IP Library Granted Patent US 11,402,883
Granted Patent B2
US 11,402,883 · App. 16/681,099 · Granted Aug 2, 2022

System and method for dynamic fan control in an information handling system

Inventors: Salus Lin (Taipei, TW); Ping-Sheng Kao (Hsinchu, TW)
Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
G06F1/20G05B15/02G06F1/206G06F1/26
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,402,883
App. No.
16/681,099
Granted
Aug 2, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

An information handling system includes a cooling fan operable in one of a plurality of fan speed levels, and a connector to which a headphone device can be connected. A mode controller sets the cooling fan to a first fan speed levels, receives an indication that the headphone device is connected to the connector, and sets the cooling fan in a second, higher fan speed level in response to receiving the indication.

Claims (79)

1. An information handling system, comprising:

a processor configurable to be operated in one of a plurality of performance levels;

a cooling fan configurable to be operated in one of a plurality of fan speed levels;

a connector to which a headphone device can be connected; and

a mode controller configured to:

set the cooling fan in a first one of the fan speed levels;

set the processor in a first one of the performance levels;

receive a first indication that the headphone device is connected to the connector;

in response to receiving the first indication, determine whether or not the information handling system is in a first operating mode, wherein the first operating mode is associated with a quiet operation of the information handling system, and in response to determining that the information handling system is in the first operating mode, to:

maintain the cooling fan in the first fan speed level;

maintain the processor in the first performance level; and

detect that the information handling system has changed to a second operating mode, wherein the second operating mode is associated with a high performance operation of the information handling system; and

in response to detecting that the information handling system is in the second operating mode, to:

determine whether or not a thermal sensor reading of the information handling system is high;

set the cooling fan in a second one of the fan speed levels, the second fan speed level being a higher fan speed level than the first fan speed level in response to determining that the thermal sensor reading is not high; and

set the processor in a second one of the performance levels, the second performance level being a higher performance level than the first performance level in further response to determining that the thermal sensor reading is not high.

2. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the mode controller is further configured to:

receive a second indication that the headphone device is no longer connected to the connector; and

set the cooling fan in the first fan speed level in response to receiving the second indication.

3. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the mode controller is further configured to:

receive a second indication that audio information is being provided to the headphone device, wherein setting the cooling fan to the second fan speed is in further response to receiving the second indication.

4. The information handling system of claim 3 , wherein the mode controller is further configured to:

receive a third indication that the audio information is no longer being provided to the headphone device; and

set the cooling fan in the first fan speed levels in response to receiving the third indication.

5. The information handling system of claim 3 , wherein the mode controller is further configured to:

receive a third indication that the audio information is not being muted, wherein setting the cooling fan to the second fan speed is in further response to receiving the third indication.

6. The information handling system of claim 5 , wherein the mode controller is further configured to:

receive a fourth indication that the audio information is being muted; and

set the cooling fan in the first fan speed levels in response to receiving the fourth indication.

7. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the mode controller is further configured to:

receive a second indication that the headphone device is no longer connected to the connector; and

set the processor in the first performance level in response to receiving the second indication.

8. The information handling system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a headphone controller configured to detect that the headphone device is connected to the connector and to provide the first indication to the mode controller.

9. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the mode controller comprises a baseboard management controller.

10. A method, comprising:

setting, by a mode controller of an information handling system, a cooling fan to be operated in a first one of a plurality of fan speed levels:

setting a processor of the information handling system to a first one of a plurality of performance levels;

receiving a first indication that a headphone device is connected to a connector of the information handling system; and

in response to receiving the first indication, determining that the information handling system is in a first operating mode, wherein the first operating mode is associated with a quiet operation of the information handling system, and in response to determining that the information handling system is in the first operating mode:

maintaining the cooling fan in the first fan speed level;

maintaining the processor in the first performance level; and

detecting that the information handling system has changed to a second operating mode, wherein the second operating mode is associated with a high performance operation of the information handling system; and

in response to detecting that the information handling system is in the second operating mode:

determining whether or not a thermal sensor reading of the information handling system is high;

setting the cooling fan in a second one of the plurality of fan speed levels, the second fan speed level being a higher fan speed level than the first fan speed level in response to determining that the thermal sensor reading is not high; and

setting the processor in a second one of the plurality of performance levels, the second performance level being a higher performance level than the first performance level in further response to determining that the thermal sensor reading is not high.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

receiving a second indication that the headphone device is no longer connected to the connector; and

setting the cooling fan in the first fan speed level in response to receiving the second indication.

12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

receiving a second indication that audio information is being provided to the headphone device, wherein setting the cooling fan to the second fan speed is in further response to receiving the second indication.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

receiving a third indication that the audio information is no longer being provided to the headphone device; and

setting the cooling fan in the first fan speed levels in response to receiving the third indication.

14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

receiving a third indication that the audio information is not being muted, wherein setting the cooling fan to the second fan speed is in further response to receiving the third indication.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

receiving a fourth indication that the audio information is being muted; and

setting the cooling fan in the first fan speed levels in response to receiving the fourth indication.

16. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

receiving a second indication that the headphone device is no longer connected to the connector; and

setting the processor in the first performance level in response to receiving the second indication.

17. The method of claim 10 , wherein the mode controller comprises a baseboard management controller.

18. An information handling system, comprising:

a processor configurable to be operated in one of a plurality of performance levels;

a cooling fan having a plurality of speeds:

a connector to which a microphone can be connected; and

a mode controller configured to:

set the cooling fan to a first one of the speeds;

set the processor in a first one of the performance levels;

in response to receiving an indication that the microphone is connected to the connector, determine whether or not the information handling system is in a first operating mode, wherein the first operating mode is associated with a quiet operation of the information handling system, and in response to determining that the information handling system is in the first operating mode, to:

maintain the cooling fan in the first speed; and

maintain the processor in the first performance level; and

detect that the information handling system has changed to a second operating mode, wherein the second operating mode is associated with a high performance operation of the information handling system; and

in response to detecting that the information handling system is in the second operating mode, to:

determine whether or not a thermal sensor reading of the information handling system is high;

set the cooling fan to a second one of the speeds, the second speed being a higher speed than the first speed in response to determining that the thermal sensor reading is not high; and

set the processor in a second one of the performance levels, the second performance level being a higher performance level than the first performance level in further response to determining that the thermal sensor reading is not high.

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 (052216/0758) 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 IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 060438/0680 →
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 AF REEL 052243 FRAME 0773 Recorded Nov 2, 2021
From: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 058001/0152 →
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 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Mar 26, 2020
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
Reel/Frame 052243/0773 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (NOTES) Recorded Mar 24, 2020
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 052216/0758 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 12, 2019
From: LIN, SALUS; KAO, PING-SHENG
To: DELL PRODUCTS, LP
Reel/Frame 050983/0410 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20210141428A1 · May 13, 2021
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