Patent ID: 12197269

The use of the same reference symbols in different drawings may indicate similar or identical items.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The following description in combination with the Figures is provided to assist in understanding the teachings disclosed herein. The description is focused on specific implementations and embodiments of the teachings and is provided to assist in describing the teachings. This focus should not be interpreted as a limitation on the scope or applicability of the teachings.

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide for a system and method to reduce a specific absorption rate (SAR) of electromagnetic (EM) radiation at or near one or more antennas operating at the information handling system. With the progression and complexity of multiple wireless communication systems (e.g., antennas) integrated into an information handling system the complexity of how these communication systems interact with each other increases especially when there are multiple transceiving antennas in close proximity to one another such as those antennas operating at frequencies associated with a wide area network (WAN), a local area network (LAN), a wireless local area network (WLAN), a wireless personal area network (WPAN), and/or a wireless wide area network (WWAN) as described herein. Indeed, in order to achieve the best wireless performance so as to maximize full functionality out of these different wireless technologies, an information handling system may be designed to be compliant to regulatory requirements when multiple transmitting antennas are in the information handling system. One such regulation is a regulation on the amount of EM radiation emitted by these wireless communication devices. The SAR rate may be measured and kept at or below a threshold level so as to protect the user's body from potential adverse effects of the exposure to this EM radiation.

However, as the configuration of the information handling system is changed into, for example, a tablet configuration, the ability of the antennas to transceive through the metallic chassis of the information handling system is altered. This is because the metallic chassis of the display chassis and/or base chassis of the information handling system may interfere or prevent transception of this data. This is further exasperated when the display chassis, also comprising metallic chassis, is adjacent to the base chassis when in the tablet configuration. Although certain windows may be formed in the base or display chassis or the click pad/touchpad to allow for the antenna to transmit, the ability of the sensors used to detect a SAR may be significantly reduced in certain configurations unless additional proximity sensors are displayed. This may add costs or alter the aesthetics of the information handling system chassis. The touchpad in embodiments of the present specification may be used as a proximity sensor to increase the ability to detect the SAR by operatively coupling the metallic layers (e.g., layers with conductors) to an integrated sensor hub (ISH) or directly to a proximity sensor integrated circuit (IC) used to detect the proximity of a user to the antenna at or under the touchpad. In some embodiments, this process may include operatively uncoupling the touchpad from a controller and driver associated with the touchpad operations or simply disabling the driver or controller from accepting or processing touch inputs when the information handling system is in a configuration where the touchpad is not accessible (e.g., the tablet configuration) so as to prevent touchpad input from being received at the operating system or other software application from the touchpad inadvertently. However, this does not impact the operations of the information handling system because the touchpad is now face down on a surface or a user's lap and inaccessible to the user when the information handling system is in the tablet configuration. In tablet mode, the proximity sensor may use these conductor layers to enhance the range possible to detect the presence of a user through a c-cover of a base chassis better than proximity sensors in the display chassis or at other portions such as a side wall of the base chassis. In some embodiments, this range of the touchpad as a proximity sensor may be as wide as 6 cm.

The present specification describes an information handling system that includes a processor a memory, a power management unit (PMU), and an antenna controller to provide instructions to a radio to cause an antenna to transceive wirelessly with a network. The information handling system also includes a touchpad to receive input via a surface of the touchpad when the information handling system is a clamshell configuration with a video/graphics display device of a display chassis of the information handling system upright and a bottom side of a base chassis information handling system on a surface. A sensor or plurality of sensors are included to detect when the information handling system is in a tablet configuration with a back side of the display chassis of the information handling system facing the bottom side of the base chassis of the information handling system. A controller is present to, when the sensor detects the information handling system is in a tablet configuration, deactivate the touchpad to receive input and operatively couple a metallic layer of the touchpad to a proximity sensor to detect when a user's body is close to the antenna and reduce the power consumption at the antenna located in the base chassis such as at or near a touchpad to reduce a SAR level when the proximity sensor detects, via the metallic layer, when the user's body is close to the antenna. As described herein, the proximity sensing conducted through the touchpad may determine whether the power to the antenna is reduced or increased if and when human proximity is detected.

Turning now to the figures,FIG.1illustrates an information handling system100similar to the information handling systems according to several aspects of the present disclosure. In the embodiments described herein, an information handling system100includes any instrumentality or aggregate of instrumentalities operable to compute, classify, process, transmit, receive, retrieve, originate, switch, store, display, manifest, detect, record, reproduce, handle, or use any form of information, intelligence, or data for business, scientific, control, entertainment, or other purposes. For example, an information handling system100may be a personal computer, mobile device (e.g., personal digital assistant (PDA) or smart phone), server (e.g., blade server or rack server), a consumer electronic device, a network server or storage device, a network router, switch, or bridge, wireless router, or other network communication device, a network connected device (cellular telephone, tablet device, etc.), IoT computing device, wearable computing device, a set-top box (STB), a mobile information handling system, a palmtop computer, a laptop computer, a desktop computer, a communications device, an access point (AP), a base station transceiver140, a wireless telephone, a control system, a camera, a scanner, a printer, a personal trusted device, a web appliance, or any other suitable machine capable of executing a set of instructions (sequential or otherwise) that specify actions to be taken by that machine, and may vary in size, shape, performance, price, and functionality.

In a networked deployment, the information handling system100may operate in the capacity of a server or as a client computer in a server-client network environment, or as a peer computer system in a peer-to-peer (or distributed) network environment. In a particular embodiment, the information handling system100may be implemented using electronic devices that provide voice, video or data communication. For example, an information handling system100may be any mobile or other computing device capable of executing a set of instructions (sequential or otherwise) via a processor, controller, or other processing system that specify actions to be taken by that machine. Further, while a single information handling system100is illustrated, the term “system” shall also be taken to include any collection of systems or sub-systems with any number of processors, controllers, or processing systems that individually or jointly execute a set, or multiple sets, of instructions to perform one or more computer functions.

The information handling system100may include memory104,106,108(volatile (e.g., random-access memory, etc.), nonvolatile (read-only memory, flash memory etc.) or any combination thereof), one or more processing resources, such as a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), controllers, hardware control logic, or any combination thereof. Additional components of the information handling system100may include one or more storage devices, one or more communications ports for communicating with external devices, as well as various input and output (I/O) devices114, such as a keyboard118, a touchpad122, a mouse120, a headset, a stylus148, a video/graphics display device116, or any combination thereof. Portions of an information handling system100may themselves be considered information handling systems100.

Information handling system100may include devices or modules that embody one or more of the devices or execute instructions for one or more systems and modules. The information handling system100may execute instructions (e.g., software algorithms), parameters, and profiles124that may operate on servers or systems, remote data centers, or on-box in individual client information handling systems according to various embodiments herein. In some embodiments, it is understood any or all portions of instructions (e.g., software algorithms), parameters, and profiles124may operate on a plurality of information handling systems100.

The information handling system100may include a processor102such as a central processing unit (CPU), control logic or some combination of the same. Any of the processing resources may operate to execute code that is either firmware or software code. Moreover, the information handling system100may include memory such as main memory104, static memory106, or other memory of computer readable medium126storing instructions (e.g., software algorithms), parameters, and profiles124executable by the antenna controller130, embedded controller154, a microcontroller unit156, or any other processing device (e.g., processor102), and disk drive unit108(volatile (e.g., random-access memory, etc.), nonvolatile memory (read-only memory, flash memory etc.) or any combination thereof. The information handling system100may also include one or more buses134operable to transmit communications between the various hardware components such as any combination of various I/O devices114as well as between processors102, and the embedded controller152. In an embodiment, an operating system (OS)112, a basic input/output system (BIOS)110, and device drivers' computer executable code instructions may be executed by the processor102or other controllers to initiate the hardware, manage resources of the information handling system, schedule computing tasks among other processes associated with the execution of the BIOS110and OS112by the processor102or controllers. The buses134may also provide a communication link between hardware devices associated with the wireless interface adapter128, a radio module, a peripheral device driver, a wireless radio132-1,132-2, and the power management unit (PMU)142among other hardware described herein and as described herein.

The information handling system100may further include a video/graphics display device116. The video/graphics display device116in an embodiment may function as a liquid crystal display (LCD), an organic light emitting diode (OLED), a flat panel display, or a solid-state display. Additionally, the information handling system100may include an I/O device114that allows the user to interface with the information handling system100via the video/graphics display device116, such as a cursor control device (e.g., the mouse120, touchpad122, or gesture or touch screen input), and the keyboard118or stylus148, among others. Various drivers and control electronics may be operatively coupled to operate the I/O device114according to the embodiments described herein. The touchpad122or click pad is an input/output (I/O) device114that may operate as a proximity sensor for SAR power control according to some embodiments.

The network interface device inFIG.1is shown as wireless interface adapter128but may also be a wired network interface device as is understood in the art and may provide connectivity to a network136, e.g., a wide area network (WAN), a local area network (LAN), wireless local area network (WLAN), a wireless personal area network (WPAN), a wireless wide area network (WWAN), or other network accessible via a base station140or access point138. The network interface device shown as wireless interface adapter128may provide connectivity to a network136via operation of a radio module including radios132-1,132-2, antenna front ends152-1,152-2, antennas148,150, antenna controller(s)130and other components for wireless RF communication. In an embodiment, the radio module may include the antenna controller130or may form a different physical device in some embodiments. In an embodiment, the bus134may be implemented to communicate with the radio module wireless radios132-1,132-2. It is appreciated that any number of wireless radios132-1,132-2and RF front ends152-1,152-2may be associated with the radio module and may also be associated with a plurality of antennas148,150within the information handling system and may operate under any wireless protocol described herein. In an example embodiment, the radio module may be a 5G mm Wave radio module or a WiFi radio module and may be referred to as a 5G module, 5G radio module, WWAN module, WiFi radio module, WiFi module, WLAN module, or the like herein. Connectivity to a network136may be via wired or wireless connection. The wireless interface adapter128may operate in accordance with any wireless data communication standards in various embodiments. To communicate with a wireless local area network, standards including IEEE 802.11 a/h/j/n/ac/ax WLAN standards, IEEE 802.15 WPAN standards, WWAN such as 3GPP or 3GPP2, or similar wireless standards may be used. In some aspects of the present disclosure, one wireless interface adapter128may operate two or more wireless links. Information handling systems100including those that are mobile in embodiments of the present disclosure may employ a plurality of antenna systems for communication via wireless links operating on a variety of radio access technologies (RAT). For example, a mobile information handling system in an embodiment of the present disclosure may employ separate antenna systems for Wi-Fi signals, wireless wide area network (WWAN) signals, Bluetooth signals, and wireless local area network (WLAN) signals. WWAN signals in embodiments of the present disclosure may include 2G standards such as GSM, 2.5G standards such as GSM EDGE and GPRS, 3G standards such as W-CDMA/UMTS and CDMA 2000, 4G standards such as LTE, LTE-A, LTE-LAA, 5G standards, small cell WWAN, and the like. Wi-Fi and WLAN signals in embodiments of the present disclosure may include wireless links adhering to standards such as, for example, IEEE 802.11 WiFi, IEEE 802.11ad WiGig, IEEE 802.15 WPAN, and IEEE 802.11ax-2021 (e.g., WiFi 6 and 6E, 6 GHz technologies). In other aspects, several antenna systems may be available for each RAT to enable aggregated data communications such as via plural multiple in, multiple out (MIMO) streams (e.g., Wi-Fi MIMO or cellular MIMO) to enhance data bandwidth or reliability. In some examples, an information handling system100may support multi-RAT radios (4G, 5G, WLAN) that require simultaneous transmission using multiple antennas to support various modes of transmission (e.g., uplink (UL) MIMO and 5G E-UTRAN new radio (EN-DC)). With 5G technology, these information handling systems may use, in an example embodiment, sub-6 GHZ antennas and mmWave antennas, resulting in several antennas operating in the information handling system.

