Jonathan, (01)
One thing I forgot to bring up yesterday is that we need to propose a
"keyboard mode" mapping that will ensure the keyset can be used as a
standard keyboard/mouse combination. As I mentioned to Gary Oliver
in a 4/7 note, one idea would be to adopt Microsoft's keyboard
conventions for physically impaired users. Microsoft calls this
feature"StickyKeys", which is part of the accessibility
features. Here is an article that discusses them:
http://www.microsoft.com/enable/training/windowsxp/stickykeys.aspx.
Basically, when you press any modifier key, it remains active until a
non-modifier key is pressed. You can lock/unlock the modifier key by
pressing it twice. In our case, we could simply program this behavior
into the keyset in "keyboard mode". I had suggested an external
switch rather than a chord combination to make it more obvious how to
switch. However, an argument could be made that a chord combination
would be just fine. (02)
As I mentioned earlier, it would still be interesting to see whether
we can use standard bi-directional PS/2 keyboard protocol to allow
the computer to switch between "keyset mode" and "keyboard mode" (see
http://www.computer-engineering.org/ps2protocol/). This would enable
the Java Augterm to automatically switch into/out of "keyset mode"
based on focus. This brings up the more general point that, if at
all possible, the keyset will need to respond to host-to-device
communications like a normal PS/2 keyboard. This will require a
little research to determine what the keyset needs to be prepared to
respond to in each mode. (03)
At 10:04 PM 5/8/2006, you wrote:
>Hi John,
>
>Thanks for sending the drawings! I had a few questions:
>
> * I'm not clear as to the purpose of the power switch. The chord
>keyset is similar to a mouse or PC keyboard, which don't have power
>switches.
>
> * I saw 3 USB connectors in the back. Presumably, they are to plugin
>in the keyboard and mouse into the keyset? Is there going to be an
>outgoing USB cable that will plug into a PC?
>
> * Do you have any details about what the circuit board will do? Is it
>just handling the USB logic, or would it be able to handle keyboard
>commands (like a standard keyboard microprocessor would). I was thinking
>it would be really cool if the circuit board could switch between
>standard keyset mode (5 bit) and Augment mode (keyset + 3-button mouse =
>8 bits) based on data sent through the PC's keyboard controller to the
>chord keyset.
>
>http://www.win.tue.nl/~aeb/linux/kbd/scancodes-12.html
>
>Jonathan
>
>
>Philip Gust wrote:
> >> Date: Mon, 08 May 2006 08:27:00 -0700
> >> To: "John Sechrest" <sechrest@gmail.com>
> >> From: Philip Gust <gust@NouveauSystems.com>
> >> Subject: Re: Re: [nls-technical] chord keyset
> >>
> >> John,
> >>
> >> Thanks for letting me know where you're at. That drawing is exactly
> >> the kind of thing I was looking for in terms of the physical
> >> case. I'm assuming that the keyset wouldn't actually need a power
> >> switch, but it might need a switch to change it from standard keyset
> >> mode to Augment mode. The specification for the two keyset modes is
> >> something we'll have to spec out. I'll be talking with Jonathan
> >> Cheyer later this morning and we'll discuss how best to go about
> >> this. I'll probably be able to get back to you this afternoon with
> >> the results of our discussion.
> >>
> >> Again, thanks for sending this. Good luck!
>
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Philip Gust
Nouveau Systems, Inc.
3120 De La Cruz Blvd., Suite 120
Santa Clara, CA 95054 (05)
phone: +1 650 961-7992
fax: +1 520 843-7217 (06)
mailto: gust@NouveauSystems.com (07)
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