Abstract
An information handling system keyboard liquid crystal display (LCD) presents visual images illuminated by light emitting diodes (LEDs) at an underside of the LCD within the keyboard, such as to present function keys or a number pad. A photovoltaic panel placed over the LCD recycles illumination passing through the LCD and also absorbs ambient light to convert the light to a current that is applied to charge a battery of the keyboard.
Claims
1. An information handling system comprising: a housing; a processor coupled in the housing and operable to execute instructions to process information; a memory coupled in the housing and interfaced with the processor, the memory operable to store the instructions and information; an embedded controller interfaced with the processor and configured to manage inputs from input devices; and a keyboard interfaced with the embedded controller, the keyboard having plural keys to accept end user inputs and a processing resource to communicate the end user inputs to the embedded controller, the keyboard further having a liquid crystal display (LCD) coupled to an upper surface to accept touch inputs and a photovoltaic panel coupled over the LCD to convert light directed from LCD and ambient light into an electrical current.
2. The information handling system of claim 1 further comprising: a battery coupled in the keyboard and interfaced with the keyboard processing resource to power the keyboard processing resource; and a power management unit interfaced with the photovoltaic panel and the battery to charge the battery with the electrical current.
3. The information handling system of claim 2 wherein the LCD couples to the keyboard upper surface as a function row to accept function key inputs.
4. The information handling system of claim 2 further comprising: a keyboard frame separate from the housing, the LCD and the photovoltaic panel coupled in the keyboard frame; and a radio interfaced with the processing resource to communicate end user inputs from the keyboard to the processor.
5. The information handling system of claim 4 wherein the photovoltaic panel comprises a photovoltaic material applied to a first side and a touch detection sensor applied to a second side.
6. The information handling system of claim 5 wherein the photovoltaic panel comprises copper indium diselenide.
7. The information handling system of claim 5 wherein the photovoltaic panel comprises methyl-ammonium-lead-iodide.
8. The information handling system of claim 1 further comprising: a battery coupled in the housing interfaced with the processor and the keyboard processing resource to power the processor and the keyboard processing resource; and a power management unit interfaced with the photovoltaic panel and the battery to charge the battery with the electrical current.
9. The information handling system of claim 8 wherein the housing is configured as a portable housing and the keyboard couples into the housing at an upper surface.
10. A method for managing battery charge of an information handling system keyboard, the method comprising: generating visual image at an LCD coupled to an upper surface of the keyboard; accepting end user key inputs as touches to the LCD; and converting illumination from the LCD and illumination from ambient light to a current with a photovoltaic panel coupled over the LCD.
11. The method of claim 10 further comprising: interfacing a power management unit with the photovoltaic panel to accept the current; and charging a battery with current, the battery powering the generating the illumination.
12. The method of claim 11 further comprising: coupling the LCD to the keyboard in the place of a row of function keys; and accepting function key inputs as touches to the LCD.
13. The method of claim 11 further comprising: coupling the LCD and the photovoltaic panel in a keyboard frame separate from the information handling system; and communicating key inputs made at the plural keys to the information handling system with a radio coupled in the keyboard frame.
14. The method of claim 13 further comprising: absorbing light with the photovoltaic panel in various amounts in various spectrums; and adjusting images presented by the LCD based upon the spectrum of the image and the absorbing light with the photovoltaic panel.
15. The method of claim 11 further comprising: coupling the plural keys, the illumination source, the light spreader and the photovoltaic panel into a portable information handling system housing; and charging the battery with the current that powers a processor of the portable information handling system.
16. A keyboard comprising: plural keys to accept end user inputs; a processing resource to communicate the end user inputs to an information handling system; an LCD coupled to the keyboard upper surface to at least some key values as visual images; and a photovoltaic panel coupled over the LCD to convert light directed from the LCD and ambient light into an electrical current.
17. The keyboard of claim 16 further comprising: a keyboard frame, wherein the plural keys, the LCD and the photovoltaic panel couple in the keyboard frame; and a radio interfaced with the processing resource to communicate end user inputs to the plural keys to the information handling system.
