Smart computer case

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10514732-B2
Application number	US-201815990768-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 28, 2018
Priority date	May 29, 2017
Publication date	Dec 24, 2019
Grant date	Dec 24, 2019

Abstract

According to certain embodiments, a micro controller unit of a smart computer case provides, based on the identification of the smart computer case: 1) lighting control of a plurality of individually addressable LEDs associated with computer case fans, logo panels and integrated lighting features, 2) fan speed control and monitoring, and 3) monitoring of temperature sensors. According to certain embodiments, each LED need not be RGB but instead can be single color LEDs.

First claim

I claim:

1. A smart computer case comprising:
one or more integrated logo panels;
one or more integrated lighting feature panels;
a plurality fan mounts for mounting a plurality of computer case fans; and
a micro controller unit;
wherein,
the micro controller unit comprises:
at least a first LED port for controlling, based on an identification data of the smart computer case, lighting of a first plurality of individually addressable LEDs associated with integrated lighting features of the smart computer case and any pre-installed LED computer components in the smart computer case.

2. The smart computer case of claim 1 , wherein the micro controller unit further comprises at least a second LED port for controlling, based on the identification data of the smart computer case, lighting of a second plurality of individually addressable LEDs associated with a plurality of LED computer components that installed in the smart computer case by a user.

3. The smart computer case of claim 2 , wherein the first and second plurality of individually addressable LEDs are any one of RGB LEDs or single color LEDs.

4. The smart computer case of claim 1 , wherein the micro controller unit further comprises an analog to digital converter for converting analog temperature data, received from one or more temperature sensors installed in the smart computer case, to digital data.

5. The smart computer case of claim 1 , wherein the micro controller unit further comprises an internal memory for storing information associated with a plurality of PWM signal generators and a plurality tachometer counters.

6. The smart computer case of claim 1 , wherein the micro controller unit further comprises a plurality of PWM signal generators for generating PWM signals for controlling fan speed of the plurality of computer case fans.

7. The smart computer case of claim 1 , wherein the micro controller unit further comprises a plurality PWM pin connectors.

8. The smart computer case of claim 1 , wherein the micro controller unit further comprises a plurality tachometer counters for receiving fan speed data from the plurality of computer case fans.

9. The smart computer case of claim 1 , wherein the micro controller unit further comprises a plurality tachometer counter pin connectors.

10. The smart computer case of claim 1 , wherein the micro controller unit further comprises a bi-directional connector to a host computer housed by the smart computer case.

11. The smart computer case of claim 1 , wherein the micro controller unit further comprises a plurality of temperature sensor pin connectors.

12. The smart computer case of claim 1 , wherein the ID of the smart computer case is flashed onto the micro controller unit when the micro controller unit is factory-installed in the smart computer case during manufacture of the smart computer case.

13. The smart computer case of claim 1 , further comprises a factory-installed chip that stores the ID of the smart computer case during manufacture of the smart computer case.

14. The smart computer case of claim 1 , wherein the micro controller unit communicates with a host computer USB bus through any one of: a USB interface, Wifi, Bluetooth, or wireless USB.

Assignees

• Corsair Memory Inc

Inventors

• Kinstle Iii Robert Michael

Classifications

• H05B45/20

  Controlling the colour of the light · CPC title

• G06F2200/201

  Cooling arrangements using cooling fluid · CPC title

• G06F1/20

  Cooling means · CPC title

• G06F11/3058

  Monitoring arrangements for monitoring environmental properties or parameters of the computing system or of the computing system component, e.g. monitoring of power, currents, temperature, humidity, position, vibrations (thermal management in cooling arrangements of a computing system G06F1/206) · CPC title

• F21V33/00

  Structural combinations of lighting devices with other articles, not otherwise provided for · CPC title