IP Library Granted Patent US 12,050,788
Granted Patent B2
US 12,050,788 · App. 17/746,571 · Granted Jul 30, 2024

Accelerated cooling in storage devices

Inventors: Cono J Sammarco (San Jose, CA); Gurjit Chadha (San Jose, CA)
Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
G06F3/0625G06F1/206G06F3/0653G06F3/0659G06F3/0673G11B33/144H01L23/38
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,050,788
App. No.
17/746,571
Granted
Jul 30, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

Various devices, such as storage devices or storage systems are configured to recycle heat generated during normal operation. This recycled heat can be captured and converted into electricity that can be stored for later discharge and use in cooling the storage devices. The recycling can be done through a variety of energy recycling modules that can be placed on various components within a storage device. These energy recycling modules can be a series of semiconductors that utilize various natural effects to convert heat applied on one side of the module into electricity that can be delivered to various power storing components or used in other areas of the storage device or system. These energy recycling modules can include versions that act as a cooler that can work to accelerate cooling of the storage device upon completion of a period of high usage, thereby reducing cooling costs and increasing device lifespans.

Claims (54)

1. A storage device comprising:

a plurality of components including:

a processor; and

a memory array comprising a plurality of memory devices;

a first energy recycling module, wherein the first energy recycling module is disposed on a top of one or more of the components; and

an accelerated cooling logic configured to:

enable the first energy recycling module to capture heat generated from the one or more of the components;

convert the captured heat into an amount of electricity;

store the converted amount of electricity within the storage device;

receive a signal associated with a decrease in operations of the components within the storage device; and

utilize, in response to the received signal, the stored amount of electricity is utilized to accelerate cooling of the components within the storage device.

2. The storage device of claim 1 , wherein the accelerated cooling logic is further configured to:

determine the operations of the components being performed within the storage device; and

generate the signal in response to the operations of the components falling below a predetermined threshold.

3. The storage device of claim 1 , wherein the stored amount of electricity is utilized to power a second energy recycling module.

4. The storage device of claim 3 , wherein the second energy recycling module is configured to cool another one or more of the components in response to receiving at least a portion of the amount of the electricity.

5. The storage device of claim 4 , wherein the second energy recycling module utilizes the Peltier effect to cool the another one or more of the components.

6. The storage device of claim 4 , wherein the stored amount of electricity is further utilized to power the first energy recycling module.

7. The storage device of claim 6 , further comprises a temperature sensor.

8. The storage device of claim 7 , wherein the second energy recycling module is configured to:

convert captured heat of the another one or more of the components; and

accelerate the cooling of the the another one or more components upon a threshold of a temperature being exceeded, wherein the temperature is detected through the temperature sensor.

9. The storage device of claim 1 , wherein the first energy recycling module is disposed on a top of the processor.

10. The storage device of claim 1 , wherein the first energy recycling module is disposed on a top of at least a portion of the memory array.

11. The storage device of claim 1 , further includes a casing that encloses the plurality of components.

12. The storage device of claim 11 , wherein the first energy recycling module is integrated into the casing.

13. The storage device of claim 11 , wherein the first energy recycling module is encased within the casing with others of the plurality of components.

14. The storage device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of components further include one or more capacitors, the converted amount of electricity is stored in the one or more capacitors.

15. The storage device of claim 1 , wherein the first energy recycling module comprises two or more energy recycling modules each configured to both convert the heat to the amount of electricity and to accelerate the cooling in response to in response to the received signal of the decrease in operations.

16. The storage device of claim 15 , wherein each of the two or more energy recycling modules operates based on temperature differences in a respective zone within the storage device.

17. A storage system comprising:

a plurality of storage devices, each of the storage devices comprises a plurality of components including at least:

a processor; and

a memory array comprising a plurality of memory devices;

at least one energy recycling module disposed on each of the storage devices; and

an accelerated cooling logic configured to:

enable the at least one energy recycling module to capture heat generated from one or more of the components;

convert the captured heat into an amount of electricity;

store the converted amount of electricity within a respective one of the storage devices;

communicate with at least one other of the storage devices within the storage system;

receive a signal associated with a decrease in operations of the components of within the at least one other of the storage devices within the storage system; and

utilize, in response to the received signal, the stored amount of electricity is utilized to accelerate cooling of the components of the at least one other of the storage devices within the storage system.

18. A method for recycling energy within a storage device, comprising:

providing a plurality of components of the storage device including:

a processor; and

a memory array comprising a plurality of memory devices;

providing an energy recycling module disposed of the storage device on one or more of the components of the storage device;

enabling the energy recycling module to capture heat generated from the one or more of the components;

converting the captured heat into an amount of electricity;

storing the converted amount of electricity within the storage device;

receiving a signal associated with a decrease in operations of the components within the storage device; and

utilizing, in response to the received signal, the stored amount of electricity is utilized to accelerate cooling of the components within the storage device.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the energy recycling module operates alternately as a thermo-electric cooler and a thermo-electric generator.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the thermo-electric cooler utilizes the Peltier effect and the thermo-electric generator utilizes the Seebeck effect.

Assignments (8)
PARTIAL RELEASE OF SECURITY INTERESTS Recorded Apr 25, 2025
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS AGENT
To: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 071382/0001 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 25, 2025
From: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 071050/0001 →
PATENT COLLATERAL AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 23, 2024
From: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS THE AGENT
Reel/Frame 068762/0494 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jun 27, 2024
From: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 067982/0032 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 29, 2024
From: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 067567/0682 →
PATENT COLLATERAL AGREEMENT - A&R LOAN AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 21, 2023
From: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 064715/0001 →
PATENT COLLATERAL AGREEMENT - DDTL LOAN AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 21, 2023
From: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 067045/0156 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 17, 2022
From: SAMMARCO, CONO J.; CHADHA, GURJIT
To: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 059935/0514 →