18. The keyboard of claim 17 further comprising: a battery coupled in the keyboard and interfaced with the keyboard processing resource to power the keyboard processing resource; and a power management unit interfaced with the photovoltaic panel and the battery to charge the battery with the electrical current.
19. The keyboard of claim 18 wherein the photovoltaic panel comprises a photovoltaic material applied to a first side and a touch detection sensor applied to a second side.
20. The keyboard of claim 19 wherein the photovoltaic panel comprises copper indium gallium selenide.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] The present invention may be better understood, and its numerous objects, features and advantages made apparent to those skilled in the art by referencing the accompanying drawings. The use of the same reference number throughout the several figures designates a like or similar element.
[0011] FIG. 1 depicts an exploded perspective view of an information handling system interfaced with an integrated keyboard and a peripheral keyboard that have back light key illumination;
[0012] FIG. 2 depicts an exploded perspective view of a keyboard having a backlight and photovoltaic panel to capture misdirected illumination;
[0013] FIG. 3 depicts a circuit block diagram of a system for recycling keyboard backlight illumination as a current to charge a battery;
[0014] FIG. 4 depicts a flow diagram of a process for charging a battery with illumination of a keyboard backlight;
[0015] FIG. 5 depicts an upper perspective view of a keyboard having a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel at a keyboard upper surface having a photovoltaic glass panel coupled over the LCD panel;
[0016] FIG. 6 depicts an upper perspective exploded view of a keyboard having the LCD panel configured to accept key inputs through a photovoltaic panel;
[0017] FIG. 7 depicts a flow diagram of a process for charging a battery with illumination of a keyboard LCD panel and with ambient light;
[0018] FIG. 8 depicts an upper perspective view of a keyboard having photovoltaic panels included in keyboard keys to charge the keyboard battery with current generated by ambient light; and
[0019] FIG. 9 depicts a flow diagram of a process for charging a battery with ambient light.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0020] Photovoltaic panels included in an information handling system keyboard harvest internally-generated illumination, externally generated illumination or both to generate a current that charges a battery powering the keyboard. For purposes of this disclosure, an information handling system may include any instrumentality or aggregate of instrumentalities operable to compute, classify, process, transmit, receive, retrieve, originate, switch, store, display, manifest, detect, record, reproduce, handle, or utilize any form of information, intelligence, or data for business, scientific, control, or other purposes. For example, an information handling system may be a personal computer, a network storage device, or any other suitable device and may vary in size, shape, performance, functionality, and price. The information handling system may include random access memory (RAM), one or more processing resources such as a central processing unit (CPU) or hardware or software control logic, ROM, and/or other types of nonvolatile memory. Additional components of the information handling system may include one or more disk drives, one or more network ports for communicating with external devices as well as various input and output (I/O) devices, such as a keyboard, a mouse, and a video display. The information handling system may also include one or more buses operable to transmit communications between the various hardware components.
[0021] Referring now to FIG. 1, an exploded perspective view depicts an information handling system 10 interfaced with an integrated keyboard 34 and a peripheral keyboard 44 that have back light key illumination. In the example embodiment, information handling system 10 is built in a portable housing 12 having a main portion 14 rotationally coupled to a lid portion 16 in a convertible configuration to open and close. Processing components coupled in main portion cooperate to process information, such as a central processing unit (CPU) 18 that executes instructions in cooperation with a random access memory (RAM) 20 that stores the instructions and information. A solid state drive (SSD) 22 has persistent storage that stores information and instructions when the system powers down, such as an operating system and applications that execute as instructions on CPU 18. A graphics processing unit (GPU) 24 further processes information to define visual images for presentation at a display. An embedded controller executes firmware instructions stored in non-transitory memory, such as flash, to manage operating conditions in the housing, such as application of power, maintaining thermal constraints and interacting with input/output (I/O) devices. A wireless network interface controller (WNIC) 28 supports communication with external devices, such as through Ethernet, WIFI and BLUETOOTH. An integrated display 30 presents information as visual images, such as by scanning pixel values to display pixels.
