Model M-e Modular 67-Key POS, MANPOS & MCANPOS Keyboards

Applies to IBM or Toshiba Modular 67-Key POS Keyboard, Modular 67-Key POS LCD Keyboard, Modular ANPOS Keyboard (ANPOS II) and Modular CANPOS Keyboard (CANPOS II)

The IBM/Toshiba Modular series of POS (MPOS) input devices are a modern follow-up to the Retail series of POS (RPOS) input devices of the 1990s and 'pre-Modular' series of the 2000s. Originally introduced in 2008^[1][1]
IBM - IBM SurePOS 300 machine type 4810 offer new point-of-sale keyboards [accessed 2022-04-06]., the MPOS series fields analogues for almost all of IBM's previous offerings whilst retaining the same IBM buckling rubber sleeve keyswitch design and core layouts along with enhancing their features and in many cases adding more available buttons around said core design. MPOS input devices are provisionally known in the enthusiast space as members of the Model M extended family ("Model M-e") due to their clear and pronounced lineage to the Models M7, M7-1, M8, M9 and M11 that make up the RPOS series.

MPOS was introduced relatively late into IBM's retail business timeline. In 2012, IBM Retail Store Solutions was sold to Toshiba TEC^[2][2]
IBM - Toshiba TEC to Acquire IBM's Retail Store Point-of-Sale Solutions Business; Agreement Allows Both to Tap Growing Smarter Commerce Opportunity [accessed 2022-11-11]. License/note: retrieved via Wayback Machine (2012-04-20 capture). to become Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions (TGCS), which continues producing MPOS to this day. Their future is unclear as touchscreens become more and more present, but for now, Toshiba TEC alongside Unicomp with buckling spring Model Ms continues to produce the remnants of the once-colossal Model M family.

Contents

Summaries

Modular 67-Key POS Keyboard

Modular 67-Key POS LCD Keyboard

Modular ANPOS Keyboard (MANPOS)

Modular CANPOS Keyboard (MCANPOS)

History

MPOS in general is an upgrade of IBM's Retail series of POS (RPOS) keyboards. The RPOS series was announced on 1st June 1993 for the IBM 4694 POS Terminal model 001 and it consisted of five keyboard designs^[5][5]
IBM - IBM 4694 Point of Sale Terminal Model 001 Brief Description of Announcement, Charges, and Availability [accessed 2022-04-08]., initially manufactured by Lexmark then later Maxi Switch, XAC and XSZ:

These five keyboards in turn replaced IBM's 4683/4684 era keyboards that were manufactured by IBM itself, Key Tronic and SMK. All five keyboards used RS-485 serial for general communication and PS/2 for scancodes, the former fact meaning they are not natively programmable with a regular PC. By September 2001, IBM introduced the first new enhancement to the RPOS series, the IBM PS/2 ANPOS Keyboard with Integrated Pointing Device (alternatively known as IBM PS/2 ANPOS Keyboard with Integrated Mouse)^[6][6]
IBM - IBM Point of Sale Subsystem Installation, Keyboards, and Code Pages [accessed 2022-04-08]. added an integrated TrackPoint-style pointing stick and two mouse buttons to the original Model M9 ANPOS Keyboard design. This began the Model M extended family (M-e) that MPOS belongs to. Furthermore, by April 2002, IBM released the Compact Alphanumeric POS (CANPOS) Keyboard^[7][7]
IBM - IBM SurePOS 500 Series Overview [accessed 2022-04-08]. which represented an even more radical modification to the previous ANPOS Keyboard design by compacting a full-size keyboard and 32 programmable buttons into a form-factor with a similar width to a tenkeyless keyboard.

