Modular sensor assembly

• US 7,339,490 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2004
• Issued: 03/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Valtrus Innovations Limited (f/k/a Dolya Holdco 9 Limited) (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Pereira, Robert Allen, Moore, David Allen, Bash, Cullen E., Sharma, Ratnesh K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Benjamin C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mehmood; Jennifer
• Application Number:
  US10/880,869
• Publication Number:
  US 20050286220A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,344 Days
• Field of Search: 3406935-69312, 340/438, 340/449, 340500-53932, 340601-604, 340/628, 340635-656, 340/3.1, 340 35- 354, 340 37- 39, 34082536-82578, 34028601-28605, 361/683, 361686-727, 454/193
• US Class Current: 340/693.5
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20836 Thermal management, e.g. server temperature control

Abstract

A modular sensor assembly for sensing conditions at a computer rack, such as environmental conditions. The sensor assembly includes an elongate flexible body, configured to attach to a computer rack, with a plurality of addressable sensors, disposed along the body and interconnected to a common connector wire. A connector wire lead is provided to interconnect the connector wire to a central system configured to receive and interpret data from the plurality of sensors relating to conditions associated with the computer rack.

Claims

1. A modular sensor assembly for sensing a condition at a computer rack, comprising:

a) an elongate flexible body, configured to attach to a computer rack;

b) a plurality of addressable sensors, disposed along the body and interconnected to a common connector wire; and

c) a connector wire lead, configured to interconnect the connector wire to a central system configured to receive and interpret data from the plurality of sensors relating to conditions associated with the computer rack.

2. A sensor assembly in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a connector board, associated with the computer rack, configured to modularly interconnect the connector wire lead to a communication wire in communication with the central system.

3. A sensor assembly in accordance with claim 2, further comprising a communication wire interconnected between the connector board and a connector board of an additional computer rack having a modular sensor assembly, so as to interconnect a network of modular sensor assemblies to the central system.

4. A sensor assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein the elongate body comprises a substantially rigid outer covering, containing the connector wire and addressable sensors, having connectors attached thereto for connecting the outer covering to the computer rack.

5. A sensor assembly in accordance with claim 4, wherein the outer covering is configured as a decorative trim strip for the computer rack.

6. A sensor assembly in accordance with claim 4, wherein the outer covering is configured to attach to a door of the computer rack.

7. A sensor assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein the elongate body comprises a plurality of body segments interconnected by an interconnecting wire.

8. A sensor assembly in accordance with claim 1, further comprising an adhesive, disposed on the elongate body, configured to allow the sensor assembly to be adhesively attached to the computer rack.

9. A sensor assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein the connector wire and the connector wire lead comprise two electrical conductors, including a data wire and a ground wire, and wherein the plurality of sensors are attached in parallel to the ground wire and the data wire, and configured to draw power from the data wire.

10. A sensor assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein the sensors are selected from the group consisting of temperature sensors, humidity sensors, fluid pressure sensors, fluid velocity sensors, smoke sensors, occupancy sensors, a computer rack door condition sensor, and light sensors.

11. A sensor system, comprising:

a) a computer rack;

b) a modular sensor assembly, having a flexible elongate body, attached to the computer rack;

c) a plurality of addressable sensors, disposed along the elongate body of the modular sensor assembly, and interconnected in parallel to a common connector wire, configured to independently measure an environmental condition in the immediate vicinity of the sensor;

d) a connector wire lead, interconnected to the common connector wire; and

e) a central system, interconnected to the connector wire lead, configured to receive and interpret data from the plurality of addressable sensors.

12. A system in accordance with claim 11, wherein the computer rack includes means for receiving the modular sensor assembly.

13. A system in accordance with claim 12, wherein the means for receiving the modular sensor assembly is selected from the group consisting of a trim strip, associated with the computer rack and configured to receive the modular sensor assembly, and a plurality of apertures, disposed on members of the computer rack, configured to receive connectors associated with the modular sensor assembly.

14. A system in accordance with claim 11, wherein the modular sensor assembly is disposed on a front of the computer rack.

15. A system in accordance with claim 14, wherein the modular sensor assembly is disposed on a front door of the computer rack.

16. A system in accordance with claim 11, wherein the modular sensor assembly is disposed on a rear of the computer rack.

17. A system in accordance with claim 11, wherein the modular sensor assembly is disposed so as to place a sensor above the computer rack.

18. A system in accordance with claim 11, wherein the modular sensor assembly comprises a plurality of flexible elongate body segments interconnected by an interconnecting wire.

19. A system in accordance with claim 11, further comprising a connector board, associated with the computer rack, configured to modularly interconnect the connector wire lead to a communication wire in communication with the central system.

20. A system in accordance with claim 19, further comprising a second modular sensor assembly, connected to the computer rack, and interconnected to the connector board.

21. A system in accordance with claim 19, further comprising a second computer rack having a second connector board and a modular sensor assembly connected to the second computer rack and the second connector board, and a communications wire connected between the connector board and the second connector board.

22. A system in accordance with claim 11, wherein the plurality of sensor devices are selected from the group consisting of temperature sensors, humidity sensors, fluid pressure sensors, fluid velocity sensors, smoke sensors, occupancy sensors, computer rack door condition sensors, and light sensors.

23. A system in accordance with claim 11, wherein the common connector wire comprises two conductors, including a data wire and a ground wire, the sensors being interconnected to the data wire and ground wire in parallel.

24. A system in accordance with claim 23, wherein the sensors are configured to draw power from the data wire.

25. A system in accordance with claim 11, wherein the modular sensor assembly comprises:

a) a pair of substantially flat flexible conductors, disposed on a substrate, a first of the conductors a ground wire, and a second of the conductors being a data wire; and

b) a ground lead of each sensor device being connected to the first conductor, and a data lead of each sensor device being connected to the second conductor.

26. A system in accordance with claim 11, wherein the central system comprises an environmental monitor, configured to selectively collect data from each of the addressable sensors, and to determine spatially-correlated environmental conditions related to the computer rack.

27. A system in accordance with claim 11, further comprising a modular sensor assembly disposed on a front of the computer rack, and a modular sensor assembly disposed on a rear of the computer rack, the front sensor assembly being configured to detect a temperature of cooling air supplied to the front of the rack, and the rear sensor assembly being configured to detect a temperature of return air exhausted from the rear of the rack.

28. A computer rack system, comprising:

a) a generally upright rack body, configured to support heat-generating electronic devices, and to allow cooling air to flow therethrough;

b) a modular sensor assembly, attached to the rack body, comprising an elongate flexible sensor body having a plurality of addressable sensors connected in parallel to a common connector wire, each sensor being configured to generate a digital signal representative of an environmental condition; and

c) a connector board, associated with the rack body, interconnected to the connector wire and to a central computer system configured to receive data from the plurality of sensors and to monitor environmental conditions associated with the rack.