Do modern motherboards use a keyboard interface chip?

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SUMMARY

Modern motherboards predominantly utilize USB interfaces for keyboards, eliminating the need for a separate keyboard interface chip. Historically, PS/2 connectors were managed by dedicated chips, but advancements in technology have integrated keyboard functionality into USB devices. Laptops maintain keyboard circuitry on their system boards due to integrated keyboards. The transition from PS/2 to USB has rendered standalone keyboard control circuits obsolete in contemporary systems.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of USB keyboard technology
  • Familiarity with PS/2 connector functionality
  • Knowledge of super I/O chip architecture
  • Basic concepts of motherboard design
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the architecture of super I/O chips in relation to keyboard interfaces
  • Explore the evolution of keyboard connectivity from PS/2 to USB
  • Investigate integrated keyboard designs in modern laptops
  • Learn about USB HID (Human Interface Device) specifications
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Hardware engineers, computer technicians, and anyone interested in the evolution of keyboard technology and motherboard design.

Stephen Tashi
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TL;DR
Do modern motherboards have a chip that implements the keyboard interface or is this implementation simply a subset of the hardware that implements the USB interface?
Years ago, most PC motherboards had a PS2 connector for the keyboard and (I think) most had a special chip that managed that interface. Now that most PCs use USB keyboards, is the keyboard interface still implemented by a separate chip?
 
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I dint think so. I believe the keyboard chip is in the keyboard itself and outputs the appropriate character codes for USB transmission.

https://computer.howstuffworks.com/keyboard2.htm

Laptops though have this circuitry on their system boards since the keyboard is integrated into the whole system.
 
Stephen Tashi said:
PS2 connector ... had a special chip that managed that interface.
I think the specialized keyboard-controller was integrated into super-IO chips sometimes along the age of 386 CPUs.
Today usually there are no longer any keyboard control circuits, only USB.
 

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