[0022] A housing cover portion 32 couples over housing main portion and supports a keyboard 34 that accepts keyed inputs and a touchpad 36 that accepts touched inputs. For example, the keyed and touch inputs are communicated through embedded controller 26 to CPU 18. In addition to managing inputs of integrated I/O devices, embedded controller 26 manages external peripheral devices, such as a peripheral display 40 that receives visual image information through a display cable 38, a peripheral keyboard 44 and a peripheral mouse 42. In the example embodiment, integrated keyboard 34 and peripheral keyboard 44 can have a variety of enhancements to enhance end user interactions, such as backlight to illuminate key values in low ambient light conditions and a liquid crystal display to accept touch inputs at the keyboard. These features tend to increase power consumption associated with the keyboard. When a keyboard illumination is supported at an integrated keyboard, the extra power consumption drains the main system battery. When the keyboard illumination is supported by a peripheral keyboard, the relatively small battery within the keyboard tends to have a reduced charge life. In both cases, extra charging responsive to greater battery discharge tends to increase power use and carbon footprint.
[0023] Referring now to FIG. 2, an exploded perspective view depicts a keyboard 44 having a backlight illumination source 48 and photovoltaic panel 64 to capture misdirected illumination. In the example embodiment, a key assembly 50 has plural keys and a sensor, such as a membrane with a matrix, that accept end user inputs as key touches that are communicated to an information handling system. The example embodiment has a peripheral keyboard format, however, other embodiments as described herein and below may include an integrated keyboard that couples into a portable information handling system housing. An upper frame 52 couples over key assembly 50 and to keyboard frame 46 to hold the assembly together, such as with snap couplers or screws. Below keyboard assembly 50, an illumination source 48 generates illumination directed up towards keys of keyboard assembly 50 so that illumination passes through translucent key values formed in the plural keys to illuminate the key values for better end user interactions. Illumination source 48 has a centrally located circuit board 54 with plural light emitting diodes 56 that generate light to enter a light spreader 58 having plural reflectors 60 to direct light towards the bottom surface of the plural keys. For example, light spreader 58 is an Acrylic or similar layer that extends as a plane below the area of the plural keys so that illumination is spread evenly across the underside of the plural keys. Some of the illumination labeled 62 is misdirected away from the plural keys and downward towards frame 46. This downward directed illumination may include light that reflects against the bottom surface of the plural keys without entering translucent areas that pass light through as key values. In some embodiments, the bottom surface of the plural keys may have a reflective surface to direct unused light that does not pass through the key value in downward direction.
[0024] A photovoltaic panel 64 is coupled below illumination source 48 to have substantially the same shape as light spreader 58 so that light misdirected from the keyboard bottom surface is converted by photovoltaic panel 64 into a current to charge a battery of keyboard 44. In the example embodiment, light spreader 58 and photovoltaic panel 64 have substantially equal footprints that match the area of keyboard assembly 50 underside. Light spreader 58 has an area that provides an even distribution of light through each of the plural keys. Photovoltaic panel 64 has an area that accepts light traveling downward and, in one alternative embodiment, can include raised sides to collect light at the perimeter of light spreader 58. In one example embodiment, photovoltaic panel 64 is an EXEGER POWERFOYLE INDOOR V3.0 dye-Sensitized Solar Cell. In alternative embodiments, other types of thin-film solar cells may be used that deposit semiconductor materials on glass or plastic substrates, such as gallium arsenide, cadmium telluride, copper indium disulphide, copper indium gallium diselenide, and methyl-ammonium-lead-iodide (Perovskite). These thin film modules absorb light up to 100 times more effectively than conventional materials, such as silicon. The photovoltaic panel replaces the reflector that conventional keyboards place under a light spreader so that, rather than attempting to minimize light generation with reflectors to reflect misdirected light towards the keys, the present disclosure minimizes total power consumption by converting misdirected light into current. In one example embodiment, no reflectors are used in the keyboard or under the light spreader. In another example embodiment, reflectors are only used to direct light towards the photovoltaic panel and not towards the keyboard underside, such as by including a reflective surface on the key underside with reflective paint or other treatments. The goal of the arrangement is to recycle as much light as possible as a current while relying upon very controllable direct illumination towards the key underside to pass a desired amount of illumination through the key translucent symbol.
