US5249741A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Automatic fan speed control
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
•
Filing: 1992-05-04
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Granted: 1993-10-05
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Expires: 2012-05-04
Abstract
Abstract A method of cooling a computer having a plurality of components and at least one variable rate cooling unit including the steps of obtaining a cooling requirement for at least one of the components and varying the rate of at least one of the cooling units based on the obtained cooling requirements. In addition an apparatus for cooling a computer having a plurality of components, the apparatus including at least one variable rate cooling unit, an apparatus for obtaining a cooling requirement for at least one of the components, and an apparatus for varying the rate of at least one of the cooling units based on the obtained cooling requirements.
Inventors
- 👤 William R. Bistline
- 👤 William C. Johnson
- 👤 James M. Peterson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 06:44
CPC Classifications
H; H05; H05K; H05K7/00; H05K7/20; H05K7/20009; H05K7/20209; G; G05; G05D; G05D23/00; G05D23/19; G05D23/1906; G06; G06F; G06F1/00; G06F1/16; G06F1/20; G06F1/206; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S236/00; Y10S236/09
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 33
Claim 1
Independent Claim
57 words
A method of cooling a computer having a plurality of components and at least one variable rate a fan cooling unit comprising the steps of: a) obtaining a predetermined cooling requirement for at least one of said components; and b) varying the rate of at least one of said cooling units based on the obtained cooling requirements.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
57 words
A method of cooling a computer having a plurality of components and at least one variable rate a fan cooling unit comprising the steps of: a) obtaining a predetermined cooling requirement for at least one of said components; and b) varying the rate of at least one of said cooling units based on the obtained cooling requirements.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the step of obtaining includes the steps of: a) querying said components for component identifiers; and b) using said identifiers to obtain cooling requirements for said components.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
53 words
The method of claim 2 wherein said step of varying includes the steps of: a) determining for at least one of said cooling units the cooling requirements for components cooled by said cooling unit; and b) setting the rate of at least one of said cooling units based on the determined cooling requirements.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 3 wherein said step of determining includes accumulating for each cooling unit the cooling requirements for components cooled by said cooling unit.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 3 wherein said step of determining includes determining for each cooling unit the weighted average of the cooling requirements for components cooled by said cooling unit.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
58 words
An apparatus for cooling a computer having a plurality of components, said apparatus comprising: a) at least one variable rate cooling unit; b) means for obtaining a predetermined cooling requirement for at least one of said components; and c) means for varying the rate of at least one of said cooling units based on the obtained cooling requirements.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
58 words
An apparatus for cooling a computer having a plurality of components, said apparatus comprising: a) at least one variable rate cooling unit; b) means for obtaining a predetermined cooling requirement for at least one of said components; and c) means for varying the rate of at least one of said cooling units based on the obtained cooling requirements.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
32 words
The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the means for obtaining includes: a) means for querying said components for component identifiers; and b) using said identifiers to obtain cooling requirements for said components.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
54 words
The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said means for varying includes: a) means for determining for at least one of said cooling units the cooling requirements for components cooled by said cooling unit; and b) means for setting the rate of at least one of said cooling units based on the determined cooling requirements.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said means for determining includes means for accumulating for each cooling unit the cooling requirements for components cooled by said cooling unit.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
32 words
The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said means for determining includes means for determining for each cooling unit the weighted average of the cooling requirements for components cooled by said cooling unit.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
74 words
A computer system comprising: a) a plurality of components including a main processor and a memory; and b) a cooling system for cooling said plurality of components, said cooling system including: i) at least one variable rate cooling unit; ii) means for obtaining predetermined cooling requirements for at least one of said components; and iii) means for varying the rate of at least one of said cooling units based on the obtained cooling requirements.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
74 words
A computer system comprising: a) a plurality of components including a main processor and a memory; and b) a cooling system for cooling said plurality of components, said cooling system including: i) at least one variable rate cooling unit; ii) means for obtaining predetermined cooling requirements for at least one of said components; and iii) means for varying the rate of at least one of said cooling units based on the obtained cooling requirements.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
98 words
A computer system comprising: a) a plurality of components including a main processor and a memory; and b) a cooling system for cooling said plurality of components, said cooling system including: i) at least one variable rate cooling unit; ii) means for obtaining predetermined cooling requirements for at least one of said components, said means for obtaining including: means for querying said components for component identifiers; and using said identifiers to obtain cooling requirements for said components; and iii) means for varying the rate of at least one of said cooling units based on the obtained cooling requirements.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
98 words
