Fan speed control system
First Claim
1. A fan speed control device for an electronic equipment enclosure, comprising:
- a first input of the fan speed control device, the first input configured to receive a fixed reference signal from external to the fan speed control device wherein a value of the fixed reference signal is representative of a predetermined value of an operating parameter;
means for determining temperature configured to receive signals that are representative of temperature at a plurality of locations within the enclosure;
means for determining operating parameters for the fan control system wherein the means for determining operating parameters receives the fixed reference signal and converts the fixed reference signal to at least a first operating parameter of the operating parameters, the means for determining operating parameters responsive to the determined temperatures and at least one other operating parameter including one or more of a minimum control temperature value, a temperature increment value, and a critical temperature;
means for setting operating speed of at least one cooling fan in response to said operating parameters and the determined temperatures;
means for exchanging information signals relating to fan speed control system operation bi-directionally with an external controller; and
the means for exchanging information signals being operative to provide to the means for determining operating parameters, from the external controller, at least one of said other operating parameters.
9 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A fan speed control system (200) for an electronic equipment enclosure comprises means for determining temperature (201, 202, 203, 210, 211) at a plurality of locations within the enclosure, means for determining operating parameters (201, 202, 203, 212) for the fan control system, means for setting operating speed (201) of at least one cooling fan, and means for exchanging information signals (205, 217, 218) relating to fan speed control system operation with an external controller. A method is also provided for controlling fan speed for an electronic equipment enclosure comprising the steps of determining temperature at a plurality of locations within the enclosure, determining operating parameters for the fan control system, setting operating speed of at least one cooling fan, and exchanging information signals relating to fan speed control system operation with an external controller.
125 Citations
42 Claims
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1. A fan speed control device for an electronic equipment enclosure, comprising:
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a first input of the fan speed control device, the first input configured to receive a fixed reference signal from external to the fan speed control device wherein a value of the fixed reference signal is representative of a predetermined value of an operating parameter; means for determining temperature configured to receive signals that are representative of temperature at a plurality of locations within the enclosure; means for determining operating parameters for the fan control system wherein the means for determining operating parameters receives the fixed reference signal and converts the fixed reference signal to at least a first operating parameter of the operating parameters, the means for determining operating parameters responsive to the determined temperatures and at least one other operating parameter including one or more of a minimum control temperature value, a temperature increment value, and a critical temperature; means for setting operating speed of at least one cooling fan in response to said operating parameters and the determined temperatures; means for exchanging information signals relating to fan speed control system operation bi-directionally with an external controller; and the means for exchanging information signals being operative to provide to the means for determining operating parameters, from the external controller, at least one of said other operating parameters. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A fan speed control system for an electronic equipment enclosure, comprising:
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means for determining temperature at a plurality of locations within the enclosure; means for determining operating parameters for the fan control system responsive to the determined temperatures and at least one other input variable including one or more of a minimum control temperature value, a temperature increment value, and a critical temperature; means for setting operating speed of at least one cooling fan in response to said operating parameters and the determined temperatures; means for exchanging information signals relating to fan speed control system operation with an external controller; and the means for exchanging information signals being operative, to provide to the means for determining, from the external controller, at least one of said other input variables; wherein the means for determining operating parameters for the fan speed control system comprises a plurality of voltage divider networks, an analog multiplexer coupled to the voltage divider networks, an A/D converter coupled to the analog multiplexer, and control logic that controls analog multiplexer channel selection and reads A/D converter output; wherein the voltage divider networks comprise resistive voltage divider networks, the resistive voltage divider networks include a plurality of series-connected resistors disposed between a regulated supply voltage and ground potential, and resistor values are selected to produce one of a set of eight pre-determined voltages at each tap between two consecutive series-connected resistors.