Wireless interface adapter120may connect to any combination of macro-cellular wireless connections including 2G, 2.5G, 3G, 4G, 5G, emerging 6G or the like from one or more service providers or privately administered network providers. The wireless interface adapter128may also connect to any WLAN networks such as Wi-Fi networks. Utilization of radiofrequency communication bands according to several example embodiments of the present disclosure may include bands used with the WLAN standards and WWAN carriers, which may operate in both licensed and unlicensed spectrums.

In some embodiments, software or firmware may be executed by processing resources, or may operate on dedicated hardware implementations such as application specific integrated circuits, programmable logic arrays and other hardware devices which may be constructed to implement one or more of some systems and methods described herein. Applications that may include the apparatus and systems of various embodiments may broadly include a variety of electronic and computer systems. One or more embodiments described herein may implement functions using two or more specific interconnected hardware modules or devices with related control and data signals that may be communicated between and through the modules, or as portions of an application-specific integrated circuit. Accordingly, the present system encompasses software, firmware, and hardware implementations.

In accordance with various embodiments of the present disclosure, the methods described herein may be implemented by firmware or software programs executable by a controller or a processor system. Further, in an exemplary, non-limited embodiment, implementations may include distributed processing, component/object distributed processing, and parallel processing. Alternatively, virtual computer system processing may be constructed to implement one or more of the methods or functionalities as described herein.

The present disclosure contemplates a computer-readable medium that includes instructions, parameters, and profiles124or hardware or processing resources that receive and execute instructions, parameters, and profiles124responsive to a propagated signal, so that a device connected to a network136may communicate voice, video or data over the network136. Further, the instructions124may be transmitted or received over the network136via the network interface device or wireless interface adapter128.

The information handling system100may include a set of instructions124that may be executed to cause the computer system to perform any one or more of the methods or computer-based functions disclosed herein. For example, instructions124may be executed by an antenna controller130and wireless radio132-1,132-2modules, a processor102, and embedded controller152, and/or microcontroller156and may include software agents, or other aspects or components used to execute the methods and systems described herein. Various software modules comprising application instructions124may be coordinated by an operating system (OS)112, and/or via an application programming interface (API). An example OS112may include Windows®, Android®, and other OS types. Example APIs may include Win32, Core Java API, or Android APIs. Additionally, execution of the instructions described herein may be via execution of firmware by the antenna controller130.

The disk drive unit108may include a computer-readable medium126in which one or more sets of instructions124such as software may be embedded and executed by the antenna controller130, processor102, microcontroller156, and/or embedded controller152, in an embodiment. Similarly, main memory104and static memory106may also contain a computer-readable medium for storage of one or more sets of instructions, parameters, or profiles124. The disk drive unit108and static memory106may also contain space for data storage. Further, the instructions124may embody one or more of the methods or logic as described herein. For example, instructions relating to and executed by the antenna controller130, embedded controller152, microcontroller156, processor102, software algorithms, processes, and/or methods may be stored here. In a particular embodiment, the instructions, parameters, and profiles124may reside completely, or at least partially, within the main memory104, the static memory106, and/or within the disk drive108during execution by the processor102of information handling system100. As explained, some or all of the instructions124to be executed by a processor102for software applications may be executed locally, remotely or a combination thereof. The main memory104and the processor102also may include computer-readable media.

Main memory104may contain computer-readable medium (not shown), such as RAM in an example embodiment. An example of main memory104includes random access memory (RAM) such as static RAM (SRAM), dynamic RAM (DRAM), non-volatile RAM (NV-RAM), or the like, read only memory (ROM), another type of memory, or a combination thereof. Static memory106may contain computer-readable medium (not shown), such as NOR or NAND flash memory in some example embodiments. The computer executable instructions124to be executed by the antenna controller130, processor102, a microcontroller156, or embedded controller152may be stored in static memory106, or the disk drive unit108on a computer-readable medium126such as a flash memory or magnetic disk in an example embodiment. While the computer-readable medium is shown to be a single medium, the term “computer-readable medium” includes a single medium or multiple media, such as a centralized or distributed database, and/or associated caches and servers that store one or more sets of instructions. The term “computer-readable medium” shall also include any medium that is capable of storing, encoding, or carrying a set of instructions for execution by a processor or that cause a computer system to perform any one or more of the methods or operations disclosed herein.

In a particular non-limiting, exemplary embodiment, the computer-readable medium may include a solid-state memory such as a memory card or other package that houses one or more non-volatile read-only memories. Further, the computer-readable medium may be a random-access memory or other volatile re-writable memory. Additionally, the computer-readable medium may include a magneto-optical or optical medium, such as a disk or tapes or other storage device to store information received via carrier wave signals such as a signal communicated over a transmission medium. Furthermore, a computer readable medium may store information received from distributed network resources such as from a cloud-based environment. A digital file attachment to an e-mail or other self-contained information archive or set of archives may be considered a distribution medium that is equivalent to a tangible storage medium. Accordingly, the disclosure is considered to include any one or more of a computer-readable medium or a distribution medium and other equivalents and successor media, in which data or instructions may be stored.

In other embodiments, dedicated hardware implementations such as application specific integrated circuits, programmable logic arrays and other hardware devices may be constructed to implement one or more of the methods described herein. Applications that may include the apparatus and systems of various embodiments may broadly include a variety of electronic and computer systems. One or more embodiments described herein may implement functions using two or more specific interconnected hardware modules or devices with related control and data signals that may be communicated between and through the modules, or as portions of an application-specific integrated circuit. Accordingly, the present system encompasses software, firmware, and hardware implementations.

When referred to as a “system”, a “device,” a “module,” a “controller,” or the like, the embodiments described herein may be configured as hardware. For example, a portion of an information handling system device may be hardware such as, for example, an integrated circuit (such as an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), a structured ASIC, or a device embedded on a larger chip), a card (such as a Peripheral Component Interface (PCI) card, a PCI-express card, a Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA) card, or other such expansion card), or a system (such as a motherboard, a system-on-a-chip (SoC), or a stand-alone device). The system, device, controller, or module may include software, including firmware embedded at a device, such as an Intel® Core class processor, ARM® brand processors, Qualcomm® Snapdragon processors, or other processors and chipsets, or other such device, or software capable of operating a relevant environment of the information handling system. The system, device, controller, or module may also include a combination of the foregoing examples of hardware or software. In an embodiment an information handling system100may include an integrated circuit or a board-level product having portions thereof that may also be any combination of hardware and software. Devices, modules, resources, controllers, or programs that are in communication with one another need not be in continuous communication with each other, unless expressly specified otherwise. In addition, devices, modules, resources, controllers, or programs that are in communication with one another may communicate directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries.

As described herein, the information handling system100may further include a power management unit (PMU)142(a.k.a. a power supply unit (PSU)). The PMU142may manage the power provided to the components of the information handling system100such as the processor102, one or more disk drive units108, a graphical processing unit (GPU), a video/graphic display device116or other I/O device114such as the stylus (e.g., via a wireless charging system), touchpad122, keyboard118, mouse120, and other components that may require power when a power button has been actuated by a user. In an embodiment, the PMU142may monitor power levels and be electrically coupled to the information handling system100to provide this power and coupled to bus134to provide or receive data or instructions. The PMU142may regulate power from a power source such as a battery146or A/C power adapter144. In an embodiment, the battery146may be charged via the A/C power adapter144and provide power to the components of the information handling system100via wired connections as applicable, or when A/C power from the A/C power adapter144is removed.

In the context of the present specification, the information handling system100is a 360-degree laptop type information handling system. In these embodiments, the chassis of the information handling system100may include a display housing that includes an “a-cover” which serves as a back cover for the display housing and a “b-cover” which may serve as the bezel, if any, for a display screen of the information handling system such as a laptop information handling system. In this embodiment, this laptop information handling system may have a chassis that forms a base housing and includes a “c-cover” housing a keyboard, touchpad, speaker grill, and any cover in which these components are set and a “d-cover” housing a processing device, memory the PMU142, wireless interface adapter128and other components of the information handling system100in the base housing for the laptop information handling system. Because, in an embodiment, the information handling system100is a 360-degree laptop type information handling system100, the configuration of the information handling system100may be changed during use. For example, the information handling system100may be placed in a clamshell configuration where the base chassis is placed on a surface with the display chassis placed upright. In another example, the information handling system100may be placed in a tablet configuration. This tablet configuration may include the back side of the display chassis (e.g., the a-cover) of the information handling system facing the bottom side of the base chassis (e.g., the d-cover) of the information handling system100. In this tablet configuration, the keyboard118and touchpad122may be made inaccessible to the user because a top side of the base chassis is placed on a surface.

In an embodiment, the information handling system100may include a number of sensors used to detect which configuration the information handling system100is in. In an embodiment, these sensors may be operatively coupled to an integrated sensor hub (ISH)160. The ISH160is a set of integrated circuits including a low power co-processor to manage sensor polling, receiving sensor communications, and algorithm processing to reduce required processing at a CPU or other processor and may be operatively coupled to a processing device such as a processor102, an embedded controller152, or a microcontroller156as well as a platform control hub158. The processors described herein may be augmented by this platform control hub158. Additionally, the platform control hub158may interface to functional components of the information handling system100such as the ISH160. The ISH160may be any type of device or computer-executable program code that gathers any data or information from any number and type of sensors (e.g.,162through184) associated with the information handling system100. As described herein, the ISH160may then pass the data or information onto the platform control hub158to determine the configuration orientation as well as other physical states of the information handling system100. For example, the ISH160may link to one or more orientation or state sensors that include a temperature sensor164, a pressure sensor166, a Hall effect sensor170, a magnetic sensor172, a magnetometer178, an accelerometer168, a hinge sensor, a light sensor (e.g., ultraviolet light sensor174, infrared (IR) light sensor, ambient light sensor162, color sensor182), a gyroscopic sensor176, a camera, and a proximity sensor180, among others. Each of these sensors may provide data to an ISH160which provides that data to the platform control hub158. Each of these sensors may provide data to the ISH160in order to determine if and when the information handling system100is in a specific configuration such as the tablet configuration or clamshell configuration as described herein. For example, various orientation or state sensors may include a Hall effect sensor170or light sensor or camera that can detect whether a 360-degree laptop-type information handling system is open, closed or in a tablet configuration based on detected light or magnetic fields in these configurations. A hinge sensor, accelerometer168, direction sensors (e.g., magnetic north or location sensors) or gyroscope sensor176may be other orientation sensors that can detect the configuration or orientation of a display chassis relative to a base chassis to determine a configuration of the 360-degree information handling system such as clamshell or tablet configurations.

As described herein, the touchpad122may have a plurality of functions depending on the configuration that the information handling system100is placed in. As described herein, the information handling system100includes a touchpad122used to receive input from a user during operation when the information handling system100is in a clamshell configuration, for example. In the embodiments described herein, the information handling system100may, via a software driver, receive input from a user via the touchpad122. In an example embodiment, the touchpad122may include one or more metallic layers that detect the touch of a user on the surface of the touchpad122and converts the movement and touch by the user into input such as to control a pointer displayed on the video display device116or select icons on the video display device. In order to do this the touchpad122may include a metallic layer that operate with two conductor layers each having an array of conductors arranged in parallel lines. These layers may be separated by an insulation layer with the parallel lines of the conductors on each layer at right angles (e.g., perpendicular) to each other to form a grid. In an embodiment, the metallic layer and the conductors may be made of copper. An electrical signal may be applied to the array of conductors and the current between the nodes creates a proportional capacitance. As the user touches the surface of the touchpad122, this results in a change in capacitance at the location along the surface of the touchpad122. This change in capacitance is detected and used as input as described herein. This detection of touch from a user may be determined by a processor102, an embedded controller152, a microcontroller156or the like executing a touchpad driver. As described in the execution of the touchpad driver by any of the processing devices or processing resourced described is conducted when the information handling system100is in a specific configuration such as a clamshell configuration. As described herein, the orientation of a display chassis relative to a base chassis of the information handling system100may describe the configuration of the information handling system100.

