User Defined Device Interface

Bob has just purchased a PDA with infrared interface. He is anxious to try one feature in particular. Bob is a 'Local Area Mobile Worker'; he spends most of his time out of his office on his campus, supporting the local staff. One frustration for Bob has been learning how to use all the different copiers at his location, and because of his wanderings, he has seen all of them. There are 5 different desk top units from 4 different manufactures. There are 6 different mid-range copiers from 3 different manufactures. And then there are those 3 production units with all those buttons, knobs and displays. They all have different interfaces and they all confuse Bob. He says the one button he uses the most is the Reset Button.

But Bob has learned that his new PDA has a generic copier user interface built in; one which he can modify to meet his needs, but will also control every copier on the campus. Using the setup tool provided, Bob builds a graphical interface on his PDA containing the standard radio buttons, check boxes and push buttons. The setup function allows him to place only those controls he uses on his control panel. He selects Copy, Number of Copies, Staple, Collate, Duplex, and Reset. Then off he goes to try out his new productivity aid.

Much to his delight, it works successfully. At the first copier he can find, he points his PDA at the office equipment to assure a connection via the infrared link. He activates his new user interface. His screen lights up showing the interface he created. He notices that the collate, staple and duplex functions are 'grayed out'. Examining the office copier, he sees that it does not support these functions. "Cool," he says as he realizes that the interface he created is automatically adjusted for the configuration of the copier. He places a document in the copier's feed station, then sets the copy count on his PDA and touches the PDA screen where the Copy button is displayed. The copier jumps to life, feeding in page after page of his document and producing the specified amount of copies.

For self assurance, Bob decides to do another experiment. He walks to the other side of the campus where the production copiers are located. Again he aims his PDA at the floor-standing copier and activates the PDA's copier user interface. This time, just as he expected, none of the controls are grayed out as these high-end copiers are full-functioned. Again he places his originals in the input tray. On his PDA, he selects the appropriate copy count and this time also selects collate, staple and duplex, "Just because it's there." He then touches the Copy button on the PDA's screen and the production copier speeds through his job to his specifications.

"Couldn't have done it better myself," he says as he wanders away, realizing he never used the reset button.

Salutation Behind the Scenes

1. When the PDAs are turned on, an initial Salutation Protocol exchange occurs between the PDA and the copier. This exchange reveals the characteristics of each copier which the PDA equates to the user interface designed by Bob. This information is used to tailor the interface to the specific capabilities of the copier.

2. When communicating with a low function copier, the Salutation exchange does not detect stapling, collation or duplex capabilities on the copier, so these functions are 'grayed out'.

3. When communicating with a high function copier, the Salutation exchange detects stapling, collation and duplex capabilities on the copier so these functions are enabled.

4. Salutation Protocol is also used between the copier and PDA, to pass command and control information from the PDA to the copier. The copier will convert the standardized Salutation interchange to the specific command language of the device.

5. This same Salutation Protocol exchange can be used to send status information to the PDA, thus alerting the PDA's user of paper jams and supply problems.