Multi-function information handling system tablet with multi-directional cooling

• US 9,280,179 B2
• Filed: 12/11/2012
• Issued: 03/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Morrison, John T., Kamepalli, Srinivas
• Primary Examiner(s): Haughton, Anthony
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dhillon, Matt
• Application Number:
  US13/711,048
• Publication Number:
  US 20140160657A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,183 Days
• Field of Search: 36167921-6793
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/166 related to integrated arrangements for adjusting the position of the main body with respect to the supporting surface, e.g. legs for adjusting the tilt angle
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/203 for portable computers, e.g. for laptops

Abstract

A tablet information handling system processes information with processing components disposed in a planar housing for presentation as images at a display disposed at the upper surface of the planar housing. Support members extend at the lower surface of the planar housing to support the planar housing in an upright configuration having the housing in a first orientation or an inclined configuration having the housing in a second orientation. A cooling fan controller manages cooling airflow direction through the planar housing based upon the orientation of the planar housing to blow hot air exiting the housing in a direction away from the likely location of an end user relative to the planar housing.

Claims

1. An information handling system comprising:

a planar housing having an upper surface and lower surface;

a docking station connector disposed at the housing and configured to couple and de-couple with a docking station;

a processor disposed in the planar housing and operable to process information;

a memory disposed in the planar housing and interfaced with the processor, the memory operable to store information;

a display disposed at the upper surface and interfaced with the processor, the display operable to present information as visual images;

one or more cooling fans disposed in the planar housing and operable to selectively move a cooling airflow in a first direction from one or more first openings through the planar housing to one or more second openings or in a second direction from the one or more second openings to the one or more first openings; and

a cooling fan controller interfaced with the cooling fans and operable to select the first direction or the second direction based upon one or more predetermined conditions, the one or more predetermined conditions including at least a coupling or de-coupling by the docking station connector to a docking station to select the first or second directions.

2. The information handling system of claim 1 further comprising:

an orientation detection device operable to detect orientation of the planar housing;

wherein the predetermined condition comprises detection of a first or second orientation, the cooling fan controller selecting the first direction in response to detection of the first orientation and the second direction in detection to the second orientation.

3. The information handling system of claim 1 wherein the orientation detection device comprises a gyroscope.

4. The information handling system of claim 3 further comprising:

one or more supports operable to extend from the housing and retract into the housing, the supports holding the information handling system in one or more predetermined orientations when extended; and

a switch activated when the supports are extended, the switch acting as the orientation device when activated.

5. The information handling system of claim 1 further comprising:

a damper moveable between a first position that directs the cooling airflow in the first direction and a second position that directs the cooling airflow in the second direction;

wherein the cooling fan controller commands the damper to the first or second position based upon the one or more predetermined conditions.

6. The information handling system of claim 1 wherein the cooling fan controller selects the first direction by rotating the one or more cooling fans in a first direction and selects the second direction by rotating the one or more cooling fans in a second direction opposite the first direction.

7. The information handling system of claim 1 further comprising:

the one or more cooling fans disposed in the planar housing;

wherein the cooling fan controller selects the first direction by powering the first cooling fan and selects the second direction by powering the second cooling fan.

8. The information handling system of claim 1 further comprising:

a camera operable to capture an image of an end user facing the display;

wherein the predetermined condition comprises the orientation of the end user in the image.

9. A method for cooling information handling system housing, the method comprising:

drawing cooling airflow through a first opening of the housing, past one or more components disposed in the housing and out a second opening of the housing;

capturing an image of an end user with a camera, the camera disposed at the housing and oriented to capture images of an end user viewing position relative to a display disposed in the housing;

detecting a predetermined condition; and

a cooling fan controller interfaced with the cooling fans and operable to select the first direction or the second direction based upon one or more predetermined conditions,

in response to the predetermined condition, reversing the cooling airflow to draw the cooling airflow through the second opening, past the one or more components and out the first opening;

wherein the predetermined condition comprises the orientation of the end user in the image.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein detecting a predetermined condition further comprises detecting a coupling of the housing to a docking station.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein detecting a predetermined condition further comprises detecting a change in orientation of the housing.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein detecting a predetermined condition further comprises:

monitoring the orientation of the housing with an accelerometer; and

determining that a monitored orientation places the cooling airflow out of the housing in a direction associated with a position of an end user.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein detecting a predetermined condition comprises:

determining that an end user'"'"'s location relative to the housing corresponds to the orientation of information presented on a display integrated in the housing; and

determining that the end user'"'"'s location places the cooling airflow out of the housing in a direction of the end user.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein reversing the cooling airflow further comprises reversing the direction of rotation of a cooling fan disposed in the housing.

15. The method of claim 9 wherein reversing the cooling airflow further comprises disposing a damper in the cooling airflow to redirect the cooling airflow.

16. The method of claim 9 wherein reversing the cooling airflow further comprises:

powering down a first fan drawing the cooling airflow in a first direction; and

powering up a second fan drawing the cooling airflow in a second direction opposite the first direction.

17. A system for cooling an information handling system, the system comprising:

a cooling fan operable to rotate in a first direction or a second direction;

a camera oriented to capture an image of an end user viewing a display integrated with the information handling system;

an orientation detector operable to detect first and second orientations of the information handling system at least in part by analyzing the image of the end user to determine the orientation of the end user relative to the first and second direction;

a cooling fan controller interfaced with the cooling fan and the orientation detector, the cooling fan controller operable to select the first direction in response to the detection of the first orientation and to select the second direction in response to the second orientation, reversing the cooling airflow to draw the cooling airflow through the second opening, past the one or more components and out the first opening.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the orientation detector comprises an accelerometer operable to detect orientation relative to gravity.

19. The system of claim 17 wherein the orientation detector comprises a display detector operable to detect the orientation of information presented at a display.