As the configuration of the information handling system100is changed between various configurations, the use of the touchpad122may also be changed. For example, as the configuration of the information handling system100changes to a tablet configuration, the touchpad122may be used as a proximity sensor in embodiments herein to detect a lap or a person holding the information handling system placed in the tablet configuration. As described herein, the metallic and conductor layers within the touchpad122enhance the range possible to detect the presence of a user due to the increased size of the touchpad122. This, therefore, increases the proximity sensing of the information handling system100during operation. In some embodiments, this range may be as wide as 6 cm. In an example embodiment where the base chassis and display chassis of the information handling system include metallic chassis, the sensing distance may be between 0 mm to 2 mm where dedicated proximity sensors are used. For those same dedicated proximity sensors that are placed behind a RF transparent window, for example, a sensing distance can be realized of between 8 mm to 15 mm. In the embodiments presented herein, the touchpad repurposed as a proximity sensor may have a sensing distance of 20 m or above. In some embodiments, the proximity detection functions of the touchpad122described herein may be initiated while the information handling system100is in the tablet configuration or in the clamshell orientation. For example, when the information handling system100is in the clamshell orientation, the touchpad122may be tuned to detect a user's hand or finger as it approaches the touchpad122for proximity as well as tuned differently to detect the touch of a user's finger on the touchpad122for receiving a touchpad input command for a software application or cursor control as described herein. In an embodiment, the touchpad may be tuned to detect both near presence (e.g., 20 mm or above away from the touchpad) and a touch at the touchpad. For example, as the human presence is detected via detected changes in the capacitance in the metallic layers of the touchpad, the level of change in the capacitance may be different as a user's body part approaches the touchpad as compared to as when a user's body (e.g., a finger) contacts the surface of the touchpad. These different levels of change in capacitance may be threshold levels that when reached indicate human proximity (e.g., a first capacitive threshold) or human touch at the touchpad (e.g., a second capacitive threshold). As described herein, a look-up table may include data descriptive of the first capacitive threshold and the second capacitive threshold and may be used by, for example, the embedded controller152to determine whether a proximity event is detected (e.g., human proximity is detected) near the touchpad.

In order to detect when the information handling system100is in the tablet configuration, the sensors (e.g.,162through184) may be used. In an example embodiment, a hall effect sensor170may be used to detect a magnetic field from one or more magnets placed within the chassis of the information handling system. For example, a magnet may be placed in a display chassis on an interior surface of the a-cover. In this embodiment, the hall effect sensor170may be placed in the base chassis on an interior surface of the d-cover. When the back side of the base chassis (e.g., the d-cover) comes close to and/or abuts the display chassis (e.g., a-cover) thereby indicating that the information handling system100has been placed in a tablet configuration, the hall effect sensor may detect the magnetic field at the magnet in the display chassis. When the hall effect sensor detects this magnetic field, it may send a signal to the processor102, microcontroller156, and/or embedded controller152in order to indicate that the information handling system100has been placed in the tablet configuration. It is appreciated that the arrangement of the hall effect sensor170relative to the magnet may be reversed with the hall effect sensor170being placed in the display chassis with the magnet placed within the base chassis. Similarly, the magnetic field of the magnet in the bases chassis may be detected by the hall effect sensor170in the display chassis.

Other example embodiments may include the use of the other sensors (e.g.,162through184) in the information handling system100in order to determine the configuration of the information handling system100that includes, at least, a tablet configuration or a clamshell configuration. In an example embodiment, an accelerometer168, a magnetometer178, a magnetic sensor172, or the like may be used to detect the configuration of any portion of the chassis of the information handling system100(e.g., display chassis and base chassis) based on a detected reference direction such as “up” or “north” in order to determine the orientation of the display chassis relative to the base chassis of the information handling system100and thereby determine the configuration of the information handling system100(e.g., clamshell configuration, tablet configuration, open configuration, closed configuration). This information gathered at the ISH160may be used individually or in combination to determine if and when the information handling system100is in a clamshell configuration or a tablet configuration.

In an embodiment, a camera (e.g., a webcam) may be used to capture an image to determine if a portion of the base chassis is in the image. Where the captured image indicates that a portion of the base chassis is present in the image via, for example, image detection algorithms, the ISH may be provided with this data and indicate to the embedded controller152that the information handling system100is in a clamshell orientation.

In an embodiment, an IR sensor may be used to detect IR light emitted by an IR light source. Similar to the hall effect sensor170and the magnet, the IR light source may be housed in one of the display chassis or the base chassis while the IR light sensor is housed in the other of the display chassis or the base chassis. The detection of the IR light by the IR light sensor, in an embodiment, may determine the relative orientation of the base chassis to the display chassis via the detection of this IR light and the relative intensity of the IR light by the IR light sensor.

Based on the detected configuration, the touchpad122may act as an input device or be operatively coupled to the ISH160and act as a proximity sensor180. In an embodiment, when the ISH160and sensors (e.g.,162through184) detect that the information handling system100is in a clamshell configuration or any other configuration that is not a tablet configuration, the touchpad122may operate as an input device. That is, in this example scenario, the processor102, a microcontroller156, or embedded controller152may execute a device driver in order to detect human touch at the touchpad122and provide input to be represented on the video/graphics display device116. As such, the plurality of conductors on the plurality of conductor layers within the touchpad122are used to detect changes in the capacitance levels at those conductors when a specific voltage is passed through the conductor arrays.

As the sensors (e.g.,162through184) detect that the information handling system100is in a tablet configuration, the purpose and use of the touchpad122changes. In this embodiment, the metallic layers (e.g., the metallic layer and/or conductor layers) of the touchpad122may be repurposed as a proximity sensor. This repurposing of the metallic layers of the touchpad122as a proximity sensor may add more proximity sensors to the information handling system100in order to detect the presence of a human near the antennas. As described herein, the conversion of the information handling system100into the tablet configuration may cause the sensing capabilities of other proximity sensors180within the chassis of the information handling system100to not perform as well or otherwise be inhibited from detecting human presence. Because the touchpad122is no longer used as in input device due to its relative location to the video/graphic display device116in tablet configuration, the metallic layers may be operatively coupled to the ISH160as an additional or the proximity sensor similar to proximity sensors180and used to detect the presence of a human being. In an embodiment, due to the relatively larger surface areas of the metallic layers within the touchpad122, the detectable range of this proximity sensor180may be significantly increased and, in some cases, may be as long or far as 20 mm or more.

During operation and as the processors102or controller such as the embedded controller (EC)152detect that the information handling system100has been placed in a tablet configuration, the embedded controller152may direct a microcontroller156or other processing device to switch the touchpad122off from being operatively coupled to the processor102for receiving touchpad inputs. According to one or more embodiments herein, the EC152or the MCU156may operatively couple the metallic layers of the touchpad122to the ISH160for use as a proximity sensor. The platform control hub158may operatively couple the metallic layers of the touchpad122to the processor102EC,152, or MCU156, or other processing device executing software used to detect the presence of a human via the touchpad122as one of the proximity sensors180within the information handling system. Because the embedded controller152operates below the operating system112, use of the EC152and PCH158allows the repurposing of the touchpad122regardless of any hardware, software, or firmware being executed on the information handling system100at the OS112level.

As the information handling system100has been placed in a tablet configuration and as the touchpad122has been repurposed to function as a proximity sensor180, the metallic layers of the touchpad122may proceed to monitor for human presence via a capacitive detection of a human body part near the touchpad122. If and when human presence is detected via detected changes in the capacitance in the metallic layers of the touchpad122, the power provided to any given antenna or a nearby antenna may be reduced. By reducing power to the antenna(s), the SAR of EM radiation at or near the antenna(s) is reduced preventing potential injury to the user during use of the information handling system100. The processor102may continue to monitor, via the ISH160, for human proximity as the information handling system100is in the tablet configuration, reducing power to the antenna(s) when human proximity is detected and increasing power to the antennas when human proximity is not detected. If and when the configuration of the information handling system100is moved from the tablet configuration to another configuration (e.g., clamshell configuration) as detected vit the Hall effect sensor or other orientation sensors of the ISH160, the embedded controller152may once again operatively couple the touchpad122to a processor executing the touchpad driver in order to detect input from a user at the touchpad122. In an embodiment, the repurposing of the metallic layers of the touchpad122is not completed until the information handling system100is in the tablet configuration. When the sensors (e.g.,162through184) detect that the configuration of the information handling system100has been changed from tablet configuration, the repurposing may end in some embodiments.

By repurposing the metallic layers of the touchpad122in this manner a relatively larger surface area may be used to detect the presence of a user operating the information handling system100while in the tablet configuration. This results in an increase in range to detect human presence even when the metallic chassis of the information handling system100prevents other proximity sensors180within the information handling system100from accurately detecting the presence of the user. By reducing power provided to the antenna(s) only when the user's presence is detected when the information handling system100is in the tablet configuration, a maximum throughput may be realized at times when only no human presence is detected. This increases the efficiency of data transmission by the antenna(s) both in those situations where a user may be harmed by the EM radiation emitted by the antenna(s) and when no harm is imminent. This process may be used to reduce power to any type of antenna operating under any wireless protocols described herein including 4G/5G antennas, Bluetooth antennas, NFC antennas, WiFi antennas and the like regardless of the RFs emitted from those antennas.

In an embodiment, a look-up table may be accessed by the embedded controller152or processor102in order to determine to what extent the power is reduced if and when human proximity is detected by the repurposed touchpad122. This look-up table may be maintained on any data storage device described herein. The look-up table may also include data describing which the amount of power to reduce at any of the antenna(s), if any, as well as whether to reduce that power based on the RF emitted by those antenna(s).

In other embodiments, dedicated hardware implementations such as application specific integrated circuits, programmable logic arrays and other hardware devices may be constructed to implement one or more of the methods described herein. Applications that may include the apparatus and systems of various embodiments may broadly include a variety of electronic and computer systems. One or more embodiments described herein may implement functions using two or more specific interconnected hardware modules or devices with related control and data signals that may be communicated between and through the modules, or as portions of an application-specific integrated circuit. Accordingly, the present system encompasses software, firmware, and hardware implementations.

The information handling system100may include one or more of an operating system (OS)112, and basic input/output system (BIOS) firmware/software110or application programs that may be executable instructions124executed at any processor102and stored at one or more memory devices104,106, or108. BIOS firmware/software110functions to initialize the information handling system100on power up, to launch an OS112, and to manage input and output interactions between the OS112and the other elements of information handling system100including the touchpad122described herein. In a particular embodiment, BIOS firmware/software110resides in memory104, and include machine-executable code that is executed by processor102to perform various functions of information handling system100as described herein. In another embodiment (not illustrated), application programs and BIOS firmware/software110reside in another storage medium of the information handling system100. For example, application programs and BIOS firmware/software110can reside in drive108, in a ROM (not illustrated) associated with the information handling system100, in an option-ROM (not illustrated) associated with various devices of the information handling system100, in a storage system (not illustrated) associated with network channel of a wireless interface adapter128, in another storage medium of the information handling system100, or a combination thereof. Executable code instructions124for application programs and BIOS firmware/software110can each be implemented as single programs, or as separate programs carrying out the various features as described herein.

FIG.2Ais a graphic diagram of an information handling system200in a clamshell configuration according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The chassis (e.g., display chassis224and base chassis226of the information handling system200), in an embodiment, may include outer metal cases or shells of for housing internal components within the base chassis226of the information handling system200such as a cursor control device, a touchpad, a keyboard, a processing device, a disk drive, a cooling system, and components within the display chassis224such as a display device and a camera as well as other components described in connection withFIG.1. As shown inFIG.2A, the metal chassis may include an a-cover202and a b-cover206functioning to enclose the video or digital display device and forming the display chassis224. The metal chassis may further include a c-cover208functioning to enclose the cursor control device such as the touchpad222and/or the keyboard218acting as an alpha numeric input device as well as a d-cover204used as a support to hold these and additional information handling system components as described inFIG.1, for example, therein. In this embodiment, the c-cover208and d-cover204form the base chassis226.

