METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING MANAGED MODULAR SUB-ENVIRONMENTS IN A PERSONAL COMPUTER

• US 20020001175A1
• Filed: 09/01/1999
• Published: 01/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: UNREIN, EDGAR J.
• Granted Patent: US 6,490,157 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/687
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/16 Constructional details or arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/18 Packaging or power distribution
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/20 Cooling means

Abstract

A managed modular sub-environment for a computer system. In one embodiment, a plurality of modular managed sub-environments are included within an outer enclosure of a computer system. In one embodiment, the modular managed sub-environments have a managed thermal environment and a managed electromagnetic interference (EMI) environment. The computer system components enclosed within each sub-environment are less likely to be affected by the EMI or thermal energy from another neighboring sub-environment. Each of the plurality of modular managed sub-environments are coupled to a computer system backplane including a common bus, which distributes communications and power among the plurality of modular managed sub-environments.

Claims

1. A managed sub-environment for a computer system, comprising:

an electromagnetic interference (EMI) and thermal enclosure;

an enclosure connector disposed on the enclosure, adapted to be engaged with a backplane connector of a computer system backplane; and

a computer system device enclosed by the enclosure and coupled to the enclosure connector such that the computer system device is adapted to be coupled to the computer system backplane, the enclosure to isolate an EMI environment of the computer system device from EMI outside the enclosure.

2. The managed sub-environment of claim 1 further comprising a heat exchanger to help control a thermal environment of the computer system device, the heat exchanger including an air inlet disposed on the enclosure and an air outlet disposed on the enclosure, the heat exchanger further comprising a blower adapted to circulate air from the air inlet to the air outlet to control the thermal environment of the computer system device.

3. The managed sub-environment of claim 2 wherein at least one of the air inlet and the air outlet comprise a wave guide to isolate the EMI environment of the computer system device from EMI outside the enclosure.

4. The managed sub-environment of claim 1 wherein the enclosure comprises a Faraday cage to shield EMI emanating from the computer system device.

5. The managed sub-environment of claim 1 wherein the computer system device comprises core integrated circuit chips of the computer system.

6. The managed sub-environment of claim 1 wherein the computer system device comprises a power supply.

7. The managed sub-environment of claim 1 wherein the computer system device comprises a storage device.

8. The managed sub-environment of claim 1 wherein the computer system device comprises an optional component of the computer system.

9. The managed sub-environment of claim 8 wherein the managed sub-environment further comprises a memory to store a driver software of the optional component of the computer system.

10. A computer system, comprising:

a backplane including a common bus;

a first modular managed sub-environment enclosure adapted to be coupled to the common bus, the first modular managed sub-environment enclosure to include core integrated circuitry of the computer system, the first modular managed sub-environment enclosure to control a thermal environment of the core integrated circuitry and to enclose an electromagnetic interference (EMI) environment of the core integrated circuitry;

an outer enclosure to enclose the backplane and the first modular managed sub-environment enclosure.

11. The computer system of claim 10 wherein the common bus includes a power line, the computer system further comprising a second modular managed sub-environment enclosure adapted to be coupled to the common bus, the second modular managed sub-environment enclosure to include a power supply, the first modular managed sub-environment enclosure to control a thermal environment of the power supply and to enclose an EMI environment of the power supply, the outer enclosure further to enclose the second modular managed sub-environment enclosure.

12. The computer system of claim 10 wherein the computer system further comprises a third modular managed sub-environment enclosure adapted to be coupled to the common bus, the third modular managed sub-environment enclosure to include a storage device, the third modular managed sub-environment enclosure to control a thermal environment of the storage device and to enclose an EMI environment of the storage device, the outer enclosure to enclose the third modular managed sub-environment enclosure.

13. The computer system of claim 10 wherein the computer system further comprises a fourth modular managed sub-environment enclosure adapted to be coupled to the common bus, the fourth modular managed sub-environment enclosure to include an optional component of the computer system and a memory to store a driver software for the optional component, the fourth modular managed sub-environment enclosure to control a thermal environment of the optional component and the memory and to enclose an EMI environment of the optional component and the memory, the outer enclosure to enclose the fourth modular managed sub-environment enclosure.

14. The computer system of claim 13 wherein the optional component comprises input/output controller circuitry.

15. The computer system of claim 13 wherein the optional component comprises modem circuitry.

16. The computer system of claim 13 wherein the optional component comprises network interface circuitry.

17. The computer system of claim 10 wherein the core integrated circuitry comprises a processor, the first modular managed sub-environment enclosure to control a thermal environment of the processor and to enclose an EMI environment of the processor.

18. The computer system of claim 10 wherein the core integrated circuitry comprises a processor chip set, the first modular managed sub-environment enclosure to control a thermal environment of the processor chip set and to enclose an EMI environment of the processor chip set.

19. The computer system of claim 10 wherein the core integrated circuitry comprises graphics circuitry, the first modular managed sub-environment enclosure to control a thermal environment of the graphics circuitry and to enclose an EMI environment of the graphics circuitry.

20. The computer system of claim 10 wherein the backplane comprises a plurality of backplane connectors coupled to the common bus, each one of the plurality of backplane connectors adapted to be engaged with an enclosure connector of one of a plurality of modular managed sub-environment enclosures.

21. The computer system of claim 10 wherein the first modular managed sub-environment enclosure includes a heat exchanger to control the thermal environment of the processor.

22. The computer system of claim 21 wherein the heat exchanger comprises a blower to pass air through the first modular managed sub-environment enclosure to control the thermal environment of the processor.

23. The computer system of claim 22 wherein the heat exchanger further comprises a n air inlet and an air outlet formed in the first modular managed sub-environment enclosure, the air inlet to include a first wave guide and the air outlet to include a second wave guide, the first and second wave guides t o enclose the EM a environment of the core integrated circuitry.

24. A method of managing an environment inside a computer system enclosure, comprising:

disposing inside an electromagnetic interference (EMI) inhibiting enclosure inside the computer system enclosure a computer system device of the computer system;

disposing an air inlet and an air outlet on the enclosure wherein at least one of the air inlet and air outlet comprise a wave guide to inhibit EMI from passing through the enclosure;

passing air through the EMI inhibiting enclosure between the air inlet and the air outlet to manage a thermal environment inside the EMI inhibiting enclosure.

25. The method of claim 24 further comprising:

disposing an enclosure connector on the EMI inhibiting enclosure;

coupling the enclosure connector to the computer system device; and

engaging the enclosure connector with a backplane connector on a backplane of the computer system inside the computer system enclosure, the backplane connector coupled to a common bus included in the backplane.

26. The method of claim 24 wherein the computer system device comprises core integrated circuitry of the computer system.

27. The method of claim 24 wherein the computer system device comprises a power supply.

28. The method of claim 24 where in the computer system device comprises a storage device.

29. The method of claim 24 wherein the computer system device comprises an optional component of the computer system.

30. The method of claim 29 further comprising:

disposing a memory inside the EMI inhibiting enclosure;

coupling the memory inside the EMI inhibiting enclosure to the optional component of the computer system;

storing a driver software of the optional component of the computer system in the memory inside the EMI inhibiting enclosure.