System and method for thermally regulating a computer responsive to a sensor failure
First Claim
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1. A thermal regulation system for an electronic computing system with a casing, the system comprising:
- a fan;
a sensor disposed in the casing and responsive to an environmental condition;
a first circuit, coupled to said sensor and said fan, operable to regulate the rotational speed at which said fan operates;
said first circuit operable to change said rotational speed of said fan upon an indication of failure of said sensor.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for thermally regulating a computing system responsive to a sensor failure is envisioned. The system has a fan. The system also has a sensor placed in the casing that is responsive to an environmental condition. A first circuit is coupled to the sensor and the fan, and is able to regulate the rotational speed at which the fan operates. The first circuit operates the fan at an increased rotational speed upon an indication of a failure of the sensor.
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Citations
38 Claims
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1. A thermal regulation system for an electronic computing system with a casing, the system comprising:
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a fan;
a sensor disposed in the casing and responsive to an environmental condition;
a first circuit, coupled to said sensor and said fan, operable to regulate the rotational speed at which said fan operates;
said first circuit operable to change said rotational speed of said fan upon an indication of failure of said sensor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A thermal regulation system for an electronic computing system with a casing, the system comprising:
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a means for expelling air from the casing;
a means for sensing disposed in the casing and responsive to an environmental condition;
a means for regulating, coupled to said means for sensing and said means for expelling, operable to regulate the rate at which said means for expelling operates;
said means for regulating operable to change rate at which said means for expelling operates upon an indication of failure of said means for sensing. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method for thermally regulating an electronic computing system with a casing and a fan, the method comprising:
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sensing an environmental condition in the casing;
reading the status of the sensor;
regulating an operational speed of the fan, based on said sensing;
changing the operational speed of the fan, based upon said reading. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
sensing thermal characteristics.
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29. The method of claim 27 wherein said sensing comprises:
sensing air flow characteristics.
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30. The method of claim 29 wherein said sensing comprises:
sensing thermal characteristics.
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31. The method of claim 27 wherein said changing comprises:
setting the operational speed of the fan to a maximum speed.
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32. The method of claim 27 wherein said changing comprises:
setting said operational speed of the fan to a predetermined speed.
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33. The method of claim 27 wherein said changing comprises:
changing the operational speed of the fan by a predetermined amount.
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34. The method of claim 27 wherein said changing comprises:
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determining a current operational speed of the fan; and
based on said determining, changing the operational speed of the fan.
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35. The method of claim 27 wherein said sensing is performed by a plurality of sensors.
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36. The method of claim 35 wherein said reading comprises:
sensing a failure of one of said plurality of sensors.
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37. The method of claim 35 wherein said reading comprises:
sensing a failure of a predetermined number of said plurality of sensors.
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38. The method of claim 35 wherein said reading comprises:
- sensing a failure a subgroup of said plurality of sensors.
Specification