FIG.2Ashows the information handling system200in a clamshell configuration. In this embodiment, the display chassis224including the a-cover202and the b-cover206may be rotated away from the base chassis226including the c-cover208and the d-cover204. When placed in this open configuration, the display chassis224may be rotated away from the base chassis226about a hinge and placed at an angle less than 180 degrees from the base chassis226such that a user may view the display (e.g.,FIG.1,116) within the b-cover206(which may, in an embodiment, include a bezel) and interact with the cursor control device such as the touchpad222and/or keyboard218within the c-cover208. In one optional embodiment, the touchpad222may be tuned to be used as a proximity device as well as to accept touchpad inputs to the OS for cursor control and other functions. Additionally, proximity sensors may be used to determine human presence near an antenna system in the base chassis for SAR control systems.

FIG.2Bis a graphic diagram of an information handling system200in a tablet configuration according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In this embodiment, the display chassis224including the a-cover202and the b-cover206may be rotated away from the base chassis226including the c-cover208and the d-cover204. When placed in this tablet configuration, the display chassis224may be rotated completely away from the base chassis226about a hinge and placed at an angle about 360 degrees from the base chassis226. In this configuration the orientation of the d-cover204relative to the a-cover is such that the d-cover204and a-cover202are against each other such that a user may view the display (e.g.,FIG.1,116) within the b-cover206but is limited in any interaction with the touchpad and/or keyboard218within the c-cover208. In this embodiment, the touchpad (not shown) within the c-cover208is inaccessible due to this orientation of the base chassis226relative to the display chassis224. In an embodiment, the touchpad is now on an opposite side of the display device of the display chassis224with the touchpad on a surface or on a user's lap when the information handling system200is in use. In some embodiments described herein, the touchpad is operatively uncoupled from a controller and driver associated with the touchpad operations when the information handling system is in the tablet configuration shown inFIG.2Bto prevent input from being received at the touchpad. In this embodiment, the touchpad may be utilized, for example, as a proximity sensor to detect a user's lap or hand when the information handling system200is being used but while the touchpad is not used to provide touch inputs to the OS.

FIG.3illustrates a network300that can include one or more endpoint devices310,320,330. The endpoint devices310,320,330shown inFIG.3may be similar to the information handling system100described in connection withFIG.1. In a particular embodiment, network300includes networked mobile endpoint devices310,320,330, wireless network access points, and multiple wireless connection link options. A variety of additional computing resources of network300may include client mobile information handling systems, data processing servers, network storage devices, local and wide area networks, a RAN service provider, or other resources as needed or desired. As partially depicted, endpoint devices310,320,330may be a laptop computer, tablet computer, 360-degree convertible systems as described in connection withFIG.1, wearable computing devices, or a smart phone device. These mobile endpoint devices310,320,330, may access a wireless local network340, or they may access a macro-cellular network350. For example, the wireless local network340may be the wireless local area network (WLAN), a wireless personal area network (WPAN), or a wireless wide area network (WWAN). In an example embodiment, LTE-LAA WWAN may operate with a small-cell WWAN wireless access point option. In an embodiment, these networks may provide cloud computing resources for the individual mobile endpoint devices310,320,330.

Since WPAN or Wi-Fi Direct connection348and WWAN networks can functionally operate similar to WLANs, they may be considered as wireless local area networks (WLANs) for purposes herein. Components of a WLAN may be connected by wireline or Ethernet connections to a wider external network such as a voice and packet core380. For example, wireless network access points (e.g.,FIG.1,138) or base stations (e.g.,FIG.1,140) may be connected to a wireless network controller and an Ethernet switch. Wireless communications across wireless local network340may be via standard protocols such as IEEE 802.11 Wi-Fi, IEEE 802.11ad WiGig, IEEE 802.15 WPAN, IEEE 802.11ax-2021, (e.g., Wi-Fi 6 and 6E, 6 GHz technologies), or 5G small cell WWAN communications such as gNodeB, eNodeB, or similar and future wireless network protocols and access points. Alternatively, other available wireless links within network340may include macro-cellular connections350via one or more service providers360and370. Again, as described herein, the organization of a number of endpoint devices310,320,330may be defined by the endpoint devices310,320,330accessing a specific or number of specific base stations. As described herein, the endpoint devices310,320,330may be operatively coupled to any of the macro-cellular connections350via one or more service providers360and370or to the wireless local area networks (WLANs) selectively. Service provider macro-cellular connections may include 2G standards such as GSM, 2.5G standards such as GSM EDGE and GPRS, 3G standards such as W-CDMA/UMTS and CDMA 2000, 4G standards, or emerging 5G standards including WiMAX, LTE, and LTE Advanced, LTE-LAA, small cell WWAN, upcoming 3GPP protocols, and the like.

Wireless local network340and macro-cellular network350may include a variety of licensed, unlicensed or shared communication frequency bands as well as a variety of wireless protocol technologies ranging from those operating in macrocells, small cells, picocells, or femtocells. As described herein, utilization of RF communication bands according to several example embodiments of the present disclosure may include bands used with the WLAN standards and WWAN carriers which may operate in both licensed and unlicensed spectrums. For example, both WLAN and WWAN may use the Unlicensed National Information Infrastructure (U-NII) band which typically operates in the ˜5 MHz frequency band such as 802.11 a/h/j/n/ac/ax (e.g., center frequencies between 5.170-7.125 GHZ). WLAN, for example, may operate at a 2.4 GHz band, 5 GHz band, and/or a 6 GHz band according to, for example, Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi 6, or Wi-Fi 6E standards. WWAN may operate in a number of bands, some of which are proprietary but may include a wireless communication frequency band. For example, low-band 5G may operate at frequencies similar to 4G standards at 600-850 MHz or, in an embodiment, 960 Mhz. Mid-band 5G may operate at frequencies in an FR1 range between 1.8 and 6 GHz. Additionally, high-band 5G frequencies may operate at 25 to 39 GHz and even higher. In additional examples, WWAN carrier licensed bands may operate at the new radio frequency range 1 (NRFR1), NRFR2, bands, and other known bands as described herein per the operation of the 5G protocol standards for a 5G radio module. Each of these frequencies used to communicate over the network340may be based on the radio access network (RAN) standards that implement, for example, eNodeB or gNodeB hardware connected to mobile phone networks (e.g., cellular networks) used to communicate with the endpoint devices310,320,330. In the example embodiment, mobile endpoint devices310,320,330may also include both unlicensed wireless RF communication capabilities as well as licensed wireless RF communication capabilities. For example, licensed wireless RF communication capabilities may be available via a subscriber carrier wireless service operating the cellular networks. With the licensed wireless RF communication capability, an WWAN RF front end of the endpoint devices310,320,330may operate on a licensed WWAN wireless radio with authorization for subscriber access to a wireless service provider on a carrier licensed frequency band. WLAN such as Wi-Fi (e.g., Wi-Fi 6) may be unlicensed.

In some embodiments according to the present disclosure, a networked mobile endpoint device310,320,330may each have a plurality of wireless network interface systems or radio protocol subsystems capable of transmitting simultaneously within several communication bands or even utilizing a shared communication frequency band access multiple protocols. That communication within a shared communication frequency band may be sourced from different protocols on parallel wireless network interface systems or from a single wireless network interface system capable of transmitting and receiving from multiple protocols. Similarly, a single antenna or the plurality of antennas in each endpoint device310,320,330may be used on each of the wireless communication devices such as according to embodiments herein and may be suited to plural RF bands. As described herein, each of the endpoint devices310,320,330may include a 5G antenna that are capable of transmitting and receiving data using an FR1 and FR2 frequency concurrently to communicate with multiple networks. Example competing protocols may be local wireless network access protocols such as Wi-Fi/WLAN, WiGig, and small cell WWAN in an unlicensed, shared communication frequency band. Within local portion of wireless network350access points for Wi-Fi or WiGig as well as small cell WWAN connectivity may be available in 5G technology or emerging 6G technology. This may create situations where a plurality of antenna systems are operating on an endpoint device310,320,330via concurrent communication wireless links on both WLAN and WWAN radios and antenna systems. The antenna may be a transmitting antenna that includes high-band, medium-band, low-band, and unlicensed band transmitting antennas in embodiments herein. In an embodiment, the antenna may be an antenna such as described in connection withFIG.1. The antenna may cooperate with other antennas in a N×N MIMO (where “N” is any number) array configuration according to the embodiments described herein. Alternatively, embodiments may include a single transceiving antenna capable of receiving and transmitting, and/or more than one transceiving antennas. Each of the antennas included in the endpoint devices310,320,330in an embodiment may be subject to the FCC regulations on SAR with which the human proximity sensing system described herein with its touchpad, platform control hub, ISH, and power-tables, among other components, is used to control these SAR levels.

The voice and packet core network380shown inFIG.3may contain externally accessible computing resources such as containerize applications that may execute at edge compute resources384or connect to a remote data center386. The voice and packet core network380may contain multiple intermediate web servers or other locations with accessible data (not shown). The voice and packet core network380may also connect to other wireless networks similar to340or350and additional mobile endpoint devices310,320,330or similar connected to those additional wireless networks. Connection382between the wireless network340and edge compute resources384or remote data center386or connection to other additional wireless networks may be via Ethernet or another similar connection to the world-wide-web, a WAN, a LAN, another WLAN, or other network structure. Such a connection382may be made via a WLAN access point/Ethernet switch to the external network and includes a backhaul connection. The access point may be connected to one or more wireless access points in the WLAN before connecting directly to a mobile information handling system or may connect directly to one or more mobile endpoint devices310,320,330. Alternatively, mobile endpoint devices310,320,330may connect to the external network via base station locations at service providers such as360and370. These service provider locations may be network connected via backhaul connectivity through the voice and packet core network380.

Remote data centers386may include web servers or resources within a cloud environment that operate via the voice and packet core380or other wider internet connectivity. For example, remote data centers386can include additional information handling systems, data processing servers, network storage devices, local and wide area networks, or other resources as needed or desired. In an embodiment, the remote data center386may include one or more servers.

Edge compute systems384, in an embodiment, may be used to offload processing requirements for each of the mobile endpoint devices310,320,330described herein. In this embodiment, the edge compute systems384may be any computing system or distributed computing systems that places the processing and data storage resources within the network340and350closer to the mobile endpoint devices310,320,330to improve response times and save bandwidth while offloading processing of data from the mobile endpoint devices310,320,330to these edge compute systems384. In an embodiment, containerized software applications may be executed on the edge compute systems384as a bundle of application code, files, libraries, and dependencies used to execute those containerized software applications. During operation of the mobile endpoint devices310,320,330, any applicable containerized software application may be accessed by the respective processing devices in the mobile endpoint devices310,320,330.

Having such edge compute or remote capabilities may permit fewer resources to be maintained at the mobile endpoint devices310,320,330allowing streamlining and efficiency within those devices. Similarly, remote data center permits fewer resources to be maintained in other parts of network300. Thus, high data bandwidth wireless links are desired for endpoint devices310,320,330to interface with greater and greater resources located on a network edge or as a remote data center. This requires more antennas, more power, and more heat, in less space within the endpoint devices310,320,330.

Although network connections315,325, and335are shown connecting wireless adapters of mobile endpoint devices310,320,330to wireless networks340or350, a variety of wireless links are contemplated. Wireless communication may link through a wireless access point (Wi-Fi or WiGig), through unlicensed WWAN small cell base stations such as in network340or through a service provider tower and base stations such as that shown with service provider A360or service provider B370and in network350. In other aspects, mobile endpoint devices310,320,330may communicate intra-device via intra-device connections348when one or more of the mobile endpoint devices310,320,330are set to act as an access point or even potentially an WWAN connection via small cell communication on licensed or unlicensed WWAN connections. For example, one of the endpoint devices310,320,330may serve as a Wi-Fi hotspot in an embodiment. Concurrent wireless links to the endpoint devices310,320,330may be connected via any access points including other mobile information handling systems as illustrated inFIG.3.

FIG.4is a block diagram of a human proximity sensing system400utilizing a touchpad422according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As described herein, the human proximity sensing system400may be used to initially determine when an information handling system is placed in a tablet configuration in order to repurpose the touchpad422to operate as a proximity sensor. By repurposing the touchpad422to operate as a proximity sensor when the information handling system is in a tablet configuration, the proximity of a user relative to an antenna may be determined in order to reduce power to that antenna and, thereby, reduce the SAR to the user. This increases the safety of the user during operation of the information handling system while still prioritizing for the highest data throughput to a network using the wireless radios432and antennas in the information handling system, when possible, without human proximity.

