Method and system for thermal excursion monitor and control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12010817-B2
Application number	US-202217578148-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 18, 2022
Priority date	Jan 18, 2022
Publication date	Jun 11, 2024
Grant date	Jun 11, 2024

Abstract

A computing device includes a thermal excursion detection unit and a power supply unit. The thermal excursion detection unit is configured to monitor a temperature of an internal volume of the computing device and to control the operation of the power supply unit. The power supply unit is configured to provide power to hardware components in the computing device and the power supply unit only provides power to the hardware components when the thermal excursion detection unit permits.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computing device, comprising:
a thermal excursion detection unit, wherein the thermal excursion detection unit is configured to monitor a temperature of an internal volume of the computing device and to control the operation of a power supply unit;
the power supply unit is configured to provide power to hardware components in the computing device, wherein the power supply unit only provides power to the hardware components when the thermal excursion detection unit permits; and
a baseboard management controller, wherein the thermal excursion detection unit executes on the baseboard management controller, wherein the power supply unit comprises the thermal excursion detection unit, wherein the power supply unit provides power to the baseboard management controller, wherein the hardware components do not comprise the baseboard management controller.

2. The computing device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a temperature sensor operatively connected to the thermal excursion detection unit, wherein the thermal excursion detection unit monitors the temperature of the internal volume of the computing device using the temperature sensor.

3. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the power supply unit provides power to the thermal excursion detection unit and a temperature sensor, wherein the hardware components do not comprise the thermal excursion detection unit and the temperature sensor.

4. The computing device of claim 2 , further comprising:
a battery, wherein the battery provides power to the thermal excursion detection unit and the temperature sensor, wherein the power supply unit does not provide power to the thermal excursion detection unit and the temperature sensor.

5. The computing device of claim 2 , further comprising:
a supercapacitor, wherein the supercapacitor provides power to the thermal excursion detection unit and the temperature sensor, wherein the power supply unit does not provide power to the thermal excursion detection unit and the temperature sensor.

6. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the thermal excursion detection unit is further configured to generate alerts to indicate that the temperature of the internal volume of the computing device is outside a designed operating range.

7. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the thermal excursion detection unit instructs the power supply unit to provide power to the hardware components when the internal volume of the computing device is within a designed operating range.

8. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the thermal excursion unit instructs the power supply unit to not provide power to the hardware components when the internal volume of the computing device is outside a designed operating range.

9. The computing device of claim 8 , further comprising:
a heating and cooling control component,
wherein the thermal excursion unit instructs the power supply unit to provide power to the heating and cooling component when the internal volume of the computing device is outside the designed operating range.

10. A method for thermal excursion monitor and control of an internal volume of a computing device, comprising:
detecting a current temperature of an internal volume of a computing device via a temperature sensor that is operatively connected to a hardware component of the computing device;
making a determination, using the detected current temperature, that the current temperature of the internal volume of the computing device is below a threshold; and
in response to the determination:
preventing a power supply unit to provide power to hardware components in the computing device and stopping operation of the computing device, wherein the power supply unit comprises a thermal excursion detection unit,
wherein, in order to prevent a damage to each of the hardware components, the thermal excursion detection unit instructs the power supply unit not to provide power to the hardware components comprising at least the thermal excursion detection unit and the temperature sensor, and
wherein, when the power supply unit does not provide power to the thermal excursion detection unit and the temperature sensor, a battery of the computing device provides power to the thermal excursion detection unit and the temperature sensor.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
based on the determination:
generating alerts; and
bringing a temperature of the internal volume of the computing device to a designed operating range.

12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
detecting the current temperature of the internal volume of the computing device;
making a second determination, using the detected current temperature, that the current temperature of the internal volume of the computing device is above a threshold;
in response to the second determination:
preventing the power supply unit to provide power to the hardware components in the computing device and stopping operation of the computing device, wherein the power supply unit comprises the thermal excursion detection unit.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
based on the determination:
generating alerts; and
bringing a temperature of the internal volume of the computing device to a designed operating range.

14. An information handling system, comprising:
a cabinet housing a plurality of computing devices;
the plurality of computing devices, wherein each of the computing devices comprises:
a thermal excursion detection unit, wherein the thermal excursion detection unit is configured to monitor a temperature of an internal volume of the computing device and to control the operation of a power supply unit;
a temperature sensor operatively connected to the thermal excursion detection unit, wherein the thermal excursion detection unit monitors the temperature of the internal volume of the computing device using the temperature sensor;
a battery, wherein the battery provides power to the thermal excursion detection unit and the temperature sensor, wherein the power supply unit does not provide power to the thermal excursion detection unit and the temperature sensor; and
the power supply unit is configured to provide power to hardware components in the computing device, wherein the power supply unit only provides power to the hardware components when the thermal excursion detection unit permits.

15. The information handling system of claim 14 , wherein the power supply unit comprises the thermal excursion detection unit.

16. The information handling system of claim 15 , wherein the power supply unit provides power to the thermal excursion detection unit and a temperature sensor, wherein the hardware components do not comprise the thermal excursion detection unit and the temperature sensor.

Assignees

• Dell Products Lp

Inventors

• Tunks Eric Michael
• Nikazm Ayedin
• Gerhart Donald Wayne
• Stumpf Michael Joseph

Classifications

• H05K7/1492

  having electrical distribution arrangements, e.g. power supply or data communications · CPC title

• G06F1/3287

  by switching off individual functional units in the computer system · CPC title

• G06F1/3206

  Monitoring of events, devices or parameters that trigger a change in power modality · CPC title

• H05K7/20836

  Thermal management, e.g. server temperature control · CPC title

• G06F1/20

  Cooling means · CPC title