Abstract:
A Caps Lock notification method, system, mechanism, algorithm, and computer program product. A determination is made as to whether a Caps Lock key of a computer keyboard is in an error state, based on ascertaining whether a first condition has been satisfied. If it is so determined that the Caps Lock key is in an error state, then a signal is generated to communicate to a user at the computer keyboard that the Caps Lock key is in the error state. The signal may be a visual signal, an audible signal, a tactile signal, an auditory signal, or a combination thereof. Satisfaction of a second condition may be used to disable the signal.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present invention relates to a method, system, mechanism, software code, and computer program product for Caps Lock notification. 
     2. Related Art 
     A Caps Lock key of a computer keyboard may be unintentionally activated, leading to errors in what is typed on the computer keyboard. Therefore, a method is needed for mitigating errors generated by unintentional activation of the Caps Lock key. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In first embodiments, the present invention provides a Caps Lock notification method, comprising: 
     determining that a Caps Lock key of a computer keyboard is in an error state, based on ascertaining that a first condition has been satisfied; and 
     generating a signal in response to said determining. 
     In second embodiments, the present invention provides a Caps Lock notification system, comprising: 
     means for determining that a Caps Lock key of a computer keyboard is in an error state, based on ascertaining that a first condition has been satisfied; and 
     means for generating a signal in response to said determining. 
     In third embodiments, the present invention provides a Caps Lock notification mechanism, comprising a signal communicating that a Caps Lock key of a computer keyboard is in an error state. 
     In fourth embodiments, the present invention provides a software code for Caps Lock notification, comprising an algorithm, said algorithm adapted to: 
     determine that a Caps Lock key of a computer keyboard is in an error state if a first condition has been satisfied; and 
     cause generation of a signal if the algorithm so determines that the Caps Lock key is in the error state. 
     In fifth embodiments, the present invention provides a computer program product, comprising: 
     a computer usable medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein for controlling a Caps Lock key of a computer keyboard, wherein the computer readable program code comprises an algorithm adapted to: 
     determine that the Caps Lock key of a computer keyboard is in an error state if a first condition has been satisfied; and 
     cause generation of a signal if the algorithm so determines that the Caps Lock key is in the error state. 
     The present invention mitigates errors generated by unintentional activation of the Caps Lock key of a computer keyboard. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a computer system comprising a computer, a computer monitor, and a computer keyboard, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 depicts a more detailed view of the computer keyboard of FIG. 1, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. 
     FIG. 3 depicts a visual signal from the computer system of FIG. 1, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. 
     FIG. 4 depicts an audible signal from the computer system of FIG. 1, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. 
     FIG. 5 depicts highlighting of text as an indication of a Caps Lock error state, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. 
     FIG. 6 depicts suspected text relating to a Caps Lock error state, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. 
     FIG. 7 depicts examples of suspected text and associated Caps Lock error states, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. 
     FIG. 8 is a flow chart depicting an algorithm for processing a Caps Lock error state, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. 
     FIG. 9 depicts examples of conditions for turning off a signal that indicates a Caps Lock error state. 
     FIG. 10 depicts a computer system for processing a Caps Lock error state, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     FIG. 1 is a computer system  10  comprising a computer  12 , a computer monitor  14 , and a computer keyboard  15 , in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. The computer  12  communicates with the computer monitor  14  via a communication path  16 . The computer  12  communicates with the computer keyboard  15  via a communication path  17 . The computer keyboard  15  comprises a Caps Lock key  20  and a Clear key  22 . As will be discussed infra, computer software running on the computer  12  may determine that the Caps Lock key  20  of the computer keyboard  15  is in an error state such that the Caps Lock key  20  is ON when the Caps Lock key  20  should be OFF, or such that the Caps Lock key  20  is OFF when the Caps Lock key  20  should be ON. If said computer software determines that the Caps Lock key  20  is in such an error state, then the computer software may trigger generation of a signal that serves to communicate to a computer user logged on the computer system  10  that the Caps Lock key  20  is in such an error state. The signal, exemplified by signal  18  in FIGS. 3 and 4, will be described infra in more detail. 
     FIG. 2 depicts a more detailed view of the computer keyboard  15  of FIG. 1, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. The computer keyboard  15  includes the Caps Lock key  20  and the Clear key  22 , as well as other keys typically present on a computer keyboard. Other keys typically present on as computer keyboard, such as function keys F 1 , F 2 , . . . , are not shown on the computer keyboard  15  but may nevertheless be present. The particular keys present on, and absent from, the computer keyboard  15 , and their geometric and positional relationships, are merely illustrative. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention includes any computer keyboard that contains a Caps Lock key. 
