I am developing a net-managed device with the .NET Micro Framework. Since the idea is to have a bunch of devices in an office, sometimes it is necessary for the user to know the IP address of a specific device.
So I've been trying to come with ideas on how to indicate the IP address the user. The only user interface is 4 LED lights that I can blink on and off at varying speeds.
So far, the best idea I could come up with is this: seeing how the IP address has 4 parts and I have 4 LEDs, it would make sense that each LED be responsible for a single IP address part. So for address like 192.168.0.34, I'd have LED1 blink once, then pause, then blink 9 times, pause, then blink 2 times. The action would then shift to the LED2, which would blink out 168 in a similar manner and so on. Number 0 would be indicated by blinking really fast for half a second.
Any other ideas?
Use all 4 displays at once for each number, showing it in binary. Blink all 4 really fast for a 0, light all 4 longer to denote a point.
[ ] [ ] [ ] [x] # 1
[x] [ ] [ ] [x] # 9
[ ] [ ] [x] [ ] # 2
[x] [x] [x] [x] # . (long)
[ ] [ ] [ ] [x] # 1
[ ] [x] [x] [ ] # 6
[x] [ ] [ ] [ ] # 8
[x] [x] [x] [x] # . (long)
[x] [x] [x] [x] # 0 (short)
Alternatively you can use an un-used number (ie: 10) to denote 0
[ ] [ ] [ ] [x] # 1
[x] [ ] [ ] [x] # 9
[ ] [ ] [x] [ ] # 2
[x] [x] [x] [x] # .
[ ] [ ] [ ] [x] # 1
[ ] [x] [x] [ ] # 6
[x] [ ] [ ] [ ] # 8
[x] [x] [x] [x] # .
[x] [ ] [x] [ ] # 0
Having a lookup table ready by the device should be enough for those who don't know binary.