Thermal management of a personal computing apparatus

• US 8,031,466 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2007
• Issued: 10/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo PC International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Uchida, Hiroyuki, Shimotono, Susumu, Katoh, Takayuki, Tadokoro, Mizuho, Miyashita, Atsushu, Yamazaki, Mitsuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): BARNES-BULLOCK, CRYSTAL JOY
• Application Number:
  US11/928,223
• Publication Number:
  US 20080059004A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,435 Days
• Field of Search: 700/299, 700/300, 702/130, 702/132, 702/136, 713/100, 713/320, 713/322, 713/300, 361/679.01, 361/679.02, 36167946-67948, 361/679.55, 361688-690, 361/694, 361/695
• US Class Current: 361/679.55
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1919 characterised by the type of controller

Abstract

A method and system are provided for thermal management of a portable computing apparatus. Accelerometers are provided to detect changes in attitude, and temperature sensors are provided to detect changes in temperature. A fan is used to cool the internal temperature of the electronic components of the computer. In response to lift of the computer from a stationary surface, the computer may transition to an alternative state of operation. The transition may include the change of the speed of the fan and/or adjustment of the processor clock.

Claims

1. A method for cooling a portable computing apparatus comprising:

an accelerometer obtaining inclination data for the computing apparatus in predetermined time intervals over a period of time, the obtained inclination data stored in a data storage;

defining a stable horizontal position of the computing apparatus based upon the obtained inclination data;

determining movement of the computing apparatus from a stationary surface by comparing present inclination data with the defined stable horizontal position;

determining if a target temperature is exceeded in response to said determined movement; and

transitioning said computer to an alternative cooling state in response to a positive determination.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising switching to a cooling phase of heat producing hardware in said computer in response to determining said target temperature has been exceeded.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said cooling phase allows said target temperature to be attained in a short time interval.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising switching to a laptop cooling state following said cooling phase operating for a predefined time interval.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of transitioning said computer to an alternative cooling state includes BIOS sending instructions to adjust processor clock and fan speed.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising switching to a laptop cooling state following an internal temperature reaching a target temperature.

7. A portable computing apparatus comprising:

an accelerometer to sense tilt movement of said computer from a surface, including obtaining inclination data for the computer in predetermined time intervals over a certain period of time and to store the obtained inclination data in a data storage;

a manager to define a stable horizontal position of the computer based upon the obtained inclination data;

the manager to determine movement of the computer from a stationary surface by comparing present inclination data with the stable horizontal position;

a sensor to determine if a target temperature is exceeded in response to said tilt movement; and

a controller to transition said computer to an alternative cooling state in response to a positive determination.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a switch by said controller to a laptop cooling state after an internal temperature has reached a target temperature.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a manager to switch heat producing hardware in said computer to a cooling phase in response to a determination that said target temperature has been exceeded.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said manager is in communication with BIOS to send instructions to adjust processor clock and fan speed to transition to said cooling phase.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said processor clock and fan speed adjustment reduces performance of the processor and video.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a switch by said controller to a laptop cooling state after operation of said cooling phase for a predefined time interval.

13. An article comprising:

means for detecting input to an accelerometer associated with movement of a computer from a stationary surface, including obtaining inclination data for the computer in predetermined time intervals over a period of time and storing the obtained inclination data in a data storage;

means for defining a stable horizontal position of the computer based upon the obtained inclination data;

means for determining movement of the computer from a stationary surface by comparing present inclination data with the stable horizontal position;

means for determining if a target temperature is exceeded in response to said movement; and

means for transitioning said computer to an alternative cooling state in response to a positive determination.

14. The article of claim 13, further comprising means for switching to a cooling phase of heat producing hardware in said computer in response to said target temperature determination means.

15. The article of claim 14, wherein said means for switching to a cooling phase includes BIOS sending instructions to adjust hardware elements with heat byproduct.

16. The article of claim 15, wherein said hardware elements are selected from the group consisting of:

processor clock and fan speed.

17. The article of claim 15, further comprising means for switching to a cooling state following said cooling phase operating for a predefined time interval.

18. The article of claim 13, further comprising means for switching to a cooling state following an internal temperature reaching a target temperature.