Information handling system dynamic thermal behavior
A portable information handling system manages thermal conditions of an external surface based upon context that indicates user presence versus use in a standalone mode, such as based upon movements sensed by an accelerometer, touches sensed by a capacitive sensor, and the rotational orientation of the system housing. In one embodiment, a motorized hinge varies a time to close the housing so that the housing external surface cools sufficiently for an end user touch. A color coded light illuminates that the housing to provide the end user a visual indication of the housing temperature.
1. An information handling system comprising: a portable housing having first and second housing portions rotationally coupled to rotate between open and closed positions; a central processor unit disposed in the housing and operable to execute instructions that process information; a memory disposed in the housing and interfaced with the processor, the memory operable to store the instructions and information; a display integrated in the portable housing and operable to present the information as visual images; a graphics processor unit interfaced with the central processor unit and the display, the graphics processor operable to process the information to generate pixel values that define visual images for presentation at the display; a cooling fan disposed in the housing and operable to generate a cooling airflow to reject thermal energy from within the housing; one or more temperature sensors operable to detect a temperature associated with an exterior surface of the housing; one or more contextual sensors operable to detect a context of the housing relative to an end user; a controller interfaced with the cooling fan, the one or more temperature sensors and the one or more contextual sensors, the controller operable to adapt operating conditions to maintain a selected of plural temperature thresholds of the exterior surface of the housing based upon the context; and a motorized hinge interfaced with the controller to rotate the first and second housing portions between open and closed positions; wherein the controller adjusts a rate at which the motorized hinge closes the first and second housing portions based at least in part upon the temperature of the exterior surface of the housing.
2. The information handling system of claim 1 wherein: the controller bursts the cooling fan to generate enhanced cooling airflow for a predetermined time based at least upon the rate at which the motorized hinge closes the first and second housing portions.
3. The information handling system of claim 2 further comprising:
a carrying handle coupled to the housing; and
a heat pipe loop disposed in the handle and interfaced with the housing to reject thermal energy from within the housing to the carrying handle;
wherein the cooling fan aligns an exhaust towards the carrying handle at least during bursts of the cooling fan.
4. The information handling system of claim 3 further comprising a color coded temperature indicator integrated in the carrying handle and operable to indicate a temperature of the carrying handle.
5. The information handling system of claim 3 further comprising: an actuator interfaced with the controller and the cooling fan to adjust an alignment of an exhaust; wherein the controller manages the actuator to align the exhaust and the carrying handle during closing of the first and second housing portions to achieve at least a predetermined temperature of the carrying handle.
6. The information handling system of claim 1 wherein the one or more contextual sensors comprises a capacitive sensor disposed at the exterior surface of the housing and operable to detect a presence and absence of human contact at the housing.
7. The information handling system of claim 5 wherein the one or more contextual sensors comprises an accelerometer disposed in the housing and operable to detect motion of the housing.
8. The information handling system of claim 7 wherein the one or more contextual sensors comprises a housing position sensor operable to detect open and closed positions of the first and second housing portions.
9. A method for managing thermal conditions at an information handling system, the method comprising: detecting a context of the information handling system; based upon the context, selecting one or more temperature thresholds for a housing exterior of the information handling system; managing operations of components in the information handling system to maintain the housing exterior below the one or more temperature thresholds; and rotating a first and second housing portions of an information handling system housing between closed and open positions with a motorized hinge; wherein the managing operations further comprises adjusting the rate at which the motorized hinge closes the first and second housing portions.
10. The method of claim 9 wherein the managing operations further comprises: monitoring a temperature of a carrying handle extending from the information handling system housing; when the temperature exceeds a threshold, bursting a cooling fan to blow air across the carrying handle; and adjusting the rate at which the motorized hinge closes the first and second housing portions to achieve a predetermined temperature of the carrying handle when the first and second housing portions complete closing.
11. The method of claim 10 further comprising presenting a color coded temperature indication at the carrying handle.
12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:
transferring thermal energy from within the housing to the carrying handle with a heat pipe loop; and
storing excess thermal energy in the carrying handle by a phase change of a solid material to a liquid state.
13. The method of claim 12 wherein the managing operations further comprises:
monitoring with an accelerometer for movement of the housing;
monitoring with a capacitive sensor for human touch of the housing; and
monitoring a rotational orientation of the first and second housing portions.
14. A system for managing thermal energy at an information handling system housing, the system comprising: a thermal sensor operable to monitor a temperature of an information handling system housing exterior; one or more context sensors operable to detect a context of the housing; a cooling fan operable to generate a cooling airflow from an exhaust of the housing; a controller interfaced with the thermal sensor, the one or more context sensors and the cooling fan to command the cooling fan speed; non-transitory memory interfaced with the controller and storing instructions that when executed, the controller commands operating conditions within the housing to maintain less than a selected of plural housing exterior temperature thresholds, the housing exterior temperature threshold selected based upon the context; and a motorized hinge interfaced with the information handling system housing and the controller, the motorized hinge rotating the housing to a closed position at a rate of speed selected based upon the context.
15. The system of claim 14 further comprising a color coded light disposed at the information handling system housing exterior and interfaced with the controller, the instructions operable to illuminate a color associated with a temperature sensed at an exterior surface of the information handling system.
16. The system of claim 14 further comprising a carrying handle coupled to the housing, the thermal sensor disposed at the carrying handle to sense a temperature of the carrying handle.
17. The system of claim 16 further comprising: a heat pipe interfacing an interior housing of the information handling system and the carrying handle to transfer thermal energy to the carrying handle; and a solid material disposed in the carrying handle and operable to store thermal energy with a transition from the solid to a liquid phase.