Device for detecting temperature inside a notebook computer

• US 6,309,099 B1
• Filed: 05/17/1999
• Issued: 10/30/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: VIA Technologies Incorporated (VIA Technologies)
• Original Assignee: VIA Technologies Incorporated (VIA Technologies)
• Inventors: Chang, Nai-Shung
• Primary Examiner(s): Gutierrez, Diego
• Assistant Examiner(s): VERBITSKY, GAIL KAPLAN
• Application Number:
  US09/313,517
• Time in Patent Office: 897 Days
• Field of Search: 374/183, 374/178, 374/152, 710/260, 377/25, 377/26, 713/324, 713/322, 713/320
• US Class Current: 374/183
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/206 comprising thermal management

Abstract

A temperature sensing system for monitoring and controlling temperatures of various peripheral devices inside a notebook type of computer. The temperature sensing system uses a thermistor as a temperature sensor. The thermistor is positioned around a peripheral device and forms a potential divider circuit with another resistor. Next, the voltage produced by the divider circuit is fed to a voltage detection pin of a chipset. Inside the chipset, the divider voltage can be compared with a reference so that appropriate action can be taken to cool down a particular peripheral device. In addition, the temperature sensor of this invention can be placed anywhere inside a notebook computer including the area surrounding the peripheral device or even inside the peripheral device. Moreover, no additional control chips for operating those temperature sensors arc needed, and hence production cost can be lowered.

Claims

1. A temperature sensor inside a notebook computer that contains a chipset and at least one peripheral device, comprising:

a thermistor, of which a first terminal of the thermistor is connected to a voltage source while a second terminal of the thermistor is connected to a voltage detection pin of the chipset; and

a resistor, of which a first terminal of the resistor is connected to the second terminal of the thermistor while a second terminal of the resistor is connected to a ground.

2. The temperature sensor of claim 1, wherein the temperature sensor is installed somewhere around the peripheral device within a notebook computer.

3. The temperature sensor of claim 1, wherein the chipset includes a south bridge.

4. The temperature sensor of claim 2, wherein the peripheral device includes a liquid crystal display unit.

5. The temperature sensor of claim 2, wherein the peripheral device includes an integrated device electronics (IDE) device.

6. The temperature sensor of claim 2, wherein the peripheral device includes a personal computer memory card international association (PCMCIA) interface.

7. The temperature sensor of claim 2, wherein the peripheral device includes a battery pack.

8. A temperature sensor inside a notebook computer that contains a chipset and at least one peripheral device, comprising:

a thermistor, of which a first terminal of the thermistor is grounded and a second terminal of the thermistor is connected to a voltage detection pin of the chipset; and

a resistor, of which a first terminal of the resistor is connected to a voltage source and a second terminal of the resistor is connected to the second terminal of the thermistor.

9. The temperature sensor of claim 8, wherein the temperature sensor is installed somewhere around the peripheral device within a notebook computer.

10. The temperature sensor of claim 8, wherein the chipset includes a south bridge.

11. The temperature sensor of claim 8, wherein the peripheral device includes a liquid crystal display unit.

12. The temperature sensor of claim 8, wherein the peripheral device includes an integrated device electronics (IDE) device.

13. The temperature sensor of claim 8, wherein the peripheral device includes a personal computer memory card international association (PCMCIA) interface.

14. The temperature sensor of claim 8, wherein the peripheral device includes a battery pack.