     The Caps Lock key  22  may be toggled between an OFF state and an ON state, by being depressed or tapped. When the Caps Lock key  22  is OFF (i.e., in the OFF state), depression of a letter key (e.g., A, B, or C) on the computer keyboard  15  (see FIG. 1) causes a lower case version of the associated letter (e.g., a, b, or c) to be typed. When the Caps Lock key  22  is ON (i.e., in the ON state), depression of a letter key on the computer keyboard  15  causes an upper case version of the associated letter (e.g., A, B, or C) to be typed. 
     The Caps Lock key  20  may be in an error state such that the Caps Lock key  20  is ON when the Caps Lock key  20  should be OFF, or such that the Caps Lock key  20  is OFF when the Caps Lock key  20  should be ON. A common example is where the computer user turned the Caps Lock key  20  ON to enable typing a Capital letter as the first character of a sentence, but erroneously neglected to turn the Caps Lock key  20  OFF immediately following said typing of the first character of the sentence. The Caps Lock key  20  is in an ON-error state when the Caps Lock key  20  is ON but should be OFF. The Caps Lock key  20  is in an OFF-error state when the Caps Lock key  20  is OFF but should be ON. A Caps Lock error state exists if one or more conditions are satisfied. Such conditions typically involves “suspected text”; i.e., configurations of upper case and lower case letters that had been typed on the computer keyboard  15 . Examples of such conditions (e.g., conditions involving “suspected text”) will be discussed infra in conjunction with FIG. 5-7. Accordingly, such conditions may relate to placement of at least one letter (i.e., an upper-case letter or a lower-case letter) within the suspected text. Such conditions are software-specific and different implementations of the present invention will have different such conditions. If computer software implementing the present invention determines that a Caps Lock error exists, then the computer software may trigger the computer  12  to generate a signal, such as the signal  18  of FIGS. 3 and 4, that serves to communicate to a computer user logged on the computer system  10  (see FIG. 1) that the Caps Lock key  20  is in said error state. If said computer software determines that said Caps Lock error exists, then the computer user may make-beneficial use of such knowledge learned through said signal. For example, the computer user my depresses the Caps Lock key  20  to take the Caps Lock key  20  out of the error state. Alternatively, if said computer software determines that said Caps Lock error exists, then the computer user may disagree and ignore or disable said signal. 
     The signal, such as the signal  18  of FIGS. 3 and 4, comprises any signal modality (e.g., visual, auditory, tactile, olfactory) such that said signal communicates to the computer user logged on the computer system  10  that the Caps Lock key  20  is in an error state. As shown in FIG. 3, the signal  18  may comprise a visual signal adapted to be seen through the eyes  26  of a computer user  24 . For example, the visual signal may comprise highlighting a portion of the suspected text on the screen of the computer monitor  14 . FIG. 5 illustrates suspected text  30  (i.e., “The boy pLAYS BASEBALL”) and a highlighted portion  32  thereof. In another example as illustrated in FIG. 6, the visual signal may comprise displaying the portion  32  of the suspected text  30  in the Clear Key  22  of the computer keyboard  15  (see FIG.  2 ). The Clear Key  22  may comprise, inter alia, a Light Emitting Diode (LED) having one or more rows of characters. 
     As shown in FIG. 4, the signal  18  may also comprise an audible signal adapted to be heard through the ears  28  of the computer user  24 . The audible sound may comprises any type of sound (e.g., a beep, a buzz, a musical sound, a scream, a cry, etc.) and any sound characteristic (e.g. pitch, loudness, etc.), and any combination of sound types and sound characteristics. The sound&#39;s pitch may be constant or variable, and the sound&#39;s loudness may be constant or variable. The audible signal may be generated under direction of an algorithm executed by the computer  12  of FIG. 1 through, inter alia, use of a sound card installed in the computer  12 . 
     Further, the signal may comprise a tactile signal such as by, inter alia, having the keyboard vibrate such that said vibration is transmitted to a finger of the computer user as said finger is touching a key of the computer keyboard  15 . Additionally, the signal may comprise an olfactory signal such as by, inter alia, having a device coupled to the computer  12  emit a gas that has a smell or aroma. Note that the signal may include any of the signal modalities described supra, or a combination thereof (e.g., both a visual signal and an audible signal). 
     FIG. 7 depicts examples of “suspected text” and associated Caps Lock error states, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. In FIG. 7, examples  1  and  2  are each associated with an ON-error state, and examples  3  and  4  are each associated with an OFF-error state. Example  1  illustrates an ON-error state occurring if an upper-case letter is immediately follows a lower-case letter or a number (i.e., “aM”). Example  2  illustrates an ON-error state occurring if an upper-case word within the suspected text comprises at least two upper-case letters, and the upper-case word has been previously typed in lower case (i.e., “toy” preceding “TOY”). Example  3  illustrates an OFF-error state occurring if a lower-case letter (i.e., “c”) is the first character of a sentence. Example  4  illustrates an OFF-error state occurring if a lower case word within the suspected text comprises at least two lower-case letters, and the lower case word has been previously typed in upper case (i.e., “SQL” preceding “sql”). Additionally, a dictionary could be used to determine whether a word is a proper noun, in light of the fact that a proper noun should begin with an upper-case letter. 
