Apparatus, system, and method for identifying structural stress conditions for computer hardware

• US 20060287972A1
• Filed: 06/20/2005
• Published: 12/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo PC International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Mese, John Carl, Kelso, Scott Edwards, Weksler, Arnold S., Peterson, Nathan J., Waltermann, Rod David
• Granted Patent: US 7,197,406 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3058 Monitoring arrangements for monitoring environmental properties or parameters of the computing system or of the computing system component, e.g. monitoring of power, currents, temperature, humidity, position, vibrations thermal management in cooling arrangements of a computing system G06F1/206

Abstract

An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for identifying structural stress conditions for computer hardware. The apparatus includes a plurality of modules configured to functionally execute the necessary steps of monitoring a physical condition affecting a computer hardware component, recognizing a potential damage condition based on a threshold, and responding to the potential damage condition. These modules in the described embodiments include a monitoring module, a recognition module, and a response module. Beneficially, such an apparatus, system, and method would identify potential damage conditions and alert a user to the potential damage condition before physical damage to the computer hardware component occurs. The user can then alleviate the physical condition affecting the computer component and avoid component damage.

Claims

1. An apparatus for identifying structural stress conditions for computer hardware, the apparatus comprising:

a monitoring module configured to monitor a physical stress condition affecting a computer hardware component;

a recognition module configured to recognize a potential damage condition based on a threshold; and

a response module configured to respond to the potential damage condition.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the monitoring module is further configured to monitor a signal from a sensor selected from a group consisting of a pressure sensor, a stress sensor, a strain gauge, a torsion sensor, a puncture sensor, an angle sensor, an accelerometer, a temperature sensor, and a humidity sensor.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the monitoring module is further configured to monitor a signal from a pressure-sensitive pointer control device.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the recognition module further comprises a disable module configured to temporarily disable the response module.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the response module further comprises an alert module configured to alert a user to the potential damage condition.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the response module further comprises a logging module configured to store damage condition information.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the response module further comprises a communication module configured to communicate damage condition information to a remote device.

8. A system for identifying structural stress conditions for computer hardware, the system comprising:

a portable computing device configured with a computer hardware component to be monitored;

a sensor configured to sense a physical stress condition affecting the computer hardware component; and

a processor configured to,

monitor the physical stress condition affecting the computer hardware component;

recognize a potential damage condition based on a threshold; and

respond to the potential damage condition.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the sensor is selected from a group consisting of a pressure sensor, a stress sensor, a strain gauge, a torsion sensor, a puncture sensor, an angle sensor, an accelerometer, a temperature sensor, and a humidity sensor.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the processor is continuously powered.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to monitor a plurality of sensor signals.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to store damage condition information in nonvolatile memory.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to communicate damage condition information to a remote data repository.

14. A method for identifying structural stress conditions for computer hardware, the method comprising:

monitoring a physical stress condition affecting a computer hardware component;

recognizing a potential damage condition based on a threshold; and

responding to the potential damage condition with a user alert device.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising monitoring a plurality of sensor signals.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising temporarily disabling a response to the potential damage condition.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising alerting a user to the potential damage condition.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising logging damage condition information.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising communicating damage condition information to a remote device.

20. A signal bearing medium tangibly embodying a program of machine-readable instructions executable by a digital processing apparatus to perform operations for identifying structural stress conditions for computer hardware, the operations comprising:

an operation to monitor a physical stress condition affecting a computer hardware component;

an operation to recognize a potential damage condition based on a threshold; and

an operation to respond to the potential damage condition.

21. The signal bearing medium of claim 20, further comprising an operation for alerting a user to the potential damage condition.

22. The signal bearing medium of claim 20, further comprising an operation to log damage condition information.

23. An apparatus for identifying structural stress conditions for computer hardware, the apparatus comprising:

a monitoring module configured to monitor a strain gauge coupled to a computer hardware component;

a recognition module configured to recognize a potential structural damage condition based on a threshold; and

a response module configured to generate at least one response to the potential damage condition, wherein the response is selected from a group consisting of initiating a user-perceivable alert, logging of damage condition information, and remotely communicating damage condition information.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the monitoring module is further configured to monitor a plurality of sensor signals.

25. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the response module is further configured to store potential damage information in nonvolatile memory.