A computer system comprising: a) a plurality of components including a main processor and a memory; and b) a cooling system for cooling said plurality of components, said cooling system including: i) at least one variable rate cooling unit; ii) means for obtaining predetermined cooling requirements for at least one of said components, said means for obtaining including: means for querying said components for component identifiers; and using said identifiers to obtain cooling requirements for said components; and iii) means for varying the rate of at least one of said cooling units based on the obtained cooling requirements.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
55 words
The computer system of claim 12 wherein said means for varying includes: a) means for determining for at least one of said cooling units the cooling requirements for components cooled by said cooling unit: and b) means for setting the rate of at least one of said cooling units based on the determined cooling requirements.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
29 words
The computer system of claim 13 wherein said means for determining includes means for accumulating for each cooling unit the cooling requirements for components cooled by said cooling unit.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
33 words
The computer system of claim 13 wherein said means for determining includes means for determining for each cooling unit the weighted average of the cooling requirements for components cooled by said cooling unit.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
33 words
The computer system of claim 11 wherein the means for obtaining includes: a) means for querying said components for component identifiers; and b) using said identifiers to obtain cooling requirements for said components.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
55 words
The computer system of claim 16 wherein said means for varying includes: a) means for determining for at least one of said cooling units the cooling requirements for components cooled by said cooling unit; and b) means for setting the rate of at least one of said cooling units based on the determined cooling requirements.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
29 words
The computer system of claim 17 wherein said means for determining includes means for accumulating for each cooling unit the cooling requirements for components cooled by said cooling unit.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
33 words
The computer system of claim 17 wherein said means for determining includes means for determining for each cooling unit the weighted average of the cooling requirements for components cooled by said cooling unit.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
77 words
A method of cooling a computer having a plurality of components and at least one variable rate cooling unit comprising the steps of: a) obtaining a cooling requirement for at least one of said components including the steps of: i) querying said components for component identifiers; and ii) using said identifiers to obtain cooling requirements for said components; and b) varying the rate of at least one of said cooling units based on the obtained cooling requirements.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
77 words
A method of cooling a computer having a plurality of components and at least one variable rate cooling unit comprising the steps of: a) obtaining a cooling requirement for at least one of said components including the steps of: i) querying said components for component identifiers; and ii) using said identifiers to obtain cooling requirements for said components; and b) varying the rate of at least one of said cooling units based on the obtained cooling requirements.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
53 words
The method of claim 20 wherein said step of varying includes the steps of: a) determining for at least one of said cooling units the cooling requirements for components cooled by said cooling unit; and b) setting the rate of at least one of said cooling units based on the determined cooling requirements.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 12 wherein said step of determining includes accumulating for each cooling unit the cooling requirements for components cooled by said cooling unit.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 21 wherein said step of determining includes determining for each cooling unit the weighted average of the cooling requirements for components cooled by said cooling unit.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
83 words
An apparatus for cooling a computer having a plurality of components, said apparatus comprising: a) at least one variable rate cooling unit; b) means for obtaining a cooling requirement for at least one of said components, said means for obtaining including: i) means for querying said components for component identifiers; and ii) using said identifiers to obtain cooling requirements for said components; and c) means for varying the rate of at least one of said cooling units based on the obtained cooling requirements.
Claim 30
Independent Claim
83 words
An apparatus for cooling a computer having a plurality of components, said apparatus comprising: a) at least one variable rate cooling unit; b) means for obtaining a cooling requirement for at least one of said components, said means for obtaining including: i) means for querying said components for component identifiers; and ii) using said identifiers to obtain cooling requirements for said components; and c) means for varying the rate of at least one of said cooling units based on the obtained cooling requirements.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
54 words
The apparatus of claim 24 wherein said means for varying includes: a) means for determining for at least one of said cooling units the cooling requirements for components cooled by said cooling unit; and b) means for setting the rate of at least one of said cooling units based on the determined cooling requirements.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus of claim 25 wherein said means for determining includes means for accumulating for each cooling unit the cooling requirements for components cooled by said cooling unit.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
32 words
The apparatus of claim 25 wherein said means for determining includes means for determining for each cooling unit the weighted average of the cooling requirements for components cooled by said cooling unit.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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US4722669A
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1996-10-04 | 1997-04-05 | 1997-10-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2000-10-04 | 2001-04-05 | 2001-10-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2004-10-04 | 2005-04-05 | 2005-10-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |