Processor cooling by temperature range and multiple algorithm fan speed control

• US 8,594,856 B2
• Filed: 02/15/2011
• Issued: 11/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nuvoton Technology Corporation (Winbond Electronics Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nuvoton Technology Corporation (Winbond Electronics Corporation)
• Inventors: Alon, Moshe
• Primary Examiner(s): Bahta, Kidest
• Application Number:
  US13/027,395
• Publication Number:
  US 20120209449A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,015 Days
• Field of Search: 700/300, 713/300, 417/44.1, 621/86, 622/592, 361/679, 361/687, 361/688
• US Class Current: 700/300
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1931 to control the temperature of one space
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/206 comprising thermal management

Abstract

A method of controlling cooling of a processor, including monitoring at least one parameter of a current status of the processor and determining in which of a plurality of value ranges the at least one parameter of the current status of the processor is located. If the at least one parameter is located in a first range, determining a first desired value for a cooling parameter, based on the processor temperature, using a first method, determining a second desired value for the cooling parameter, based on the processor temperature, using a second method, in which the value of the cooling parameter increases, in a manner indicating more cooling, from a low value for a low processor temperature to a higher value for a higher processor temperature and selecting a value of the cooling parameter as a function of the first and second desired values. If the at least one parameter is located in a second range, selecting a value of the cooling parameter of the processor using a third method, based on the processor temperature. Further controlling a cooling unit of the processor according to the selected value of the cooling parameter; and repeating periodically the monitoring, range determination, value selection and controlling.

Claims

1. A method of controlling cooling of a processor, comprising:

monitoring at least one parameter of a current status of the processor;

determining in which of a plurality of value ranges the at least one parameter of the current status of the processor is located;

such that if the at least one parameter is located in a first range;

determining a first desired value for a cooling parameter, based on the processor temperature, using a first method;

determining a second desired value for the cooling parameter, based on the processor temperature, using a second method, in which the value of the cooling parameter increases, in a manner indicating more cooling, from a low value for a low processor temperature to a higher value for a higher processor temperature;

selecting a value of the cooling parameter as a function of the first and second desired values;

whereas if the at least one parameter is located in a second range, selecting a value of the cooling parameter of the processor using a third method, based on the processor temperature; and

controlling a cooling unit of the processor according to the selected value of the cooling parameter; and

repeating periodically the monitoring, range determination, value selection and controlling.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one parameter of the current status of the processor comprises the processor temperature.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one parameter of the current status of the processor comprises the processor power utilization.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein values of the at least one parameter in the first range are all lower than the values of the at least one parameter in the second range.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein determining the second desired value comprises determining a border value for the cooling parameter using the third method, for the highest temperature of the first range and otherwise the current processor conditions and wherein the second desired value is determined responsive to the processor temperature and the determined border value.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein determining the second desired value comprises determining responsive to the processor temperature, the border value, and at least one predetermined correlation between the processor temperature and the cooling parameter, in which the cooling parameter gradually increases from a low value for a lowest processor temperature of the first range to a high value for the highest temperature of the first range.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the cooling parameter in the at least one predetermined correlation monotonously increases from a low value for a lowest processor temperature of the first range to a high value for the highest temperature of the first range.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the second desired value comprises determining responsive to an ambient temperature.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein determining the second desired value comprises determining responsive to a value of the cooling parameter which would be selected by the third method for the current processor conditions for the lowest temperature of the second range.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the second desired value at a transition point between the first and second ranges is equal to the value provided by the third method at the transition point.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the second desired value at a transition point between the first and second ranges is close, up to a difference of 20%, to the value provided by the third method at the transition point.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the cooling parameter comprises a fan speed.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the first desired value comprises determining using a control method which is at least partially based on an estimate of future trends of the processor temperature.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein determining the first desired value comprises determining using a control method which is at least partially based on previous values of the processor temperature.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein determining the first desired value comprises determining using a PID control method.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the first desired value comprises determining using a method dependent directly only on the processor temperature.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein determining the first desired value comprises determining using a control algorithm designed to minimize the cooling parameter while keeping the processor temperature below a target temperature value.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting a value of the cooling parameter of the processor using the third method comprises selecting responsive to the processor temperature and an ambient temperature.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting a value of the cooling parameter as a function of the first and second desired values comprises selecting the lower of the first and second desired values.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting a value of the cooling parameter as a function of the first and second desired values comprises selecting the higher of the first and second desired values.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting a value of the cooling parameter as a function of the first and second desired values comprises selecting an average of the first and second desired values.

23. The method of claim 15, wherein determining the second desired value comprises determining responsive to at least the processor temperature, and at least one predetermined correlation between the processor temperature and the cooling parameter, in which the cooling parameter gradually increases from a low value for a lowest processor temperature of the first range to a high value for the highest temperature of the first range.

22. A temperature controller of a cooling parameter of a processor, comprising:

an input interface adapted to receive at least one parameter of the processor, including a current temperature; and

a control unit adapted to periodically determine in which of a plurality of value ranges, a specific one of the received at least one parameter is located;

if the at least one parameter is located in a first range;

to determine a first desired value for the cooling parameter, based on the processor temperature, using a first method;

to determine a second desired value for the cooling parameter, based on the processor temperature, using a second method, in which the value of the cooling parameter increases, in a manner indicating more cooling, from a low value for a low processor temperature to a higher value for a higher processor temperature; and

to select a value of the cooling parameter as a function of the first and second desired values;

if the at least one parameter is located in a second range, selecting a value of a cooling parameter of the processor using a third method, based on the processor temperature; and

to control a cooling unit of the processor according to the selected value of the cooling parameter.