System and method for controlling temperature in an information handling system

• US 8,532,826 B2
• Filed: 03/10/2010
• Issued: 09/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Moss, David L., Artman, Paul, Duncan, Tyler
• Primary Examiner(s): Ali, Mohammad
• Assistant Examiner(s): WHITTINGTON, ANTHONY T
• Application Number:
  US12/721,116
• Publication Number:
  US 20110224837A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,280 Days
• Field of Search: 700/276, 340/500, 713/320
• US Class Current: 700/276
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/206 comprising thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3234 Power saving characterised by the action undertaken
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

Systems and methods for controlling temperature in an information handling system is provided. In certain embodiments, a method may include receiving a desired threshold value, determining if a current real-time system value exceeds the desired threshold value, determining if a power shedding mode is enabled, if the power shedding mode is enabled, adjusting power supplied to the information handling system, and if the power shedding mode is not enabled, dynamically adjusting a fan speed of a cooling fan associated with the information handling system.

Claims

1. A method for controlling temperatures in an information handling system, the method comprising:

receiving a desired threshold value;

determining a current real-time system value, wherein determining the current real-time system value comprises;

receiving a power consumption value for a component associated with the information handling system;

receiving a fan speed of a cooling fan associated with the information handling system; and

determining a current temperature differential value based at least on the power consumption value and the fan speed;

determining if the current real time system value exceeds the desired threshold value;

determining if a power shedding mode is enabled;

if the power shedding mode is enabled, adjusting power supplied to the information handling system; and

if the power shedding mode is not enabled, dynamically adjusting the fan speed of the cooling fan such that the current real time system value is reduced to a value at or below the desired threshold value.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein determining the current real-time system value further comprises determining a current exhaust temperature based on the current temperature differential value.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein dynamically adjusting the fan speed of the cooling fan comprises determining the fan speed as a function of a power consumption value and a desired temperature differential value.

4. A method, comprising:

receiving a desired temperature differential value;

receiving a power consumption value for a component associated with an information handling system;

receiving a fan speed of a cooling fan associated with the information handling system;

determining a current temperature differential value based at least on the power consumption value and the fan speed;

determining if the current temperature differential value exceeds the desired temperature differential value;

determining if a power shedding mode is enabled;

if the power shedding mode is enabled, adjusting power supplied to the information handling system; and

if the power shedding mode is not enabled, dynamically adjusting the fan speed of the cooling fan such that the current temperature differential value is reduced to a value at or below the desired temperature differential value.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein dynamically adjusting the fan speed comprises determining the fan speed as a function of the power consumption value and the desired temperature differential value.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein adjusting the fan speed comprises determining the fan speed from a fan speed curve, wherein the fan speed curve is a function of the power consumption value and the desired temperature differential value.

7. A system for controlling temperatures in an information handling system, the system comprising:

a cooling fan configured to direct cool air to components of the information handling system; and

a controller communicatively coupled to the cooling fan and configured to;

receive a predetermined threshold value;

determine a current real-time system value, wherein determining the current real-time system value comprises;

receiving a power consumption value for the components of the information handling system;

receiving a fan speed of the cooling fan; and

determining a current temperature differential value based at least on the power consumption value and the fan speed;

determine if the current real-time system value exceeds the predetermined threshold value;

determine if a power shedding mode is enabled;

if the power shedding mode is enabled, adjust power supplied to the information handling system; and

if the power shedding mode is not enabled, dynamically adjust the fan speed of the cooling fan such that the current real-time system value is reduced to a value at or below the predetermined threshold value.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein determining the current real-time system value further comprises determining a current exhaust temperature based on the current temperature differential value.

9. The system according to claim 7, wherein dynamically adjusting the fan speed of the cooling fans comprises determining the fan speed as a function of a power consumption value and a desired temperature differential value.

10. The system according to claim 7, wherein dynamically adjusting the fan speed of the cooling fan comprises determining the fan speed from a fan speed curve, wherein the fan speed curve is a function of a power consumption value and a desired temperature differential value.

11. The system according to claim 7, wherein the controller is further configured to receive a power consumption value of the components of the information handling system via a PMbus.

12. The system according to claim 7, wherein the controller is further configured to correlate the fan speed of the cooling fan to a flow rate value.

13. The system according to claim 7, wherein the controller is further configured to adjust the fan speed of the cooling fan above the fan speed required by the components.

14. The system according to claim 7, wherein the information handling system is housed in a rack.