Notebook computer having keyboard decoding in palmrest
First Claim
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1. A portable information handling system comprising:
- a housing;
a motherboard located within the housing;
a palmrest assembly coupled to the housing and comprising a keyboard controller;
a keyboard assembly coupled to the palmrest assembly such that the keyboard controller is operable to receive keystroke signals from the keyboard assembly, wherein the coupling between the keyboard assembly and the palmrest assembly comprises a keyboard assembly connector on the keyboard assembly and a palmrest assembly connector on the palmrest assembly for receiving the keyboard assembly connector, the palmrest assembly connector operative to receive the keyboard assembly connector while the palmrest assembly is assembled to the housing; and
a first bus coupling the keyboard controller to the motherboard, wherein the keyboard controller is operable to receive the keystroke signals from the keyboard assembly, decode the keystroke signals, and transmit the decoded keystroke signals to the motherboard over the first bus.
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Abstract
A portable information handling system, user interface components thereof, and methods of user control interface and assembly are disclosed. In one embodiment a keyboard assembly, including a large plurality of contacts for a keyboard matrix, connects directly to a palmrest assembly. The palmrest assembly includes a keyboard controller, which decodes keystrokes and then passes the decoded keystrokes to, e.g., an I/O controller on the motherboard of the portable information handling system. This results in greatly improved layout and usage of the motherboard routing spaces, improved reliability, and simplified assembly.
39 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A portable information handling system comprising:
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a housing; a motherboard located within the housing; a palmrest assembly coupled to the housing and comprising a keyboard controller; a keyboard assembly coupled to the palmrest assembly such that the keyboard controller is operable to receive keystroke signals from the keyboard assembly, wherein the coupling between the keyboard assembly and the palmrest assembly comprises a keyboard assembly connector on the keyboard assembly and a palmrest assembly connector on the palmrest assembly for receiving the keyboard assembly connector, the palmrest assembly connector operative to receive the keyboard assembly connector while the palmrest assembly is assembled to the housing; and a first bus coupling the keyboard controller to the motherboard, wherein the keyboard controller is operable to receive the keystroke signals from the keyboard assembly, decode the keystroke signals, and transmit the decoded keystroke signals to the motherboard over the first bus. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of inputting keystroke information to a portable information handling system, the method comprising:
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providing a keyboard assembly coupled to a palmrest assembly through a connection of a keyboard assembly connector on the keyboard assembly and a palmrest assembly connector on the palmrest assembly that receives the keyboard assembly connector while the palmrest assembly is assembled to the housing; translating user keystrokes on a keyboard assembly into electrical signals; transmitting the electrical signals from the keyboard assembly to a keyboard controller located in the palmrest assembly through the connection of the keyboard assembly connector and the palmrest assembly connector; decoding the electrical signals, using the keyboard controller, into decoded keystroke signals; and transmitting the decoded keystroke signals over a first serial bus that extends between the palmrest assembly and a motherboard that is located in the portable information handling system. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A portable information handling system comprising:
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a housing; a motherboard located within the housing; a palmrest assembly coupled to the housing and comprising a keyboard controller; a keyboard assembly coupled to the palmrest assembly such that the keyboard controller receives keystroke signals from the keyboard assembly, wherein the coupling between the keyboard assembly and the palmrest assembly comprises a connector tab on the keyboard assembly and a socket for receiving the connector tab on the palmrest assembly, the socket operative to receive the keyboard assembly connector tab while the palmrest assembly is assembled to the housing; and a first bus coupling the keyboard controller to the motherboard through the palmrest assembly, the keyboard controller transmitting decoded keystrokes to the motherboard over the bus. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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Specification