Trace Center Reference Design for Cell Phones

The Trace Center is in the process of generating a series of reference designs for cross-disability accessible cell phones. The designs meet all of the specifications in the FCC/Access Board Guidelines. The first design, Reference Design 1, is intended to show how a single phone can be designed so that it would be cross-disability accessible as well as usable and attractive to mass market customers.

Reference Design 1 uses only technologies that are already found in today's cell phones (although the software in the telephones today may not currently be written to use these technologies in an accessible fashion). The only exception to this is hearing aid compatibility with digital wireless phones. The design assumes that industry will develop a solution to this problem in conjunction with ANSI C63 and that that solution would be incorporated into this design.

The cost to implement the features described in the reference designs is nominal. Basically, it involves the addition of a single button to the key pad on the front of the phone and an alteration of the software instructions that tell the phone how to behave. (A design which does not require the addition of the extra button is also possible.) All of the technologies described and used in this phone are already present in other cell phones today. Most of them are in low cost phones. A couple technologies are currently only found in mid-range phones, but we expect these technologies to be available in the inexpensive phones shortly (except where there are marketing reasons for companies to reserve some features for higher end phones for product differentiation rather than cost reasons).

Infrared (IR) Port
Allows wireless connection to assistive technologies

Mass market appeal: Wireless connection to computer (modem)

 

Volume range
Meets FCC specifications for those who are hard of hearing (phone is hearing aid compatible)

Mass market appeal: Use phone in noisy environments (crowds, subway, airport, etc.)

 

Matrix display
Allows use of graphics and multiline text messages including TTY conversations

Mass market appeal: Text messaging or paging

 

Headset jack
Allows connection of neckloops, silhouettes, Assistive Listening Devices, TTY's and headsets

Mass market appeal: Headsets, Hands free or car use

 

EZ button
The EZ button allows you to have the label for any key read to you as well as the contents of the display and all menus and features of the phone.( Useful if you cannot see well, are blind, or if you have trouble reading the text on the phone for any reason.) Spoken words are displayed on screen in large type as well.

Mass market appeal: Read small, seldom used label without reading glasses.  Read message or page while driving.

 

Easy to feel keys
And a nib on the 5 key and ridge above and below number keys makes eyes-free dialing easy. (Because of keypad edges, all keys are tactiley different.) Keys are dished as well to make it easy to use a mouthstick or other device to dial.

Mass market appeal: Dial without looking at the keyboard.

 

Connector
No more fumbling with connector - it can be positioned and inserted purely by touch. You can also connect a keyboard to make programming easier or to send faster text (and TTY) messages. (Keypad on phone can also be used to type text messages.)

Mass market appeal:   Easier to correctly connect charger and accessories.   Optional keyboard makes typing of longer messages easier. (e.g. hotel room email)

 

Other Accessibility Features of the Reference Design

  • One Button Feature allows you to program the phone so that it will automatically dial just one number (or a small list of numbers) when any button on the keypad is pushed. {Useful for people for whom a standard cell phone is too complicated or for an emergency phone for anyone in the family, young or old.} Cover plate which creates a "one button" phone is available on request. Mass market appeal: One button phone for easy use by kids or grandparents.  Can leave phone with babysitter after setting to dial just one or a couple numbers

  • You can program your phone using the built-in mode or use your personal computer or any Internet browser for a simple, "fill out the information on the screen," way to program the phone. For those who cannot remember numbers easily, you can dial pre-stored numbers by typing a person's name or nickname on the keypad. Mass market appeal: Much easier to program phone numbers, features, etc.

  • For those who cannot remember numbers easily, you can dial pre-stored numbers by typing a person's name or nickname on the keypad.   Mass market appeal: Dial by simply typing a name

  • Voice dialing on selected models. You can just say the person's name or nickname to dial them. Mass market appeal: Voice Dialing  (Easier to dial, dial when driving, no need to look up numbers)

  • Messaging -You can send and receive digital and TTY messages at any time using the keypad or attachable keyboard. Mass market appeal: Send and receive text messages, pages, email, etc

  • Special mode allows all functions performed by buttons on side or back to be performed from the buttons and menus on the front of the phone for those who use a headstick or dowel.

  • Operation of the entire phone is possible from just 3 buttons or from just a single button for those with very severe movement disabilities.

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    How this design addresses each of the FCC Guidelines
    (From FCC - NPRM)

