US6414843B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Cooling system for a computer apparatus
Assignee: NEC Corp
•
Filing: 2000-06-20
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Granted: 2002-07-02
•
Expires: 2020-06-20
Abstract
Abstract To reduce signal wires of a cooling system of a computer, thereby providing a small cooling system. The cooling system for a computer of the present invention comprises a temperature sensor for measuring the temperature inside a computer; an SM bus controller for setting up prescribed temperatures and register values corresponding those temperatures, for reading out through an SM bus, and for notifying through another SM bus a fan rotation speed control IC of the register value corresponding the measured inside temperature; and the fan rotation speed control IC for supplying a cooling fan with a reference voltage defined by a reference voltage signal corresponding to a register value notified by the SM bus controller through the SM bus. Here, the fan rotation speed control IC sets up register values and reference voltage signal corresponding to the register values.
Inventors
- 👤 Yuuichi Takeda
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 02:27
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F1/00; G06F1/16; G06F1/20; G06F1/206
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
100 words
A cooling system for a computer including a plurality of components, wherein a rotation speed of a cooling fan inside the computer is controlled, which comprises: a system management (SM) bus connected with said components; a separate SM bus controller for controlling said components through said SM bus; a cooling fan rotation speed control integrated circuit (IC) 10 with an interface for said SM bus, and a temperature sensor with another interface for said SM bus, wherein said separate SM bus controller, said fan rotation speed control IC, and said temperature sensor control said rotation speed of said cooling fan.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
100 words
A cooling system for a computer including a plurality of components, wherein a rotation speed of a cooling fan inside the computer is controlled, which comprises: a system management (SM) bus connected with said components; a separate SM bus controller for controlling said components through said SM bus; a cooling fan rotation speed control integrated circuit (IC) 10 with an interface for said SM bus, and a temperature sensor with another interface for said SM bus, wherein said separate SM bus controller, said fan rotation speed control IC, and said temperature sensor control said rotation speed of said cooling fan.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
139 words
A cooling system for a computer with a cooling fan, which comprises: a temperature sensor for measuring a temperature inside said computer; a separate system management (SM) bus controller for setting up prescribed temperatures and register values corresponding to those temperatures, for reading out said inside temperature through an SM bits connected with said temperature sensor, and for notifying said cooling fan rotation speed control IC of a register value corresponding to said temperature inside said computer, through another SM bus; and a cooling fan rotation speed control integrated circuit (IC) for supplying said cooling fan with a control voltage defined by a reference voltage signal corresponding to said register value notified by said separate SM bus controller, wherein said cooling fan rotation speed control IC sets up register values and reference voltage signals corresponding to said register values.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
139 words
A cooling system for a computer with a cooling fan, which comprises: a temperature sensor for measuring a temperature inside said computer; a separate system management (SM) bus controller for setting up prescribed temperatures and register values corresponding to those temperatures, for reading out said inside temperature through an SM bits connected with said temperature sensor, and for notifying said cooling fan rotation speed control IC of a register value corresponding to said temperature inside said computer, through another SM bus; and a cooling fan rotation speed control integrated circuit (IC) for supplying said cooling fan with a control voltage defined by a reference voltage signal corresponding to said register value notified by said separate SM bus controller, wherein said cooling fan rotation speed control IC sets up register values and reference voltage signals corresponding to said register values.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
182 words
The cooling system according to claim 2 , wherein said fan rotation speed control IC comprises: a fan rotation set-up register for setting up register values and digital reference voltage signals corresponding to said register values, and for outputting a digital reference voltage signal corresponding to said register value which is notified by said SM bus controller; a D/A converter for converting said digital reference voltage signal into an analogue reference voltage signal; and a voltage source circuit comprising an operational amplifier and a transistor for inputting said analogue reference voltage signal, for generating a fan control voltage corresponding to said analogue reference voltage signal, and for supplying said cooling fan with said fan control voltage, wherein: a collector of said transistor is connected with a line from a voltage source; an emitter of said transistor for outputting said fan control voltage is connected with the minus input terminal of said operational amplifier; a base of said transistor is connected with an output terminal of said operational amplifier; a plus input terminal of said operational amplifier is connected with said D/A converter.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
The cooling system according to claim 2 , wherein said fan rotation speed control IC is placed inside said cooling fan.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
96 words
A cooling system for a computer including a plurality of components, wherein a cooling fan inside the computer is switched on and off, which comprises: a system management (SM) bus connected with said components; an separate SM bus controller for controlling said components through said SM bus; a cooling fan on/off control integrated circuit (IC) with an 10 interface for said SM bus; and a temperature sensor with another interface for said SM bus, wherein said separate SM bus controller, said fan on/off control IC, and said temperature sensor switch on and off said cooling fan.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
96 words
A cooling system for a computer including a plurality of components, wherein a cooling fan inside the computer is switched on and off, which comprises: a system management (SM) bus connected with said components; an separate SM bus controller for controlling said components through said SM bus; a cooling fan on/off control integrated circuit (IC) with an 10 interface for said SM bus; and a temperature sensor with another interface for said SM bus, wherein said separate SM bus controller, said fan on/off control IC, and said temperature sensor switch on and off said cooling fan.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
135 words
A cooling system for a computer with a cooling fan, which comprises: a temperature sensor for measuring a temperature inside said computer and a separate system management (SM) bus controller for setting up prescribed temperatures and register values corresponding to those temperatures, for reading out said inside temperature through an SM bus connected with said temperature sensor, and for notifying said cooling fan on/off control IC of a register value corresponding to said temperature inside said computer through another SM Bus; wherein said cooling fan on/off control IC supplies said cooling fan with a control voltage defined by a reference voltage signal corresponding to said register value notified by said separate SM bus controller, and wherein said cooling fan on/off control IC sets up register values and reference voltage signals corresponding to said register values.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
135 words
A cooling system for a computer with a cooling fan, which comprises: a temperature sensor for measuring a temperature inside said computer and a separate system management (SM) bus controller for setting up prescribed temperatures and register values corresponding to those temperatures, for reading out said inside temperature through an SM bus connected with said temperature sensor, and for notifying said cooling fan on/off control IC of a register value corresponding to said temperature inside said computer through another SM Bus; wherein said cooling fan on/off control IC supplies said cooling fan with a control voltage defined by a reference voltage signal corresponding to said register value notified by said separate SM bus controller, and wherein said cooling fan on/off control IC sets up register values and reference voltage signals corresponding to said register values.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
181 words
The cooling system according to claim 6 , wherein said fan on/off control IC comprises: a fan on/off set-up register for setting up register values and digital reference voltage signals corresponding to said register values, and for outputting a digital reference voltage signal corresponding to said register value which is notified by said SM bus controller; a D/A converter for converting said digital reference voltage signal into an analogue reference voltage signal; and a voltage source circuit comprising an operational amplifier and a transistor for inputting said analogue reference voltage signal, for generating a fan control voltage corresponding to said analogue reference voltage signal, and for supplying said cooling fan with said fan control voltage, wherein: a collector of said transistor is connected with a line from a voltage source; an emitter of said transistor for outputting said fan control voltage is connected with the minus input terminal of said operational amplifier; a base of said transistor is connected with an output terminal of said operational amplifier; a plus input terminal of said operational amplifier is connected with said D/A converter.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
20 words
The cooling system according to claim 6 , wherein fan rotation speed control IC is placed inside said cooling fan.
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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) | 2005-07-01 | 2005-12-31 | 2006-07-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2009-07-01 | 2009-12-31 | 2010-07-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2013-07-01 | 2013-12-31 | 2014-07-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |