Abstract: Bias circuits and methods for silicon-based amplifier architectures that are tolerant of supply and bias voltage variations, bias current variations, and transistor stack height, and compensate for poor output resistance characteristics. Embodiments include power amplifiers and low-noise amplifiers that utilize a cascode reference circuit to bias the final stages of a cascode amplifier under the control of a closed loop bias control circuit. The closed loop bias control circuit ensures that the current in the cascode reference circuit is approximately equal to a selected multiple of a known current value by adjusting the gate bias voltage to the final stage of the cascode amplifier. The final current through the cascode amplifier is a multiple of the current in the cascode reference circuit, based on a device scaling factor representing the relative sizes of the transistor devices in the cascode amplifier and in the cascode reference circuit.

Abstract: An input device, such as a keyboard, includes one or more keys that each includes a keycap operable to move within an aperture of a frame to activate a switch and fabric disposed over the frame and keycap. A first region of the fabric is bonded to the keycap and a second region of the fabric is bonded to the frame. The first region may be an embossed region and the second region may be an unembossed region. The fabric may dampen sound from within the keyboard, such as noise related to movement of the keycap, activation of the switch, and so on. The fabric may also form a barrier that restricts passage of contaminants into the aperture and/or other portions of the input device.

Abstract: A portable electronic device is described. This portable electronic device includes an external housing with a cavity defined by an edge. A keyboard, having a front surface and a back surface, is disposed in the cavity with the front surface facing the external housing. Moreover, a tray is disposed over the back surface of the keyboard, and is mechanically coupled to the external housing adjacent to the edge. Furthermore, battery cells are mechanically coupled to an opposite side of the tray from the back surface of the keyboard. The tray may allow the battery cells to be removed from the portable electronic device without damaging the keyboard. In addition, the tray may increase the compression strength and/or the bending strength of the portable electronic device.

Abstract: A keyswitch mechanism having reduced key rattle and a keyboard having reduced key rattle. A rattle suppression mechanism may be formed on a portion of the scissor mechanism or on a portion of the keycap. The rattle suppression mechanism is configured to maintain force on the portion of the scissor mechanism abutting the keycap.

Abstract: A portable electronic device is described. This portable electronic device includes an external housing with a cavity defined by an edge. A keyboard, having a front surface and a back surface, is disposed in the cavity with the front surface facing the external housing. Moreover, a tray is disposed over the back surface of the keyboard, and is mechanically coupled to the external housing adjacent to the edge. Furthermore, battery cells are mechanically coupled to an opposite side of the tray from the back surface of the keyboard. The tray may allow the battery cells to be removed from the portable electronic device without damaging the keyboard. In addition, the tray may increase the compression strength and/or the bending strength of the portable electronic device.

Abstract: A portable electronic device is described. This portable electronic device includes an external housing with a cavity defined by an edge. A keyboard, having a front surface and a back surface, is disposed in the cavity with the front surface facing the external housing. Moreover, a tray is disposed over the back surface of the keyboard, and is mechanically coupled to the external housing adjacent to the edge. Furthermore, battery cells are mechanically coupled to an opposite side of the tray from the back surface of the keyboard. The tray may allow the battery cells to be removed from the portable electronic device without damaging the keyboard. In addition, the tray may increase the compression strength and/or the bending strength of the portable electronic device.

Abstract: A backlit keyboard including a reflective component. The backlit keyboard may include a top case forming a top portion of an exterior surface of the keyboard. The backlit keyboard may further include a set of keys positioned within the top case and a membrane positioned below the set of keys. The backlit keyboard may further include a light guide positioned below the membrane and a light source positioned on a portion of the light guide. The light source may be configured to emit light coupled into the light guide and emit stray light not coupled into the light guide. The backlit keyboard may further include a bottom case attached to the top case and forming a bottom portion of the exterior surface of the keyboard. Additionally, the backlit keyboard may include a reflector positioned on an interior surface of the bottom case below the light guide and separated from the light guide by a gap.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an integrated embossing and injection molding tool that is used to overmold a frame on an embossed material. The embossed material and the frame may be used as a keyboard component of keyboard for a portable electronic device.

Abstract: Systems and techniques for laser-marking a fabric material. Some implementations may be directed to a fabric component having a surface dyed a first color using a pigment. The surface may be irradiated using a laser to form a lightened region. In some cases, the lightened region has a second color that is lighter than the first color. In some cases, the lightened region has fibers of the nylon fabric component that are fused to form a partially specular surface due to the laser irradiation. In some cases, the lightened region has fibers of the fabric component that are fused to form a partially specular surface. The fabric material may form a fabric component of a device or product. In some cases, the fabric forms a component of a keyboard or user-input device.

