Emulation of operational characteristics of electronic device

• US 20050133205A1
• Filed: 12/17/2003
• Published: 06/23/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Malon, Christopher Gregory, Simon, Glenn Cochran, Augustin, Thom
• Granted Patent: US 7,184,925 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 165/122
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20727 within server blades for removing heat from heat source

Abstract

An apparatus in one example comprises one or more control components that emulate one or more operational characteristics of one or more electronic devices through employment of one or more thermal components coupled with a frame.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

one or more control components that emulate one or more operational characteristics of one or more electronic devices through employment of one or more thermal components coupled with a frame.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more control components regulate thermal energy generated by the one or more thermal components to emulate one or more of the one or more operational characteristics.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the one or more control components emulate one or more of the one or more operational characteristics through employment of one or more fans coupled with the frame.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein one or more of the one or more control components regulate airflow through the frame generated by the one or more fans to emulate one or more of the one or more operational characteristics.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 in combination with the frame, wherein the frame promotes an adjustability of one or more of volume and direction of the airflow through the frame.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 in combination with the frame, wherein the frame comprises one or more apertures that allow user adjustment of one or more of volume and direction of the airflow through the frame.

7. The apparatus of claim 4 in combination with the frame, wherein the frame comprises one or more baffles that allow user adjustment of one or more of volume and direction of the airflow through the frame.

8. The apparatus of claim 4 in combination with the frame, wherein the one or more control components emulate one or more operational deficiencies of the electronic device through employment of one or more of:

the frame;

the one or more thermal components;

the one or more fans;

one or more apertures of the frame; and

one or more baffles of the frame.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the one or more operational deficiencies of the electronic device comprise one or more of:

operational deficiency of one or more of the one or more fans; and

one or more blockages of one or more of the one or more apertures.

10. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein one or more of the one or more control components obtain one or more measurements of one or more of the one or more operational characteristics through employment of one or more sensor components.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein one or more of the one or more control components adjust one or more of the thermal energy, volume of the airflow through the frame, and direction of the airflow through the frame based on one or more of the one or more measurements to emulate the one or more electronic devices.

12. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein one or more of the one or more control components obtain one or more measurements of one or more of the one or more operational characteristics through employment of one or more sensor components;

wherein the one or more control components comprise one or more user interfaces that present one or more of the one or more measurements to one or more users.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein one or more of the one or more user interfaces receive one or more parameters from one or more of the one or more users;

wherein the one or more of the one or more control components adjust one or more of the thermal energy, volume of the airflow through the frame, and direction of the airflow through the frame based on the one or more parameters from the user to emulate the one or more electronic devices.

14. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the one or more operational characteristics comprise one or more of:

one or more temperature characteristics;

one or more thermal energy dissipation characteristics;

one or more airflow characteristics; and

one or more noise characteristics;

wherein the one or more control components emulate the one or more of the one or more temperature characteristics, the one or more thermal energy dissipation characteristics, the one or more airflow characteristics, and the one or more noise characteristics through employment of the one or more thermal components coupled with the frame and one or more fans coupled with the frame.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more control components emulate one or more noise characteristics of the one or more electronic devices through employment of one or more speaker components coupled with the frame.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein one or more of the one or more thermal components comprise one or more of a silicon controlled rectifier and a solid state relay.

17. The apparatus of claim 1 in combination with the frame, wherein the frame conforms to an Electronic Industries Alliance RS-310 standard.

18. The apparatus of claim 1 in combination with the frame, wherein one or more portions of the frame allow user adjustment of one or more dimensions of the frame.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the one or more portions of the frame comprise a first frame portion and a second frame portion, wherein the first frame portion and second frame portion comprise a slidable interface to allow user adjustment of one or more dimensions of the frame.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the one or more portions of the frame comprise a first frame portion, a second frame portion, and one or more third frame portions, wherein the one or more third frame portions couple the first frame portion and second frame portion to allow user adjustment of the one or more dimensions of the frame.

21. An apparatus, comprising:

means for regulating generation of thermal energy;

means for emulating one or more operational characteristics of one or more electronic devices for the one or more electronic devices through employment of the thermal energy.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the means for regulating generation of thermal energy comprises:

means for generating thermal energy.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising:

means for regulating generation of airflow;

wherein the means for emulating the one or more operational characteristics of the one or more electronic devices for the one or more electronic devices through employment of the thermal energy comprises;

means for emulating the one or more operational characteristics of the one or more electronic devices for the one or more electronic devices through employment of the airflow.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising:

means for obtaining one or more measurements of one or more of the one or more operational characteristics of the one or more electronic devices;

wherein the means for regulating the generation of the thermal energy comprises;

means for regulating the generation of the thermal energy through employment of one or more of the one or more measurements;

wherein the means for regulating the generation of the airflow comprises;

means for regulating the generation of the airflow through employment of one or more of the one or more measurements.

25. The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising:

means for controlling one or more of volume and direction of the airflow.

26. A method, comprising the step of:

emulating one or more of one or more temperature characteristics, one or more thermal energy dissipation characteristics, one or more airflow characteristics, and one or more noise characteristics of one or more electronic devices for the one or more electronic devices.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the step of emulating the one or more of the one or more temperature characteristics, the one or more thermal energy dissipation characteristics, the one or more airflow characteristics, and the one or more noise characteristics of the one or more electronic devices for the one or more electronic devices comprises the steps of:

generating thermal energy within a frame; and

generating airflow through the frame.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising the step of:

generating one or more vibrations within the frame.

29. The method of claim 27, further comprising the step of:

obtaining one or more measurements of one or more of the one or more of temperature, thermal energy dissipation, airflow, and noise characteristics.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the step of obtaining the one or more measurements of the one or more of the one or more operational characteristics comprises the step of:

obtaining one or more measurements of one or more of temperature characteristics, thermal energy dissipation characteristics, airflow characteristics, and noise characteristics of the one or more electronic devices.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein the step of emulating the one or more operational characteristics of the one or more electronic devices comprises the steps of:

receiving one or more parameters from a user interface; and

adjusting one or more of the operational characteristics based on the one or more parameters from the user interface.

32. An article, comprising:

one or more computer-readable signal-bearing media;

means in the one or more media for emulating one or more of one or more temperature characteristics, one or more thermal energy dissipation characteristics, one or more airflow characteristics, and one or more noise characteristics of one or more electronic devices.

33. The article of claim 32, further comprising:

means in the one or more media for obtaining one or more measurements of one or more of the one or more of the one or more temperature characteristics, one or more thermal energy dissipation characteristics, one or more airflow characteristics, and one or more noise characteristics.

34. The article of claim 33, wherein the means in the one or more media for emulating the one or more of the one or more temperature characteristics, the one or more thermal energy dissipation characteristics, the one or more airflow characteristics, and the one or more noise characteristics of the one or more electronic devices comprises:

means for adjusting one or more of the one or more thermal components and the one or more fans based on the one or more measurements of the one or more of the one or more operational characteristics.

35. The article of claim 33, wherein the means in the one or more media for emulating the one or more of the one or more temperature characteristics, the one or more thermal energy dissipation characteristics, the one or more airflow characteristics, and the one or more noise characteristics of the one or more electronic devices comprises:

means for receiving one or more parameters from a user interface; and

means for adjusting one or more of the one or more thermal components and the one or more fans based on the one or more parameters from the user interface.