IP Library Granted Patent US 11,507,146
Granted Patent B2
US 11,507,146 · App. 16/437,557 · Granted Nov 22, 2022

System and method of determining chassis identifications for information handling systems

Inventors: Jeffrey Leighton Kennedy (Austin, TX); Timothy M. Lambert (Austin, TX)
Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
G06F1/18G06F21/86
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,507,146
App. No.
16/437,557
Granted
Nov 22, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

In one or more embodiments, one or more systems, methods, and/or processes may determine that a switch of an information handling system has been actuated; may provide, via a conductor of the switch, an electric charge to an element of a lid portion of a chassis of the information handling system; after providing the electric charge to the element of the lid portion of the chassis, may determine that an amount of time has transpired; in response to determining that the amount of time has transpired, may determine a voltage value associated with the element of the lid portion of the chassis; may determine an identification of the chassis based at least on the voltage value; and may configure at least a portion of the information handling system based at least on the identification of the chassis.

Claims (67)

1. An information handling system, comprising:

a chassis that includes a lid portion;

a mechanical switch that includes a conductor configured to provide an electric charge to an element of the lid portion of the chassis;

a motherboard;

at least one of a baseboard management controller (BMC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), and a complex logic device (CPLD) disposed on the motherboard and coupled to the switch;

at least one processor disposed on the motherboard; and

a memory medium, coupled to the at least one processor, that stores instructions executable by the at least one processor;

wherein the at least one of the BMC, the FPGA, the ASIC, and the CPLD is configured to:

determine that the mechanical switch has been actuated;

provide, via the conductor of the mechanical switch, the electric charge to the element of the lid portion of the chassis;

after providing the electric charge to the element of the lid portion of the chassis, permit the element of the lid portion of the chassis to discharge;

determine that an amount of time has transpired after ceasing to provide the electric charge to the element of the lid portion of the chassis;

in response to determining that the amount of time has transpired, determine a voltage value of the discharge of the element of the lid portion of the chassis;

identify a data structure storing, for one or more voltage values, an associated chassis identification;

determine, based on the data structure, a chassis identification that corresponds to the determined voltage value; and

configure at least a portion of the information handling system in response to the identification of the chassis.

2. The information handling system of claim 1 ,

wherein the at least one of the BMC, the FPGA, the ASIC, and the CPLD is further configured to determine, based at least on the voltage, a capacitance value associated with the element of the lid portion of the chassis; and

wherein determining the identification of the chassis from the plurality of chassis identifications based at least on the voltage value is further based at least on the capacitance value.

3. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the mechanical switch is an intrusion detection switch.

4. The information handling system of claim 1 ,

wherein the at least one of the BMC, the FPGA, the ASIC, and the CPLD is further configured to determine an inventory of one or more components of the information handling system based at least on the identification of the chassis; and

wherein, to configure the at least the portion of the information handling system, the at least one of the BMC, the FPGA, the ASIC, and the CPLD is further configured to configure the information handling system to utilize the one or more components of the information handling system.

5. The information handling system of claim 4 , wherein the at least one of the BMC, the FPGA, the ASIC, and the CPLD is further configured to configure the one or more components of the information handling system.

6. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one of the BMC, the FPGA, the ASIC, and the CPLD is further configured to discharge the element of the lid portion to discharge for the amount of time.

7. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the element of the lid portion of the chassis is separated from the lid portion of the chassis by a dielectric.

8. The baseboard management controller of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the baseboard management controller to discharge the element of the lid portion to discharge for the amount of time.

9. A method, comprising:

determining that a mechanical switch of an information handling system has been actuated;

providing, via a conductor of the mechanical switch, an electric charge to an element of a lid portion of a chassis of the information handling system;

after the providing the electric charge to the element of the lid portion of the chassis, permitting the element of the lid portion of the chassis to discharge;

determining that an amount of time has transpired after ceasing to provide the electric charge to the element of the lid portion of the chassis;

in response to the determining that the amount of time has transpired, determining a voltage value of the discharge of the element of the lid portion of the chassis;

identify a data structure storing, for one or more voltage values, an associated chassis identification;

determining, based on the data structure, a chassis identification that corresponds to the determined voltage value; and

configuring the information handling system in response to the identification of the chassis.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

determining, based at least on the voltage, a capacitance value associated with the element of the lid portion of the chassis;

wherein the determining the identification of the chassis from the plurality of chassis identifications based at least on the voltage value is further based at least on the capacitance value.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the mechanical switch is an intrusion detection switch.

12. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

determining an inventory of one or more components of the information handling system based at least on the identification of the chassis;

wherein the configuring the information handling system includes configuring the information handling system to utilize the one or more components of the information handling system.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

configuring the one or more components of the information handling system.

14. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

discharging the element of the lid portion to discharge for the amount of time.

15. The method of claim 9 , wherein the element of the lid portion of the chassis is separated from the lid portion of the chassis by a dielectric.

16. A baseboard management controller, comprising:

at least one processor; and

a memory medium, coupled to the at least one processor, that stores instructions executable by the at least one processor, which when executed by the at least one processor, cause the baseboard management controller to:

determine that a mechanical switch of an information handling system has been actuated;

provide, via a conductor of the mechanical switch, an electric charge to an element of a lid portion of a chassis of the information handling system;

after providing the electric charge to the element of the lid portion of the chassis, permit the element of the lid portion of the chassis to discharge;

determine that an amount of time has transpired after ceasing to provide the electric charge to the element of the lid portion of the chassis;

in response to determining that the amount of time has transpired, determine a voltage value of the discharge of the element of the lid portion of the chassis;

identify a data structure storing, for one or more voltage values, an associated chassis identification;

determine, based on the data structure, a chassis identification that corresponds to the determined voltage value; and

configure at least a portion of the information handling system in response to the identification of the chassis.

17. The baseboard management controller of claim 16 ,

wherein the instructions further cause the baseboard management controller to determine, based at least on the voltage, a capacitance value associated with the element of the lid portion of the chassis; and

wherein determining the identification of the chassis from the plurality of chassis identifications based at least on the voltage value is further based at least on the capacitance value.

18. The baseboard management controller of claim 16 , wherein the mechanical switch is an intrusion detection switch.

19. The baseboard management controller of claim 16 ,

wherein the instructions further cause the baseboard management controller to determine an inventory of one or more components of the information handling system based at least on the identification of the chassis; and

wherein, to configure the at least the portion of the information handling system, the instructions further cause the baseboard management controller to configure the information handling system to utilize the one or more components of the information handling system.

20. The baseboard management controller of claim 19 , wherein the instructions further cause the baseboard management controller to configure the one or more components of the information handling system.

Assignments (9)
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 (053311/0169) Recorded Jun 23, 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 060438/0742 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (050724/0571) Recorded Jun 23, 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 060436/0088 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST AT REEL 050406 FRAME 421 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 058213/0825 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 5, 2020
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 053311/0169 →
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 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (NOTES) Recorded Oct 15, 2019
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 050724/0571 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Sep 17, 2019
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
Reel/Frame 050406/0421 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 11, 2019
From: KENNEDY, JEFFREY LEIGHTON; LAMBERT, TIMOTHY M.
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.
Reel/Frame 049433/0460 →