Abstract: An input device, such as a keyboard, includes one or more keys that each includes a keycap operable to move within an aperture of a frame to activate a switch and fabric disposed over the frame and keycap. A first region of the fabric is bonded to the keycap and a second region of the fabric is bonded to the frame. The first region may be an embossed region and the second region may be an unembossed region. The fabric may dampen sound from within the keyboard, such as noise related to movement of the keycap, activation of the switch, and so on. The fabric may also form a barrier that restricts passage of contaminants into the aperture and/or other portions of the input device.

Abstract: A backlit keyboard including a metal reflective component. The backlit keyboard may include a top case, and a plurality of keys positioned adjacent a membrane. The plurality of keys may be positioned within the top case. The keyboard may also include a metal feature plate positioned adjacent to the membrane, and a light guide positioned adjacent the metal feature plate. The backlit keyboard may also include a light source positioned on a portion of the light guide. Additionally, the keyboard may include a metal reflective component positioned adjacent the light guide. The metal reflective component may be coupled to the top case, or the metal feature plate. The reflective component may form a substantially rigid end layer, that may provide structural support to at least a portion of the layers included in the backlit keyboard.

Abstract: A keyswitch mechanism having reduced key rattle and a keyboard having reduced key rattle. A rattle suppression mechanism may be formed on a portion of the scissor mechanism or on a portion of the keycap. The rattle suppression mechanism is configured to maintain force on the portion of the scissor mechanism abutting the keycap.

Abstract: A keyswitch mechanism having reduced key rattle and a keyboard having reduced key rattle. A rattle suppression mechanism may be formed on a portion of the scissor mechanism or on a portion of the keycap. The rattle suppression mechanism is configured to maintain force on the portion of the scissor mechanism abutting the keycap.

Abstract: The present application describes various embodiments of systems and methods for internal components for portable computing devices relating to keyboard components and keyboard backlighting. In one embodiment, a keyboard module can include a rectangular light guide panel and a driver board including discrete light sources mounted on the driver board where the driver board is disposed along one edge of the light guide panel and light emitted for the discrete light sources is captured by the light guide panel and distributed to predetermined locations.

Abstract: A keyswitch mechanism having reduced key rattle and a keyboard having reduced key rattle. A rattle suppression mechanism may be formed on a portion of the scissor mechanism or on a portion of the keycap. The rattle suppression mechanism is configured to maintain force on the portion of the scissor mechanism abutting the keycap.

Abstract: A power supply for use in a portable electronic device is described. This power supply includes battery cells in separate locations that are electrically coupled by a power bus to a battery-management circuit board, which includes an integrated circuit with control logic that monitors the battery cells and that regulates charging and discharging of the battery cells. The battery cells are not enclosed in a common battery-pack housing so that the battery cells are mechanically separate from each other. Moreover, the battery-management circuit board is external to the battery cells and is not enclosed in the battery-pack housing. By excluding the battery-pack housing from the power supply, there may be more space available to expand the sizes, and thus the total capacities, of the battery cells.

Abstract: The present application describes various embodiments of systems and methods for internal components for portable computing devices relating to keyboard components and keyboard backlighting. In one embodiment, a keyboard module can include a rectangular light guide panel and a driver board including discrete light sources mounted on the driver board where the driver board is disposed along one edge of the light guide panel and light emitted for the discrete light sources is captured by the light guide panel and distributed to predetermined locations.

Abstract: A portable electronic device is described. This portable electronic device includes an external housing with a cavity defined by an edge. A keyboard, having a front surface and a back surface, is disposed in the cavity with the front surface facing the external housing. Moreover, a tray is disposed over the back surface of the keyboard, and is mechanically coupled to the external housing adjacent to the edge. Furthermore, battery cells are mechanically coupled to an opposite side of the tray from the back surface of the keyboard. The tray may allow the battery cells to be removed from the portable electronic device without damaging the keyboard. In addition, the tray may increase the compression strength and/or the bending strength of the portable electronic device.

Abstract: A polyolefin production system, comprising a polymerization reactor (such as a polyethylene loop slurry reactor) and a fractionation system that receives reactor effluent processed in a diluent/monomer recovery system for recycle to the reactor and to suppliers. A conduit diverts a portion of a reflux flow comprising monomer, such as ethylene, from within the fractionation system to the polymerization reactor, providing for less venting of monomer, such as ethylene, to the supplier. Accordingly, monomer yield is advantageously increased, as the monomer returned to the reactor displaces monomer feedstock to the reactor. The reflux flow may originate from a condensed overhead lights from a diluent recycle column disposed in the fractionation subsystem. The diluent recycle column may receive a stream comprising diluent and monomer as feed from the diluent/monomer recovery subsystem, and may receive the non-diverted portion of the reflux flow as reflux.