Systems and methods for local and remote recording, monitoring, control and/or analysis of sounds generated in information handling system environments

• US 8,995,670 B2
• Filed: 04/29/2011
• Issued: 03/31/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Lambert, Timothy M., Rahardjo, Johan
• Primary Examiner(s): KIM, PAUL
• Application Number:
  US13/097,906
• Publication Number:
  US 20120275610A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,432 Days
• Field of Search: 381/56, 381/57, 381/58, 381/94.5, 381/95, 381/92, 381/122, 700/94, 367/13, 367/901, 704/226, 704/233
• US Class Current: 381/56
• CPC Class Codes: G01H 3/00 Measuring characteristics of vibrations by using a detector in a fluid G01H7/00, G01H9/00, G01H11/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/16 Methods or devices for protecting against, or for damping, noise or other acoustic waves in general G10K11/36 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 21/0208 Noise filtering
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 25/48 specially adapted for particular use
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2227/001 Adaptation of signal processing in PA systems in dependence of presence of noise
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2410/01 Noise reduction using microphones having different directional characteristics

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed that may be implemented to locally and remotely record, control, monitor and analyze sounds generated in an information handling system environment, e.g., such as in a server environment. Among other things, remote monitoring and observation of sound in a data center environment may be implemented to assist administrators with data center management and forensics analysis related to physical chassis events (e.g., such as chassis access and/or chassis intrusion), as well as providing live streaming, and local technician recorded sound bite capabilities. A sound policy may also be implemented involving server sound optimizations that works in conjunction with system thermal and power algorithms.

Claims

1. An information handling system, comprising:

a chassis;

one or more processing devices disposed within the chassis and configured to process information;

at least one noise source within the chassis;

at least one microphone positioned to capture sound produced by the noise source within the chassis; and

one or more processing devices disposed within the chassis and configured to determine and provide non-audio sound characteristic information of the noise source based on sound signals received from the microphone;

where the one or more processing devices are configured to implement a sound control policy to vary the sound level produced by the noise source based at least in part on the level of sound captured by the microphone; and

where the one or more processing devices are configured to reduce the sound level produced by the noise source by controlling operational performance of the noise source.

2. The information handling system of claim 1, where the one or more processing devices are configured to communicate with a remote user over a network;

and where the one or more processing devices are configured to provide the non-audio sound characteristic information to the remote user over the network.

3. The information handling system of claim 1, further comprising an external local display device coupled to the chassis;

and where the one or more processing devices are configured to provide the non-audio sound characteristic information for display on the external local display device.

4. The information handling system of claim 1, where a where the noise source is a cooling fan;

and where the one or more processing devices are configured to implement the sound control policy in combination with a thermal control policy that reduces information processing operational performance in response to increased temperature due to reduced operational performance of the cooling fan.

5. The information handling system of claim 1, where the one or more processing devices are configured to reduce the current sound level produced by the noise source to a minimized sound level or to a specific lower sound level value specified by a remote or local user command.

6. The information handling system of claim 1, where the one or more processing devices are configured to reduce the current sound level produced by the noise source to a new lower sound level for a selected interval of time before allowing the sound level produced by the noise source to increase to a previous higher sound level.

7. The information handling system of claim 1, where the non-audio sound characteristic information comprises information other than audible aural sound waves.

8. The information handling system of claim 1, where the non-audio sound characteristic information comprises at least one of current measured sound level, historical peak sound level during a given time period, sound level as a function of time of day, duration of sound level events or given sound levels, frequency of sound, or a combination thereof.

