Re: Building OtherHalf keyboard prototype --exciting times! last call to jump in and help!
 

Nice!

My 3D model is ready, will look if I can get it to the printer tomorrow. Also, the PCB's are ready! :) Will see how long china post will take this time.

http://i43.tinypic.com/2yxj4ua.jpg

Re: Building OtherHalf keyboard prototype --software experts needed! how to listen to interrupt line??
 

Have been following this thread from the beginning. Now it seems to be at a point that I HAD to donate.

Thanks for the work also to others who has helped in the development.

Re: Building OtherHalf keyboard prototype --software experts needed! how to listen to interrupt line??
 

Nice work, be interesting to see it work. I'd only add I'd rather have a keyboard similar in size to the old E90 Communicator rather than the small N900 one on the Jolla.

Re: Building OtherHalf keyboard prototype --software experts needed! how to listen to interrupt line??
 

#quoteyourself #yolo

Re: Building OtherHalf keyboard prototype --exciting times! last call to jump in and help!
 

if you need help with the 3D model or design let me know

<--- mechanical engineer/ProE champion

Re: Building OtherHalf keyboard prototype --exciting times! last call to jump in and help!
 

pro engineer?! that is a long time ago! brings back memories :)

also, mechanical engineer/SolidWorks champion ;)

Re: Building OtherHalf keyboard prototype --exciting times! last call to jump in and help!
 

NICE

high five man! :D

Re: Building OtherHalf keyboard prototype --software experts needed! how to listen to interrupt line??
 

Seems that the interrupt code works. It is polled in separate thread and signalled forward to where i2c is (will be) then served.

enable/disable now controlled from app over dbus.

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-x...30-no/ss17.png

Re: Building OtherHalf keyboard prototype --exciting times! last call to jump in and help!
 

http://media0.giphy.com/media/GYU7rBEQtBGfe/giphy.gif

Also, Kimmo is awesome.

Re: Building OtherHalf keyboard prototype --software experts needed! how to input into mallit?
 

Ordered old version Lenovo N5901 for teardown, lets see is there anything usable for this project...
http://www.gadgetreview.com/wp-conte...ouse-Combo.jpg

Re: Building OtherHalf keyboard prototype --software experts needed! how to input into mallit?
 

Thanks for all the donations! Been putting them to very good use by ordering a lot of parts for testing!

Last purchase was a HTC Desire Z hinge. I think this makes a good candidate because:

-It feel and snaps very nice
-Available, not to pricey in bulk
-Very very easy construction because of the floating flex cable (important)

http://www.tracyandmatt.co.uk/blogs/...ez-hinge_2.jpg

Note: this is just for the hinge mechanism. I think the keypad is terrible :p

Re: [WIP] Building OtherHalf keyboard prototype --fast times!
 

Progress update:

Now the daemon gets the interrupt from keyboard chip, and reads input report from it over i2c...

debug dump of single keypress and release: (6sec long)

2014-01-14 22:22:39 :: TOH Interrupt reached interrupt handler routine.
2014-01-14 22:22:39 :: Input report: 0b 00 ee 00 00 9a 00 00 00 00 00
2014-01-14 22:22:45 :: TOH Interrupt reached interrupt handler routine.
2014-01-14 22:22:45 :: Input report: 0b 00 ee 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00


Something strange still with multiple simultaneous keypresses.

Then some level of functionality in getting keypresses to the applications gained by using uinput device..

I can create virtual input device!
[root@localhost input]# cat /sys/devices/virtual/input/input36/name
tohkbd


Simple test sends keystrokes.
/dev/uinput opened succesfully
tohkbd created succesfully
sending test
send key 0 == 37
send key 1 == 23
send key 2 == 50
send key 3 == 50
send key 4 == 24
send key 5 == 57
send key 6 == 20
send key 7 == 18
send key 8 == 31
send key 9 == 20
send key 10 == 30
send key 11 == 30
tohkbd destroyed succesfully


And this appears to screen only after i close/destroy the device (so not key-by-key as expected). And also the onscreen keyboard needs to be active.

Re: [WIP] Building OtherHalf keyboard prototype --fast times!
 

The Desire Z hinge is in!

