Is this possible?

[Patrick_]

Ok, I think this will be really, really cool if it's possible.

I just bought <a
href="http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16826129004"
target="blank">this </a> mouse, for only $1.99! Not a bad deal, I'll say,
for an optical mouse. My ball mouse was really getting annoying, so bad
that it was hard to click on smaller buttons and stuff, it'd get stuck
and you'd have to move it all around...

Notice the last review. It says that the LED stays on full power even
when not in use or is picked up. Now, this is no problem to me
whatsoever, but because I know that other optical mice do, it gave me an
idea:

Do you think it is possible (I'm quite sure it is) to, after a certain
period of non-usage, to lessen the power to the LED in the optical mouse
via an application? And then when the application reads mouse activity,
to restore the LED to full power?

I think this would be awesome, a very cool programming project and
experience. I'd like it to be in C, because that's what I'm learning, and
I'm using Linux, so, no M$ languages. ;-)

Does anyone think this is possible, and have some resources where I might
find the right information I need to delve into this? I'm sure it
involves some complicated coding, having to deal with power usage,
sending signals to the PS/2 port, etc etc.

Thanks in advance, guys!

 

[Malcolm]

Do you think it is possible (I'm quite sure it is) to, after a certain
period of non-usage, to lessen the power to the LED in the optical mouse
via an application? And then when the application reads mouse activity,
to restore the LED to full power?

It sounds like a good project, if you are interested in device driver type
stuff.

The logic is trivial - intercept mouse movements and clock ticks, and turn
down the LED after a certain period of inactivity.
The problem lies in interacting with this hardware. This is getting more and
more difficult, and often there won't be C calls that do what you want - you
will have to call OS routines directly. Additionally, it might not be
physically possible to reduce power to the mouse, though it will be possible
to construct (and patent) a mouse that does allow this to happen. The
control flow of the program in C, which this group deals with, will be the
least of your problems. Try an electronic engineering group for better help.

 

[CBFalconer]

It sounds like a good project, if you are interested in device
driver type stuff.

What for? A led is probably using about 10 to 20 mA at under one
volt, or about 15 milliwatts. Negligible unless battery powered.
Besides which the place to detect mouse action, and reduce power,
is within the mouse itself.