9. An information handling system, comprising:

a chassis;

one or more processing devices disposed within the chassis and configured to process information;

at least one internal or external microphone positioned to capture sound produced inside or outside the chassis; and

one or more processing devices disposed within the chassis and configured to detect occurrence of a specific type of internal or external sound-producing event from sound signals provided by an internal or external microphone, and at least one of the following;

where the one or more processing devices are configured to take one or more actions upon detection of the occurrence of the specific type of internal or external sound event, the one or more actions comprising;

live streaming of sound captured by the microphone across a network to a remote user;

storing in local storage coupled to the audio controller a recorded sound bite of the detected particular type of sound-producing event with a time stamp for later local or remote retrieval, transmittal of an outgoing event alert message across a network to a remote user, attachment of a recorded sound bite of the detected particular type of sound-producing event with an outgoing event alert across a network to a remote user, storing for later retrieval a recorded sound bite of the detected particular type of sound-producing event in a circular buffer that stores a window of recorded time around the time of the occurrence of the sound-producing event, or a combination thereof, or

where the type of sound-producing event is configurable by a user based on a sound level threshold, a detected noise type, or a combination thereof, or

a combination thereof.

10. The information handling system of claim 9, where the one or more processing devices disposed within the chassis are configured to detect occurrence of a particular type of external sound-producing event from sound signals provided by an external microphone, and to take one or more actions upon detection of the occurrence of the particular type of external sound event, the one or more actions comprising live streaming of sound captured by the external microphone across a network to a remote user;

storing in local storage coupled to the audio controller a recorded sound bite of the detected particular type of external sound-producing event with a time stamp for later local or remote retrieval, transmittal of an outgoing event alert message across a network to a remote user, attachment of a recorded sound bite of the detected particular type of external sound-producing event with an outgoing event alert across a network to a remote user, or a combination thereof.

11. The information handling system of claim 9, where the one or more processing devices disposed within the chassis are configured to detect occurrence of a particular type of external sound-producing event from sound signals provided by an external microphone, and further comprising a circular buffer coupled to the audio controller;

and where the one or more processing devices are configured to store for later retrieval a recorded sound bite of the detected particular type of external sound-producing event in a circular buffer that stores a window of recorded time around the time of the occurrence of the external sound-producing event.

12. The information handling system of claim 9, where the one or more processing devices disposed within the chassis are configured to detect occurrence of a particular type of external sound-producing event from sound signals provided by an external microphone, and where the type of external sound-producing event is configurable by a user based on a sound level threshold, a detected noise type, or a combination thereof.

13. An information handling system, comprising:

a chassis;

one or more processing devices disposed within the chassis and configured to process information; and

at least one internal or external microphone positioned to capture sound produced inside or outside the chassis;

where the one or more processing devices disposed within the chassis are configured to detect occurrence of a physical chassis event, and to capture sounds produced inside or outside the chassis during the physical chassis event upon detection of the occurrence of the physical chassis event for later remote retrieval across a network by a remote user.

14. An information handling system, comprising:

a chassis;

at least one microphone positioned to monitor sounds outside the chassis;

local data storage;

one or more processing devices disposed within the chassis and configured to process information; and

one or more processing devices disposed within the chassis and configured to receive sound signals from the microphone and to store the sound signals as sound data on the local data storage, the one or more processing devices being further configured to store in local storage coupled to the audio controller a recorded sound bite from the microphone in response to a local user command, the recorded sound bite comprising a voice message from the user for later remote retrieval across a network by a remote user.

15. A method of operating an information handling system, comprising:

processing information using one or more processing devices disposed within a chassis of an information handling system;

capturing sound produced by at least one noise source disposed within the chassis of the information handling system;

using one or more processing devices disposed within the information handling system to determine and provide non-audio sound characteristic information of the noise source based on the captured sound produced by the noise source;

implementing a sound control policy to vary the sound level produced by the noise source based at least in part on the level of the captured sound; and

reducing the sound level produced by the noise source by controlling operational performance of the noise source.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising providing the non-audio sound characteristic information from the information handling system to a remote user over a network.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising providing the non-audio sound characteristic information from inside the information handling system chassis for display on an external local display device.

18. The method of claim 15, where the noise source is a cooling fan;

and where the method further comprises implementing the sound control policy in combination with a thermal control policy that reduces information processing operational performance in response to increased temperature due to reduced operational performance of the cooling fan.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising reducing the current sound level produced by the noise source to a minimized sound level or to a specific lower sound level value specified by a remote or local user command.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising reducing the current sound level produced by the noise source to a new lower sound level for a selected interval of time before allowing the sound level produced by the noise source to increase to a previous higher sound level.

