A portable information handling system is assembled and disassembled by a keystone assembly that couples at an upper surface of the portable housing to overlap a keyboard assembly that covers processing components disposed in the portable housing. The keyboard assembly includes a membrane having plural input sensors and a capacitive touch sensor that interface with a communications hub, such as a USB communications hub coupled to the membrane, that communicates both the keyboard inputs and touchpad inputs to a motherboard through first and second contacts that support a differential serial pair.

A sensor for a control panel, including a housing along an edge of the panel, light emitters projecting light along an in-air detection plane over the panel and detectors detecting reflections of the projected light, reflected by an object in the detection plane, lenses oriented such that each detector receives maximum light intensity when light enters a corresponding lens at a particular angle, whereby for each emitter-detector pair, when the object is located at a specific position in the detection plane, light emitted by the emitter of that pair is reflected by the object back through one of the lenses at the particular angle to the detector of that pair, the specific position being associated with that emitter-detector pair, and a processor configured to determine panel locations, map each location to a position in the detection plane associated with an emitter-detector pair, mapping the panel to the detection plane.

End user presence and absence states are determined at an information handling system by analyzing infrared time of flight sensor presence detection information detected at plural peripherals each having an infrared time of flight sensor. In one example embodiment, a peripheral includes processing capabilities to analyze the infrared time of flight sensor presence detection information to determine the end user presence and absence state for communication to an embedded controller. In an alternative embodiment, infrared time of flight presence detection information includes sensed distances provided to a central processing unit integrated sensor hub either directly or with a subscription by the integrated sensor hub to the embedded controller.

A keyboard with light-emitting and touch functions includes a keyswitch, a backlight module having a light source and a light guide plate, a membrane, a capacitive touch sensing sheet disposed on the membrane and the light guide plate, and a board. The keyswitch includes a cap and a support mechanism movably connected to the cap. Light of the light source is incident into the light guide plate and is emitted toward the cap. The membrane has a switch and is selectively disposed on or under the backlight module. The board is disposed under the backlight module and the membrane and has first and second connection members. The first and second connection members pass through the membrane, the light guide plate and the capacitive touch sensing sheet to be movably connected to the support mechanism, so as to make the cap movable downward relative to the board for triggering the switch.

Systems and methods provide haptic feedback within areas of keyboard using a single haptic device, while isolating the feedback to keys that are being pressed. A keyboard may include multiple key areas. Each key area includes a mechanical actuator. Each key area also includes a sensor layer located below a plurality of haptic key plates and located above the mechanical actuator. Each key area also includes a flexible membrane that dampens haptic feedback and separates each of the haptic key plates from neighboring key plates. Each key area also includes haptic key plates that each include one or more protrusions. When a key plate is pressed, protrusions of the pressed key plate contact the sensor layer to trigger activation of the mechanical actuator to generate haptic feedback. The protrusions of the pressed key plate transmit the generated haptic feedback from the mechanical actuator to the key plate.

A fingerprint reader/power button system includes a base member defining base leg apertures extending into the base member. A spring member engages the base member to provide a spring force that is directed away from the base member. Spring legs on the spring member define respective spring leg apertures that are located adjacent respective base leg apertures. A support member engages the spring member and includes support legs that are configured to extend through the spring leg apertures and into the base leg apertures. A power actuator element connected to the support member is configured to engage a power actuator engagement element when an actuation force on the support member overcomes the spring force. A fingerprint reader connected to the support member is configured to read a fingerprint from a finger that engages a fingerprint reader surface on the fingerprint reader.

One variation of a system includes: a substrate including an aperture and a multi-layer inductor; and a cover layer arranged over the substrate and cooperating with the aperture to define a housing. Additionally, the system includes a fingerprint reader arranged within the housing and configured to permeate through the cover layer to scan a fingerprint applied over the cover layer. A magnetic element is arranged facing the multi-layer inductor and configured to inductively couple the multi-layer inductor. The system further includes a controller configured to: read electrical values from the multi-layer inductor; and register a fingerprint input on the cover layer based on the electrical values. Additionally, the controller can: read fingerprint values from the fingerprint reader to generate a fingerprint image; and trigger a first oscillating voltage across the multi-layer inductor to oscillate the cover layer in response to the fingerprint image deviating from a target fingerprint image.

In an example implementation according to aspects of the present disclosure, an input device of a plurality of input switches, a plurality of biometric sensors integrated into each of the plurality of input switches and a processor. The processor configured to receive an indication from a first input switch. The processor receives a biometric data collected by one of the biometric sensors. The processor determines whether the received indication corresponds with a first state in a predetermined sequence. The processor determines whether the biometric data corresponds with as second state in a predetermined biometric data sequence. The processor authenticates the user based on the first and second states.

An apparatus may include an input surface, a plurality of key positions on the input surface, a force sensor positioned underneath the input surface at at least one of the key positions, and a proximity controller in communication with a capacitance measuring circuit incorporated into the apparatus.

A backlight apparatus, used in an illuminated keyboard, includes a light-guiding plate, a light-shielding membrane, a light-reflecting sheet, a plurality of first translucent glue bodies, and a plurality of second translucent glue bodies. The light-guiding plate has a plurality of through holes. Each of the first translucent glue bodies corresponds to one of the through holes. Each first translucent glue body is placed on a front surface of the light-guiding plate, and surrounds a respective circumference of the corresponding through hole to bond the light-shielding membrane thereabove and the light-guiding plate therebelow. Each first translucent glue body has a respective breach. Each of the second translucent glue bodies corresponds to one of the first translucent glue bodies, is placed via at least one portion thereof in the breach of the corresponding first translucent glue body, and bonds the light-shielding membrane thereabove and the light-guiding plate therebelow.