Search

CN-122014678-A - Dynamic air direction control

CN122014678ACN 122014678 ACN122014678 ACN 122014678ACN-122014678-A

Abstract

Dynamic air direction control is disclosed. An apparatus includes a fan, a directional airflow switcher configured to direct air from the fan within the apparatus in a first direction or a second direction, and a controller configured to dynamically control the directional airflow switcher to direct air from the fan in the first direction or the second direction based on operational data.

Inventors

  • ZHOU SONGLIN

Assignees

  • 英特尔公司

Dates

Publication Date
20260512
Application Date
20251104
Priority Date
20241111

Claims (19)

  1. 1. An apparatus, the apparatus comprising: A fan; a directional airflow switch configured to direct air from the fan within the device in a first direction or a second direction, and A controller configured to dynamically control the directional airflow switcher to direct the air from the fan in the first direction or the second direction based on operational data.
  2. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the operational data comprises sensor data representative of a temperature of a first electronic component, and wherein the controller is configured to dynamically control the directional airflow switch to direct the air from the fan in the first direction when the temperature of the first electronic component is within a range, and to control the directional airflow switch to direct the air from the fan in the second direction when the temperature of the first electronic component is outside of a range.
  3. 3. The apparatus of claim 1 or 2, wherein the operational data comprises sensor data representative of a temperature of a second electronic component, and wherein the controller is configured to control the electromagnet to operate in a first operational mode when the temperature of the second electronic component is within range, and to control the electromagnet to operate in a second operational mode when the temperature of the second electronic component is outside range.
  4. 4. The device of claim 1, wherein the operational data comprises data indicative of a workflow of a first device or a second device, and wherein the controller is configured to dynamically control the directional airflow switch to direct the air from the fan in the first direction when the workflow of the first device meets a predetermined criterion, and wherein the controller is configured to dynamically control the directional airflow switch to direct the air from the fan in the second direction when the workflow of the second device meets a predetermined criterion.
  5. 5. The device of claim 4, wherein the first device is a processor and the second device is a memory.
  6. 6. An apparatus, the apparatus comprising: A fan; A directional airflow switch comprising: A first portion comprising a permanent magnet; A second portion; A fulcrum located between the first portion and the second portion; Electromagnet, and A controller configured to control the electromagnet to alternate between a first mode of operation and a second mode of operation based on the operational data.
  7. 7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the permanent magnet is configured to be a first distance from the electromagnet in the first mode of operation, wherein the permanent magnet is configured to be a second distance from the electromagnet in the second mode of operation, and wherein the first distance is less than the second distance.
  8. 8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the controller is configured to turn off the electromagnet in the first mode of operation, and wherein the permanent magnet is configured to attract the electromagnet in the first mode of operation.
  9. 9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the second portion is configured to be a third distance from the fan in the first mode of operation, wherein the second portion is configured to be a fourth distance from the fan in the second mode of operation, and wherein the third distance is greater than the fourth distance.
  10. 10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the electromagnet is configured to repel the permanent magnet in the second mode of operation.
  11. 11. The apparatus of any of claims 6 to 10, wherein the electromagnet is between the fan and the permanent magnet.
  12. 12. The apparatus according to any one of claims 6 to 10, further comprising: A first electronic component, and A second electronic component, and Wherein the directional airflow switch is configured to direct more airflow of the fan to the first electronic component than to the second electronic component when the electromagnet is in the first mode of operation, and wherein the directional airflow switch is configured to direct less airflow of the fan to the first electronic component than to the second electronic component when the electromagnet is in the second mode of operation.
  13. 13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the operational data comprises sensor data representative of a temperature of the first electronic component, and wherein the controller is configured to control the electromagnet to operate in the first operational mode when the temperature of the first electronic component is within a range, and to control the electromagnet to operate in the second operational mode when the temperature of the first electronic component is outside of a range.
  14. 14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the operational data comprises sensor data representative of a temperature of the second electronic component, and wherein the controller is configured to control the electromagnet to operate in the first operational mode when the temperature of the second electronic component is within a range, and to control the electromagnet to operate in the second operational mode when the temperature of the second electronic component is outside of a range.
  15. 15. The apparatus of any of claims 6 to 10, wherein the fulcrum comprises a limiting structure defining a first position of the directional airflow switch corresponding to the first mode of operation or a second position of the directional airflow switch corresponding to the second mode of operation.
  16. 16. The apparatus according to any one of claims 6 to 10, The fan is a first fan, the directional airflow switcher is a first directional airflow switcher, the fulcrum is a first fulcrum, and the electromagnet is a first electromagnet; The apparatus further comprises: a second fan; A second directional airflow switcher comprising: A third portion comprising a ferromagnetic portion; a fourth section; a fulcrum between the third portion and the fourth portion, and A second electromagnet, and Wherein the controller is configured for controlling the first electromagnet to alternate between a first operation mode and a second operation mode based on the operation data, and for controlling the second electromagnet to alternate between the first operation mode and the second operation mode based on the operation data.
  17. 17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the operational data comprises first sensor data representative of a temperature of a first component and second sensor data representative of a temperature of a second component, and wherein the controller is configured to control the first electromagnet to operate in the first mode of operation when the temperature of the first component is within range, and to control the first electromagnet to operate in the second mode of operation when the temperature of the first component is outside of range.
  18. 18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the controller is configured to control the second electromagnet to operate in the first mode of operation when the temperature of the second component is within a range and to control the second electromagnet to operate in the second mode of operation when the temperature of the second component is outside of the range.
  19. 19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the controller is configured to control the first electromagnet to operate in the first mode of operation when the temperature of the first component is within a first range and to control the second electromagnet to operate in the second mode of operation when the temperature of the second component is within a second range.

