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System and method for packing heat producing devices in an array to prevent local overheating

  • US 5,530,658 A
  • Filed: 12/07/1994
  • Issued: 06/25/1996
  • Est. Priority Date: 12/07/1994
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A method of controlling the operation of a plurality of devices that are arranged in a device array of a system and generate heat when operated, the method comprising the steps of:

  • receiving dimensions of the device array defining a volume of N cells in which the devices are arranged, one device to a cell;

    receiving a number of clusters for determining a number of operational groups to which the devices in the array are to be assigned, wherein substantially all of the devices in a cluster are operated substantially simultaneously with each operation of the system;

    receiving a number L indicating the maximum number of clusters of devices activated substantially simultaneously in every operation of the system;

    receiving dimensions of a critical box that defines an arrangement of the devices into cells such that, if a device is assigned to each cell of the critical box and all devices are operated simultaneously, then thermal operating restrictions of the devices will be exceeded;

    determining if the number of clusters is an integer divisor of the volume of the device array and halting further processing if not;

    determining a logical building block comprising a logical sub-volume of the device array;

    assigning a preliminary number label to each cell of the device array, the number labels running consecutively from 1 to the building block volume and repeating until all the devices are assigned a label;

    assigning a final number label to each cell of the device array, each label corresponding to an assignment of the devices to operating clusters such that each device array cluster includes the same number of devices and each logical building block sub-volume of the device array includes at most one device from each cluster; and

    operating the devices according to the cluster assignment specified by the final assignment step such that only devices in a set of at most L selected clusters are operated at any one time.

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