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15. A method of operating a fan controller that is used for controlling fan speed for an electronic equipment enclosure, the method comprising the acts of:
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(a) determining temperature at a plurality of locations within the enclosure as a first measured operating parameter of a plurality of operating parameters; (b) receiving, from an external controller that is external to the fan controller, at least one input variable used for a predetermined operating parameter of the plurality of operating parameters, the predetermined operating parameter including one or more of a minimum control temperature value, a temperature increment value, and a critical temperature; (c) determining other operating parameters of the plurality of operating parameters for the fan controller responsive to the determined temperatures and said at least one input variable received from said external controller; and ( d) generating a signal to control operating speed of at least one cooling fan in response to said other operating parameters. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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19. A method for controlling fan speed for an electronic equipment enclosure, the method comprising the acts of:
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(a) determining temperature at a plurality of locations within the enclosure; (b) receiving, from an external controller, at least one input variable including one or more of a minimum control temperature value, a temperature increment value, and a critical temperature; (c) determining operating parameters for the fan control system responsive to the determined temperatures and said at least one other input variable received from an external controller; and (d) generating a signal to control operating speed of at least one cooling fan in response to said operating parameters and the determined temperatures; wherein the act of determining operating parameters comprises the act of; storing a minimum control temperature value and a temperature increment value in predetermined storage registers; and wherein the operating speed of the cooling fan speed is set to full speed for a predetermined time period; and on determining the temperature, if the operating temperature is less than the minimum temperature, the method comprises the step of stopping the cooling fan; if the operating temperature is greater than a predetermined critical temperature, the method comprises the step of continuing to operate the cooling fan at full speed; otherwise, the method comprises the step of computing a pulse width for a pulse-width modulated fan control output signal based upon measured temperature, minimum temperature, and temperature increment values; and applying the pulse width modulated fan control output signal to the cooling fan to control its operating speed. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22)
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23. A method for a fan control device that is used for an electronic equipment enclosure, the method comprising the acts of:
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(a) determining temperature at a plurality of locations within the enclosure; (b) determining operating parameters for the fan control device, at least in part, by receiving information signals from an external controller that is external to the fan control device, said information signals including signals providing predetermined values for at least one operating parameter; storing said at least one operating parameter in a storage location; and (c) generating a fan control output signal to set operating speed of at least one cooling fan in response to said at least one operating parameter and at least one said determined temperature. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26)
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27. A method for controlling cooling fan operating speed in an electronic equipment enclosure, the method comprising the acts of:
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(a) using a user interface for programming one or more system operating parameters, including a control temperature value; storing at least one of said one or more system operating parameters in a storage location; (b) setting the cooling fan speed to full speed for a predetermined time period; (c) after act (b), reading operating temperature information from a temperature sensor; (d) in response to the read operating temperature information and at least one other input variable, including, but not limited to said control temperature value, computing a pulse width for a pulse-width modulated fan control output signal; and (e) applying the pulse width modulated fan control output signal to the cooling fan to control its operating speed. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 32)
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31. A method for controlling cooling fan operating speed in an electronic equipment enclosure, the method comprising the acts of:
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(a) determining one or more system operating parameters, including a control temperature value; (b) setting the cooling fan speed to full speed for a predetermined time period; (c) after act (b), reading operating temperature information from a temperature sensor; (d) in response to the read operating temperature and at least one other input variable, including, but not limited to said control temperature value, computing a pulse width for a pulse-width modulated fan control output signal; and (e) applying the pulse width modulated fan control output signal to the cooling fan to control its operating speed; wherein the act (d) of computing a pulse width for a pulse-width modulated fan control output signal further comprises; (i) if the operating temperature is less than the minimum temperature, stopping the cooling fan; (ii) if the operating temperature is greater than a predetermined critical temperature, continuing to operate the cooling fan at full speed; (iii) otherwise, computing a pulse width for a pulse-width modulated fan control output signal based upon measured temperature, minimum temperature, and temperature increment values; and (iv) applying the pulse width modulated fan control output signal to the cooling fan to control its operating speed.
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33. A method for controlling fan speed for an electronic equipment enclosure, the method comprising the acts of:
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(a) determining temperature at a plurality of locations within the enclosure; (b) determining operating parameters for the fan control system responsive to the determined temperatures and at least one other input variable, wherein the at least one other input variable includes a minimum control temperature value and a temperature range value, and wherein the at least one other input variable is programmed by a user using a user interface and stored in predetermined storage registers; and (c) setting operating speed of at least one cooling fan to full speed for a predetermined time period and in response to said operating parameters and the determined temperatures setting said fan operating speed as follows; (1) if the operating temperature is less than the minimum temperature, stopping the cooling fan, (2) if the operating temperature is greater than a predetermined critical temperature, continuing to operate the cooling fan at full speed, (3) otherwise, computing a pulse width for a pulse-width modulated fan control output signal based upon measured temperature, minimum temperature, and range values, and applying the pulse width modulated fan control output signal to the cooling fan to control its operating speed. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. A fan speed control device for an electronic equipment enclosure comprising:
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a first input for receiving a signal representing a predetermined value for an operating parameter; one or more inputs configured to receive signals from one or more sensors for determining temperature at a plurality of locations within the enclosure; means for determining other operating parameters for the fan control system responsive to the determined temperatures and at least one other input variable; means for setting operating speed of at least one cooling fan in response to said operating parameters and the determined temperatures; and an interface for exchanging information signals relating to fan speed control system operation with a programmable external controller, that is external to the fan speed control device, wherein said programmable external controller supplies at least one of said at least one other input variable which is subsequently stored in a storage location of the fan speed control device and used by the fan speed control device for controlling the at least one cooling fan. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41)
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42. A fan speed control device for an electronic equipment enclosure, comprising:
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at least one input configured to receive a signal from a temperature sensor, the signal representing sensed temperature; logic arranged to generate a fan speed control signal in response to said temperature signal and at least one input variable including one or more of a minimum control temperature value, a temperature increment value, and a critical temperature, said logic configured to store said at least one input variable at least temporarily in a memory location; and a communications interface capable of bi-directionally exchanging information signals with an external controller that is external to the fan speed control device; and said logic being configured to permit reception of information signals through the communications interface to store in other memory locations one or more other input variables, whereby fan speed may be controlled in response to information signals received via said communications interface or on a stand-alone basis without receiving signals through said communications interface.
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Specification