Abstract: A portable information handling system having internal battery power and external adapter power manages power drawn from the external power adapter to avoid exceeding the power rating of the external power adapter. As power drawn from the external adapter approaches a predetermined limit of the power adapter power rating, a power manager of the information handling system alters the operation of the information handling system to reduce power drawn from the adapter, such as by reducing current drawn to charge the battery, enforcing battery optimized mode steps or throttling central processing unit operation. Incremental decreases in power consumption maintain power draw below the external adapter power rating while incremental increases in power consumption have a delay that returns the information handling system to normal operations without excessive oscillation between operating modes.

Abstract: Thermal subsystems of manufactured information handling systems are tested for compliance with desired parameters by running a thermal diagnostics module in firmware during one or more manufacturing activities performed on the information handling system. The thermal diagnostics module monitors and stores one or more thermal parameters detected at the information handling system, such as the maximum temperature zone detected during a manufacturing activity. The stored thermal parameter is read after the manufacturing activity and compared with an expected value to determine the status of the thermal subsystem. For instance, an information handling system maximum operating temperature is detected by firmware running on an embedded controller during imaging of a hard disk drive and fails thermal testing if the detected maximum operating temperature exceeds a predetermined value, such as a value that would not be reached if the thermal subsystem functioning properly.

Abstract: Information handling system errors are presented at a display with the information handling system graphics subsystem inoperative by communicating an identified error to the display through an auxiliary channel and generating a presentation of the error information with a microcontroller of the display. For example, errors determined by BIOS firmware running on a chipset are communicated through a DDC or I2C channel from the chipset to the display so that textual error messages are generated at the display without the use of the information handling system's graphic processor to generate an error message image.

Abstract: Thermal subsystems of manufactured information handling systems are tested for compliance with desired parameters by running a thermal diagnostics module in firmware during one or more manufacturing activities performed on the information handling system. The thermal diagnostics module monitors and stores one or more thermal parameters detected at the information handling system, such as the maximum temperature zone detected during a manufacturing activity. The stored thermal parameter is read after the manufacturing activity and compared with an expected value to determine the status of the thermal subsystem. For instance, an information handling system maximum operating temperature is detected by firmware running on an embedded controller during imaging of a hard disk drive and fails thermal testing if the detected maximum operating temperature exceeds a predetermined value, such as a value that would not be reached if the thermal subsystem functioning properly.

Abstract: Ambient light sensor adjustments to the brightness of an information handling system display are further adjusted to compensate for user brightness preferences at various detected ambient light level. User brightness preference adjustments for each of plural detected ambient light levels are manually selected by user configuration inputs or alternatively are automatically determined by analysis of manual user changes in brightness output at the ambient light levels. For instance, a user manual alteration of display brightness at given ambient light level is saved and used for subsequent use when the given ambient light level is detected.

Abstract: A portable information handling system (“IHS”) is provided. The portable IHS includes a processor and a memory device coupled to the processor. The memory device is for storing instructions processable by the processor for determining whether a lid of the portable IHS is closed. Also, the instructions are processable by the processor for, in response to determining that the lid of the portable IHS is closed, determining whether the portable IHS is operating within a substantially sealed case. Moreover, the instructions are processable by the processor for, in response to determining that the portable IHS is operating within a substantially sealed case, reducing the portable IHS' power consumption.

Abstract: A method and a system are provided for determining whether an information handling system (“IHS”) component is in condition for a warranty return. In response to determining that the IHS component is in condition for a warranty return and in response to an encryption algorithm, an encrypted return authorization number associated with the IHS component's identification number is determined.

Abstract: An information handling system selectively boots to a normal operation mode having devices and applications configured to operate normally or a multimedia operation mode having devices and applications that support presentation of multimedia information enabled and other devices and applications disabled. In one embodiment, the multimedia mode improves portable information handling system multimedia performance by reducing power consumption to improve battery charge life and by reducing boot time to improve the timeliness of the user experience. For instance, a multimedia module interfaces with the operating system to disable power up of non-multimedia devices, such as networking devices, and non-multimedia applications, such as antivirus applications, while enabling multimedia devices, such as a DVD disc drive, to display multimedia information, such as a DVD movie.

Abstract: A method and system for allowing a processor to enter low power states in an information handling system (IHS) includes detecting an access request for a bus mastering device. The method and system also includes in response to failing to detect an access request for the bus mastering device within a period of time, suspending a bus mastering device controller associated with the bus mastering device, wherein the now suspended bus mastering controller no longer prevents the processor from entering low power states.