IP Library Granted Patent US 10,712,790
Granted Patent B2
US 10,712,790 · App. 16/054,131 · Granted Jul 14, 2020

Systems and methods for reducing temperature cycling risk on an information handling resource

Inventors: Hasnain Shabbir (Round Rock, TX); Donald L. Petersen (Round Rock, TX)
Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
G06F1/206G05B15/02H05K7/20154H05K7/20209H05K7/20336
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,712,790
App. No.
16/054,131
Granted
Jul 14, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, an information handling system may include a circuit board, a device communicatively coupled to the circuit board via an electrical interface, a temperature sensor for sensing a measured temperature associated with the device, an air mover, a heating element thermally coupled to the electrical interface, and a thermal control system. The thermal control system may be configured to receive a temperature signal from the temperature sensor indicative of the measured temperature, responsive to the measured temperature being above a maximum threshold temperature, control the air mover to generate airflow sufficient to at least reduce the measured temperature to below the maximum threshold temperature, and responsive to the measured temperature being below a minimum threshold temperature, control the heating element to cause the measured temperature to be maintained above the minimum threshold temperature.

Claims (37)

1. An information handling system comprising:

a circuit board;

a device communicatively coupled to the circuit board on a front side of the circuit board via an electrical interface;

a temperature sensor for sensing a measured temperature associated with the device;

an air mover;

a heating element thermally coupled to the electrical interface; and

a thermal control system configured to:

receive a temperature signal from the temperature sensor indicative of the measured temperature;

responsive to the measured temperature being above a maximum threshold temperature, control the air mover to generate airflow sufficient to at least reduce the measured temperature to below the maximum threshold temperature; and

responsive to the measured temperature being below a minimum threshold temperature, control the heating element to cause the measured temperature to be maintained above the minimum threshold temperature;

wherein the heating element is coupled to a back side of the circuit board, and wherein the circuit board includes one or more vias configured to transmit heat from the heating element to the device and the electrical interface.

2. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the thermal control system is further configured to control the air mover to generate airflow sufficient to maintain a second measured temperature associated with a second device below a second maximum threshold temperature while controlling the heating element to cause the measured temperature to be maintained above the minimum threshold temperature.

3. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the heating element is thermally coupled to the electrical interface via one or more of a heat pipe and a heat spreader thermally coupled to the device.

4. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the heating element comprises one or more segmented heating elements formed on a heat spreader thermally coupled to the device.

5. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the heating element comprises one or more external heater strips configured to mechanically fit a heat spreader thermally coupled to the device.

6. A method comprising:

receiving a temperature signal from a temperature sensor indicative of a measured temperature associated with a device;

responsive to the measured temperature being above a maximum threshold temperature, controlling an air mover to generate airflow sufficient to at least reduce the measured temperature to below the maximum threshold temperature; and

responsive to the measured temperature being below a minimum threshold temperature, controlling a heating element thermally coupled to an electrical interface between the device and a circuit board in order to cause the measured temperature to be maintained above the minimum threshold temperature;

wherein the device is coupled to a front side of the circuit board, and the heating element is coupled to a back side of the circuit board; and

wherein the circuit board includes one or more vias configured to transmit heat from the heating element to the device and the electrical interface.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising controlling the air mover to generate airflow sufficient to maintain a second measured temperature associated with a second device below a second maximum threshold temperature while controlling the heating element to cause the measured temperature to be maintained above the minimum threshold temperature.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the heating element is thermally coupled to the electrical interface via one or more of a heat pipe and a heat spreader thermally coupled to the device.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein the heating element comprises one or more segmented heating elements formed on a heat spreader thermally coupled to the device.

10. The method of claim 6 , wherein the heating element comprises one or more external heater strips configured to mechanically fit a heat spreader thermally coupled to the device.

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 a temperature signal from a temperature sensor indicative of a measured temperature associated with a device;

responsive to the measured temperature being above a maximum threshold temperature, control an air mover to generate airflow sufficient to at least reduce the measured temperature to below the maximum threshold temperature; and

responsive to the measured temperature being below a minimum threshold temperature, control a heating element thermally coupled to an electrical interface between the device and a circuit board in order to cause the measured temperature to be maintained above the minimum threshold temperature;

wherein the device is coupled to a front side of the circuit board, and the heating element is coupled to a back side of the circuit board; and

wherein the circuit board includes one or more vias configured to transmit heat from the heating element to the device and the electrical interface.

12. The article of claim 11 , the instructions for further causing the air mover to generate airflow sufficient to maintain a second measured temperature associated with a second device below a second maximum threshold temperature while controlling the heating element to cause the measured temperature to be maintained above the minimum threshold temperature.

13. The article of claim 11 , wherein the heating element is thermally coupled to the electrical interface via one or more of a heat pipe and a heat spreader thermally coupled to the device.

14. The article of claim 11 , wherein the heating element comprises one or more segmented heating elements formed on a heat spreader thermally coupled to the device.

15. The article of claim 11 , wherein the heating element comprises one or more external heater strips configured to mechanically fit a heat spreader thermally coupled to the device.

Assignments (8)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (053546/0001) Recorded Jun 23, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL MARKETING L.P. (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.); DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC. AND WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.); EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 071642/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (047648/0422) Recorded May 20, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 060160/0862 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST AT REEL 047648 FRAME 0346 Recorded Nov 2, 2021
From: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 058298/0510 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 22, 2020
From: CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES INC.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A.
Reel/Frame 053546/0001 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Mar 21, 2019
From: CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A.
Reel/Frame 049452/0223 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (NOTES) Recorded Oct 12, 2018
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 047648/0422 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (CREDIT) Recorded Oct 12, 2018
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 047648/0346 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 3, 2018
From: SHABBIR, HASNAIN; PETERSEN, DONALD L.
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.
Reel/Frame 046549/0406 →