Multiple level computer system for temperature management for cooling fan control

• US 9,671,840 B2
• Filed: 09/13/2013
• Issued: 06/06/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Haridass, Anand, Sawan, Tony E., Jayaraman, Prasanna
• Primary Examiner(s): Fennema, Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATEL, JIGNESHKUMAR C
• Application Number:
  US14/025,971
• Publication Number:
  US 20150005949A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,362 Days
• Field of Search: 700275
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/206 comprising thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

In a method for designating cooling fan control management in a computing system, a processor causes one or more cooling fans to be managed by a first process, wherein the first process utilizes a first set of temperature sensors of a plurality of temperature sensors. A processor receives temperature data from a first set of temperature sensors. A processor determines a second process to manage the one or more cooling fans, based on the received temperature data from the first set of temperature sensors, wherein the second process utilizes a second set of temperature sensors of the plurality of temperature sensors.

Claims

1. A method for designating cooling fan control management in a computing system, the method comprising:

causing one or more cooling fans to be managed by a first process, wherein the first process utilizes a first set of temperature sensors of a plurality of temperature sensors;

receiving, by one or more processors, temperature data from the first set of temperature sensors; and

determining, by the one or more processors, a second process to manage the one or more cooling fans, based on the received temperature data from the first set of temperature sensors, wherein;

the second process utilizes a second set of temperature sensors of the plurality of temperature sensors; and

the second process has different energy requirements for managing the one or more cooling fans than the first process.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of causing the one or more cooling fans to be managed by the second process.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining, by the one or more processors, a second process to manage the one or more cooling fans, based on the received temperature data from the first set of temperature sensors comprises determining that the received temperature data from the first set of temperature sensors includes a measurement that exceeds a threshold.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first set of temperature sensors comprises a temperature sensor in proximity to an airflow inlet to the computing system and a temperature sensor in proximity to an airflow outlet to the computing system;

and

wherein the second set of temperature sensors comprises at least one temperature sensor different from the temperature sensors in the first set of temperature sensors.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the at least one temperature sensor different from the temperature sensors in the first set of temperature sensors is selected from the group consisting of a temperature sensor in proximity to a random-access memory (RAM) device, a temperature sensor in proximity to a hard drive disk, a temperature sensor in proximity to a power supply unit, a temperature sensor on the RAM device, a temperature sensor on a hard disk drive, and a temperature sensor on a power supply unit.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first process operates on a first controller and the second process operate on a second controller.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the one or more processors, an indication that the second process is not properly functioning; and

in response to receiving, by the one or more processors, an indication that the second process is not properly functioning, managing the one or more cooling fans using the first process.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving the temperature data form the first set of temperature sensors comprises:

receiving, by one or more processors, temperature data from each temperature sensor of the first set of temperature sensors.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the first process monitors the first set of temperature sensors at a first frequency; and

the second process monitors the second set of temperature sensors at a second frequency.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the temperature data comprises a change in temperature between two temperature sensors of the first set of temperature sensors.