IP Library Granted Patent US 11,516,945
Granted Patent B2
US 11,516,945 · App. 16/776,002 · Granted Nov 29, 2022

System and method for air mover identification

Inventors: Timothy M. Lambert (Austin, TX); Pablo R. Arias (Austin, TX)
Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
H05K7/20836G01R31/34G05B15/02H05K7/20727
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,516,945
App. No.
16/776,002
Granted
Nov 29, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

An information handling system includes an air mover and a thermal manager. The thermal manager identifies an air mover identification event for the air mover; in response to identifying the air mover identification event: places the air mover in a type identification state, and while the air mover is in the type identification state, identifies a type of the air mover; and, after identifying the type of the air mover, places the air mover in an active state based on the type of the air mover.

Claims (51)

1. An information handling system, comprising:

an air mover comprising a type identifier, wherein the type identifier comprises a first resistor having a first resistance; and

a thermal manager programmed to:

identify an air mover identification event for the air mover;

in response to identifying the air mover identification event:

place the air mover in a type identification state, and

while the air mover is in the type identification state, identify a type of the air mover by applying a sensing voltage to the type identifier and measuring a resulting voltage level of the type identifier, wherein the type identifier comprises of at least a drive element of the air mover and a harness of the air mover, and wherein identifying the type of air mover comprises applying the sensing voltage to at least one of the drive element of the air mover and the harness of the air mover; and

after identifying the type of the air mover, place the air mover in an active state based on the type of the air mover.

2. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein

the type identifier:

identifies the type of the air mover while the air mover is in the type identification state, and

does not identify the type of the air mover while the air mover is in the active state.

3. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein placing the air mover in the type identification state comprises:

depowering the drive element of the air mover.

4. The information handling system of claim 3 , wherein placing the air mover in the type identification state further comprises:

ensuring that a drive rate of the drive element has reached a predetermined drive rate.

5. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the harness is a three wire harness.

6. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the type identifier further comprises:

a voltage divider having a second resistance used by a voltage sensor for measuring the resulting voltage level of the type identifier.

7. A method for managing an information handling system, comprising:

identifying an air mover identification event for an air mover of the information handling system;

in response to identifying the air mover identification event:

placing the air mover in a type identification state, and

while the air mover is in the type identification state, identifying a type of the air mover by applying a sensing voltage to a type identifier having a first resistor with a first resistance, and measuring a resulting voltage level of the type identifier, wherein the type identifier comprises of at least a drive element of the air mover and a harness of the air mover, and wherein identifying the type of air mover comprises applying the sensing voltage to at least one of the drive element of the air mover and the harness of the air mover; and

after identifying the type of the air mover, placing the air mover in an active state based on the type of the air mover.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein

the type identifier:

identifies the type of the air mover while the air mover is in the type identification state, and

does not identify the type of the air mover while the air mover is in the active state.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein placing the air mover in the type identification state comprises:

depowering the drive element of the air mover.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein placing the air mover in the type identification state further comprises:

ensuring that a drive rate of the drive element has reached a predetermined drive rate.

11. The method of claim 7 , wherein the harness is a three wire harness.

12. The method of claim 7 , wherein the type identifier further comprises:

a voltage divider having a second resistance used by a voltage sensor for measuring the resulting voltage level of the type identifier.

13. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer readable program code, which when executed by a computer processor enables the computer processor to perform a method for managing an information handling system, the method comprising:

identifying an air mover identification event for an air mover of the information handling system;

in response to identifying the air mover identification event:

placing the air mover in a type identification state, and

while the air mover is in the type identification state, identifying a type of the air mover by applying a sensing voltage to a type identifier having a first resistor with a first resistance, and measuring a resulting voltage level of the type identifier, wherein the type identifier comprises of at least a drive element of the air mover and a harness of the air mover, and wherein identifying the type of air mover comprises applying the sensing voltage to at least one of the drive element of the air mover and the harness of the air mover; and

after identifying the type of the air mover, placing the air mover in an active state based on the type of the air mover.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13 , wherein:

the type identifier:

identifies the type of the air mover while the air mover is in the type identification state, and

does not identify the type of the air mover while the air mover is in the active state.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13 , wherein placing the air mover in the type identification state comprises:

depowering the drive element of the air mover.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein placing the air mover in the type identification state further comprises:

ensuring that a drive rate of the drive element has reached a predetermined drive rate.

17. The method of claim 13 , wherein the harness is a three wire harness.

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 Feb 4, 2020
From: LAMBERT, TIMOTHY M.; ARIAS, PABLO R.
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.
Reel/Frame 051713/0427 →