Thermal management of a personal computing apparatus
View Patent ↗A method and system are provided for thermal management of a portable computing apparatus. Accelerometers are provided to detect changes in attitude, and temperature sensors are provided to detect changes in temperature. A fan is used to cool the internal temperature of the electronic components of the computer. In response to lift of the computer from a stationary surface, the computer may transition to an alternative state of operation. The transition may include the change of the speed of the fan and/or adjustment of the processor clock.
1. A method for cooling a portable computing apparatus comprising:
an accelerometer obtaining inclination data for the computing apparatus in predetermined time intervals over a period of time, the obtained inclination data stored in a data storage;
defining a stable horizontal position of the computing apparatus based upon the obtained inclination data;
determining movement of the computing apparatus from a stationary surface by comparing present inclination data with the defined stable horizontal position;
determining if a target temperature is exceeded in response to said determined movement; and
transitioning said computer to an alternative cooling state in response to a positive determination.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising switching to a cooling phase of heat producing hardware in said computer in response to determining said target temperature has been exceeded.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein said cooling phase allows said target temperature to be attained in a short time interval.
4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising switching to a laptop cooling state following said cooling phase operating for a predefined time interval.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of transitioning said computer to an alternative cooling state includes BIOS sending instructions to adjust processor clock and fan speed.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising switching to a laptop cooling state following an internal temperature reaching a target temperature.
7. A portable computing apparatus comprising:
an accelerometer to sense tilt movement of said computer from a surface, including obtaining inclination data for the computer in predetermined time intervals over a certain period of time and to store the obtained inclination data in a data storage;
a manager to define a stable horizontal position of the computer based upon the obtained inclination data;
the manager to determine movement of the computer from a stationary surface by comparing present inclination data with the stable horizontal position;
a sensor to determine if a target temperature is exceeded in response to said tilt movement; and
a controller to transition said computer to an alternative cooling state in response to a positive determination.
8. The apparatus of claim 7 , further comprising a switch by said controller to a laptop cooling state after an internal temperature has reached a target temperature.
9. The apparatus of claim 7 , further comprising a manager to switch heat producing hardware in said computer to a cooling phase in response to a determination that said target temperature has been exceeded.
10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein said manager is in communication with BIOS to send instructions to adjust processor clock and fan speed to transition to said cooling phase.
11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein said processor clock and fan speed adjustment reduces performance of the processor and video.
12. The apparatus of claim 11 , further comprising a switch by said controller to a laptop cooling state after operation of said cooling phase for a predefined time interval.
13. An article comprising:
means for detecting input to an accelerometer associated with movement of a computer from a stationary surface, including obtaining inclination data for the computer in predetermined time intervals over a period of time and storing the obtained inclination data in a data storage;
means for defining a stable horizontal position of the computer based upon the obtained inclination data;
means for determining movement of the computer from a stationary surface by comparing present inclination data with the stable horizontal position;
means for determining if a target temperature is exceeded in response to said movement; and
means for transitioning said computer to an alternative cooling state in response to a positive determination.
14. The article of claim 13 , further comprising means for switching to a cooling phase of heat producing hardware in said computer in response to said target temperature determination means.
15. The article of claim 14 , wherein said means for switching to a cooling phase includes BIOS sending instructions to adjust hardware elements with heat byproduct.
16. The article of claim 15 , wherein said hardware elements are selected from the group consisting of: processor clock and fan speed.
17. The article of claim 15 , further comprising means for switching to a cooling state following said cooling phase operating for a predefined time interval.
18. The article of claim 13 , further comprising means for switching to a cooling state following an internal temperature reaching a target temperature.