21. The method of claim 15, where the non-audio sound characteristic information comprises information other than audible aural sound waves.

22. The method of claim 15, where the non-audio sound characteristic information comprises at least one of current measured sound level, historical peak sound level during a given time period, sound level as a function of time of day, duration of sound level events or given sound levels, frequency of sound, or a combination thereof.

23. A method of operating an information handling system, comprising:

processing information using one or more processing devices disposed within a chassis of an information handling system;

capturing sound produced inside or outside the chassis of the information handling system; and

using one or more processing devices disposed within the information handling system to detect occurrence of a particular type of an internal or external sound-producing event from a captured sound produced inside or outside the chassis of the information handling system, and at least one of the following;

using one or more processing devices disposed within the information handling system to take one or more actions upon detection of the occurrence of the particular type of internal or external sound event, er the one or more actions comprising;

live streaming of the captured sound across a network from the information handling system to a remote user;

locally storing a recorded sound bite of the detected particular type of sound-producing event with a time stamp for later local or remote retrieval, transmittal of an outgoing event alert message across a network from the information handling system to a remote user, attachment of a recorded sound bite of the detected particular type of sound-producing event with an outgoing event alert across a network from the information handling system to a remote user, storing for later retrieval a recorded sound bite of the detected particular type of sound-producing event in a circular buffer that stores a window of recorded time around the time of the occurrence of the detected particular type of sound event, or a combination thereof;

accepting input from a local or remote user to configure the type of particular type of sound-producing event based on a sound level threshold, a detected noise type, or a combination thereof;

or

a combination thereof.

24. The method of claim 23, comprising using one or more processing devices disposed within the information handling system to detect occurrence of a particular type of external sound-producing event from a captured sound produced outside the chassis of the information handling system, and to take one or more actions upon detection of the occurrence of the particular type of external sound event, the one or more actions comprising live streaming of the captured sound across a network from the information handling system to a remote user;

locally storing a recorded sound bite of the detected particular type of external sound-producing event with a time stamp for later local or remote retrieval, transmittal of an outgoing event alert message across a network from the information handling system to a remote user, attachment of a recorded sound bite of the detected particular type of external sound-producing event with an outgoing event alert across a network from the information handling system to a remote user, or a combination thereof.

25. The method of claim 23, further comprising using one or more processing devices disposed within the information handling system to detect occurrence of a particular type of external sound-producing event, and storing for later retrieval a recorded sound bite of the detected particular type of external sound-producing event in a circular buffer that stores a window of recorded time around the time of the occurrence of the detected particular type of external sound event.

26. The method of claim 23, comprising using one or more processing devices disposed within the information handling system to detect occurrence of a particular type of external sound-producing event from a captured sound produced outside the chassis of the information handling system, and to take one or more actions upon detection of the occurrence of the particular type of external sound event;

and accepting input from a local or remote user to configure the type of particular type of external sound-producing event based on a sound level threshold, a detected noise type, or a combination thereof.

27. A method of operating an information handling system, comprising:

processing information using one or more processing devices disposed within a chassis of an information handling system;

capturing sound produced inside or outside the chassis of the information handling system; and

using one or more processing devices disposed within the information handling system to detect occurrence of a physical chassis event, and to capture sounds produced inside or outside the chassis during the physical chassis event upon detection of the occurrence of the physical chassis event for later remote retrieval across a network by a remote user.

28. A method of operating an information handling system, comprising:

processing information using one or more processing devices disposed within a chassis of an information handling system;

capturing sound produced outside the chassis of the information handling system; and

using one or more processing devices disposed within the information handling system to store in local storage coupled to the audio controller a recorded sound bite produced outside the chassis of the information handling system in response to a local user command, the recorded sound bite comprising a voice message from the user for later remote retrieval across a network by a remote user.