So far, I’ve determined the microcontroller signals for all buttons, lights (LEDs), and mouse encoders (see Chapter 3: Device documentation). I am currently building a MON08 programmer circuit (see Section 3.1.1: Programming) to be able to reprogram the on-chip flash on the microcontroller.

Anything is possible because you control the firmware!

• Make any key emit any character or signal.
• Change the sensitivity of the trackball.
• Transform any key into a special shift modifier.
• Light up any LED for whatever reason.
• Make the dreaded CapsLock key emit a signal.
• Save/load your custom remap directly onto the AG5 through USB.

Copyright 2007 Suraj N. Kurapati <SNK at GNA dot ORG>

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TODO

TODO

The microcontroller onboard my AG5 was covered by a white sticker with the following text printed on it:

v1.1
061214
23EF

When I peeled the sticker off, the following text was revealed:

MC908JB8FBE
3K45H
CTQH0610

This indicates that the microcontroller on my AG5 is a Freescale MC68HC908JB8, which is a member of the HC08 family. You can obtain the technical data sheet for this microcontroller directly from Freescale.

A circular receptor composed of two electrical contacts (see Figure 4: Electrical contacts in a button receptor) can be found beneath every button on the AG5.

When a button is pushed, a rubber pad (coated with material that conducts electricity) comes down and sits upon the receptor. This connects the two electrical contacts in the receptor, causing current to flow through the contacts. The microcontroller then senses this current flow and knows that a button has been pushed. In addition, the microcontroller also knows which button was pushed because every pair of electrical contacts is connected to a unique pair of signals (see Table 1: Button contacts and microcontroller signals) on the microcontroller.

Table 1: Button contacts and microcontroller signals lists the microcontroller signals corresponding to each pair of electrical contacts for every button on the AG5. You can determine or verify these connections for yourself through the use of a continuity tester.

Notice that the white shift buttons are actually composed of two smaller buttons. The reason for this might be that the AG5 inventors ran out of room on the secondary PCB and so, they simply chose to use two smaller button receptors instead of a normal one.

• Horizontal movement is detected by the top mouse encoder, which is connected to the PTD0 and PTD1 signals on the microcontroller.
• Vertical movement is detected by the bottom mouse encoder, which is connected to the PTD2 and PTD3 signals on the microcontroller.

Table 2: Light contacts and microcontroller signals lists the corresponding microcontroller signals for every LED (a small light bulb) on the outer face of the AG5.