Method for dynamically cooling when detecting RAID controller with battery present in computer system

• US 8,041,468 B2
• Filed: 03/16/2006
• Issued: 10/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Bestavros, Ralph, Olarig, Sompong Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Chaki; Kakali
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rao; Sheela S
• Application Number:
  US11/376,881
• Publication Number:
  US 20070214820A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,042 Days
• Field of Search: 700/300, 700/28, 700/299, 713/300, 713/322, 713/340, 361/687, 361/688, 361/695, 361/697
• US Class Current: 700/299
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/206 comprising thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20836 Thermal management, e.g. server temperature control
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

For dynamically cooling an input/output (I/O) controller, the presence of the I/O controller is automatically detected. The I/O controller includes an electronic component capable of generating heat that is greater than a predefined amount when the electronic component is operating in a predefined state. The I/O controller provides a control output in response to a demand indicative of operating the electronic component in the predefined state. The control output is provided to a baseboard management controller (BMC) that is capable of providing additional cooling to the I/O controller in response to the control signal.

Claims

1. An information handling system (IHS) comprising:

a processor;

a bus coupled to the processor;

an input/output (I/O) controller coupled to the bus, operable to control inputs and outputs, and comprising;

a heat generating electronic component that is operable to generate heat that is greater than a predefined amount when the heat generating electronic component is operating in a predefined state; and

a control logic in communication with the heat generating electronic component, the control logic comprising a timer that is operable to initiate the predefined state of the heat generating electronic component at a prescheduled time, wherein the control logic is operable to provide a control output in advance of the prescheduled time in anticipation of the heat generating electronic component generating heat that is greater than the predefined amount when the heat generating electronic component is operating in the predefined state; and

a baseboard management controller (BMC) coupled to the bus, wherein the BMC is operable to receive the control output from the control logic and, in response, initiate the provision of additional cooling to the heat generating electronic component prior to the prescheduled time in anticipation of the predefined state.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the inputs and outputs are coupled to a storage device, wherein data stored on the storage device is accessible to the processor.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the storage device includes hard disk drives in accordance with a redundant array of independent disks (RAID) architecture.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the I/O controller comprises a RAID controller.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein a basic input output system (BIOS) automatically detects a presence of the I/O controller having the heat generating electronic component when the I/O controller is coupled to the bus.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the heat generating electronic component is a rechargeable battery.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the predefined state is one of a charging state and a discharging state.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the heat producing electronic component enters the predefined state at the prescheduled time, wherein the control output is provided in advance of the prescheduled time by a predefined time interval.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the control output is communicated via a system management bus (SMbus) in accordance with an intelligent platform management interface (IPMI) standard.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the BMC is operable to be unable to initiate the provision of the additional cooling and, in response to being unable to initiate the provision of the additional cooling, the BMC is operable to send a return control signal to the I/O controller to delay the initiation of the predefined state.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the additional cooling results in an increase in air flow across the heat producing electronic component.

12. A method for cooling a heat generating electronic component, the method comprising:

providing an I/O controller comprising control logic that is in communication with a heat generating electronic component, wherein the control logic comprises a timer that is operable to initiate a predefined state of the heat generating electronic component at a prescheduled time, and wherein the heat generating component is operable to generate heat that is greater than a predefined amount when the heat generating electronic component is operating in the predefined state;

sending a control output from the control logic to a baseboard management controller (BMC) prior to the prescheduled time in anticipation of the heat generating electronic component generating heat that is greater than the predefined amount when the heat generating electronic component is operating in the predefined state; and

initiating, by the BMC in response to receiving the control output, the provision of additional cooling to the heat generating electronic component prior to the prescheduled time in anticipation of the predefined state.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

determining that the BMC is not able to provide additional cooling; and

sending a return signal to the I/O controller to delay the initiation of the predefined state.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the predefined state is one of a charging state and a discharging state, and wherein the heat generating electronic component enters the predefined state at the prescheduled time, and wherein the control output is provided in advance of the prescheduled time by a predefined time interval.

15. An input/output (I/O) controller comprising:

a heat generating electronic component that is operable to generate heat that is greater than a predefined amount when the heat generating electronic component is operating in a predefined state;

a control logic in communication with the heat generating electronic component and operable to send a control output to a baseboard management controller (BMC) that is coupled to the I/O controller; and

a timer coupled to the control logic and operable to initiate the predefined state of the heat generating electronic component at a prescheduled time, wherein the control logic is operable to provide the control output to the BMC in advance of the prescheduled time in anticipation of the heat generating electronic component generating heat that is greater than the predefined amount when the heat generating electronic component is operating in the predefined state and, in response to receiving the control output, the BMC being operable to initiate the provision of additional cooling to the heat producing electronic component prior to the prescheduled time in anticipation of the predefined state.

16. The I/O controller of claim 15, wherein the predefined state is one of a charging state and a discharging state, wherein the heat producing electronic component is a rechargeable battery.

17. The I/O controller of claim 15, wherein the BMC is operable to determine that the provision of additional cooling is unavailable and, in response, send a return control signal to the I/O controller to delay the initiation of the predefined state.