First impression:
-Feels solid
-About 30mm travel
-Qwerty-OH will be +-7mm thickness increase when slided in

Edit: 9mm -> 7 mm

Re: [WIP] Building OtherHalf keyboard prototype --fast times!
 

With the Desire Z hinge I can make it something like this:

Non extended:
http://oi41.tinypic.com/2czc20l.jpg

Extended
http://oi40.tinypic.com/2ntb43r.jpg

31mm travel
7 mm extra thickness to phone
Edit: 6 mm increase should also be doable
Edit: does 5 mm sound okay?

Re: [WIP] Building OtherHalf keyboard prototype --fast times!
 

What is length of the flex, i can check do i have something in my sample 'stock' ...

Re: [WIP] Building OtherHalf keyboard prototype --fast times!
 

45-50 mm, must be at least 5 tracks

Edit: ordered some of these with connectors

Re: [WIP] Building OtherHalf keyboard prototype --fast times!
 

Okay, I can squeeze it to 5 mm thickness increase! However, a part of the hinges will be visible.

http://oi39.tinypic.com/1z2on5x.jpg

I love showing of mechanical parts especially hinges!

Re: Building OtherHalf keyboard prototype --software experts needed! how to input into mallit?
 

that hinge mechanism really reminds me of the N97

I loved that design, the keyboard was so so, but they way it would open and rotate over and end up at an incline and not parallel to the keyboard In my opinion was very cool

keep it up man

Re: [WIP] Building OtherHalf keyboard prototype --fast times!
 

Okay, that Desire Z hinge is causing a lot of troubles..

The point is this: no matter what, the hinge is 9 mm thick. So either the whole case will be 9 mm thick, or you have two bulges of 3.5mm sticking out of the bottom...
http://oi42.tinypic.com/2gydlyd.jpg

I love the feel of the hinge, but 9mm extra or two bulges is not acceptable for me..

Re: [WIP] Building OtherHalf keyboard prototype --fast times!
 

Or accept a 8mm increase in thickness and add 1200mAh...

Re: [WIP] Building OtherHalf keyboard prototype --fast times!
 

@dirkvl

Would a N950 device help you to look into such mechanism?

Re: Building OtherHalf keyboard prototype --software experts needed! how to input into mallit?
 

yeah that's cause they stole it from the N97 lol. I thought it was good on the N97 too, just didn't like that it was basically held up on one side. The improvement with the Nokia E7 hinge was a much better implementation. Much more solid.

Re: [WIP] Building OtherHalf keyboard prototype --fast times!
 

Although the N950 is awesome, I don't think that the hinge mechanism is available for purchase, so that would be a useless venture. N97/E7 would be better! :)

Re: [WIP] Building OtherHalf keyboard prototype --fast times!
 

OK will see what i can do for you on the requested devices :)

Re: [WIP] Building OtherHalf keyboard prototype --fast times!
 

maybe we/you should define a max. increase in thickness and then we'll look into how to achieve that... problem with available hinges from other phones might be that they are designed to be integrated into the phone-body, while you would simply need a mechanism that connects one other half to another other half...

edit: this just made me realize one thing: your KB has to be light and possibly there is not much sense in using a very high-level mechanism... the base of the kb-toh will be something quite similar to an original toh and it will be made out of some sort of plastic i guess... the mechanism will be integrated into this toh but it will be only as sturdy as the base toh is... that said: a mechanism that kind of snaps the phone-part in an angled position while you hold on tot the keyboard will stress that base a lot more than a mechanism that allows you to somehow move the kb while holding the heavier phone part... does that make any sense?

Re: [WIP] Building OtherHalf keyboard prototype --fast times!
 

yes totally, this is the cause of all problems!

that makes sense. the issue of stresses from the hinge on the case -depending on the hinge- will weaken the part and will thus increase its thickness!

new idea:

i've been looking into the bluetooth keyboard i bought. the hinge slides and then rotates (like the htc touch pro 2) and i think i've found a way to make that one work.

http://i44.tinypic.com/rcn036.jpg

pro's:
-thin (+-5mm increase)
-slide + rotate (so also nice kickstand)
-40mm travel, so a lot of keyboard area (40x131mm)

cons:
-lot of exposed parts on the back (wires, slider, maybe part of pcb)
-hinge only available as part of complete keyboard

Re: [WIP] Building OtherHalf keyboard prototype --fast times!
 

i'd say go for that ... if it works, there are a couple of ways to cover those exposed parts in the final spec (at least visually)... the white keyboard is awfull though ;D ... keep up that good work!

