Portable information handling system user interface selection based on keyboard configuration
A portable information handling system user interface adapts based upon a position of a keyboard, such as a position detected by accelerations, Hall sensors, ambient light sensors and/or touchscreen display touches. In one example embodiment, a visual indication presented at a display aids end user location of a keyboard in a hidden position, such as a sliding keyboard disposed under a housing portion or a membrane keyboard integrated in a housing portion lower surface and exposed by a disconnect and flip motion.
1. An information handling system comprising:
a first housing portion;
a first display portion coupled at a first side of the first housing portion and operable to present information as visual images;
a second housing portion;
a second display portion coupled at a first side of the second housing portion and operable to present information as visual images;
a hinge rotationally coupling the first and second housing portions to rotate between a closed position hiding the first and second display portions and at least a tablet position exposing the first and second display portions in a common plane;
plural components disposed in the first and second housing portions that cooperate to process information, the information presented as visual images at the first and second display portions;
a keyboard engaged with the first housing portion at a side opposite the first display portion, the keyboard having a hidden position that hides keyboard keys and an exposed position that exposes the keyboard keys;
a Hall sensor having first and second Hall sensor elements disposed in the first housing portion and keyboard, the Hall sensor configured to sense the hidden and exposed positions;
plural accelerometers, at least one of the plural accelerometers disposed in each of the first housing portion, the second housing portion and the keyboard to detect accelerations at each of the first housing portion, second housing portion and keyboard; and
a keyboard controller interfaced with the keyboard, the Hall sensor and the plural accelerometers, the keyboard controller operable to compare accelerations of the keyboard and the second housing portion to provision a first or second user interface presented at the first and second display portions, the first user interface configured for touch inputs, the second user interface configured for keyboard inputs;
wherein the first housing portion detaches from the hinge, the first housing portion attaching at the hinge in a first orientation having the keyboard exposed or a second orientation having the keyboard hidden.
2. The information handling system of claim 1 wherein the keyboard controller is further operable to:
Detect a keyboard configuration if the keyboard and second housing portion have a perpendicular acceleration vector of a predetermined amount; and
Confirm a keyboard configuration if the Hall sensor senses the exposed position.
3. The information handling system of claim 2 wherein the keyboard controller disables touch detection at the first display portion in response to detecting a keyboard configuration.
4. The information handling system of claim 1 further comprising a sliding support engaging the keyboard and first housing portion in a sliding relationship, wherein the keyboard slides relative to the first housing portion between the hidden and exposed positions.
5. The information handling system of claim 4 wherein the first user interface includes an indicator of the keyboard location in the hidden position.
6. The information handling system of claim 1 further comprising:
a first ambient light sensor exposed at the first display portion to measure ambient light; and
a second ambient light sensor exposed at the second display portion to measure ambient light;
wherein the keyboard controller detects the exposed and hidden positions by comparing ambient light detected by the first and second ambient light sensors.
7. The information handling system of claim 6 wherein keyboard controller initiates a stacked user interface at the second display portion upon detection of the keyboard exposed position.