The MPOS series of Model M-e keyboards debuted in June 2008, based on the then-current RPOS series and M-e keyboards being produced by XSZ. Initially, the line-up included the Modular 67-Key POS Keyboard, the Modular ANPOS (MANPOS) Keyboard, and the Modular CANPOS (MCANPOS) Keyboard^[1][1]
IBM - IBM SurePOS 300 machine type 4810 offer new point-of-sale keyboards [accessed 2022-04-06].. IBM also had alternative names for the latter two; ANPOS II and CANPOS II Keyboards respectively to represent the fact they're replacements for two previous M-e designs. By October 2011 and nearing the end of IBM Retail Store Solutions' existence, IBM introduced the Modular 67-Key POS LCD Keyboard^[4][4]
IBM - IBM SurePOS 300: New IBM Modular 67-Key POS Keyboard with LCD Display offers increased security and additional customization options [accessed 2022-04-06]. to complete the MPOS series and the modern IBM/Toshiba POS Keyboard line-up at large. The MPOS series brought up two major innovations to IBM/Toshiba POS series; a modular interface for non-button based features and a unified connection interface for USB and PS/2 connectivity. The modular interface replaces major Retail and early M-e keyboard features such as the key-locks, magnetic stripe readers and pointing devices with 2 or 3 hardpoints that allow these features to be installed or removed at will. This was likely an effort to make user configuration and repair/replacement easier as well as suppress the need for many manufacturing variations. The new connection interface replaces the old separate RS-485, PS/2 and USB connectors and unique internal electronics for each with a single connector and internal controller PCB that can communicate with a host via PS/2 (Alphanumeric models only) or USB depending on the cable used.

Design

Keyswitches

More information: IBM buckling rubber sleeve

MPOS series keyboards use keyswitches provisionally known as IBM buckling rubber sleeves (or simply [IBM] buckling sleeves) as a hold-over from RPOS and pre-MPOS. IBM buckling sleeves was IBM's primary portable computer keyswitch technology between 1991 and 1996 as well as their and now Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions' primary POS keyboard keyswitch technology from 1993 to present day. Unlike generic rubber dome keyswitches, the rubber component in IBM buckling sleeves plays no part in pressing down on the membrane assembly's contacts. Instead (and for IBM buckling sleeves in general), the design offloads this duty to rods on the keycaps or barrel-mounted sliders depending on the specific implementation, either of which descend through the keyboard frame's barrels to provide a solid actuation interface. This effectively eliminates the potential mushy feeling of bottoming out on rubber dome keyboards whilst still keeping the design tactile and relatively quiet. IBM buckling sleeves are very snappy and quite tactile, with what is perhaps best described as a medium stiffness feel relative to other keyswitch designs.

IBM adopted a variation of the design for its RPOS series POS keyboards when they were introduced in 1993, which is what MPOS inherits. Presumably, this development was part of the reason why the RPOS series were designated Model Ms (M7 through M11). Most MPOS keys use standard gauge sleeves, though MCANPOS additionally uses medium-tall gauge sleeves for their half-height keys. The former sleeve gauge is interchangeable with most non-POS Model Ms with IBM buckling sleeves. The MPOS' specific sleeves and actuation method implementation is known as the late POS-type IBM buckling sleeves, which were introduced in ~2000 for the Model M-e 32-Key Monitor Keypad and later added to RPOS mid-way through production when their production was transferred from the Americas to Asia around ~2002. As such, post-2002 RPOS, pre-MPOS and MPOS series keyboards generally enjoy sleeve and keycap compatibility with each other. However, RPOS series keyboards produced before 2002 by Lexmark or Maxi Switch use early POS-type IBM buckling sleeves that share only sleeve compatibility since the keycap mounts differ. Most MPOS sleeves are clear-translucent coloured and the only minute physical difference to the sleeves are slight grooves on their outer rims, but this doesn't significantly alter the key-feel or sound.

Cover set

MPOS keyboards feature PC+ABS-FR(40) plastic cover sets in a very similar style to its RPOS series predecessors. PC+ABS-FR(40) is a high flow flame retardant version of PC+ABS^[8][8]
idemitsu - Flame retardant PC alloy grade Properties [accessed 2022-04-10].. The plastic is sturdy and taut, giving little flex and the feeling of robustness. It's also textured, but only slightly and nowhere near the level of most buckling spring keyboard cover sets. That said, the cover sets are at least somewhat wedge-shaped like its 1980s Model M ancestors but are more angular once again just like its RPOS series predecessors. All MPOS keyboards are styled similarly to maintain a uniform resemblance.

