transmitter.

Claim 36

An assembly comprising: a handheld computing device having a wireless receiver; a full size standalone keyboard having a standard serial connector; and, an adapter to interface the full size keyboard to the handheld computing device, the adapter being detachably coupleable to the keyboard so that the keyboard can be alternately coupled to and decoupled from the adapter, the adapter having, an independent power supply, a keyboard input port into which the keyboard connector is coupled for receiving keyboard generated signals output from the full size keyboard, a converter coupled to the keyboard port to convert the keyboard generated signals to converted signals, and a wireless transmitter coupled to the converter to transmit the converted signals to the handheld computing device without a physical connection between the adapter and the computing device.

Claim 37

An assembly comprising: a handheld computing device having a wireless receiver; a full size standalone keyboard having a standard serial connector; and, an adapter to interface the full size keyboard to the handheld computing device, the adapter being detachably coupleable to the keyboard so that the keyboard can be alternately coupled to and decoupled from the adapter, the adapter having, an independent power supply, a keyboard input port into which the keyboard connector is coupled for receiving keyboard generated signals output from the full size keyboard, a converter coupled to the keyboard port to convert the keyboard generated signals to converted signals, and a wireless transmitter coupled to the converter to transmit the converted signals to the handheld computing device without a physical connection between the adapter and the computing device.