Liquid assisted air cooling module interface in an information handling system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12197202-B2
Application number	US-202217737797-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 5, 2022
Priority date	Mar 21, 2022
Publication date	Jan 14, 2025
Grant date	Jan 14, 2025

Abstract

An information handling system includes a motherboard including a connector interface, and a liquid assisted air cooling (LAAC) module. The LAAC module includes a coolant pump to circulate coolant to one or more components in the information handling system, a leak sensor to detect whether the coolant is leaking, and a processor. The processor detects whether the coolant pump is operating properly. In response to the coolant pump not operating properly, the processor provides a first tachometer signal on a particular pin of the connector interface of the motherboard. The processor further monitors a voltage level received from the leak sensor. A first voltage level indicates a leak being detected, and a second voltage level indicates no leak being detected. In response to the voltage level being the first voltage level, the processor provides a second tachometer signal on the particular pin of the connector interface of the motherboard.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An information handling system comprising:
a motherboard including a connector interface; and
a liquid assisted air cooling (LAAC) module to communicate with the connector interface of the motherboard, the LAAC module including:
a coolant pump to circulate coolant to one or more components in the information handling system;
a leak sensor to detect whether the coolant is leaking within the LAAC module; and
a processor to communicate with the coolant pump and the leak sensor, the processor to:
detect whether the coolant pump is operating properly;
in response to the coolant pump not operating properly, provide a first tachometer signal on a particular pin of the connector interface of the motherboard;
monitor a voltage level received from the leak sensor, wherein a first voltage level indicates a leak being detected, and a second voltage level indicates no leak being detected; and
in response to the voltage level being the first voltage level, provide a second tachometer signal on the particular pin of the connector interface of the motherboard, wherein the second tachometer signal is a pulse width modulated signal, and a speed of the second tachometer signal is greater than a maximum speed for the pulse width modulated signal.

2. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein in response to reception of the second tachometer signal, the motherboard to shut down the coolant pump.

3. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein in response to reception of the second tachometer signal, the motherboard to log a leakage failure.

4. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the detection of a leak is a higher priority than the coolant pump not operating properly.

5. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein in response to the coolant pump operating properly and no leak being detected, the processor to provide a third tachometer signal on the particular pin of the connector interface.

6. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the first tachometer signal is a static signal.

7. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein second tachometer signal is a high frequency signal.

8. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the leak sensor is a leak detector rope.

9. A method comprising:
detecting, by a processor of a liquid assisted air cooling (LAAC) module in an information handling system, whether a coolant pump of the information handling system is operating properly;
in response to the coolant pump not operating properly, providing a first tachometer signal on a particular pin of a connector interface of a motherboard in the information handling system;
monitoring, by the processor, a voltage level received from a leak sensor, wherein a first voltage level indicates a leak being detected, and a second voltage level indicates no leak being detected; and
in response to the voltage level being the first voltage level, providing a second tachometer signal on the particular pin of the connector interface of the motherboard, wherein the second tachometer signal is a pulse width modulated signal, and a speed of the second tachometer signal is greater than a maximum speed for the pulse width modulated signal.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein in response to reception of the second tachometer signal, the method further comprises:
shutting down, by the motherboard, the coolant pump.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein in response to reception of the second tachometer signal, the method further comprises:
logging, by the motherboard, a leakage failure in the LAAC module.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the detection of a leak is a higher priority than the coolant pump not operating properly.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein in response to the coolant pump operating properly and no leak being detected, the method further comprises:
providing, by the processor, a third tachometer signal on the particular pin of the connector interface.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first tachometer signal is a static signal.

15. The method of claim 9 , wherein second tachometer signal is a high frequency signal.

16. An information handling system comprising:
a motherboard including a connector interface; and
a liquid assisted air cooling (LAAC) module to communicate with the connector interface of the motherboard, the LAAC module including:
a coolant pump to circulate coolant to one or more components in the information handling system;
a leak sensor to detect whether the coolant is leaking within the LAAC module; and
a processor to communicate with the coolant pump and the leak sensor, the processor to:
if the coolant pump is not operating properly, then provide a first tachometer signal on a particular pin of the connector interface of the motherboard;
monitor a voltage level received from the leak sensor, wherein a first voltage level indicates a leak being detected, and a second voltage level indicates no leak being detected;
if the voltage level is the first voltage level, then provide a second tachometer signal on the particular pin of the connector interface of the motherboard, wherein the second tachometer signal is a pulse width modulated signal, and a speed of the second tachometer signal is greater than a maximum speed for the pulse width modulated signal, wherein in response to reception of the second tachometer signal, the motherboard to shut down the coolant pump;
if the coolant pump is operating properly and no leak being detected, then the processor to provide a third tachometer signal on the particular pin of the connector interface.

17. The information handling system of claim 16 , wherein in response to reception of the second tachometer signal, the motherboard to log a leakage failure.

18. The information handling system of claim 16 , wherein the detection of a leak is a higher priority than the coolant pump not operating properly.

19. The information handling system of claim 16 , wherein the first tachometer signal is a static signal.

20. The information handling system of claim 16 , wherein second tachometer signal is a high frequency signal.

Assignees

• Dell Products Lp

Inventors

• Hu Sandburg
• Zhou Xiaoliang
• Wang Joe

Classifications

• 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

• G06F11/3031 Primary

  where the computing system component is a motherboard or an expansion card · CPC title

• G05B23/0235

  based on a comparison with predetermined threshold or range, e.g. "classical methods", carried out during normal operation; threshold adaptation or choice; when or how to compare with the threshold · CPC title

• G05B23/0291

  Switching into safety or degraded mode, e.g. protection and supervision after failure · CPC title