Internal assembly

The MPOS series keyboard assembly is tightly integrated in two ways with the keyboard's cover set, more so than almost all other Model Ms except Models M1 and M2. By comparison, RPOS and pre-MPOS keyboards were just integrated in one way with their cover sets. Still, four distinct layers can be identified; the keyboard frame, the membrane blanket, the membrane assembly, and the middle frame.

MPOS series keyboard assemblies are held together with screws, meaning the main weakness of most buckling-spring Model Ms - the plastic rivets - are not a concern for these keyboards.

Modular interface

The hallmark and namesake of these updated POS keyboard designs are of course their modular components. This takes the main non-button related features of the keyboards and makes them discreet devices that can be added or removed as desired. This design philosophy was presumably implemented to make repairing the keyboards easier, make customer ordering and configuration easier, and limit the amount of wholly distinct keyboard variants IBM and later Toshiba had to manufacture - for example, IBM used to market two distinct versions of the 50-key RPOS Keyboard with (Model M7) or without (M7-1) a magnetic stripe reader. The MPOS keyboards have two (67-Key) or three (MANPOS and MCANPOS) module hardpoints that can attach a specific kind of module of which 4 types are available. Each module is further explained in the Modules section.

The keyboards can come with no modules installed or some modules installed configured in predefined packages. If a module isn't present at purchase, a hollow blanking module will be installed (these can be ordered separately as well). All modules slide in or out of place and are secured by a single screw on the bottom of the keyboard. When removing a module, there is a press-down button with a blue-coloured sticker across it for releasing the module.

Keycaps

MPOS shares the same type of keycaps as that of late RPOS series keyboards made by XAC and XSZ, and there are likewise three types of keycaps; alphanumeric keycap, relegendable keystem, and relegendable keytop.

Alphanumeric keycaps & relegendable keystems

Alphanumeric keycaps are single-piece keycaps (keystem and keytop are integrated into each other) and use lasered (for pearl white host keyboards) or pad-printed (for grey/black host keyboards) legends. The alphanumeric keycaps for MANPOS are standard unit sizes, however, MCANPOS has slightly compacted keycaps. The 1-unit relegendable keystem unit size is standardised across all MPOS keyboards, however, the 67-key keyboards additionally have 1.25-unit relegendable keys. Both alphanumeric keycaps and relegendable keystems are difficult to remove without damaging the stem itself, and in some cases of misuse, the tops can break from the stems. It's possible to detach a 1-unit relegendable keystem by following this instruction:

Other keys such as alphanumeric, modifiers and the spacebar can only be safely removed by opening up the keyboard assembly and pushing them out from the other side of the keyboard frame. To put a keycap back in, you simply push it back in with the two protrusions on the keystem's plug facing left and right relative to the keyboard. If the key doesn't press properly or stays stuck at the bottom, you should be able to rotate the keystem until it starts pressing normally again.

Relegendable keytops

The transparent keytops used for relegendable keycaps can be referred to as "lenses" and exist in 1x1/single and 1x2/double forms. The following variants are known, each with available with a "tall" variant as well:

Using a 1x2/double keytop require configuration through the IBM/Toshiba Modular Device Utility or using the UPOS API to disable one of the two keystems from registering its own keypress, at which point, the disabled keystem acts as a stabiliser.

IBM and TGCS made kits available to add or replace keytops with, called lens kits and cap sets. A lens kit contains a variety of various keytops for a given MPOS variant, whereas a cap set contains just of one type of relegendable keytop. They may be found on Amazon, eBay, or IT reselling websites.