    Subpart C -- Requirements for accessibility and usability

    FCC Guideline Guideline Met? How the requirements are met Cost & Ease of Implementation (If a company had been doing this as a matter of course. e.g. does not include cost of acquainting engineers with access.)
    Sec. 1193.41 Input, control, and mechanical functions
    (a) Operable without vision. yes Tactile keys and landmarks
    All input and functions accessible via voice output    		 - All needed electronics for digitized speech already in today's digital phones; Need only small additions to software and sometimes additional memory (~100k) which will cost little in phones tomorrow. Memory is already available today in many phones (used for digital voice recording). - (This reference design uses spelled speech for transmitted text - voice synthesis will be possible in near future but is not quite practical today for inexpensive phones. Voice synthesis using network facilities is practical today - but is not proposed here.)
    (b) Operable with low vision and limited or no hearing. yes Matrix Display - the labels of all buttons can be shown in large print prior to activating them. Many newer cell phones already use matrix displays. Many have large print displays as standard or as a user setting.
    (c) Operable with little or no color perception. yes All color coded buttons and indicator lights distinguishable by other means (shape, label) - Not a problem in most phones today. Any use of color just has to also be accompanied with a text label - as is true on all phone keys today.
    (d) Operable without hearing. yes Vibration ringer alert. Also buttons have tactile feel of activation (i.e. do not rely on auditory beeps). Visual indication of line status. - Vibrator is standard in many cell phones. (Not in lower cost phones mostly due to marketing rather than cost.) Visual indication of line status is software only.
    (e) Operable with limited manual dexterity. yes EZ Access* - buttons can be selected in 2 steps - press desired button then confirm with EZ Button; Dished keys easy to press; Also optional 1-Button mode ; Connection of customized external keyboard. - Software only for confirm and 1 button access features. (Less than 2k memory.)
    - Dished keys is no cost, just a different key shape. - Keyboard connection can be via Infra-red or the connector on bottom (Based on industry standard ANSI/TIA/EIA-688)
    (f) Operable with limited reach and strength. yes Buttons easy to press down; One button mode.
    Optional Speakerphone is easier for people who cannot place phone to ear; Optional Voice Dialing is faster for some.    		 - Light button pressure is standard on many phones. Optional speakerphone and voice dialing features are increasingly common - and cost for these features is dropping precipitously. (Speakerphone and voice dialing not required for access in this design).
    (g) Operable without time-dependent controls. yes Time-outs can be modified via preferences menu - Menu option. (easily implemented in software)
    (h) Operable without speech. yes Speech input of commands not required; Text communication modes available. - Ability to control phone without requiring speech is standard on most all phones.
    - Text communication is common on digital phones and will be standard soon.
    (i) Operable with limited cognitive skills. yes EZ Access - all functions accessible via speech output; Also one-button / single number dialing with optional cover plate; Infrared port - allows user programming via simplified step-by-step computer interface - Speech output of all printed text is already covered above (first item).
    - One button dialing and single number dialing is software only.
    - Optional cover plate would cost a bit but is not needed for access.
    - IR port is standard on many cell phones
    Sec. 1193.43 Output, display, and control functions.
    (a) Availability of visual information. yes EZ Access - all functions and displayed text available via speech - Cost covered above.
    b) Availability of visual information for low vision users. yes Matrix Display - all functions and messages shown in large print on display - A small addition to software to have the phone display the words when it speaks them as discussed above.
    (c) Access to moving text. yes Arrow buttons - text can be paused or stepped through using arrow buttons - configurable via preferences menu - Preferences menu option (easily implemented in software)
    (d) Availability of auditory information. yes Ringing tones, beeps shown on display (and vibrating ringer). TTY messages shown on display. Speech to Text available via relay services. VCO supported. - Using the Lucent solution strategy (or final standard), TTY codes can be decoded in digital phones using software. A little additional software would allow TTY text to be displayed.
    - All other sounds made by the phone can be visually displayed as well using existing displays.
    (e) Availability of auditory information for people who are hard of hearing. yes Full FCC volume range. - Cell phones already exist that meet the FCC specified levels
    (f) Prevention of visually-induced seizures. yes Flashing lights all within acceptable flash frequencies. - No cost. Not a problem on most phones today.
    (g) Availability of audio cutoff. yes Headset being placed in jack cuts off the speaker - Standard industry practice.
    (h) Non-interference with hearing technologies. yes Per Standards group ANSI C63 - Already being addressed by industry.
     (i) Hearing aid coupling. yes Hearing aid t-coil compatibility - Already common in many phones including world's smallest mass market cell phone.
    Subpart D - Compatibility  1193.51
    (a) External electronic access to all information and control mechanisms. yes Infrared port allows activation of all features remotely. - Already common in many cell phones (including Nokia's most popular model). Only software protocol needs to be added.
    (b) Connection point for external audio processing devices. yes Standard subminiature headset jack connects to external auditory processing devices - Hardware for this is already used by most cell phone companies for connection of headsets (including world's smallest mass market cell phon).
    - No cost to use standard signal levels.
    (c) Compatibility of controls with prosthetics. yes Keys do not require contact with human body to work. Dished keys make it easier to press keys for people with limited manipulation. - Not aware of any phones that fail this guideline today (though there probably is one).
    - Most (non-cell) phones also have dished keys like the old touchtone phones.
    (d) TTY connectability. yes Headset jack is a TTY connector - Headset jack already used as TTY connector today for some TTYs. (see also next item)
    (e) TTY signal compatibility. yes Phone can send and receive TTY signals. - One of 3 industry proposed all software solutions is used. (which work with today's phones.)

    * Note: The access package above can be implemented with or without a separate green diamond "EZ" button. Implementation with the button is preferable. The cost for the extra button is in the cents range if done as part of the overall original keyboard design.