During operation, the platform control hub458may receive data from a number of sensors that help to determine when the information handling system is placed in the tablet configuration. These sensors may be operated using an ISH460. In an example embodiment, the ISH460may include a temperature sensor464, a pressure sensor, a Hall effect sensor470, a magnetic sensor472, a magnetometer478, an accelerometer468, a hinge sensor, a light sensor (e.g., ultraviolet light sensor474, IR light sensor, ambient light sensor462, color sensor482), a gyroscopic sensor476, a camera, and a proximity sensor480, among others. Any of these sensors may provide data to an ISH460which provides that data to the platform control hub458. In an example embodiment, a hall effect sensor470, via a first portion of the chassis, may be used to detect a magnetic field from one or more magnets placed within a second portion of the chassis of the information handling system. For example, a magnet may be placed in a display chassis on an interior surface of the a-cover. In this embodiment, the Hall effect sensor470may be placed in the base chassis on an interior surface of the d-cover. When the back side of the base chassis (e.g., the d-cover) comes close to and/or abuts the display chassis (e.g., a-cover) thereby indicating that the information handling system has been placed in a tablet configuration, the Hall effect sensor470may detect the magnetic field at the magnet in the display chassis. When the Hall effect sensor470detects this magnetic field, it may send a signal to the ISH460which forwards the signal indication to the platform controller hub (PCH)458, a set of chips for control of data paths relating to support functions for the CPU and other processors, for utilization by the microcontroller (e.g., MCU controller456), embedded controller452and/or processor in order to indicate that the information handling system400has been placed in the tablet configuration. Otherwise, the PCH458determines that the information handling system400is in another configuration such as a clamshell configuration.

Other example embodiments may include the use of the other sensors in the information handling system400in order to determine the configuration of the information handling system400that includes, at least, a tablet configuration or a clamshell configuration. In an example embodiment, an accelerometer468, a magnetometer478, a magnetic sensor472, or the like may be used to detect the configuration of any portion of the chassis of the information handling system400(e.g., display chassis and base chassis) relative to a reference position or another portion of the chassis based on a detected reference direction such as “up” or “north” in order to determine the configuration of the information handling system400. This information gathered at the ISH460may be used individually or in combination to determine if and when the information handling system400is in a clamshell configuration or a tablet configuration or another configuration.

When the PCH458has received input from these sensors indicating that the information handling system is in a tablet configuration, the platform control hub458may send a signal to the embedded controller452. In an embodiment, the embedded controller452may be the processing device used to control the repurposing of the touchpad422as described herein. In this embodiment, because the embedded controller452may operate below the execution of the OS, the embedded controller452may act regardless of the software or other hardware being executed at any given time on the information handling system. In an embodiment, the embedded controller452may direct the platform control hub458to send the signals indicating the information handling system is in a tablet configuration directly to a microcontroller unit (MCU)456so that the MCU456can direct a proximity sensor integrated circuit (P-sensor IC)480to be operatively coupled to the touchpad422in order to repurpose the metallic layers of the touchpad422as a proximity sensor. In an embodiment, the MCU controller456may also turn off the touchpad422from receiving touch input upon a determination that the information handling system400is in the tablet configuration. In this embodiment, the touch signals at the touchpad422will no longer be recorded and processed by the MCU controller456for communication to the touchpad driver software of the operating system and by the CPU402.

It is appreciated that the embedded controller452, platform control hub458, and MCU456may communicate with each other and the P-sensor IC480via any serial communication bus such as an inter-integrated circuit (I2C) line457. For example, this I2C communication may be used when the MCU456, the embedded controller452, and platform control hub458are on a nearby or the same printed circuit board (PCB) in an embodiment.

During operation and when the embedded controller452has received the signal from the platform control hub458that the information handling system is in a tablet configuration, the MCU456directs the P-sensor IC480to be operatively coupled to the touchpad422via a proximity sensor line459. Proximity sensor line459may, when the information handling system400is in any configuration other than a tablet configuration (e.g., a clamshell configuration), be operatively coupled to the antennas448,450of the wireless radio432or one or more dedicated proximity sensors (not shown) in order to detect the presence of a user and operation of the antennas448,450. The MCU456may be directed by the embedded controller452to either continue to use the antennas448,450or other proximity sensors even when the information handling system is in a tablet configuration in some embodiments. When in the tablet configuration, however, the platform control hub458may, via a I2C serial communication I2C line457, direct the MCU controller456or EC452to disable the touchpad422from a processing device executing a touchpad driver such as the CPU402form receiving touch input such as for cursor control and be, instead, coupled to the P-sensor IC480for use as an additional proximity sessor or the only proximity sensor. This may be done by operatively coupling the metallic layers of the touchpad422to the P-sensor IC480so that the changes in capacitance around the surface of the touchpad422may be detected by the P-sensor IC480. The uncoupling of the touchpad422from the processor such as the CPU402executing the touchpad driver may be controlled by the embedded controller452or MCU controller456in various embodiments.

As the P-sensor IC480is operatively coupled to the metallic layers of the touchpad422, the P-sensor IC480may provide human proximity detection signals to the embedded controller452. The embedded controller452, when these signals are received, addresses a power table404at the BIOS410in order to determine if and to what extent power to the antennas448,450should be reduced in order to protect the user from physical harm from the EM radiation emitted from these antennas448,450and conform to industry SAR standards. This power table (also referred to herein as a look-up table) may include data describing which the amount of power to reduce at any of the antennas448,450, if any, as well as whether to reduce that power based on the RF emitted by those antennas448,450. As described herein, the power table404may be used to cross-reference the type of antennas448,450being used, the RF emitted by the antennas448,450, and what distance from the antennas448,450the human proximity is detected. Each of these factors along with others may be addressed at the look-up table by the embedded controller452in order to determine if and to what extent the power is to be reduced at the antennas448,450. This process may continue with the P-sensor IC480detecting whether the touchpad422, repurposed as a proximity sensor while in a tablet configuration, has detected human presence or not and addressing the power provided to the antennas448,450. It is appreciated that when human proximity is not detected, the power provided to the antennas448,450to transceive data is not reduced so that an optimal data throughput may be realized. In a specific embodiment, an advanced configuration and power interface (ACPI) may be implemented to assist the embedded controller452to perform this power management as it relates to the amount of power provided to the antennas448,450.

When the information handling system is detected as in a clamshell configuration, the touchpad422may tuned to operate as a proximity sensor to detect a human body part near the touchpad surface as well as be tuned to accept touch inputs at the touchpad from a user. For example, when the information handling system is in the clamshell configuration, the touchpad422may be tuned to detect a user's hand or finger as it approaches the touchpad422for proximity as well as tuned differently to detect the touch of a user's finger on the touchpad422for receiving a touchpad input command for a software application or cursor control as described herein. In an embodiment, the touchpad may be tuned to detect both near presence (e.g., 20 mm or above away from the touchpad) and a touch at the touchpad. For example, the touchpad422may be operatively coupled to the P-sensor integrated circuit480, such as via proximity sensor line459, to detect the human presence via detected changes in the capacitance in the metallic layers of the touchpad, the level of change in the capacitance may be different as a user's body part approaches the touchpad as compared to as when a user's body (e.g., a finger) contacts the surface of the touchpad. This may indicate proximity to antennas448or450. For touch input intended for use with a software application or the OS, such as for cursor control, a different threshold of capacitance may be detected via the PCH458for processing and interpretation as touch commands by the EC452or for the CPU402. These different levels of change in capacitance may be threshold levels that when reached indicate human proximity (e.g., a first capacitive threshold) or human touch at the touchpad (e.g., a second capacitive threshold). As described herein, a look-up table may include data descriptive of the first capacitive threshold and the second capacitive threshold and may be used by, for example, the embedded controller452or MCU456to determine whether a proximity event is detected (e.g., human proximity is detected) near the touchpad.

FIG.5is a block diagram of a human proximity sensing system500utilizing a touchpad522according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. Again, the human proximity sensing system500may be used to initially determine when an information handling system is placed in a tablet configuration in order to repurpose the touchpad522to operate as a proximity sensor.FIG.5includes additional circuitry used to operate the touchpad522as an input device and utilize separately disposed proximity sensors581for human proximity sensing as described herein when the information handling system500is not in a tablet configuration.

By repurposing the touchpad522to operate as a proximity sensor when the information handling system500is in a tablet configuration, the proximity of a user relative to an antenna may be determined in order to reduce power to that antenna and, thereby, reduce the SAR to the user. This increases the safety of the user during operation of the information handling system500while still prioritizing for the highest data throughput to a network using the wireless radios532and antennas in the information handling system500when human proximity is not detected in a tablet configuration.

During operation, the platform control hub558may receive data from a number of sensors that help to determine when the information handling system500is placed in the tablet configuration. These sensors may be operated using an ISH560similar to that described in connection withFIGS.1and4. In an example embodiment, the ISH560may include a temperature sensor564, a pressure sensor566, a Hall effect sensor570, a magnetic sensor572, a magnetometer578, an accelerometer568, a hinge sensor, a light sensor (e.g., ultraviolet light sensor574, IR light sensor, ambient light sensor562, color sensor582), a gyroscopic sensor576, a camera, and a proximity sensor580, among others. Each of these sensors may provide data to an ISH560which provides that data to the PCH458. Embodiments are described herein include the use of any of these sensors in the information handling system500in order to determine the configuration of the information handling system500that includes, at least, a tablet configuration or a clamshell configuration.

When the PCH558has received input from these sensors indicating that the information handling system500is in a clamshell configuration, the PCH558may provide this data to the embedded controller352. The embedded controller552may then direct a P-sensor IC580to detect the presence of a user or other human near the antennas548,550using one or more proximity sensors581disposed at a different locations within the information handling system600chassis, e.g., the bottom or side of the base chassis or d-cover than the touchpad522. These proximity sensors581may be placed at or near one or more antennas548,550in these different locations so that the human presence can be detected at the antennas548,550in configurations other than a tablet configuration. When the P-sensor IC580detects the presence of a human, the embedded controller552may access the power table504(also called a look-up table) in order to determine if and to what degree to reduce power to the antennas548,550as described herein.

When the PCH558has received input from these sensors indicating that the information handling system500is in a tablet configuration, the platform control hub558may send a signal to the embedded controller552. In an embodiment, the embedded controller552may be the processing device used to control the repurposing of the touchpad522as described herein. In this embodiment, because the embedded controller552may operate below the execution of the OS, the embedded controller552may act regardless of the software or other hardware being executed at any given time on the information handling system500. In an embodiment, the embedded controller552may direct the platform control hub558to send the signals indicating the information handling system500is in a tablet configuration directly to a microcontroller unit (MCU)556so that the MCU556can direct a P-sensor IC580to be operatively coupled to the touchpad522in order to repurpose the metallic layers of the touchpad522as a proximity sensor. In an embodiment, the MCU controller556may also turn off the touchpad522from receiving touch input upon a determination that the information handling system500is in the tablet configuration. In this embodiment, the touch signals at the touchpad522will no longer be recorded and processed by the MCU controller556for communication to the touchpad driver software of the operating system and by the CPU502.

It is appreciated that the embedded controller552, platform control hub558, and MCU556may communicate with each other and the P-sensor IC580via any serial communication bus such as an inter-integrated circuit (I2C) line557. This I2C communication line557may be used when the MCU556, the embedded controller552, and platform control hub558are on a nearby or the same printed circuit board (PCB).

