406, for example, using a super I/O controller or the like. Examples of user input devices 406 may include, but are not limited to, microphone(s) 414A, camera(s) 414B, and keyboard/mouse 414N. Other user input devices 406 may include a touchpad, trackpad, stylus or active pen, totem, etc.

Each user input devices 406 may include a respective controller (e.g., a touchpad may have its own touchpad controller) that interfaces with chipset 402 through a wired or wireless connection (e.g., via communication interfaces(s) 405). In some cases, chipset 402 may also provide access to one or more user output devices (e.g., video projectors, paper printers, 3D printers, loudspeakers, audio headsets, Virtual/Augmented Reality (VR/AR) devices, etc.). In certain embodiments, chipset 402 may further provide an interface for communications with hardware sensors 410.

Sensors 410 may be disposed on or within the chassis of IHS 400, or otherwise coupled to IHS 400, and may include, but are not limited to: electric, magnetic, radio, optical (e.g., camera, webcam, etc.), infrared, thermal (e.g., thermistors etc.), force, pressure, acoustic (e.g., microphone), ultrasonic, proximity, position, deformation, bending, direction, movement, velocity, rotation, gyroscope, Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU), and/or acceleration sensor(s).

The Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) was designed as a successor to BIOS. As a result, many modern IHSs utilize UEFI in addition to or instead of a BIOS. As used herein, BIOS 407 is intended to also encompass a UEFI component.

Embedded Controller (EC) or Baseboard Management Controller (BMC) 409 is operational from the very start of each IHS power reset and handles various tasks not ordinarily handled by host processor(s) 401. Examples of these operations may include, but are not limited to: receiving and processing signals from a keyboard or touchpad, as well as other buttons and switches (e.g., power button, laptop lid switch, etc.), receiving and processing thermal measurements (e.g., performing fan control, CPU and GPU throttling, and emergency shutdown), controlling indicator LEDs (e.g., caps lock, scroll lock, number lock, battery, power, wireless LAN, sleep, etc.), managing PMU/BMU 412, alternating current (AC) adapter/Power Supply Unit (PSU) 415 and/or battery/current limiter 416, allowing remote diagnostics and remediation over network(s), etc. For example, EC/BMC 409 may implement operations for interfacing with power adapter/PSU 415 in managing power for IHS 400. Such operations may be performed to determine the power status of IHS 400, such as whether IHS 400 is operating from AC adapter/PSU 415 and/or battery 416.

Firmware instructions utilized by EC/BMC 409 may also be used to provide various core operations of IHS 400, such as power management and management of certain modes of IHS 400 (e.g., turbo modes, maximum operating clock frequencies of certain components, etc.). In addition, EC/BMC 409 may implement operations for detecting certain changes to the physical configuration or posture of IHS 400. For instance, when IHS 400 is embodied as a 2-in-1 laptop/tablet form factor, EC/BMC 409 may receive inputs from a lid position or hinge angle sensor 410, and it may use those inputs to determine: whether the two sides of IHS 400 have been latched together to a closed position or a tablet position, the magnitude of a hinge or lid angle, etc. In response to these changes, the EC may enable or disable certain features of IHS 400 (e.g., front or rear facing camera, etc.).

In some cases, EC/BMC 409 may be configured to identify any number of IHS postures, including, but not limited to: laptop, stand, tablet, tent, or book. For example, when display(s) 411 of IHS 400 is open with respect to a horizontal keyboard portion, and the keyboard is facing up, EC/BMC 409 may determine IHS 400 to be in a laptop posture. When display(s) 411 of IHS 400 is open with respect to the horizontal keyboard portion, but the keyboard is facing down (e.g., its keys are against the top surface of a table), EC/BMC 409 may determine IHS 400 to be in a stand posture.

When the back of display(s) 411 is closed against the back of the keyboard portion, EC/BMC 409 may determine IHS 400 to be in a tablet posture. When IHS 400 has two display(s) 411 open side-by-side, EC/BMC 409 may determine IHS 400 to be in a book posture. When IHS 400 has two displays open to form a triangular structure sitting on a horizontal surface, such that a hinge between the displays is at the top vertex of the triangle, EC/BMC 409 may determine IHS 400 to be in a tent posture. In some implementations, EC/BMC 409 may also determine if display(s) 411 of IHS 400 are in a landscape or portrait orientation. In some cases, EC/BMC 409 may be installed as a Trusted Execution Environment (TEE) component to the motherboard of IHS 400.

Additionally, or alternatively, EC/BMC 409 may be configured to calculate hashes or signatures that uniquely identify individual components of IHS 400. In such scenarios, EC/BMC 409 may calculate a hash value based on the configuration of a hardware and/or software component coupled to IHS 400. For instance, EC/BMC 409 may calculate a hash value based on all firmware and other code or settings stored in an onboard memory of a hardware component.

Hash values may be calculated as part of a trusted process of manufacturing IHS 400 and may be maintained in secure storage as a reference signature. EC/BMC 409 may later recalculate the hash value for a component, compare it against the reference hash value to determine if any modifications have been made to the component, thus indicating that the component has been compromised. In this manner, EC/BMC 409 may validate the integrity of hardware and software components installed in IHS 400.

In various embodiments, IHS 400 may be coupled to an external power source (e.g., AC outlet or mains) through an AC adapter/PSU 415. AC adapter/PSU 415 may include an adapter portion having a central unit (e.g., a power brick, wall charger, or the like) configured to draw power from an AC outlet via a first electrical cord, convert the AC power to direct current (DC) power, and provide DC power to IHS 400 via a second electrical cord.

Additionally, or alternatively, AC adapter/PSU 415 may include an internal or external power supply portion (e.g., a switching power supply, etc.) connected to the second electrical cord and configured to convert AC to DC. AC adapter/PSU 415 may also supply a standby voltage, so that most of IHS 400 can be powered off after preparing for hibernation or shutdown, and powered back on by an event (e.g., remotely via wake-on-LAN, etc.). In general, AC adapter/PSU 415 may have any specific power rating, measured in volts or watts, and any suitable connectors.

IHS 400 may also include internal or external battery 416. Battery 416 may include, for example, a Lithium-ion or Li-ion rechargeable device capable of storing energy sufficient to power IHS 400 for an amount of time, depending upon the IHS's workloads, environmental conditions, etc. In some cases, a battery pack may also contain temperature sensors, voltage regulator circuits, voltage taps, and/or charge-state monitors. For example, battery