     FIG. 8 is a flow chart depicting an algorithm  40  for processing a Caps Lock error state, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. The algorithm  40  may be hard-coded into a computer or computer chip. Alternatively, the algorithm  40  may implemented in software that is executed by a processor of the computer  12  in FIG.  1 . In step  41 , one or more characters are typed on the computer keyboard  15  of FIG.  1 . Step  42  determines whether a Caps Error state exists, by testing whether a first condition has occurred. The error state may be either an ON-error state or an OFF-error state. The first condition comprises one or more conditions, such as conditions involving “suspected text” as discussed supra in conjunction with FIG.  7 . Said first condition may be fixed such as being hard-coded or similarly encoded within software, or alternatively said first condition may vary (e.g., the first condition may be job-dependent such as where the user chooses the first condition from a menu of first condition alternatives). If step  42  determines that said first condition has not occurred then there is no existing Caps Lock error state, and program control returns to step  41  through an iteration loop  47  as shown. If step  42  determines that said first condition has occurred then a Caps Lock error state exists, and step  43  is next executed. 
     Step  43  turns on a Caps Lock error state indication such as, inter alia, setting a flag or a variable. Additionally, step  43  generates a signal, such as the signal  18  of FIGS. 3 and 4, so as to communicate to the computer user logged on the computer system  10  that the Caps Lock key  20  is in an error state. If step  42  the algorithm  40  has identified, such as in step  42 , “suspected text” that is a basis for the detected Caps Lock error state, then step  43  may additionally store such suspected text in a buffer so that said suspected text can be subsequently retrieved and used to correct text that includes errors stemming from said Caps Lock error state. Examples of suspected text were presented and discussed supra in conjunction with FIG.  7 . Said buffer may comprise any storage such as memory devices  94  and  95  of the computer system  90  of FIG. 10, described infra. 
     Next in step  44  the algorithm  40  determines whether to disable (i.e., turn off) the Caps Lock error state indication as well as the signal generated in step  43 , by testing whether a second condition has occurred. As shown in FIG. 10, the second condition comprises one or more conditions such as, inter alia: 
     elapse of a time interval not less than one second (e.g., 1 second, 2 seconds, 5 seconds, 10 seconds, 30 seconds, 60 seconds, etc.); 
     depression of a designated key of the computer keyboard  15  of FIG. 1 such as the Caps Lock key  20  or any other key; or 
     at least K key depressions on the computer keyboard such that K=2, 3, 4, or any other positive integer. 
     Said second condition may be fixed such as being hard-coded or similarly encoded within software, or alternatively said second condition may vary (e.g., the second condition may be job-dependent such as where the user chooses the second condition from a menu of second condition alternatives). If step  44  determines that said second condition has not occurred then program control returns to step  41  through the iteration loop  47 . If step  44  determines that said second condition has occurred then step  45  is next executed. Step  45  turns off the Caps Lock error state indication and also disables (i.e., turns off) the signal generated in step  43 , followed by a determination (in step  46 ) of whether typing on the computer keyboard  15  has ended. If said typing has not ended, then program control returns to step  41  through the iteration loop  47 . If said typing has ended, then the algorithm  40  ends. 
     FIG. 10 depicts a computer system  90  for processing a Caps Lock error state, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. The computer system  90  is analogous to the computer system  10  of FIG.  1 . The computer system  90  comprises a processor  91 , an input device  92  coupled to the processor  91 , an output device  93  coupled to the processor  91 , and memory devices  94  and  95  each coupled to the processor  91 . The input device  92  may be, inter alia, a keyboard, a mouse, etc. The output device  93  may be, inter alia, a printer, a plotter, a computer screen, a magnetic tape, a removable hard disk, a floppy disk, etc. The input device  94  and  95  may be, inter alia, a hard disk, a dynamic random access memory (DRAM), a read-only memory (ROM), etc. The memory device  95  includes a computer code  97 . The computer code  97  includes an algorithm (e.g., the algorithm  40  of FIG. 8) for processing the Caps Lock error state. The processor  91  executes the computer code  97 . The memory device  94  includes input data  96 . The input data  96  includes input required by the computer code  97 . The output device  93  displays output from the computer code  97 . 
     While FIG. 10 shows the computer system  90  as a particular configuration of hardware and software, any configuration of hardware and software, as would be known to a person of ordinary skill in the art, may be utilized for the purposes stated supra in conjunction with the particular computer system  90  of FIG.  10 . For example, the memory devices  94  and  95  may be portions of a single memory device rather than separate memory devices. 
     While embodiments of the present invention have been described herein for purposes of illustration, many modifications and changes will become apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to encompass all such modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit and scope of this invention.