1. A dynamic character display input device, comprising:
a display controller for transmitting display information; and
a plurality of discrete user-selectable locations for receiving said display information, each of said plurality of discrete user-selectable locations including a display surface for transmitting a visual representation of said display information and including a switch for creating an input data signal indicative of a user’s selection of said each of said plurality of discrete user-selectable locations.
2. The dynamic character display input device of claim 1, wherein said visual representation includes a character.
3. The dynamic character display input device of claim 2, wherein said character conforms to an American Standard Code for Information Interchange (\u201cASCII\u201d) standard.
4. The dynamic character display input device of claim 2, wherein said character conforms to an Extended American Standard Code for Information Interchange standard.
5. The dynamic character display input device of claim 1, wherein said visual representation includes a plurality of characters.
6. The dynamic character display input device of claim 1, wherein said visual representation includes a word.
7. The dynamic character display input device of claim 1, wherein said visual representation includes a representation of a software function.
8. The dynamic character display input device of claim 7, wherein the software function is a software application shortcut.
9. The dynamic character display input device of claim 1, wherein said visual representation includes a graphical image.
10. The dynamic character display input device of claim 1, further comprising a light sensor for measuring an ambient light level at the plurality of discrete user-selectable locations.
11. The dynamic character display input device of claim 10, wherein the ambient light level is communicated to the display controller and the display controller adjusts said display information.
12. The dynamic character display input device of claim 1, further comprising a motion sensor.
13. The dynamic character display input device of claim 12, wherein the motion sensor is adapted to communicate an indication of non-movement to the display controller, and the display controller is adapted to stop transmitting display information in response to said indication of non-movement.
14. The dynamic character display input device of claim 13, wherein the motion sensor is adapted to communicate an indication of movement to the display controller, and the display controller is adapted to start transmitting display information in response to said indication of movement.
15. The dynamic character display input device of claim 1, further comprising a memory device containing a first representation of a first keyboard layout, wherein said first representation is loaded into said display controller, and said display information conforms to said first keyboard layout.
16. The dynamic character display input device of claim 1, further comprising a user-selectable switch including a first position and a second position, and a memory device containing a first representation of a first keyboard layout and a second representation of a second keyboard layout;
wherein, when said user-selectable switch is at said first position, the first representation is loaded into said display controller and said display information conforms to said first keyboard layout; and wherein, said user-selectable switch is at said second position, the second representation is loaded into said display controller and said display information conforms to said second keyboard layout.
17. The dynamic character display input device of claim 16, wherein said user-selectable switch is a modifier key.
18. The dynamic character display input device of claim 17, wherein said modifier key is a control key.
19. The dynamic character display input device of claim 17, wherein said modifier key is a shift key.
20. The dynamic character display input device of claim 17, wherein said modifier key is a caps-lock key.
21. The dynamic character display input device of claim 17, wherein said modifier key is a num-lock key.
22. The dynamic character display input device of claim 17, wherein said modifier key is an alternate key.
23. The dynamic character display input device of claim 17, wherein said first keyboard layout is a US-English 104 key keyboard layout.
24. The dynamic character display input device of claim 17, wherein said first keyboard layout is a US-English 88 key keyboard layout.
25. The dynamic character display input device of claim 24, wherein said second keyboard layout is a Serbian-Cyrillic 88 key keyboard layout.
26. A dynamic character display input device, comprising:
a memory device containing a first representation of a first keyboard layout and a second representation of a second keyboard layout;
a display controller adapted to transmit display information including foreground intensity, background intensity, and contrast level;
a plurality of discrete user-selectable locations adapted to receive said display information, each of said plurality of discrete user-selectable locations including a display surface adapted to transmit a visual representation of said display information and a switch adapted to transmit input data indicative of a user’s selection of said each of said plurality of discrete user-selectable locations;
a light sensor for measuring an ambient light level at the plurality of discrete user-selectable locations, wherein the ambient light level is communicated to the display controller and the display controller adjusts the foreground intensity, background intensity, and contrast level to enhance a user’s ability to see the transmitted visual representation;
a motion sensor for providing an indication of non-movement and an indication of movement at the plurality of discrete user-selectable locations, wherein, if the indication of non-movement is communicated to the display controller, the display controller stops transmitting display information, and further wherein, if the indication of movement is communicated to the display controller, the display controller starts transmitting display information; and
a user-selectable switch including a first position and a second position, wherein, if said user-selectable switch is at the first position, said first representation is loaded into said display controller and said display information conforms to said first keyboard layout, and wherein, if said user-selectable switch is at the second position, said second representation is loaded into said display controller and said display information conforms to said second keyboard layout.
27. A method of inputting information into a computing device, comprising the steps of:
transmitting display information to a plurality of discrete user-selectable locations;
transmitting a visual representation of said display information from the plurality of discrete user-selectable locations;
creating an input data signal indicative of a user’s selection of one of said plurality of discrete user-selectable locations; and
transmitting said input data signal to said computing device.
