Patent · US Active

Apparatus and method for fan auto-detection

US7791301B2 · kind B2 · utility

3Cited by
2References
25Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJan 2, 2008
Grant dateSep 7, 2010
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 17, 2028

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S388/934
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

An apparatus for detecting a type of fan and controlling the fan, the fan providing during operation a tachometer signal indicating a speed of the fan, the apparatus includes: a direct current (DC) generator for coupling to the fan and configured to provide a first voltage to the fan; a resistor for providing, while the DC generator provides the first voltage, a sensed voltage relating to the type of the fan, wherein the resistor is connected to a reference voltage and for coupling to a pulse-width modulation (PWM) control terminal of the fan; an input judgment component coupled to the resistor to receive the sensed voltage, the input judgment component being configured to determine whether the fan is a 4-wire PWM fan with an internal pull-up resistor based on the sensed voltage and to provide a judgment signal indicating the determination; a PWM generator coupled to the input judgment component to receive the judgment signal, the PWM generator being configured to provide to the fan a PWM control signal to control the fan if the judgment signal indicates that the fan is the 4-wire PWM fan with an internal pull-up resistor; and a tachometer coupled to the DC generator and the PWM ge…

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