System and method for processing user input via a reconfigurable haptic interface assembly for displaying a modified keyboard configuration

1. A reconfigurable haptic feedback interface assembly of an information handling system, comprising:

a reconfigurable haptic interface coversheet display layer to display a key location of a haptic keyboard based on a selected keyboard configuration selected from a plurality of modifiable keyboard configurations by selection of a displayed layout of the reconfigurable haptic interface coversheet display layer on a C-cover covering a top of a base portion for the information handling system, where the information handling system has the base portion and a display portion;

a contact foil placed between the reconfigurable haptic interface coversheet display layer and a support layer;

a first piezoelectric element placed between the contact foil and the support layer configured to receive a first applied mechanical stress near the displayed key location of the displayed layout of the reconfigurable haptic interface coversheet display layer, to generate a first piezo actuation signal having a first voltage magnitude in response to the first applied mechanical stress, and to transmit the first piezo actuation signal via the contact foil;

a controller of the information handling system operatively coupled to the contact foil and executing instructions to:

receive the first piezo actuation signal from the first piezoelectric element;

identify x- and y-coordinate location data describing the key location and determine an actuation of the displayed key location based, in part, on the first voltage magnitude of the first piezo actuation signal generated in response to the first applied mechanical stress;

identify a keyboard scan code associated in a memory with the x- and y-coordinate location data describing the key location for the selected keyboard configuration;

send a first haptic feedback response signal to the first piezoelectric element, in response to the first piezo actuation signal, to cause the first piezoelectric element to generate a first haptic feedback at the key location; and

a digital display displaying a key register event based on the keyboard scan code.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a second piezoelectric element to receive a second applied mechanical stress at the key location of the displayed layout of the reconfigurable haptic interface coversheet display layer, generate a second piezo actuation signal having a second voltage magnitude, and transmit the second piezo actuation signal to the processor via the contact foil;

the controller executing instructions to receive the second piezo actuation signal; and

the controller executing instructions to identify the x- and y-coordinate location data describing the key location based, in part, on interpolation of the second voltage magnitude of the second piezo actuation signal and the first voltage magnitude of the first piezo actuation signal.

3. The system of claim 2 further comprising:

the controller executing instructions to send a second haptic feedback response signal to the second piezoelectric element to cause the second piezoelectric element to generate a combined haptic feedback at the key location simultaneous with the first piezoelectric element generating the first haptic feedback at the key location.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a capacitive touch layer placed between the reconfigurable haptic interface coversheet display layer and a support layer, operably connected to a processor of the information handling system, detecting a user touch at an x- and y-coordinate location for the key location; and

the controller executing instructions to identify the x- and y-coordinate location data describing the displayed key location based, in part, on the user touch detected by the capacitive touch layer.

5. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a force-sensing element disposed within the reconfigurable haptic interface coversheet display layer operably connected to a processor detecting downward actuation pressure applied at the x- and y-coordinate location of the reconfigurable haptic interface coversheet display layer; and

the controller executing instructions to identify the x- and y-coordinate location data describing the key location based, in part, on the downward actuation pressure detected by the force-sensing element.

6. The assembly of claim 5 , wherein the force-sensing element is a thin film incorporating a force-sensing resistor.

7. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a graphical user interface on the reconfigurable haptic interface coversheet display layer to accept touch input gestures as input commands to determine the keyboard location as selected from the plurality of modifiable keyboard configurations by selection of the displayed layout of the reconfigurable haptic interface coversheet display layer on the C-cover for the information handling system and reset one or more piezo electric elements associated with a new displayed key location via a reconfigurable layout controller.

8. A reconfigurable haptic feedback interface assembly of an information handling system, comprising:

a reconfigurable haptic interface coversheet display layer to identify an actuation location on a C-cover covering a top of a base portion for the information handling system having the base portion and a display portion having a first display device, where the reconfigurable haptic interface coversheet display layer is an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display layer that is a second display for the base portion;

a first piezo electric element disposed below the reconfigurable haptic interface coversheet display layer operably connected to a processor of the information handling system and configured to detect a first downward actuation pressure applied at a first display x- and y-coordinate location of the reconfigurable haptic interface coversheet display layer and configured to generate a piezo actuation signal in response to the first downward actuation pressure;

a contact foil placed between the reconfigurable haptic interface coversheet display layer and a support layer;

the processor operatively coupled to the contact foil and executing instructions to:

identify a first piezo x- and y-coordinate location data for the piezo electric element corresponding to the first display x- and y- coordinate location of the reconfigurable haptic interface coversheet display layer as an actuation location;

identify a user input command instruction corresponding with the first downward actuation pressure applied at the first display x- and y-coordinate location;

send a haptic feedback response signal to the piezoelectric element to cause the piezoelectric element to generate a haptic feedback at the actuation location; and

execute the user input command instruction.

9. The assembly of claim 8 , wherein the actuation location is a key location of a haptic keyboard based on a selected keyboard configuration selected from a plurality of modifiable keyboard configurations available by selection of a displayed layout of the reconfigurable haptic interface coversheet display layer, and the user input command instruction is a keyboard scan code corresponding with the first display x- and y-coordinate location for the selected keyboard configuration of the reconfigurable haptic interface coversheet display layer.