28. The method of claim 27, further comprising the step of:
determining an ambient light level at the plurality of discrete user-selectable locations; and,
adjusting the display information, including foreground intensity, background intensity, and a contrast level, to enhance a user’s ability to see said visual representation.
29. The method of claim 27, further comprising the steps of:
determining an indication of non-movement at the plurality of user-selectable locations; and
discontinuing transmission of said visual information in response to said determining an indication of non-movement.
30. The method of claim 27, further comprising the steps of:
determining a first position of a user-selectable switch; and transmitting display information conforming to a first keyboard layout in response to said first position of a user-selectable switch.
31. The method of claim 30, further comprising the steps of:
determining a second position of the user-selectable switch; and
transmitting display information conformation to a second keyboard layout in response to said second position of the user-selectable switch.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method of calibrating a topography for a client, said method comprising:
identifying one or more client attributes corresponding to the client;
grouping a plurality of calibration factors into one or more calibration sets wherein at least one of the calibration factors is selected from the group consisting of centralized management, branch office management, transaction based, small team, hybrid management, discipline oriented management, resource oriented management, and personal management;
comparing the identified client attributes to one or more topographical components, wherein the comparing further includes comparing the identified client attributes to the calibration factor sets;
selecting one or more of the topographical components based on the comparing; and
installing the selected topographical components on one or more client computer systems.
2. The method as described in claim 1 further comprising:
storing one or more calibration factors corresponding to each of the topographical components in a component metadata file, wherein the comparing further includes comparing the identified client attributes with the calibration factors stored in the metadata file;
identifying one or more components based on the comparing; and
retrieving the identified components from a topographical component library.
3. The method as described in claim 1 further comprising:
packaging the selected topographical components in a topography installation file; and
transmitting the topography installation file to the client computer system.
4. The method as described in claim 1 further comprising:
gathering the client attributes, the gathering including examining one or more attributes selected from the group consisting of client organization charts, client information technology, client surveys, client requirements, client physical environments, and client location data.
5. The method as described in claim 1 further comprising:
installing one or more topography neutral application components on the client computer systems, wherein the topography neutral application components is adapted to interoperate with more than one topography.
6. An information handling system for calibrating a topography for a client, said information handling system comprising:
one or more processors;
a memory accessible by the processors;
one or more nonvolatile storage devices accessible by the processors;
a topography calibration tool to calibrate a topography installed on a computer system, the topography calibration tool including:
means for identifying one or more client attributes corresponding to the client;
means for grouping a plurality of calibration factors into one or more calibration sets wherein at least one of the calibration factors is selected from the group consisting of centralized management, branch office management, transaction based, small team, hybrid management, discipline oriented management, resource oriented management, and personal management;
means for comparing the identified client attributes to one or more topographical components, wherein the comparing further includes comparing the identified client attributes to the calibration factor sets;
means for selecting one or more of the topographical components based on the comparing; and
means for installing the selected topographical components on one or more client computer systems.
7. The information handling system as described in claim 6 further comprising:
means for storing one or more calibration factors corresponding to each of the topographical components in a component metadata file, wherein the comparing further includes comparing the identified client attributes with the calibration factors stored in the metadata file;
means for identifying one or more components based on the comparing; and
means for retrieving the identified components from a topographical component library.
8. The information handling system as described in claim 6 further comprising:
means for packaging the selected topographical components in a topography installation file; and
means for transmitting the topography installation file to the client computer system.
9. The information handling system as described in claim 6 further comprising:
means for gathering the client attributes, the means for gathering including examining one or more attributes selected from the group consisting of client organization charts, client information technology, client surveys, client requirements, client physical environments, and client location data.
10. A computer program product stored in a computer readable storage media for calibrating a topography for a client, said computer program product comprising:
means for identifying one or more client attributes corresponding to the client;
means for grouping a plurality of calibration factors into one or more calibration sets wherein at least one of the calibration factors is selected from the group consisting of centralized management, branch office management, transaction based, small team, hybrid management, discipline oriented management, resource oriented management, and personal management;
means for comparing the identified client attributes to one or more topographical components, wherein the comparing further includes comparing the identified client attributes to the calibration factor sets;
means for selecting one or more of the topographical components based on the comparing; and
means for installing the selected topographical components on one or more client computer systems.
11. The computer program product as described in claim 10 further comprising:
means for storing one or more calibration factors corresponding to each of the topographical components in a component metadata file, wherein the comparing further includes comparing the identified client attributes with the calibration factors stored in the metadata file;
means for identifying one or more components based on the comparing; and
means for retrieving the identified components from a topographical component library.
12. The computer program product as described in claim 10 further comprising:
means for packaging the selected topographical components in a topography installation file; and
means for transmitting the topography installation file to the client computer system.
13. The computer program product as described in claim 10 further comprising:
means for gathering the client attributes, the means for gathering including examining one or more attributes selected from the group consisting of client organization charts, client information technology, client surveys, client requirements, client physical environments, and client location data.
14. The computer program product as described in claim 10 further comprising:
means for installing one or more topography neutral application components on the client computer systems, wherein the topography neutral application components is adapted to interoperate with more than one topography.