IP Library Granted Patent US 11,337,276
Granted Patent B2
US 11,337,276 · App. 16/749,478 · Granted May 17, 2022

Environmental management based on temporal and spatial predicitons

Inventors: Steven Embleton (Austin, TX); Eric Michael Tunks (Austin, TX); Brian M. Hahn (Georgetown, TX); Chris M. Helberg (Austin, TX)
Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
H05B1/0275F24F11/30G05B19/042G06N5/02H05B1/0294H05B3/342F24F11/62G05B13/02G05B2219/2614G05D23/1919G06Q30/0601
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,337,276
App. No.
16/749,478
Granted
May 17, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

An apparatus may include an enclosure that includes a plurality of mounting features that are configured to receive information handling systems; one or more environmental sensors configured to determine environmental conditions associated with the enclosure; a position sensor configured to determine a geodetic location of the enclosure; a heater configured to heat the enclosure; and a heater control system. The heater control system may be configured to: receive information regarding an origin for the enclosure, a destination for the enclosure, and a desired destination temperature for the enclosure; establish a model for the enclosure, wherein the model incorporates data from the one or more environmental sensors and data from the position sensor; and based on the model, predictively determining control parameters for the heater configured to cause the enclosure to reach the desired destination temperature at or before a time of arrival at the destination.

Claims (35)

1. An apparatus comprising:

an enclosure that includes a plurality of mounting features that are configured to receive information handling systems;

one or more environmental sensors configured to determine environmental conditions associated with the enclosure;

a position sensor configured to determine a geodetic location of the enclosure;

a heater configured to heat the enclosure; and

a heater control system configured to:

receive information regarding an origin for the enclosure, a destination for the enclosure, and a desired destination temperature for the enclosure;

establish a model for the enclosure, wherein the model incorporates data from the one or more environmental sensors and data from the position sensor, and wherein the model further includes weather data regarding predicted weather conditions at a plurality of locations along a planned transit route from the origin to the destination, wherein the predicted weather conditions correspond to respective times that the enclosure is predicted to be located at the respective locations; and

based on the model, predictively determine control parameters for the heater configured to cause the enclosure to reach the desired destination temperature at or before a time of arrival at the destination.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more environmental sensors includes a temperature sensor.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more environmental sensors includes a humidity sensor.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the heater comprises a thermal blanket.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the position sensor comprises a global positioning system (GPS) receiver.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a network interface configured to receive traffic data, wherein the heater control system is further configured to update the model based on the traffic data.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a network interface configured to receive updated weather data, wherein the heater control system is further configured to update the model based on the updated weather data.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the control parameters for the heater are further determined to minimize a power consumption for the heater.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the control parameters for the heater include a time at which the heater is to be activated.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a battery configured to supply electrical power to the heater.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a power input terminal configured to supply electrical power to the heater from a shipping truck.

12. A method comprising:

a heater control system receiving information regarding an origin for an enclosure configured to receive information handling systems therein, a destination for the enclosure, and a desired destination temperature for the enclosure;

the heater control system establishing a model for the enclosure, wherein the model incorporates data from one or more environmental sensors of the enclosure and data from a position sensor of the enclosure, and wherein the model further includes weather data regarding predicted weather conditions at a plurality of locations along a planned transit route from the origin to the destination, wherein the predicted weather conditions correspond to respective times that the enclosure is predicted to be located at the respective locations;

based on the model, the heater control system predictively determining control parameters for a heater of the enclosure configured to cause the enclosure to reach the desired destination temperature at or before a time of arrival at the destination; and

the heater control system causing the heater to operate in accordance with the control parameters.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising transporting the enclosure from the origin to the destination.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising updating the model periodically during the transporting.

15. An article of manufacture comprising a non-transitory, computer-readable medium having computer-executable code thereon that is executable by a processor of a heater control system for:

receiving information regarding an origin for an enclosure configured to receive information handling systems therein, a destination for the enclosure, and a desired destination temperature for the enclosure;

establishing a model for the enclosure, wherein the model incorporates data from one or more environmental sensors of the enclosure and data from a position sensor of the enclosure, and wherein the model further includes weather data regarding predicted weather conditions at a plurality of locations along a planned transit route from the origin to the destination, wherein the predicted weather conditions correspond to respective times that the enclosure is predicted to be located at the respective locations; and

based on the model, predictively determining control parameters for a heater of the enclosure configured to cause the enclosure to reach the desired destination temperature at or before a time of arrival at the destination.

16. The article of claim 15 , wherein the one or more environmental sensors includes a temperature sensor.

17. The article of claim 15 , wherein the one or more environmental sensors includes a humidity sensor.

18. The article of claim 15 , wherein the code is further executable for receiving updated weather data and updating the model based on the updated weather data.

19. The article of claim 15 , wherein the code is further executable for receiving traffic data and updating the model based on the traffic data.

20. The article of claim 15 , wherein the predictively determining the control parameters includes determining a time at which to activate the heater.

Assignments (9)
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 (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 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 Jan 22, 2020
From: EMBLETON, STEVEN; TUNKS, ERIC MICHAEL; HAHN, BRIAN M.; HELBERG, CHRIS M.
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.
Reel/Frame 051586/0597 →