During operation and when the embedded controller552has received the signal from the PCH558that the information handling system500is in a tablet configuration, the MCU556directs the P-sensor IC580to be operatively coupled to the touchpad522via a proximity sensor line559and activate sensing via this line559. This proximity sensor line559may, when the information handling system500is in any configuration other than a tablet configuration (e.g., a clamshell configuration), be operatively coupled to the antennas548,550of the wireless radio532or to one or more dedicated proximity sensors581disposed in a different location on the information handling system500chassis in order to detect the presence of a user and operating of the antennas548,550. In an embodiment, the MCU556may be directed by the embedded controller552to either continue to use the antennas548,550or other proximity sensors581even when the information handling system500is in a tablet configuration in some embodiments. When in the tablet configuration, however, the platform control hub558may, via a I2C serial communication I2C line557, direct the MCU controller556or EC552to uncouple the touchpad from a processing device executing a touchpad driver such as the CPU502and be, instead, coupled to the P-sensor IC580for use as an additional proximity sensor or the only proximity sensor. This may be done by operatively coupling the metallic layers of the touchpad522to the P-sensor IC580so that the changes in capacitance around the surface of the touchpad522may be detected by the P-sensor IC580. The uncoupling of the touchpad522from the processor such as the CPU502executing the touchpad driver may be controlled by the embedded controller552or the MCU controller556in various embodiments.

As the P-sensor IC580is operatively coupled to the metallic layers of the touchpad522, the P-sensor IC580may provide human proximity detection signals to the embedded controller552. The embedded controller552, when these signals are received, addresses a power table504at the BIOS510in order to determine if and to what extent power to the antennas548,550should be reduced in order to protect the user from physical harm from the EM radiation emitted from these antennas548,550and conform to industry SAR standards. This power table (also referred to herein as a look-up table) may include data describing which the amount of power to reduce at any of the antennas548,550, if any, as well as whether to reduce that power based on the RF emitted by those antennas548,550. As described herein, the power table504may be used to cross-reference the type of antennas548,550being used, the RF emitted by the antennas548,550, and what distance from the antennas548,550the human proximity is detected. Each of these factors along with others may be addressed at the look-up table by the embedded controller552in order to determine if and to what extent the power is to be reduced at the antennas548,550. This process may continue with the P-sensor IC580detecting whether the touchpad522, repurposed as a proximity sensor, has detected human presence or not and addressing the power provided to the antennas548,550. It is appreciated that when human proximity is not detected, the power provided to the antennas548,550to transceive data is not reduced so that an optimal data throughput may be realized. In a specific embodiment, an advanced configuration and power interface (ACPI) may be implemented to assist the embedded controller552to perform this power management as it relates to the amount of power provided to the antennas548,550.

FIG.6is a graphic diagram of a bottom view of a base chassis604of an information handling system600according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The bottom view shows a d-cover606of the base chassis604as described herein with a portion of the d-cover606removed to expose various components within this base chassis.

Among these components, the base chassis604may include an antenna648. As described herein, the antenna648may be any type of antenna that transceives data wirelessly to a network. For example, the information handling system600, in an embodiment of the present disclosure, may employ separate antenna systems for Wi-Fi signals, wireless wide area network (WWAN) signals, Bluetooth signals, and wireless local area network (WLAN) signals any of which may be represented by the antenna648inFIG.6. The RF signals associated with the types of these antennas and their associated systems (e.g., radios and wireless interface adapter) may vary depending on the type of antenna648used.

The example embodiment shown inFIG.6shows a single antenna648placed toward a front portion of the base chassis of the information handling system600. This location may be at or near a touchpad (not shown) formed in a c-cover chassis of the base chassis604. As described herein, the antenna648may transmit through a portion of the touchpad via, for example, a latticed window formed in one or more layers (e.g., metallic layers) of the touchpad. However, the present specification contemplates that the principles, methods, and systems described herein may apply equally to other antennas formed at other locations within the display chassis or base chassis.

In the example embodiment shown inFIG.6, the antenna648may be near a proximity sensor680. In the embodiment shown inFIG.6, the proximity sensor680wraps around the antenna and is used to determine whether human proximity is detected. As described herein, when human proximity is detected, the proximity sensor680may send a signal to an integrated sensor hub and/or a processing device (e.g., an embedded controller or a microcontroller) to reduce the amount of power provided to the antenna648in order to reduce the SAR. According to the embodiments of the present disclosure, the use of the proximity sensor680or repurposing the metallic layers of the touchpad as the proximity sensor or as an additional proximity sensor may depend on detected configuration of the information handling system600. In an embodiment, the proximity sensors681may be used to detect a proximity of a human body part when the information handling system600is in various configurations, e.g., clamshell configuration. As described herein, this repurposing of the metallic layers of the touchpad is done as additional sensors (e.g., hall effect sensor, hinge sensor, accelerometer, etc.) detect that the information handling system600is placed into a tablet configuration. It is appreciated, as well, that the information handling system600includes additional antennas placed within the base chassis604and/or display chassis (not shown) and can be similarly affected by the operations of the processing devices and various configurations described herein.

FIG.7is a graphic diagram of a top view of a base chassis704of an information handling system700according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.FIG.7is a closer view of the antenna748and the proximity sensor781as shown inFIG.6.FIG.7further includes depictions of a touchpad location722on a c-cover shown in a dashed line and placed behind the antenna748and proximity sensor781. BecauseFIG.7shows a top view of the base chassis704, the c-cover has been removed leaving the antenna748and proximity sensor781exposed for viewing and the touchpad location722shown in a dashed line and placed behind them.

As described herein, the placement of the touchpad location722relative to the antenna748does not inhibit, when the information handling system700is in a clamshell configuration, the transception with the antenna748. Instead, the layers (e.g., metallic layers) of the touchpad location722that cover the antenna748or portions of the antenna748on the c-cover may be formed into a latticed window as described further in embodiments herein. This latticed window may allow the RF signals emitted by the antenna748and those RF signals received at the antenna748from an access point or base station to be sent by and received at the antenna748. This latticed window may also include the metallic layers that each include conductors used to detect a change in a proportional capacitance at any location over the surface of the touchpad location722to provide for touchpad input functions as well to a touchpad driver.

As described in embodiments herein, touchpad location722(e.g., the metallic layers of the touchpad location722) may be repurposed to operate as a proximity sensor when the information handling system700is placed in a tablet configuration by the user. In these embodiments, the proximity of a user relative to the antenna748may be determined in order to reduce power to that antenna748and, thereby, reduce the SAR the user is subjected to. This increases the safety of the user during operation of the information handling system while still prioritizing for the highest data throughput to a network using the wireless radios and antennas in the information handling system.

During operation of the information handling system700, a platform control hub may receive data from a number of sensors that help to determine when the information handling system is placed in the tablet configuration. These sensors may be operated using an ISH similar to that described herein. In an example embodiment, the ISH may include a temperature sensor, a pressure sensor, a Hall effect sensor, a magnetic sensor, a magnetometer, an accelerometer, a hinge sensor, a light sensor (e.g., ultraviolet light sensor, IR light sensor, ambient light sensor, color sensor), a gyroscopic sensor, a camera, and a proximity sensor, among others. Any of these sensors may provide data to an ISH which provides that data to the platform control hub. Embodiments described herein include the use of one or more of these sensors in the information handling system in order to determine the configuration of the information handling system of a first portion of the information handling system700chassis to a second portion of the information handling system700chassis that includes, at least, a tablet configuration or a clamshell configuration.

When the PCH has received input from these sensors indicating that the information handling system is in a clamshell configuration, the PCH may provide this data to the embedded controller. The embedded controller may then direct a P-sensor IC to detect the presence of a user or other human near the antennas using one or more proximity sensors781. These proximity sensors781may be placed at or near one or more antennas748so that the human presence can be detected at the antennas748. When the P-sensor IC detects the presence of a human, the embedded controller may access the power table (also called a look-up table) in order to determine if and to what degree to reduce power to the antennas748as described herein.

When the PCH has received input from these sensors indicating that the information handling system is in a tablet configuration, the platform control hub may send a signal to the embedded controller. In an embodiment, the embedded controller may be the processing device used to control the repurposing of the touchpad as described herein. In this embodiment, because the embedded controller may operate below the execution of the OS, the embedded controller may act regardless of the software or other hardware being executed at any given time on the information handling system. In an embodiment, the embedded controller may direct the platform control hub to send the signals indicating the information handling system is in a tablet configuration directly to a microcontroller unit (MCU) so that the MCU can direct a P-sensor IC to be operatively coupled to the touchpad location722in order to repurpose the metallic layers of the touchpad location722as a proximity sensor. In an embodiment, the MCU controller may also turn off the touchpad from receiving touch input upon a determination that the information handling system700is in the tablet configuration. In this embodiment, the touch signals at the touchpad will no longer be recorded and processed by the MCU controller for communication to the touchpad driver software of the operating system and by the CPU.

FIG.8is a graphic diagram of a top view of a base chassis804of an information handling system800according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.FIG.8shows a c-cover806used as a cover to house the components of the information handling system800the touchpad822, a keyboard818, a processor, a memory storage device, a PMU, a battery, and the like. In an embodiment, the c-cover806is made of a metal such as an aluminum alloy.

As described herein, the touchpad822may be formed over the or a portion of the antenna location848, shown in dashed lines inFIG.8. As seen inFIG.8, the touchpad822overlaps the antenna location848by an overlapping distance898. This overlapping distance may determine the height of the latticed window formed into the layers (e.g., the metallic layers) of the touchpad822. Again, this latticed window may allow the RF signals emitted by the antenna location848and those RF signals received at the antenna location848from an access point or base station to be sent by and received at the antenna location848. This latticed window may also include the metallic layers that each include conductors, or a grounding layer used to detect a change in a proportional capacitance at any location over the surface of the touchpad822for accepting touchpad inputs as well.

At or around the antenna location848, a proximity sensor location881indicates a proximate sensor that (shown with additional dashed lines) may be added within the base chassis804in order to detect human presence. As described herein, the proximity sensor location880may be one of a plurality of proximity sensors associated with a plurality of antennas location848and antenna systems. Each of these proximity sensors may detect the presence of a human and, accordingly, the detected presence of a human may be used to reduce the power supplied to any one of these antenna locations848. As described herein, the touchpad822may also be repurposed into a proximity sensor by operatively coupling the ISH (not shown) to the metallic layers within the touchpad822when orientation sensors (e.g., sensors associated with the integrated sensor hub) detect that the information handling system800is in a tablet configuration. As described herein, the conversion of the information handling system800into the tablet configuration may cause the sensing capabilities of other proximity sensors such as those shown at location881within the base chassis804(or any other chassis) of the information handling system800to not perform as well or otherwise be inhibited from detecting human presence. Because the touchpad822is no longer used as in input device due to its relative location to the video/graphic display device of the display chassis in tablet configuration, the metallic layers of the touchpad822may be operatively coupled to the ISH as an additional proximity sensor or the main proximity sensor used to detect the presence of a human being. Switching or repurposing the touchpad822from being an input device to a proximity sensor location880may include, among other processes, uncoupling the touchpad822from a processing device executing a touchpad driver (e.g., with an embedded controller) and be instead coupling it to a P-sensor IC. The opposite process may also be conducted when the sensors have detected that the information handling system800has been taken out of the tablet configuration.

FIG.9is a graphic diagram of a side, cross-section view of a base chassis904and display chassis908of an information handling system900in a tablet configuration according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.FIG.9shows the side, cutout view of the base chassis904that includes only a view of a partial length of the base chassis904. Similarly,FIG.9shows a side, cutout view of the display chassis908that includes only a view of a partial length of that display chassis908. It is appreciated, however, that the base chassis904and display chassis908may be operatively coupled to each other via a hinge (not shown) at those ends of the base chassis904and display chassis908not shown. This forms a 360-degree information handling system900that allows a d-cover906of the base chassis904to face an a-cover903of the display chassis908when the information handling system900is placed in the tablet configuration as shown inFIG.9.

As described herein, the display chassis908includes a video/graphics display device916that is placed on a side of the display chassis908that is opposite the a-cover903. In an embodiment, the display chassis908may further include a bezel909that surrounds the video/graphics display device916in order to secure the video/graphics display device916to the display chassis908. In an embodiment, the a-cover903of the display chassis908may be made of a metal in order to increase the aesthetic appeal of the information handling system900and increase the durability of the display chassis908. The metal construction of the a-cover903and the display chassis908may inhibit, however, the effectiveness of the proximity sensor981placed in the base chassis904by limiting the distance and direction that the proximity sensor981present in the base chassis904can detect human presence.FIG.9shows potential directional arrows911where the proximity sensor981may detect human proximity and layer or portions of the a-cover903, d-cover906, or the c-cover907that may block sensing human proximity in these directions. However, despite a plastic portion905of the d-cover906allowing some proximity sensing and RF transception in a side direction from the base chassis904, other directions are either inhibited by the metallic a-cover903, d-cover906, or c-cover907when in this tablet configuration. In some embodiments, a transception window of a touchpad922in the c-cover907may allow RF signal transception through the c-cover907, however proximity sensing is diminished at the proximity sensor981due to the distance to the c-cover907.

