Keyboard Membrane Keystroke Batching for Secure Health Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge lies in efficiently tracking the remaining life and predicting future failures of information handling system components for reuse, while minimizing environmental impact and security risks, particularly in the context of portable systems used in varied conditions.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that securely tracks component lifecycle information across geographically distributed micro manufacturing centers, using robotic tools and manual labor to optimize carbon footprint, cost, and remanufacture efficiency by predicting component failures and scheduling repairs based on lifecycle data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If component lifecycle tracking is implemented to predict failures and enable reuse, then component reuse efficiency is improved, but security risks increase due to potential exposure of user input data
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the necessary lifecycle metrics (key press counts, cycle counts, operational hours) from the component data, separating these from sensitive user input data. This allows tracking for reuse prediction while eliminating security risks associated with exposing actual user inputs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary processing layer that aggregates component usage data into anonymized metrics. This intermediary structure enables lifecycle tracking while preventing direct exposure of sensitive user data, thus resolving the security concern.
2Measurement precision
If comprehensive component testing and breakdown is performed to assess remaining life, then accuracy of reuse prediction is improved, but cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary tracking of component usage metrics during normal operation (key press counts, cycle counts, operational hours). This preliminary data collection eliminates the need for comprehensive breakdown and testing, as the lifecycle state is already known from continuous monitoring.
Solution Approach 2:
The component itself maintains its lifecycle data through embedded counters and sensors that automatically track usage. This self-service approach provides accurate remaining life prediction without requiring external testing or breakdown procedures.
3Productivity
If manual breakdown and reassembly of systems is performed to harvest components, then component reuse is enabled, but time and labor costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent tracks component lifecycle data during normal system operation, so when harvesting is needed, the component's remaining life and condition are already known. This eliminates the need for time-consuming testing and assessment during the breakdown process.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides continuous feedback on component health and remaining life through tracked metrics. This feedback enables informed decisions about which components to harvest and when, optimizing the breakdown and reassembly process without requiring manual inspection or testing.
Data Source
AI summary
A key input counter stored in non-transitory memory coupled to a keyboard membrane and executing on a processing resource of the keyboard membrane stores a number of key presses detected at the membrane to track health of the keyboard for reuse. Key input values are queued in batches of sufficient size so that communication to non-transitory memory hides inputs made by an end user, such as a password input. In some embodiments, the batches are copied to non-transient memory when a sufficient multiple of a password exists to mask the password value, or when a sufficient amount of time passes to break up any end user key input sequences. In one embodiment, key values are tracked for less than all the keys to prevent malicious reading of key inputs while still tracking particular values for end of life numbers of key inputs.