US-12625792-B2 - Systems and methods for utilizing embedded thermal sensors of information handling resource to monitor thermal change on circuit board

US12625792B2US 12625792 B2US12625792 B2US 12625792B2US-12625792-B2

Abstract

An information handling system may include an information handling resource comprising an embedded temperature sensor and a thermal monitoring system configured to receive temperature information from the embedded temperature sensor, receive operational state information for the information handling system, and based on the temperature information and the operational state information, determine if an undesired heating event is present within the information handling resource.

Inventors

Guangyong Zhu
Jonathon Hughes
Feng Cheng Su

Assignees

DELL PRODUCTS L.P.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20240228

Claims (15)

1 . An information handling system comprising: an information handling resource comprising an embedded temperature sensor, wherein the embedded temperature sensor configured to measure temperature information of the information handling resource; and a thermal monitoring system configured to: receive the measured temperature information from the embedded temperature sensor; receive operational state information for the information handling system; wherein the operational state information comprises information regarding an ambient temperature of the information handling system, wherein the ambient temperature is measured by a sensor other than the embedded temperature sensor; based on the measured temperature information and the operational state information, detect an undesired heating event is present within the information handling resource; wherein the undesired heating event comprises unintended resistive loading between layers of a circuit board integral to the information handling system, wherein the embedded temperature sensor is integral to the circuit board; and take remedial action in response to detecting the undesired heating event is present.
2 . The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the embedded temperature sensor is part of a feedback temperature control system for cooling components of the information handling system.
3 . The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the operational state information comprises information regarding loading conditions on one or more components of the information handling system.
4 . The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the operational state information comprises information regarding power consumption of the information handling system.
5 . The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the operational state information comprises information regarding a fan speed of one or more cooling fans of the information handling system.
6 . A method comprising: measuring temperature information of an information handling resource by an embedded temperature sensor receiving the measured temperature information from the embedded temperature sensor; receiving operational state information for the information handling system; wherein the operational state information comprises information regarding an ambient temperature of the information handling system, wherein the ambient temperature is measured by a sensor other than the embedded temperature sensor; based on the measured temperature information and the operational state information, detecting an undesired heating event is present within the information handling resource, wherein the undesired heating event comprises unintended resistive loading between layers of a circuit board integral to the information handling system, wherein the embedded temperature sensor is integral to the circuit board; and taking remedial action in response to detecting the undesired heating event is present.
7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the embedded temperature sensor is part of a feedback temperature control system for cooling components of the information handling system.
8 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the operational state information comprises information regarding loading conditions on one or more components of the information handling system.
9 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the operational state information comprises information regarding power consumption of the information handling system.
10 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the operational state information comprises information regarding a fan speed of one or more cooling fans of the information handling system.
11 . An article of manufacture comprising: a non-transitory computer-readable medium; and computer-executable instructions carried on the computer-readable medium, the instructions readable by a processor, the instructions, when read and executed, for causing the processor to: receive measured temperature information from an embedded temperature sensor, where in the embedded temperature sensor measures the temperature information of the information handling resource; receive operational state information for the information handling system, wherein the operational state information comprises information regarding an ambient temperature of the information handling system, wherein the ambient temperature is measured by a sensor other than the embedded temperature sensor; based on the measured temperature information and the operational state information, detect an undesired heating event is present within the information handling resource; wherein the undesired heating event comprises unintended resistive loading between layers of a circuit board integral to the information handling system, wherein the embedded temperature sensor is integral to the circuit board; and take remedial action in response to detecting detecting the undesired heating event is present.
12 . The article of claim 11 , wherein the embedded temperature sensor is part of a feedback temperature control system for cooling components of the information handling system.
13 . The article of claim 11 , wherein the operational state information comprises information regarding loading conditions on one or more components of the information handling system.
14 . The article of claim 11 , wherein the operational state information comprises information regarding power consumption of the information handling system.
15 . The article of claim 11 , wherein the operational state information comprises information regarding a fan speed of one or more cooling fans of the information handling system.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates in general to information handling systems, and more particularly to utilizing embedded thermal sensors of an information handling resource to monitor thermal change on a circuit board. BACKGROUND As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is information handling systems. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems. Information handling systems may often use one or more circuit boards. A circuit board may comprise a substrate of a plurality of conductive layers separated and supported by layers of insulating material laminated together, with conductive traces disposed on and/or in any of such conductive layers, with vias for coupling conductive traces of different layers together, and with pads for coupling electronic components (e.g., packaged integrated circuits, slot connectors, etc.) to conductive traces of the circuit board. In designing circuit boards, an increasing challenge is the electrical current density on layers of the motherboard delivering more power and higher current to processors and other systems loads (e.g., memories, etc.) over limited circuit board space. Due to non-uniform dielectric thickness between PCB layers, the conductive anodic filament between power and ground layers may form and present as a resistive load on a power rail. Other factors or events may also cause an undesirable resistive load on a power rail. Such resistive loading could gradually heat up the circuit board even under light processor and system loading conditions, and could bring about an exothermic event by shorting the power rail to ground. Accordingly, systems and methods for detecting unexpected heating in a circuit board may be desirable. SUMMARY In accordance with the teachings of the present disclosure, the disadvantages and problems associated with undesirable heating of circuit boards may be substantially reduced or eliminated. In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, an information handling system may include an information handling resource comprising an embedded temperature sensor and a thermal monitoring system configured to receive temperature information from the embedded temperature sensor, receive operational state information for the information handling system, and based on the temperature information and the operational state information, determine if an undesired heating event is present within the information handling resource. In accordance with these and other embodiments of the present disclosure, a method may include receiving temperature information from an embedded temperature sensor integral to an information handling resource of an information handling system, receiving operational state information for the information handling system, and based on the temperature information and the operational state information, determining if an undesired heating event is present within the information handling resource. In accordance with these and other embodiments of the present disclosure, an article of manufacture may include a non-transitory computer-readable medium and computer-executable instructions carried on the computer-readable medium, the instructions readable by a processor, the instructions, when read and executed, for causing the processor to: receive temperature information from an embedded temperature sensor integral to an information handling resource of an information handling system; receive operational state information for the information handling system; and based on the temperature information and the operational state information, determine if an undesired heating event is present within the information handling resource. Technical advantages of the present disclosure may be readily apparent to one skilled in the art