10. The assembly of claim 9 further comprising:

a digital display displaying a key register event based on the keyboard scan code.

11. The assembly of claim 8 , wherein the actuation location is a touch location of a haptic touchpad interface area based on a selected touchpad configuration selected from a plurality of modifiable touchpad configurations by selection of the displayed layout of the reconfigurable haptic interface coversheet display layer, and the user input command instruction is a user selection of an object displayed on a graphical user interface, via the first display device, and associated with the first display x- and y-coordinate location for the selected touchpad configuration of the reconfigurable haptic interface coversheet display layer.

12. The assembly of claim 11 further comprising:

the first display device displaying the user selection of the object on the graphical user interface.

13. The assembly of claim 8 further comprising:

a second piezoelectric element to detect a second downward actuation pressure near the first display x- and y-coordinate location of the reconfigurable haptic interface coversheet display layer, generate a second piezo actuation signal in response to the second downward actuation pressure having a voltage magnitude different from the first piezo actuation signal, and transmit the second piezo actuation signal to the processor via the contact foil; and

the processor executing instructions to receive the second piezo actuation signal and to identify a second display x- and y-coordinate location describing a second actuation location based, in part, on the voltage magnitude difference between the first piezo actuation signal and the second piezo actuation signal.

14. The assembly of claim 13 further comprising:

the processor executing instructions to send a second haptic feedback response signal to the second piezoelectric element to cause the second piezoelectric element to generate a combined haptic feedback at the second display x- and y-coordinate location describing the second actuation location simultaneous with the first piezoelectric element generating a first haptic feedback at first display x- and y-coordinate location describing the actuation location.

15. A reconfigurable haptic feedback interface of an information handling system, comprising:

a reconfigurable haptic interface coversheet display layer to identify a key location of a haptic keyboard based on a selected keyboard configuration selected from a plurality of modifiable keyboard configurations by selection of a displayed layout of the reconfigurable haptic interface coversheet display layer on a C-cover covering a top of a base portion for the information handling system, where the information handling system has the base portion and a display portion;

a capacitive touch layer placed between the reconfigurable haptic interface coversheet display layer and a support layer, operably connected to a processor of the information handling system, to detect a user touch at an x- and y-coordinate location for a displayed key location;

a contact foil placed between the reconfigurable haptic interface coversheet display layer and the support layer;

a first piezoelectric element placed between the contact foil and the support layer configured to receive -a first applied mechanical stress at the key location of the displayed layout of the reconfigurable haptic interface coversheet layer, to generate a first piezo actuation signal in response to the first applied mechanical stress, and to transmit the first piezo actuation signal via the contact foil;

a controller operatively coupled to the contact foil and executing instructions to:

receive the first piezo actuation signal from the first piezoelectric element;

receive the x- and y-coordinate location from the capacitive touch layer;

identify a keyboard scan code associated in the memory with x- and y-coordinate location data for the selected keyboard configuration and actuation of the first piezoelectric element;

send a first haptic feedback response signal to the first piezoelectric element, generated in response to the first applied mechanical stress, to cause the first piezoelectric element to generate a first haptic feedback at the displayed key location; and

a digital display displaying a key register event based on the keyboard scan code.

16. The system of claim 15 further comprising:

a second piezoelectric element to receive a second applied mechanical stress near the displayed key location of the reconfigurable haptic interface coversheet display layer, generate a second piezo actuation signal having a voltage magnitude different from the first piezo actuation signal, and transmit the second piezo actuation signal to the controller via the contact foil;

the controller executing instructions to receive the second piezo actuation signal and to identify x- and y-coordinate location data describing the displayed key location based, in part, on the voltage magnitude difference between the first piezo actuation signal and the second piezo actuation signal.

17. The system of claim 16 further comprising:

the controller executing instructions to send a second haptic feedback response signal to the second piezoelectric element to cause the second piezoelectric element to generate a combined haptic feedback at the displayed key location simultaneous with the first piezoelectric element generating a first haptic feedback at the key location.

18. The system of claim 15 further comprising:

a graphical user interface to accept user input commands to determine a location of a haptic keyboard as selected from the plurality of modifiable keyboard configurations by selection of the displayed layout of the reconfigurable haptic interface coversheet display layer on the C-cover for the information handling system and reset one or more piezo electric elements associated with a new displayed key location via a reconfigurable layout controller.

19. The system of claim 15 further comprising:

a graphical user interface to accept user input commands to determine a size of a haptic keyboard as selected from the plurality of modifiable keyboard configurations by selection of the displayed layout of the reconfigurable haptic interface coversheet display layer on the C-cover for the information handling system and reset one or more piezo electric elements associated with a new displayed key location via a reconfigurable layout controller.

20. The system of claim 15 further comprising:

a graphical user interface on the reconfigurable haptic interface coversheet display layer to accept touch input gestures as input commands to modify a location of a haptic keyboard on the C-cover for the information handling system away from a default configuration mimicking a fixed, mechanical keyboard layout, and reset one or more piezo electric elements associated with a new displayed key location via a reconfigurable layout controller.