Re: [WIP] Building OtherHalf keyboard prototype --fast times!
 

First iteration:

-2 PCB'2
-200mm ffc flat cable
-quite complex parts :(
-4.5mm increase in thickness

http://oi41.tinypic.com/t68ob4.jpg

With transparency:
http://oi44.tinypic.com/x0sg46.jpg

http://oi39.tinypic.com/dc63yb.jpg

Quite happy with this first design. Few point where the material is really thin, but good enough for now!

Re: [WIP] Building OtherHalf keyboard prototype --fast times!
 

Honestly, i like this last solution a lot!! It seems to me much more elegant, movements are rather simpler and needs of mechanical parts are less than before!
Really well done!

Re: [WIP] Building OtherHalf keyboard prototype --fast times!
 

Looks nice. Should give a test-print for this..

Two things did came to my mind;

• Check center of gravity if it is intended to stand up on a desk, so it won't tip over. All weight is now on the phone side.
• In sliding mechanisms, there should be suitable 'ratio' between two lengths (green/blue) to prevent it from getting stuck.

Re: [WIP] Building OtherHalf keyboard prototype --fast times!
 

Nokia is full of patents. Combination of N950 and E90. This is just an idea never seen. Possibility to choose:
- Keyboard out for use, typing position
- At the backside when not needed and the screen is clear.
- covering the screen just like E90, when not using the phone.

I've never seen anything like it. Could it also keep camera clear in any position? Think about it...

Re: [WIP] Building OtherHalf keyboard prototype --fast times!
 

It is stable from 31 degrees and up

The mechanism is from the bluetooth keyboard, so I am sure that will work like a charm :)

Re: [WIP] Building OtherHalf keyboard prototype --fast times!
 

The PCB in the bottom layer:

(a piece of art if I may say so!)
http://oi44.tinypic.com/2ezqjhj.jpg

Re: [WIP] Building OtherHalf keyboard prototype --fast times!
 

Nice... route e.g. GND between I2C SDA and SCL to minimize crosstalk. (same with INT...)

Re: [WIP] Building OtherHalf keyboard prototype --fast times!
 

Good tip! Had not thought of that!

Changed it to:

SDA - GND - SCL - GND - INT - V3.3

Re: [WIP] Building OtherHalf keyboard prototype --fast times!
 

also add some bypass capacitors...

Re: [WIP] Building OtherHalf keyboard prototype --fast times!
 

Ha! Too late! Chines holiday's starting, so had to order fast! Fedex shipping this time :)

http://oi43.tinypic.com/2r46a6c.jpg
http://oi41.tinypic.com/2iutkis.jpg

-made possible by all the awesome people who donated!-

Re: [WIP] Building OtherHalf keyboard prototype --fast times!
 

Feel free to make as sketch to convince me, I am focusing on the current design! :)

Re: [WIP] Building OtherHalf keyboard prototype --fast times!
 

Even though you already ordered the PCBs, I'll give you some comments:

- I2C lines need pull-up resistors. They most likely exist on the Jolla side so it should work without them.

- Ground plane on the bottom layer underneath I2C lines would have been a good idea.

- In general, fill the pcb with ground planes (where there isn't anything else)

- Test pin (pin 37) should be grounded.

- Thermal pad should usually be connected to GND. Datasheet does not mention anything about its electrical connection so most likely it can be left unconnected. That circuit is so low power that heat shouldn't be an issue.

Re: [WIP] Building OtherHalf keyboard prototype --fast times!
 

The chip also has internal pull-ups so that should be fine! When/if I order a larger batch (lets say 100), I will post the files first so everyone interested can review them :)

Totally missed the test pin :( hope it'll work, will change it for future designs!

No ground plane under thermal pad was on purpose, watched a lot of youtube clips on hand sondering (with solder-iron or heat gun) and all of the said that ground planes under these chip were not easy at all to solder!