The base chassis904, in an embodiment, may comprise a metal c-cover907and used, along with a d-cover906to house various components of the information handling system900such as the touchpad922, an antenna948, a proximity sensor981, a processor, a battery, a PMU, any cooling system, and the like. In an embodiment, portions of the d-cover906may include a plastic window d-cover905that allows the proximity sensor981to detect human proximity to the information handling system900when the information handling system900is in a clamshell configuration or, to a lesser effectiveness, when the information handling system900is in the tablet configuration as shown inFIG.9. In an embodiment, the d-cover906may also include an RF transparent window d-cover section905that allows for the antenna948to transceive therethrough as well. Remaining portions of the d-cover906may be made of a metal similar to the a-cover903.

Without needing to add additional proximity sensors to the c-cover907and as described in embodiments herein, the touchpad922of the information handling system900may be repurposed into a proximity sensor when, as shown inFIG.9, the information handling system900has been placed into a tablet configuration. By repurposing the touchpad922to operate as a proximity sensor, the proximity of a user relative to an antenna948may be determined in order to reduce power to the antenna948and, thereby, reduce the SAR to the user. This increases the safety of the user during operation of the information handling system900while still prioritizing for the highest data throughput to a network using the wireless radios and antennas948in the information handling system900when no proximity is sensed.

During operation, a platform control hub within the information handling system900may receive data from a number of orientation or other sensors that help to determine when the information handling system900is placed in the tablet configuration. These sensors may be operated using an ISH similar to that described in embodiments herein. In an example embodiment, the ISH may include a temperature sensor, a pressure sensor, a Hall effect sensor, a magnetic sensor, a magnetometer, an accelerometer, a hinge sensor, a light sensor (e.g., ultraviolet light sensor, IR light sensor, ambient light sensor, color sensor), a gyroscopic sensor, a camera, and a proximity sensor, among others. Each of these sensors may provide data to an ISH indicative of the configuration of the display chassis908relative to the base chassis904(e.g., clamshell configuration or tablet configuration) which provides that data to a platform control hub.

When the PCH has received input from these sensors indicating that the information handling system900is in a clamshell configuration, the PCH may provide this data to an embedded controller. The embedded controller may then direct a P-sensor IC to detect the presence of a user or other human body part near the antenna948using one or more proximity sensors981that is relatively close to the antenna948such as mounted near the portion of the d-cover906. The proximity sensor981shown inFIG.9may be placed at or near the antenna948so that the human presence can be detected at the antenna948. When the P-sensor IC detects the presence of a human, the embedded controller may access a power table (also called a look-up table) in order to determine if and to what degree to reduce power to the antenna948as described herein.

When the PCH has received input from these sensors indicating that the information handling system900is in a tablet configuration as shown inFIG.9, the platform control hub may send a signal to the embedded controller indicative of this tablet configuration. In an embodiment, the embedded controller may be a processing device used to control the repurposing of the touchpad822. In an embodiment, because the embedded controller may operate above the execution of the OS, the embedded controller may act regardless of the software or other hardware being executed at any given time on the information handling system900. Thus, an embedded controller or an MCU may have control over the processes associated with the touchpad922in various embodiments. In an embodiment, the embedded controller may direct the platform control hub to send the signals indicating the information handling system is in a tablet configuration directly to a MCU so that the MCU can direct a P-sensor IC to be operatively coupled to the touchpad922in order to repurpose the metallic layers of the touchpad922as a proximity sensor. It is appreciated that the embedded controller, platform control hub, and MCU may communicate with each other and the P-sensor IC via any serial communication bus such as an inter-integrated circuit (I2C). For example, this I2C communication may be used when the MCU, the embedded controller, and platform control are on the same PCB or distinct PCBs.

During operation and as the embedded controller, MCU, or other controller has received the signal from the PCH that the information handling system900is in a tablet configuration (e.g., signals from the sensors associated with the ISH), the embedded controller, MCU, or other controller switches the touchpad922off from being operatively coupled to the processor for receiving touchpad inputs. According to one or more embodiments herein, the embedded controller, MCU, or other controller may operatively couple the metallic layers of the touchpad922to the ISH for use as a proximity sensor via a proximity sensor line. This proximity sensor line may, when the information handling system900is in any configuration other than a tablet configuration (e.g., a clamshell configuration), be operatively coupled to the antenna948of the wireless radio or one or more dedicated proximity sensors (not shown) in order to detect the presence of a user and operation of the antennas948. The embedded controller, MCU, or other controller may either continue to use the antenna948or other proximity sensor981even when the information handling system900is in a tablet configuration in some embodiments. When in the tablet configuration, however, the platform control hub may, via a I2C serial communication I2C line, direct the embedded controller, MCU, or other controller to uncouple the touchpad922from a processing device executing a touchpad driver such as the CPU and be, instead, coupled to the P-sensor IC for use as an additional proximity sessor or the only proximity sensor being operated. This may be done by operatively coupling the metallic layers of the touchpad922to the P-sensor IC so that the changes in capacitance around the surface of the touchpad922may be detected by the P-sensor IC. The uncoupling of the touchpad922from the processor such as the CPU executing the touchpad driver may be controlled by the embedded controller, MCU, or other controller in various embodiments.

As the P-sensor IC is operatively coupled to the metallic layers of the touchpad922, the P-sensor IC may provide human proximity detection signals, based on capacitance changes at the touchpad922, to the embedded controller. The touchpad922described herein may include a plurality of additional layers besides the plurality of metallic layers. These other layers may include insulation layers, protective layers, and glass layers among others. The embedded controller, when these human proximity signals are received, addresses a power table at the BIOS of the information handling system900in order to determine if and to what extent power to the antenna948should be reduced in order to protect the user from physical harm from the EM radiation emitted from the antenna948and conform to industry SAR standards. This power table (also referred to herein as a look-up table) may include data describing which the amount of power to reduce at any antenna948, if any, as well as whether to reduce that power based on the RF emitted by those antennas948. As described herein, the power table may be used to cross-reference the type of antenna948being used, the RF emitted by the antenna948, and what distance from the antenna948the human proximity is detected. Each of these factors along with others may be addressed at the look-up table by the embedded controller in order to determine if and to what extent the power is to be reduced at the antennas948. This process may continue with the P-sensor IC detecting whether the touchpad922, repurposed as a proximity sensor, has detected human presence or not and addressing the power provided to the antenna948. It is appreciated that when human proximity is not detected, the power provided to the antenna948to transceive data is not reduced so that an optimal data throughput may be realized. In a specific embodiment, an ACPI may be implemented to assist the embedded controller to perform this power management as it relates to the amount of power provided to the antenna948.

FIG.10is a graphic diagram of a top view of a metallic layer1005of a touchpad1022of an information handling system according to an embodiment of the present specification. As described herein, this metallic layer1005may be a ground layer and one of many layers that form the touchpad1022. In an embodiment, this metallic layer1005may be one of many metallic layers1005each of which include a series of conductors formed thereon. For example, the metallic layer1005have conductors that are arranged in an array of parallel lines as shown inFIG.11below. These layers may be separated by an insulation layer with the parallel lines of the conductors on each layer at right angles to each other to form a grid. An electrical signal may be applied to the array of conductors and the current between the nodes creates a proportional capacitance. As the user touches the surface of the touchpad1022, a change in capacitance at the location along the surface of the touchpad1022is used to indicate a touch and its relative location. This change in capacitance is detected and used as input as described herein. This detection of touch from a user may be conducted by an embedded controller, a microcontroller, or the like executing a touchpad driver and provided to interface with application software executing on a processor such as a CPU. As described in some embodiments herein, however, the detection of the change in capacitance is detected when the information handling system is in any configuration except for a tablet configuration. When the information handling system is in a tablet configuration, this metallic layer1005or other layers are repurposed, according to the embodiments herein, as a proximity sensor using the metallic layer1005and other layers as a capacitive body that emits an EM field to detect human presence with any change in capacitance.

As described herein, an antenna may be placed behind the touchpad and allowed to transmit through a portion of the touchpad via, for example, a latticed window1009formed in the ground layer1005of the touchpad1022. This latticed window1009may allow the RF signals emitted by the antenna and those RF signals received at the antenna from an access point or base station to be sent by and received at the antenna under the metallic ground layer window1009of the touchpad1022. This latticed window1009may also include the metallic layers that include conductors used to detect a change in a proportional capacitance at any location over the surface of the touchpad1022for touchpad1022input detection. In an embodiment, the area1007of the latticed window1009may be about 9.48 mm and may correspond to the location of the antenna underneath the touchpad1022. In an embodiment, the height1007of the latticed window1009may be between 4 mm and 10 mm to permit a sufficient aperture for RF transmission and reception form the antenna underneath but any dimension or shape of window is contemplated in the embodiments herein.

FIG.11is a graphic diagram of a top view of a plurality of layers of conductors1111,1113of a touchpad1122of an information handling system according to an embodiment of the present specification. As described herein, the layers of conductors1111,1113may each include conductors that are arranged in an array of parallel lines. From one layer of conductors1111,1113to another layer of conductors1111,1113, the parallel arrangement of these conductors1111,1113may be such that the parallel arrangement of the conductors1111of a first layer run perpendicular to the parallel arrangement of the conductors1113of a second layer. As described in connection withFIG.10, the layers of conductors1111,1113may be placed on the latticed window (e.g.,FIG.10,1009) such that the RF signals to and from the antenna may be transceived therethrough but still operate to detect touch inputs to the touchpad1122.

FIG.12is a flow diagram illustrating a method1200of operating a human proximity sensing system of an information handling system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In an embodiment, the proximity sensing system of the information handling system includes any number of proximity sensors including a touchpad that may be used as a proximity sensor associated with any number of antennas. These proximity sensors are used to detect the presence of humans near the antennas in order to determine whether and to what extent power to the antennas are to be reduced. According to the embodiments of the present specification, the information handling system includes dedicated proximity sensors (e.g., proximity sensor location981,FIG.9) used to detect human presence near an antenna when the information handling system is in a configuration other than a tablet configuration. As described herein, the information handling system includes a touchpad that may be repurposed as the proximity sensor or an additional proximity sensor when the information handling system is in a tablet configuration.

The method1200may include, at block1205, with determining whether the wireless system within the information handling system is transmitting. As described herein, the SAR of the EM radiation from the antennas may exceed, at times during operation, limits set by certain regulations imposed or within an industry. The SAR rate may be measured and kept at or below a threshold level so as to protect the user's body from potential adverse effects of the exposure to this EM radiation. Where the wireless systems are not transmitting, however, the SAR levels are not a concern and the method1200may end at this time. The information handling system may include a CPU executing an operating system or a wireless adapter to determine at block1205whether the wireless system is transmitting.

Where the wireless systems are transmitting at block1205, the method1200may continue with receiving input from any number of sensors associated with the integrated sensor hub at block1210. The ISH may be operatively coupled to a processing device such as a processor, an embedded controller, or a microcontroller as well as a platform control hub so that data gathered by the sensors associated with the ISH may be processed by these devices. In an embodiment, the ISH may orientation or state sensors include a temperature sensor, a pressure sensor, a Hall effect sensor, a magnetic sensor, a magnetometer, an accelerometer, a hinge sensor, a light sensor (e.g., ultraviolet light sensor, infrared (IR) light sensor, ambient light sensor, color sensor), a gyroscopic sensor, a camera, and a proximity sensor, among others. Any of these sensors may provide data to an ISH which provides that data to the PCH. The processors described herein may be augmented by this platform control hub in an embodiment. Each of these sensors may provide data to the ISH in order to determine if and when the information handling system is in a specific configuration such as the tablet configuration or clamshell configuration as described herein. Where the wireless systems are not transmitting at block1205, the method1200may return to block1205to continue to monitor whether the wireless system is transmitting via a wireless adapter.

