System and method for thermal management in an information handling system

• US 10,694,645 B2
• Filed: 04/06/2018
• Issued: 06/23/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Curtis, Robert B., Khatri, Mukund P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sun, Charlie
• Application Number:
  US15/947,353
• Publication Number:
  US 20190313552A1
• Time in Patent Office: 809 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/20 Cooling means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/206 comprising thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4893 taking into account power or heat criteria power management in computers in general G06F1/3203; thermal management in computers in general G06F1/206
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20209 Thermal management, e.g. fan control
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20836 Thermal management, e.g. server temperature control
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

A method of thermally managing an information handling system includes executing a security scan to simulate a maximum workload consuming an electrical power, and receiving sensory signals representing temperatures associated with the information handling system. A system ambient capability above an ambient temperature when operating the information handling system at the maximum workload is then determined.

Claims

1. A method of thermally managing an information handling system, comprising:

executing, by a processor operating in the information handling system, a security scan to simulate a maximum workload consuming an electrical power;

receiving, by the processor, a sensory signal generated by a temperature sensor, the sensory signal representing an ambient temperature of air cooling the information handling system;

determining, by the processor, a system ambient capability above the ambient temperature when operating the information handling system at the maximum workload;

generating a graphical user interface; and

incorporating the system ambient capability into the graphical user interface.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising commanding a fan to operate at a full speed during the security scan that simulates the maximum workload.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising logging the sensory signal representing the ambient temperature of the air.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining an excess thermal margin when operating the information handling system at the maximum workload.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising monitoring a consumption of the electrical power during the security scan that simulates the maximum workload.

6. An information handling system, comprising:

a hardware processor; and

a memory device accessible to the hardware processor, the memory device storing instructions that when executed cause the hardware processor to perform operations, the operations comprising;

executing a security scan to simulate a maximum workload consuming an electrical power;

receiving a sensory signal generated by a temperature sensor, the sensory signal representing an ambient temperature of an air cooling the information handling system; and

determining a system ambient capability above the ambient temperature when operating the information handling system at the maximum workload.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the operations further comprise commanding a fan to operate at a full speed during the security scan that simulates the maximum workload.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the operations further comprise logging the sensory signal representing the ambient temperature of the air.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the operations further comprise determining an excess thermal margin when operating the information handling system at the maximum workload.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein the operations further comprise generating a graphical user interface.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the operations further comprise incorporating the system ambient capability into the graphical user interface.

12. The system of claim 6, wherein the operations further comprise monitoring a consumption of the electrical power during the security scan that simulates the maximum workload.

13. A memory device storing instructions that when executed cause a hardware processor to perform operations, the operations comprising:

executing a security scan to simulate a maximum workload consuming an electrical power;

receiving a sensory signal generated by a temperature sensor during the security scan, the sensory signal representing an ambient temperature of an air cooling the information handling system;

determining a first system ambient capability above the ambient temperature when operating the information handling system at the maximum workload;

receiving the sensory signal generated by the temperature sensor during a window of time of operation;

determining a second system ambient capability above the ambient temperature when operating the information handling system during the window of time; and

determining a total system ambient capability above the ambient temperature based on the information handling system operating at the maximum workload and during the window of time.

14. The memory device of claim 13, wherein the operations further comprise commanding a fan to operate at a full speed during the security scan that simulates the maximum workload.

15. The memory device of claim 13, wherein the operations further comprise commanding a fan to operate at a full speed during the window of time.

16. The memory device of claim 13, wherein the operations further comprise monitoring a consumption of the electrical power during the security scan that simulates the maximum workload.

17. The memory device of claim 13, wherein the operations further comprise monitoring a consumption of the electrical power during the window of time.

18. The memory device of claim 13, wherein the operations further comprise logging the sensory signal generated by the temperature sensor during at least one of the security scan that simulates the maximum workload and the window of time.