[0025] Referring now to FIG. 3, a circuit block diagram depicts a system for recycling keyboard backlight illumination as a current to charge a battery 68. Keyboard 44 accepts key inputs at a key matrix 72, such as with a touch by a key on a membrane to close a circuit, and communicates the input with keyboard microcontroller unit (MCU) 70 or other processing resource through a radio 74. As an example, keyboard MCU is an ARM-based or similar system on chip (SOC) that includes non-transitory memory and a radio to support BLUETOOTH communication. Photovoltaic panel 64 is coupled under the keyboard so that it collects illumination 62 that is not directed towards the keyboard keys and converts the illumination to a current. A power management unit (PMU) integrated circuit 66 receives the current from photovoltaic panel 64 and applies the current to charge a battery 68. In one example embodiment, battery 68 is a small lithium ion battery coupled in the keyboard to operate the keyboard as a separate peripheral device. In an alternative embodiment, battery 68 is a portable information handling system battery that operates the system under the management of an embedded controller, such as when the keyboard couples into a portable housing of a portable information handling system.
[0026] Referring now to FIG. 4, a flow diagram depicts a process for charging a battery with illumination of a keyboard backlight. The process starts at step 76 with LEDs of the backlight turned on to generate illumination towards the keyboard key underside. At step 78, the photovoltaic panel captures the illumination that is misdirected away from the keyboard underside and converts the illumination to current. At step 80, a power management unit (PMU) detects the photovoltaic electrical current input. At step 82, the PMU determines if the battery is less than 100% charged. When the battery is less than 100% charged, the process continues to step 86 to charge the battery. When the battery is fully charged, the process continues to step 84 to decline a battery charge and returns to step 80 to monitor current available to the PMU for charging the battery.
[0027] Referring now to FIG. 5, an upper perspective view depicts a keyboard 44 having a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel 90 at a keyboard upper surface having a photovoltaic glass panel 64 coupled over the LCD panel. In the example embodiment, photovoltaic glass panel 64 generates a current to recharge a battery as shown in FIG. 3, however, the light that generates the current originates from both internal illumination generated by LEDs that backlight the LCD and also from ambient light 88 that is generated external the keyboard. Photovoltaic panel 64 is a semi-transparent photovoltaic material deposited on one side of a glass cover to capture and convert light energy from the LCD panel and ambient light into a current. In the example embodiment, a touch detection functionality is included with LCD panel 90, such as included in a separate glass cover of the LCD panel or included in photovoltaic glass panel 64 on a side opposite the side having the photovoltaic material. Alternatively, the photovoltaic panel and touch detection may be included on separate pieces of glass that are glued together with an optically clear adhesive and placed over the LCD panel.
[0028] Referring now to FIG. 6, an upper perspective exploded view depicts a keyboard 44 having the LCD panel 90 configured to accept key inputs through a photovoltaic panel 64. In the example embodiment, a processing resource coupled to a circuit board 92 generates visual images at LCD panel 90 to support end user input selections, such as by presenting a function row with keys F1 through F12 and related keys that have assignable values. Photovoltaic panel 64 includes a touch detection surface that accepts touches at depicted function keys, which are interpreted as inputs by the processing resource on circuit board 92. Circuit board 92 includes the processing resources as depicted in FIG. 3 and described above. A PMU integrated circuit interfaces with photovoltaic panel 64 to convert current from the photovoltaic panel into charge applied to the battery. In various embodiments, the selection of the type of material for the photovoltaic panel is related to the selection of colors presented by the LCD panel. For example, photovoltaic panel 64 is selected to capture ambient light that might focus on wavelengths associated with typical indoor lighting color temperatures while other color temperatures experience less deprecation when passing from LCD panel 90 through the semi-transparent photovoltaic panel. To ensure adequate contrast in the LCD visual images, the color presented from the visual image is selected based upon a relative absorption through the photovoltaic panel. As an example, an optical notch filter from liquid crystal chiral polymers could be used, as described in Optical Filters Based on Cholesteric, Blue and Sphere Mesophases, by Sun et al., of the National Engineering Lab for TFT-LCD Materials and Technologies. An additional advantage of this spectrum selection is that ambient light absorbed by the photovoltaic panel does not reflect back at the end user and deteriorate viewing of the underlying image.