Connectivity

The MPOS keyboards exclusively use locking 6x2 IDC connector based cables, displacing the Retail and older M-e options of 8-pin AMP SDL for RS485 and PS/2 or 4x1 connector for USB. Most non-LCD 67-Key MPOS, MANPOS and MCANPOS keyboards from before 2018 support 12V powered USB, USB and PS/2, just requiring a separate cable for a particular one. However, when Toshiba introduced 3AA0xxxxxxx part number nomenclature versions of the MANPOS and MCANPOS by 2018, they dropped PS/2 support. The 67-Key MPOS LCD Keyboard always only supported 12V powered USB and USB.

The simplicity of the connector's design can allow anyone to create their own replacement cables easily, even with just basic tools and equipment such as jumper wires and a sacrificial USB cable. modelrail.otenko has detailed the connection of a MANPOS keyboard and has even created a 3D printable plug casing^[13][13]
modelrail.otenko - IBM 45U0018 POS Keyboard [accessed 2022-04-09]..

Modules

Magnetic Stripe Reader module

The magnetic stripe reader (MSR) module is used to read the data stored on the black stripe that swipe cards have. This modular replaces the built-in MSR most RPOS series keyboards had. Available options as of May 2014^[11][11]
Toshiba - Toshiba Guide to Features - SurePOS 700 Models 4900-xx5 (#1R1003844-xx5) [accessed 2023-06-13]. License/note: photos used under fair dealing.:

Keylock module

Available options as of May 2014^[11][11]
Toshiba - Toshiba Guide to Features - SurePOS 700 Models 4900-xx5 (#1R1003844-xx5) [accessed 2023-06-13]. License/note: photos used under fair dealing.:

Touch Pad/Pointer module

Also referred to as simply as the pointing module or Glide Pad and pointer module by IBM^[14][14]
IBM - IBM Point of Sale Options and I/O Devices Service Guide DRAFT [accessed 2022-04-06]., this module attaches a two-button pointing stick and a touchpad to the keyboard. TGCS era modules as said to have a Varatouch pointing stick^[3][3]
Toshiba - Toshiba POS Keyboards Technical Specifications [accessed 2022-04-06]. via the pointing module hardpoint. Due to their lack of said hardpoint, the 67-Key POS Keyboards cannot use this module. This module replaces the singular two-button pointing stick previous IBM and Toshiba POS keyboards could have. This module also features a large rubber half-sphere on its bottom to help support the module. Available options as of May 2014^[11][11]
Toshiba - Toshiba Guide to Features - SurePOS 700 Models 4900-xx5 (#1R1003844-xx5) [accessed 2023-06-13]. License/note: photos used under fair dealing.:

For at least IBM-era modules, the pointing stick technology used is IBM's strain gauge TrackPoint IV. The module appears to be very similar to those used in Lenovo ThinkPad T400-era laptops^[15][15]
Deskthority Wiki - TrackPoint Hardware#ThinkPad T400 TrackPoint [accessed 2023-04-18].. The touchpad used is a Cirque GlidePad as the "Glide Pad and pointer" name for this module suggests.

Fingerprint module

Note that the fingerprint module requires the USB cable option for it to operate. Available options as of May 2014^[11][11]
Toshiba - Toshiba Guide to Features - SurePOS 700 Models 4900-xx5 (#1R1003844-xx5) [accessed 2023-06-13]. License/note: photos used under fair dealing.:

67-Key MPOS Keyboard

The Modular 67-Key POS Keyboard is the direct successor to the IBM/Toshiba Model M7 50-key RPOS Keyboard and is thus occasionally referred to as the M7-e in fan circles. It was announced on 17th June 2008 for the IBM SurePOS 300^[1][1]
IBM - IBM SurePOS 300 machine type 4810 offer new point-of-sale keyboards [accessed 2022-04-06].. As the name implies, the M7-e adds 17 keys over its predecessor, however, these new keys are arranged around the same basic layout as the original 50-key M7 to allow for some familiarity for IBM's customers upon upgrading and preserve application-level compatibility. Also included from the M7 design is a dedicated Ctrl key that cannot be reprogrammed and the same numeric keypad with a double-width 0 key by default, giving the design 65 total programmable keys out of the box (66 if the "0" keycap is removed). Being an MPOS series device, the MSR and key lock are now modular attachments instead of fixed components. As such, the M7-1 (M7 without built-in MSR) is also succeeded by the M7-e.

