Fan speed control methods

• US 20070162160A1
• Filed: 09/27/2006
• Published: 07/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Gigabyte Technology Company Limited (Giga-Byte Technology Co.)
• Original Assignee: Gigabyte Technology Company Limited (Giga-Byte Technology Co.)
• Inventors: Chang, An-Sheng, Huang, Shun-Chih, Tsai, Lien-Chang
• Application Number:
  US11/527,388
• Publication Number:
  US 20070162160A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/25
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/206 comprising thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

Fan speed control methods are provided to dissipate heat from an electric device in a computer system. A load-temperature curve of the electronic device is determined by detecting load and temperature thereof within a working interval. Subsequently, a fan speed-temperature curve is determined according to the load-temperature curve, and the fan speed is controlled according to the fan speed-temperature curve.

Claims

1. A method of fan speed control of a computer, the computer comprising at least an electronic device and a fan to dissipate heat therefrom, the method comprising:

generating a load-temperature curve of the electronic device by detecting load and temperature thereof within a working interval; and

generating a fan speed-temperature curve according to the load-temperature curve; and

controlling the fan speed according to the fan speed-temperature curve.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising determining whether the load-temperature curve exists, in an operating system of the computer.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising determining a fan address corresponding to the fan and the electronic device.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising storing data relating to the fan speed-temperature curve.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the method is initiated in a BIOS setup menu of the computer.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the computer comprises a plurality of electronic devices and fans corresponding thereto.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electronic device comprises an IC.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electronic device comprises a motherboard.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electronic device comprises a power supply.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electronic device comprises a CPU.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein generation of the fan speed-temperature curve comprises setting a critical temperature less than a threshold temperature of the electronic device within the working interval.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the fan speed-temperature is divided into a first section and a second section by the critical temperature, wherein the profile of the first section substantially corresponds to the load-temperature curve, and maximum slope of the second section exceeds that of the first section.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the second section of the fan speed-temperature rises to a maximum fan speed within the working interval.

14. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the electronic device comprises a temperature control circuit reducing working frequency of the electronic device when exceeding the threshold temperature.

15. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the fan speed-temperature jumps to a maximum fan speed within the working interval when the electronic device reaches the critical temperature.