Description

Dynamic air direction control Cross Reference to Related Applications The present application claims priority from international application PCT/CN2024/131213 filed 11 at 2024, 11, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Background The electronic device may include one or more heat generating elements, such as a processor, memory, and the like. In many configurations, it may be desirable, or even necessary, to implement one or more cooling techniques, which may facilitate cooling of some or all of the heat generating elements. Many electronic devices include one or more fans that can generate an airflow that is directed through a chamber in which one or more heat generating devices are located. One or more fans may start together, stop together, increase rotational speed, or decrease rotational speed. The conventional heat capacity may only meet 22W of thermal design power (THERMAL DESIGN power, TDP), while a larger TDP may be necessary. For example, many current consumer applications require a TDP of 25W. It is therefore desirable to create cooling systems that can support greater power demands. Drawings In the drawings, like reference numerals generally refer to like parts throughout the different views. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead generally being placed upon illustrating the principles of the disclosed subject matter. In the following description, various exemplary embodiments of the disclosed subject matter are described with reference to the following drawings, in which: FIG. 1 shows a conventional system configuration; FIG. 2 depicts a directional airflow switch for controlling fan airflow; FIG. 3 depicts a first scenario; FIG. 4 depicts a second scenario; FIG. 5 depicts a third scenario; FIG. 6 depicts a spring design for limiting directional airflow switch position, and FIG. 7 depicts thermal test results; FIG. 8 depicts a cost assessment of the devices disclosed herein, and Fig. 9 depicts an apparatus. Detailed Description The following detailed description refers to the accompanying drawings that show, by way of illustration, exemplary details and embodiments in which aspects of the embodiments may be practiced. The word "exemplary" is used in this disclosure to mean "serving as an example, instance, or illustration. Any embodiment or design described herein as "exemplary" is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments or designs. Throughout the drawings, it should be noted that the same reference numerals are used to depict the same or similar elements, features and structures unless otherwise specified. The phrases "at least one" and "one or more" may be understood to include an amount greater than or equal to one (e.g., one, two, three, four, [.], etc.). The phrase "about a set of elements. At least one of:" herein can be used to mean at least one element from the group consisting of elements. For example, the phrase ". The..at least one of the terms of a set of elements is used herein to mean a selection of one of the listed elements, a plurality of individual listed elements, or a plurality of several individual listed elements. The words "complex" and "multiple" in the specification and claims explicitly refer to an amount greater than one. Thus, any phrase (e.g., "plural (plural) [ element ]", "multiple (multiple) [ element ]") that explicitly references the above-mentioned terms to refer to a certain number of elements explicitly refers to more than one of the elements. For example, the phrase "a plurality of" may be understood to include a number greater than or equal to two (e.g., two, three, four, five, [.], etc.). The phrases "(..the) group", "(..the) set", "(..the) series", "(..the) sequence", "(..the) grouping", etc. (if present) in the specification and in the claims refer to an amount equal to or greater than one, i.e., one or more. The terms "proper subset", "reduced subset", and "smaller subset" refer to a subset of a set that is not equal to the set, illustratively, a subset of a set that contains fewer elements than the set. The term "data" as used herein may be understood to include information in any suitable analog or digital form, e.g., information provided as a file, a portion of a file, a collection of files, a signal or stream, a portion of a signal or stream, a collection of signals or streams, and so forth. Further, the term "data" may also be used to mean a reference to information, for example in the form of a pointer. However, the term "data" is not limited to the above examples, and may take various forms and represent any information as understood in the art. For example, the term "processor" or "controller" as used herein may be understood as any kind of technical entity that allows handling data. The data may be handled according to one or more specific functions performed by the processor or controller. Further, a processor or controller as used herein may be understood a