67-Key MPOS LCD Keyboard

The Modular 67-Key POS LCD Keyboard is the direct successor to the IBM/Toshiba Model M8 50-key RPOS LCD Keyboard and is thus occasionally referred to as the M8-e in fan circles. Its planned availability was 14th October 2011 for the IBM SurePOS 300^[4][4]
IBM - IBM SurePOS 300: New IBM Modular 67-Key POS Keyboard with LCD Display offers increased security and additional customization options [accessed 2022-04-06].. The changes and narrative echo that of the non-LCD version. As the name implies, the M8-e adds 17 keys over its predecessor, however, these new keys are arranged around the same basic layout as the original 50-key M8 to allow for some familiarity for IBM's customers upon upgrading and preserve application-level compatibility. Also included from the M8 design is a dedicated Ctrl key that cannot be reprogrammed and the same numeric keypad with a double-width 0 key by default, giving the design 65 total programmable keys out of the box (66 if the "0" keycap is removed). Being an MPOS series device, the MSR and key lock are now modular attachments instead of fixed components.

MANPOS Keyboard

The Modular Alphanumeric POS Keyboard (MANPOS) is the direct successor to the original Model M-e based IBM PS/2 ANPOS Keyboard with Integrated Pointing Device (hence IBM originally called this design the IBM Modular PS/2 ANPOS II Keyboard^[14][14]
IBM - IBM Point of Sale Options and I/O Devices Service Guide DRAFT [accessed 2022-04-06].). It was announced on 17th June 2008 for the IBM SurePOS 300^[1][1]
IBM - IBM SurePOS 300 machine type 4810 offer new point-of-sale keyboards [accessed 2022-04-06].. The M-e PS/2 ANPOS itself was a Model M-e upgrade of the original Model M9 RANPOS Keyboard. Being an MPOS series device, the MSR and key lock are now attachments instead of fixed components and the design now gains a touchpad compared to a PS/2 ANPOS Keyboard or any pointing device compared to the M9. In terms of layout modification, the changes are tame - only 3 programmable keys have moved to make way for the pointing module. The status indicators panel is also much smaller now.

MCANPOS Keyboard

The Modular Compact Alphanumeric POS Keyboard (MCANPOS) is the direct successor to the original IBM CANPOS Keyboard (hence why IBM-branded MCANPOS were also known as IBM Modular CANPOS II Keyboards). It was announced on 17th June 2008 for the IBM SurePOS 300^[1][1]
IBM - IBM SurePOS 300 machine type 4810 offer new point-of-sale keyboards [accessed 2022-04-06].. The original CANPOS itself was a compact redesign of the Model M9 RANPOS Keyboard. Both CANPOS and MCANPOS fit a full-size keyboard and many programmable keys in a chassis that is a similar width to a tenkeyless keyboard. Additionally, all alphanumeric keys are slightly thinner compared to their M9 ANPOS, M-e PS/2 ANPOS and MANPOS counterparts. Once again as you may expect, MCANPOS made many of CANPOS's features modular but in this case, it also added the possibility of a key lock and a touchpad that the original CANPOS could never have. No extra keys were added despite some programmable key layout alterations, meaning both CANPOS and MCANPOS have 133 (US English) or 134 (rest of world) keys. Extra status indicators were also added; CANPOS only had three keyboard lock-lights, MCANPOS adds a "Wait", "Offline", "Message Pending" and a user-definable light.

Gallery

Part number list

57 part numbers have been found in the ASK Keyboard Part Number Database. If you believe a relevant part number is missing, you can help improve this list by requesting a submission for it to be added.

Further reading & resources

Internal

External

Documents

Downloads

Sources

ASK. Admiral Shark's Keyboards original content. License/note: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.

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