In an embodiment, the method1200may include determining whether the information handling system is in a clamshell configuration at block1215. As described herein, the orientation of a display chassis relative to a base chassis of the information handling system100may describe the configuration of the information handling system100. Examples of how these sensors associated with the ISH can be used to determine the relative locations of the display chassis to the base chassis has been described herein and may include, in an example embodiment, the use of a hinge sensor, the use of a hall effect sensor and a corresponding magnet, the use of a light sensor or camera to detect light characteristics expected to be associated with individual configurations, as well as other orientation sensors (e.g., accelerometers, gyroscopic sensors, magnetometer, etc.).

A clamshell configuration may a similar to that configuration shown inFIG.2Ain an embodiment. Where the data from the sensors associated with the ISH indicate that the information handling system is not in a clamshell orientation at block1215, the method1200may further include determining whether the information handling system is in a tablet configuration. A tablet configuration may be similar to that configuration shown inFIG.2Bin an embodiment. Here, the display chassis of the information handling system may be rotated completely away from the base chassis about a hinge and placed at an angle about 360 degrees from the base chassis. In this tablet configuration the orientation of the d-cover relative to the a-cover is such that the d-cover and a-cover are against each other such that a user may view the display within the b-cover but is limited in any interaction with the touchpad and/or keyboard within the c-cover. In this embodiment, the touchpad within the c-cover is inaccessible due to this orientation of the base chassis relative to the display chassis. Because the touchpad is now on an opposite side of the display device of the display chassis, the touchpad is near a surface or on a user's lap when the information handling system is in use.

Where the data from the sensors associated with the ISH indicates to the PCH that the information handling system is in a tablet configuration at block1220, the method1200continues at block1225with turning off the touchpad to accept touch inputs to be sent via a touchpad driver for commands to an OS or application program such as for cursor control or other touchpad operations. In this embodiment, the touch signals at the touchpad will no longer be recorded and processed by the MCU controller, for example, for communication to the touchpad driver software of the operating system and by the CPU. This process may also include, at block1230, with repurposing the touchpad as an additional proximity sensor or as the proximity sensor for an antenna. During operation, in an embodiment, and when the embedded controller, for example, has received the signal from the PCH that the information handling system is in a tablet configuration, the MCU directs the P-sensor IC to be operatively coupled to the touchpad or active via a proximity sensor line. When in the tablet configuration, the platform control hub may, via a I2C serial communication I2C line, direct the MCU controller or EC to uncouple the touchpad from a processing device executing a touchpad driver such as the CPU and be, instead, coupled to the P-sensor IC for use as an additional proximity sessor or the only proximity sensor. This may be done by operatively coupling the metallic layers of the touchpad to the P-sensor IC so that the changes in capacitance around the surface of the touchpad may be detected by the P-sensor IC. The uncoupling or turning off of the touchpad from the processor such as the CPU executing the touchpad driver from accepting or processing touch input commands (e.g., a finger touch or gesture) may be controlled by the embedded controller or MCU controller in various embodiments.

After the repurposing of the touchpad at block1230has been completed, the method1200may include, at block1235, determining whether a proximity event has been detected through the now-repurposed touchpad. This proximity event is detected when a capacitance level has changed at the touchpad. In order to do this the touchpad includes a metallic layer that operates with two conductor layers each having an array of conductors arranged in parallel lines. These layers may be separated by an insulation layer with the parallel lines of the conductors on each layer at right angles (e.g., perpendicular) to each other to form a grid. Where a change in capacitance has been detected as a user's body part (e.g., a lap or a hand) is close to the touchpad (e.g., 20 mm or above), the proximity event is detected. Where no proximity event has been detected, the method1200may continue with again determining whether the information handling system is still in the tablet configuration at block1220. In an embodiment, one or more proximity sensors separate from the touchpad are disposed at a different locations within the information handling system chassis, e.g., the bottom or side of the base chassis or d-cover than the touchpad. These other proximity sensors may be placed at or near one or more antennas in these different locations so that the human presence can be detected at the antennas in configurations other than a tablet configuration.

When a proximity event has been detected by the repurposed touchpad, a determination of a type of antenna transceiving may be determined at block1240. In an embodiment, the information handling system may include both WiFi and LTE antenna systems among others. These different types of antenna systems may be addressed individually in different ways in the embodiments herein. For example, where the antenna system is a WiFi antenna system (e.g., WLAN antenna system) an embedded controller or other processing device may access a BIOS via an ACPI in order to address a power table (e.g., look-up table) at block1245. The embedded controller addresses this power table at the BIOS in order to determine if and to what extent power to the antennas, such as the WiFi antenna in this embodiment, should be reduced in order to protect the user from physical harm from the EM radiation emitted from these antennas and conform to industry SAR standards. This power table (also referred to herein as a look-up table) may include data describing which the amount of power to reduce at any of the antennas, if any, as well as whether to reduce that power based on the RF emitted by those antennas at block1250. As described herein, the power table may be used to cross-reference the type of antennas being used, the RF emitted by the antennas, and what distance from the antennas the human proximity is detected. Each of these factors along with others may be addressed at the look-up table by the embedded controller in order to determine if and to what extent the power is to be reduced at the antennas at block1250. This process may continue with the P-sensor IC detecting whether the touchpad, repurposed as a proximity sensor, has detected human presence or not and addressing the power provided to the antennas. It is appreciated that when human proximity is not detected at block1235, the power provided to the antennas such as this WiFi antenna to transceive data is not reduced so that an optimal data throughput may be realized. In a specific embodiment, an advanced configuration and power interface (ACPI) may be implemented to assist the embedded controller to perform this power management as it relates to the amount of power provided to the antennas at block1250for example.

Although a similar process may be followed where the antenna being used is an LTE antenna (e.g., WWAN antenna), specific circuitry associated with the WWAN radio may be used to reduce the power when a proximity event is detected at block1255. In this embodiment, at block1255, the embedded controller may trigger a dynamic power reduction (DPR) pin on a m.2 WWAN radio. This DPR pin may be built into the radio module associated with the WWAN radio module and may be accessed in order to reduce transmission power levels at the antenna based on the human proximity detected by the repurposed touchpad. In either example, the method1200may continue with the reduction of power until human proximity is no longer detected and power is increased at these antennas or the wireless functions or the information handling system is turned off at block1275. Where the wireless functions or the information handling system is turned off at block1275, the process may end. Where the wireless functions or the information handling system is not turned off at block1275, the method1200may continue back at block1205with determining if there is a proximity event as described herein.

It should be noted that the method1200further includes processes where a clamshell configuration (or any other configuration) is detected at block1215. Again, the configuration of the information handling system may be determined based on input from one or more sensors within the information handling system (e.g., those sensors associated with the ISH). Where a clamshell configuration (or any other configuration) is detected at block1215, the method1200may continue with utilizing proximity sensors near an antenna within the d-cover of the information handling system. As described herein, the information handling system may include one or more dedicated proximity sensors associated or near one or more antennas. When the information handling system is in a clamshell configuration, these proximity sensors may be used to detect human proximity at the information handling system. In an embodiment, where the antenna is an antenna associated with or near the touchpad, the touchpad may also be used as both an input device as well as a proximity sensor as described herein. In this embodiment, the touchpad may be tuned to detect both near presence (e.g., up to about 6 cm away from the touchpad) and a touch input at the touchpad. For example, as the human presence is detected via detected changes in the capacitance in the metallic layers of the touchpad, the level of change in the capacitance may be different as a user's body part approaches the touchpad as compared to as when a user's body (e.g., a finger) contacts the surface of the touchpad. These different levels of change in capacitance may be threshold levels that when reached indicate human proximity (e.g., a first capacitive threshold) or human touch at the touchpad (e.g., a second capacitive threshold). As described herein, the look-up table may include data descriptive of the first capacitive threshold and the second capacitive threshold.

The method1200may include determining, at block1265whether human proximity (e.g., a proximity event) has been detected. Similar to above, the type of transceiving antenna being operated may also be determined at block1265. As described in an embodiment herein, the information handling system may include dedicated proximity sensors that operate either when the information handling system is not in a tablet configuration or operate regardless of the configuration the information handling system is in. The power provided to the antennas of the information handling system may still be reduced based on detected human proximity by these proximity sensors and/or the touchpad as a tuned proximity sensor. In an embodiment, the information handling system may include both WiFi and LTE antenna systems among others. These different types of antenna systems may be addressed individually in different ways in the embodiments herein. To this end, the method1200includes, at block1270, determining whether the antennas currently transmitting are a WiFi antenna or an LTE antenna. For example, where the antenna system is a WiFi antenna system (e.g., WLAN antenna system) an embedded controller or other processing device may access a BIOS via an ACPI in order to address a power table (e.g., look-up table) at block1275. The embedded controller addresses this power table at the BIOS in order to determine if and to what extent power to the antennas, such as the WiFi antenna in this embodiment, should be reduced in order to protect the user from physical harm from the EM radiation emitted from these antennas and conform to industry SAR standards at block1280. This power table (also referred to herein as a look-up table) may include data describing which the amount of power to reduce at any of the antennas, if any, as well as whether to reduce that power based on the RF emitted by those antennas. As described herein, the power table may be used to cross-reference the type of antennas being used, the RF emitted by the antennas, and what distance from the antennas the human proximity is detected. Each of these factors along with others may be addressed at the look-up table by the embedded controller in order to determine if and to what extent the power is to be reduced at the antennas. This process may continue with the P-sensor IC detecting whether the touchpad, repurposed as a proximity sensor, or other dedicated proximity sensors has detected human presence or not and addressing the power provided to the antennas. It is appreciated that when human proximity is not detected, the power provided to the antennas such as this WiFi antenna to transceive data is not reduced so that an optimal data throughput may be realized. In a specific embodiment, an advanced configuration and power interface (ACPI) may be implemented to assist the embedded controller to perform this power management as it relates to the amount of power provided to the antennas at block1275.

Although a similar process may be followed where the antenna being used is an LTE antenna (e.g., WWAN antenna), specific circuitry associated with the WWAN radio may be used to reduce the power when a proximity event is detected at block1285. In this embodiment, at block1285, the embedded controller may trigger a dynamic power reduction (DPR) pin on a m.2 WWAN radio. This DPR pin may be built into the radio module associated with the WWAN radio module and may be accessed in order to reduce transmission power levels at the antenna based on the human proximity detected by the repurposed touchpad. In either example, the method1200may continue with the reduction of power until human proximity is no longer detected and power is increased at these antennas or the wireless functions or the information handling system is turned off at block1290. Where the wireless functions or the information handling system is turned off at block1290, the process may end. Where the wireless functions or the information handling system is not turned off at block1290, the method1200may continue back at block1205with determining if the wireless system is transmitting as described herein.

The blocks of the flow diagrams ofFIG.12or steps and aspects of the operation of the embodiments herein and discussed herein need not be performed in any given or specified order. It is contemplated that additional blocks, steps, or functions may be added, some blocks, steps or functions may not be performed, blocks, steps, or functions may occur contemporaneously, and blocks, steps or functions from one flow diagram may be performed within another flow diagram.

Devices, modules, resources, or programs that are in communication with one another need not be in continuous communication with each other, unless expressly specified otherwise. In addition, devices, modules, resources, or programs that are in communication with one another may communicate directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries.

Although only a few exemplary embodiments have been described in detail herein, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible in the exemplary embodiments without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the embodiments of the present disclosure. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the embodiments of the present disclosure as defined in the following claims. In the claims, means-plus-function clauses are intended to cover the structures described herein as performing the recited function and not only structural equivalents, but also equivalent structures.

The subject matter described herein is to be considered illustrative, and not restrictive, and the appended claims are intended to cover any and all such modifications, enhancements, and other embodiments that fall within the scope of the present invention. Thus, to the maximum extent allowed by law, the scope of the present invention is to be determined by the broadest permissible interpretation of the following claims and their equivalents and shall not be restricted or limited by the foregoing detailed description.