DECREASING THE INTERNAL TEMPERATURE OF A COMPUTER IN RESPONSE TO CORROSION

• US 20160170420A1
• Filed: 02/11/2016
• Published: 06/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2012
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Bates, Cary L., King, Justin K., Helgeson, Lee Nee, Schlicht, Michelle A.
• Granted Patent: US 10,268,218 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 17/04 Corrosion probes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 17/043 Coupons
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1393 characterised by the use of electric means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1927 using a plurality of sensors G05D23/1902, G05D23/1917, and G05D23/1919 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/20 Cooling means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/206 comprising thermal management

Abstract

In an embodiment, a current internal corrosion level at a current time is read from an internal corrosion sensor that is internal to a computer. An internal corrosion difference is calculated between the current internal corrosion level and a previous internal corrosion level. Upon determining that the internal corrosion difference is more than a first threshold amount, a first action is performed that decreases an internal temperature of the computer. In a further embodiment, upon determining that the internal corrosion difference is less than a second threshold amount, a second action is performed that allows the internal temperature of the computer to increase.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

reading a current internal corrosion level at a current time from an internal corrosion sensor that is internal to a computer;

calculating an internal corrosion difference between the current internal corrosion level and a previous internal corrosion level; and

upon determining that the internal corrosion difference is more than a first threshold amount, performing a first action that decreases an internal temperature of the computer.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

upon determining that the internal corrosion difference is less than a second threshold amount, performing a second action that allows the internal temperature of the computer to increase.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

reading a current external corrosion level at the current time from an external corrosion sensor that is external to the computer;

reading a current wind speed and a current wind direction at the current time from a wind sensor that is external to the computer;

calculating a current external corrosion difference between the current external corrosion level and a previous external corrosion level; and

estimating a predicted internal corrosion level based on the current external corrosion difference, the current internal corrosion level, the current wind speed, and the current wind direction.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

upon determining that the predicted internal corrosion level is greater than the current internal corrosion level by more than a third threshold amount, performing a third action that decreases the internal temperature of the computer.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

upon determining that the predicted internal corrosion level is greater than the current internal corrosion level by less than a fourth threshold amount, performing a fourth action that allows the internal temperature of the computer to increase.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein estimating the predicted internal corrosion level comprises:

finding a previous wind speed and a previous wind direction that most closely match the current wind speed and the current wind direction, wherein the previous wind speed and the previous wind direction were detected by the wind sensor at a previous time, and wherein the previous time is before the current time; and

determining a previous external corrosion difference detected at the previous time.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein estimating the predicted internal corrosion level further comprises:

determining a next internal corrosion difference detected at a next time after the previous time.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein estimating the predicted internal corrosion level further comprises:

dividing the next internal corrosion difference by the previous external corrosion difference to yield a result, and adding the result to the current internal corrosion level to yield the predicted internal corrosion level.

9. A computer-readable storage medium encoded with instructions, wherein the instructions when executed comprise:

reading a current internal corrosion level at a current time from an internal corrosion sensor that is internal to a computer;

calculating an internal corrosion difference between the current internal corrosion level and a previous internal corrosion level; and

upon determining that the internal corrosion difference is more than a first threshold amount, performing a first action that decreases an internal temperature of the computer.

10. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the instructions further comprise:

upon determining that the internal corrosion difference is less than a second threshold amount, performing a second action that allows the internal temperature of the computer to increase.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the instructions further comprise:

reading a current external corrosion level at the current time from an external corrosion sensor that is external to the computer;

reading a current wind speed and a current wind direction at the current time from a wind sensor that is external to the computer;

calculating a current external corrosion difference between the current external corrosion level and a previous external corrosion level; and

estimating a predicted internal corrosion level based on the current external corrosion difference, the current internal corrosion level, the current wind speed, and the current wind direction.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the instructions further comprise:

upon determining that the predicted internal corrosion level is greater than the current internal corrosion level by more than a third threshold amount, performing a third action that decreases the internal temperature of the computer.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the instructions further comprise:

upon determining that the predicted internal corrosion level is greater than the current internal corrosion level by less than a fourth threshold amount, performing a fourth action that allows the internal temperature of the computer to increase.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein estimating the predicted internal corrosion level comprises:

finding a previous wind speed and a previous wind direction that most closely match the current wind speed and the current wind direction, wherein the previous wind speed and the previous wind direction were detected by the wind sensor at a previous time, and wherein the previous time is before the current time;

determining a previous external corrosion difference detected at the previous time;

determining a next internal corrosion difference detected at a next time after the previous time; and

dividing the next internal corrosion difference by the previous external corrosion difference to yield a result, and adding the result to the current internal corrosion level to yield the predicted internal corrosion level.

15. A computer system comprising:

a processor;

an internal corrosion sensor communicatively connected to the processor, wherein the internal corrosion sensor detects airborne corrosive agents that are internal to the computer; and

memory communicatively connected to the processor, wherein the memory is encoded with instructions, and wherein the instructions when executed by the processor comprise;

reading a current internal corrosion level at a current time from the internal corrosion sensor that is internal to the computer;

calculating an internal corrosion difference between the current internal corrosion level and a previous internal corrosion level; and

upon determining that the internal corrosion difference is more than a first threshold amount, performing a first action that decreases an internal temperature of the computer.

16. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the instructions further comprise:

upon determining that the internal corrosion difference is less than a second threshold amount, performing a second action that allows the internal temperature of the computer to increase.

17. The computer system of claim 16, wherein the instructions further comprise:

reading a current external corrosion level at the current time from an external corrosion sensor that is external to the computer, wherein the external corrosion sensor detects airborne corrosive agents that are external to the computer;

reading a current wind speed and a current wind direction at the current time from a wind sensor that is external to the computer;

calculating a current external corrosion difference between the current external corrosion level and a previous external corrosion level; and

estimating a predicted internal corrosion level based on the current external corrosion difference, the current internal corrosion level, the current wind speed, and the current wind direction.

18. The computer system of claim 17, wherein the instructions further comprise:

upon determining that the predicted internal corrosion level is greater than the current internal corrosion level by more than a third threshold amount, performing a third action that decreases the internal temperature of the computer.

19. The computer system of claim 17, wherein the instructions further comprise:

upon determining that the predicted internal corrosion level is greater than the current internal corrosion level by less than a fourth threshold amount, performing a fourth action that allows the internal temperature of the computer to increase.

20. The computer system of claim 17, wherein estimating the predicted internal corrosion level comprises:

finding a previous wind speed and a previous wind direction that most closely match the current wind speed and the current wind direction, wherein the previous wind speed and the previous wind direction were detected by the wind sensor at a previous time, and wherein the previous time is before the current time;

determining a previous external corrosion difference detected at the previous time;

determining a next internal corrosion difference detected at a next time after the previous time; and

dividing the next internal corrosion difference by the previous external corrosion difference to yield a result, and adding the result to the current internal corrosion level to yield the predicted internal corrosion level.