Patent · US Expired

Fan control module for a system unit

US6268664A · kind A · utility

74Cited by
14References
25Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 8, 1999
Grant dateJul 31, 2001
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 8, 2019

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH05K7/207
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A fan control module is provided for a system unit. The fan control module includes power outputs for supplying power to a plurality of fan. It also includes a temperature sensor for giving a temperature signal. It further includes a control unit connected to receive the temperature signal and including preprogrammed control information for determining power signals to be supplied to each of the fan units for controlling the speed thereof. The fan control module can control the fan units in a coordinated manner enabling reliable and effective cooling of the system unit under widely varying parameters. It can mean that existing system components can be employed in harsher temperature environments that they were originally designed for, without needed a complete redesign thereof. The fan control module can be provided with electrical noise isolation circuitry to isolate other components from electrical noise generated by the fan units. The system unit can, for example, be a computer system unit for rack mounting in a telecommunications application.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.