HEATING CIRCUIT, ELECTRONIC APPARATUS, AND METHOD FOR ENTERING OPERATION MODE IN LOW-TEMPERATURE ENVIRONMENT

• US 20120168417A1
• Filed: 11/04/2011
• Published: 07/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Getac Technology Company Limited (MiTAC Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Getac Technology Company Limited (MiTAC Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Chiu, Chia-Chang
• Granted Patent: US 9,684,319 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 219/209
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1932 to control the temperature of a plurality of spaces
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/144 by detection, control, regulation of the temperature

Abstract

A method for entering an operation mode in a low-temperature environment is applicable in a situation that plural electronic devices in an electronic apparatus are not activated. Through performing the method, the electronic apparatus obtains a temperature of each electronic device after receiving a request of a user. Then the electronic apparatus determines whether the temperatures of all the electronic devices reach a threshold value. If the temperatures of at least two electronic devices do not reach the threshold value, the electronic apparatus generates a plurality of corresponding enable signals for the electronic devices having the temperatures lower than the threshold value. The waveforms of the enable signals vary alternately. The electronic apparatus transfers the enable signals to a plurality of corresponding heaters. Being activated by the received enable signal, each of the heaters heats the corresponding electronic device.

Claims

1. A heating circuit, applicable in a situation that plural electronic devices are not activated, the heating circuit comprising:

a plurality of thermal sensors, for respectively detecting a temperature of each electronic device;

a controller, for obtaining the temperatures of all the electronic devices through the thermal sensors, determining whether the temperatures of all the electronic devices reach a threshold value, and generating a plurality of enable signals when the temperatures of at least two electronic devices are lower than the threshold value, wherein waveforms of the enable signals vary alternately; and

a plurality of heaters, for respectively receiving one of the enable signals, and heating at least one of the electronic devices according to the received enable signal.

2. The heating circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controller is an embedded controller or a keyboard controller.

3. The heating circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein each enable signal is a pulse width modulation signal.

4. The heating circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the waveforms of the enable signals are totally non-overlapped, alternately switched, or partially overlapped.

5. The heating circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electronic device comprises a hard disk driver, and the hard disk driver has a fluid dynamic bearing.

6. The heating circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controller generates the plurality of enable signals only for the electronic devices having the temperatures lower than the threshold value, when the temperatures of at least two electronic devices are lower than the threshold value.

7. The heating circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the enable signals is transferred to at least one heater.

8. An electronic apparatus, comprising:

a processor and plural electronic devices;

a plurality of thermal sensors, for respectively detecting a temperature of each electronic device;

a controller, for obtaining the temperatures of all the electronic devices through the thermal sensors;

wherein the electronic apparatus is arranged such that before the electronic devices are activated, the controller determines whether the temperatures of all the electronic devices reach a threshold value, and generates a plurality of enable signals when the temperatures of at least two electronic devices are lower than the threshold value;

wherein waveforms of the enable signals vary alternately; and

a plurality of heaters, for respectively receiving one of the enable signals, and heating at least one of the electronic devices according to the received enable signal.

9. The electronic apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the electronic device comprises a hard disk driver, and the hard disk driver has a fluid dynamic bearing.

10. The electronic apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the controller is an embedded controller or a keyboard controller

11. The electronic apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein each of the enable signals is a pulse width modulation signal.

12. The electronic apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the waveforms of the enable signals are totally non-overlapped, alternately switched, or partially overlapped.

13. The electronic apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the situation that each electronic device is not activated comprises that the electronic apparatus is in a shutdown mode, a dormant mode, or a sleep mode of an Advanced Configuration and Power Interface.

14. The electronic apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein after the controller determines that the temperatures of all the electronic devices reach the threshold value, the controller enables the electronic apparatus to enter an operation mode of the ACPI.

15. A method for entering an operation mode in a low-temperature environment, applicable in a situation that plural electronic devices in an electronic apparatus are not activated, the method comprising:

after receiving a request, obtaining a temperature of each electronic device, wherein the request comprises an event of requiring the electronic apparatus to enter the operation mode;

determining whether the temperatures of all the electronic devices reach a threshold value;

if the temperatures of at least two electronic devices do not reach the threshold value, generating a plurality of enable signals corresponding to the electronic devices having the temperature lower than the threshold value, wherein waveforms of the enable signals substantially vary alternately;

respectively transferring the enable signals to a plurality of corresponding heaters, wherein each of the enable signals is transferred to at least one of the heaters; and

heating at least one of the electronic devices by each heater according to the received enable signal.

16. The method for entering an operation mode in a low-temperature environment as claimed in claim 15, wherein in the situation that the electronic devices are not activated, the electronic apparatus is in a shutdown mode, a dormant mode, or a sleep mode of an Advanced Configuration and Power Interface, and the operation mode is a mode of the Advanced Configuration and Power Interface.

17. The method for entering an operation mode in a low-temperature environment as claimed in claim 15, wherein if the temperatures of all the electronic devices reach the threshold value, the electronic apparatus is enabled to enter the operation mode.

18. The method for entering an operation mode in a low-temperature environment as claimed in claim 15, wherein the enable signal is a pulse width modulation signal.

19. The method for entering an operation mode in a low-temperature environment as claimed in claim 15, wherein the waveforms of the enable signals are totally non-overlapped, alternately switched, or partially overlapped.