[0029] Referring now to FIG. 7, a flow diagram depicts a process for charging a battery with illumination of a keyboard LCD panel and with ambient light. The process starts at step 110 with LEDs of the backlight turned on to generate illumination towards the LCD at the keyboard key underside. In addition, ambient light is absorbed that impacts the photovoltaic panel from above and exterior the keyboard. At step 112, the photovoltaic panel captures the illumination that impacts from above and below and converts the illumination to current. In one example embodiment, the photovoltaic panel has a semi-transparent material with light absorption greater in an ambient light spectrum, such as the blue light spectrums used in typical ambient LED lighting, while having less absorption of visual light spectrums output by the LCD and emphasized to enhance LCD contrast for visual images presented through the photovoltaic panel. At step 114, a power management unit (PMU) detects the photovoltaic electrical current input. At step 116, the PMU determines if the battery is less than 100% charged. When the battery is less than 100% charged, the process continues to step 120 to charge the battery. When the battery is fully charged, the process continues to step 118 to decline a battery charge and returns to step 114 to monitor current available to the PMU for charging the battery.
[0030] Referring now to FIG. 8, an upper perspective view of a keyboard 44 depicts photovoltaic panels 64 included in keyboard keys 94 to charge the keyboard battery with current generated by ambient light. In the example embodiment, four photovoltaic panels 64 are included on keyboard 44 to generate current that charges the keyboard battery. The number and location of photovoltaic panels may vary depending on projected keyboard battery use and projected charge generation from the photovoltaic panels. For instance, a peripheral keyboard may include only four photovoltaic panels that will, in a typical office environment, generate each day the amount of power that the keyboard uses. In such an example embodiment, the battery charge size may be reduced to a minimalist amount, such as 5 days of operating charge, so that a smaller battery is included in the keyboard resulting in a reduced carbon footprint not only from reduced charging but also reduced battery material. On the other hand, a keyboard integrated in a portable information handling system and powered by the battery of the system may include a photovoltaic panel on each key so that the main battery receives a charge from a maximal available green current. In the example peripheral keyboard, the areas selected for use of photovoltaic panels include the largest surface areas so that fewer total numbers of photovoltaic panels are included.
[0031] In the example embodiment a photovoltaic panel 64 couples to each shift key 96, to a space key 102 and to an open keyboard area 104 located above and to each side of arrow keys 106. The current generated from photovoltaic panels 64 is communicated through openings in the keys or the keyboard cover to a photovoltaic contact 100 located proximate a rubber dome 98 that biases the key to a raised position. Photovoltaic contacts 100 are, for instance, a contact spring that couples the current contacts of the photovoltaic panel with the charging circuit, such as the circuit block diagram described in FIG. 3. In one example embodiment, a small opening in the photovoltaic panel is made at a symbol of the key, such as shift written on the shift key, so that backlight can pass through to illuminate the key value for an end user. Alternatively, a semitransparent photovoltaic panel permits light from the backlight to pass through at the light spectrum of the backlight. In another alternative embodiment, an OLED impression of the symbol illuminates above the photovoltaic panel to highlight the symbol with active illumination powered through the photovoltaic contacts.
[0032] Referring now to FIG. 9, a flow diagram depicts a process for charging a battery with illumination of ambient light. The process starts at step 130 with ambient light absorbed that impacts the photovoltaic panel from above and exterior the keyboard. At step 132, the photovoltaic panel captures the illumination that impacts from above and exterior the keyboard and converts the illumination to current. In one example embodiment, the photovoltaic panel has a semi-transparent material with light absorption greater in an ambient light spectrum, such as the blue light spectrums used in typical ambient LED lighting, while having less absorption of visual light spectrums output by a backlight that illuminates key values from below the keyboard. At step 134, a power management unit (PMU) detects the photovoltaic electrical current input. At step 136, the PMU determines if the battery is less than 100% charged. When the battery is less than 100% charged, the process continues to step 140 to charge the battery. When the battery is fully charged, the process continues to step 138 to decline a battery charge and returns to step 134 to monitor current available to the PMU for charging the battery.
[0033] Although the present invention has been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions and alterations can be made hereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
