IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,582,646
Granted Patent B2
US 10,582,646 · App. 15/607,908 · Granted Mar 3, 2020

Systems and methods for defining user-discernable acoustical settings

Inventors: Hasnain Shabbir (Round Rock, TX); Dominick A. Lovicott (Jarrell, TX); Chris E. Peterson (Austin, TX)
Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
H05K7/20836G06F1/20G06F1/206H05K7/20727
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 10,582,646
App. No.
15/607,908
Granted
Mar 3, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, a system may include a cooling subsystem comprising at least one air mover configured to generate a cooling airflow in the system and a thermal manager communicatively coupled to the cooling subsystem and configured to: (i) determine a minimum air mover speed and maximum air mover speed based on a minimum sound level and a maximum sound level for sound generated by the at least one air mover; and (ii) operate the at least one air mover in accordance with thermal requirements of the system subject to the maximum air mover speed and the minimum air mover speed.

Claims (39)

1. A system comprising:

a cooling subsystem comprising at least one air mover configured to generate a cooling airflow in the system; and

a thermal manager communicatively coupled to the cooling subsystem and configured to:

receive an indication of an allowable acoustical range for the cooling subsystem, wherein the allowable acoustical range includes a minimum sound level and a maximum sound level for sound generated by the at least one air mover;

determine a minimum air mover speed and a maximum air mover speed via a formula based on the minimum sound level and the maximum sound level for sound generated by the at least one air mover;

operate the at least one air mover in accordance with thermal requirements of the system subject to the maximum air mover speed and the minimum air mover speed;

identify cooling limits of the cooling subsystem when operating at the maximum air mover speed based on one or more of a hardware configuration of the system, thermal conditions of the system, and thermal parameters associated with the system;

determine and apply power consumption limits to components of the system based on the cooling limits; and

in response to a replacement of an air mover of the at least one air mover with a new air mover, cause the formula to be updated from an original formula to a new formula, wherein the new formula is based on the new air mover.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the thermal manager is configured to identify the cooling limits of the cooling subsystem when operating at the maximum air mover speed by:

determining a maximum cubic airflow based on the maximum air mover speed; and

determining the cooling limits based on the maximum cubic airflow.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the thermal manager is further configured to communicate information regarding the cooling limits to a user of the system.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the minimum sound level and the maximum sound level are based on a configurable setting of a user of the system.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the configurable setting is a user selection from among a plurality of acoustical categories, each acoustical category defining a corresponding minimum air mover speed and maximum air mover speed.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the minimum sound level and the maximum sound level are based on a performance profile of the system, and a baseline air mover speed is based on at least one of the minimum sound level and maximum sound level associated with the performance profile.

7. A method comprising:

receiving an indication of an allowable acoustical range for a cooling system, wherein the allowable acoustical range includes a minimum sound level and a maximum sound level for sound generated by at least one air mover of the cooling system;

determining a minimum air mover speed and a maximum air mover speed for the at least one air mover of the cooling system configured to generate a cooling airflow in a system via a formula based on the minimum sound level and the maximum sound level for sound generated by the at least one air mover;

operating the at least one air mover in accordance with thermal requirements of the system subject to the maximum air mover speed and the minimum air mover speed;

identifying cooling limits of the cooling system when operating at the maximum air mover speed based on one or more of a hardware configuration of the system, thermal conditions of the system, and thermal parameters associated with the system;

determining and applying power consumption limits to components of the system based on the cooling limits; and

in response to a replacement of an air mover of the at least one air mover with a new air mover, causing the formula to be updated from an original formula to a new formula, wherein the new formula is based on the new air mover.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising identifying the cooling limits of the cooling system when operating at the maximum air mover speed by:

determining a maximum cubic airflow based on the maximum air mover speed; and

determining the cooling limits based on the maximum cubic airflow.

9. The method of claim 7 , further comprising communicating information regarding the cooling limits to a user of the system.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the minimum sound level and the maximum sound level are based on a configurable setting of a user of the system.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the configurable setting is a user selection from among a plurality of acoustical categories, each acoustical category defining a corresponding minimum air mover speed and maximum air mover speed.

12. The method of claim 7 , wherein the minimum sound level and the maximum sound level are based on a performance profile of the system, the method further comprising setting a baseline air mover speed based on at least one of the minimum sound level and maximum sound level associated with the performance profile.

13. An article of manufacture, comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable medium; and

computer-executable instructions carried on the computer readable medium, the instructions readable by a processor, the instructions, when read and executed, for causing the processor to:

receive an indication of an allowable acoustical range for a cooling system, wherein the allowable acoustical range includes a minimum sound level and a maximum sound level for sound generated by at least one air mover of the cooling system;

determine a minimum air mover speed and a maximum air mover speed for the at least one air mover of the cooling system configured to generate a cooling airflow in a system via a formula based on the minimum sound level and the maximum sound level for sound generated by the at least one air mover;

operate the at least one air mover in accordance with thermal requirements of the system subject to the maximum air mover speed and the minimum air mover speed;

identify cooling limits of the cooling system when operating at the maximum air mover speed based on one or more of a hardware configuration of the system, thermal conditions of the system, and thermal parameters associated with the system;

determine and apply power consumption limits to components of the system based on the cooling limits; and

in response to a replacement of an air mover of the at least one air mover with a new air mover, cause the formula to be updated from an original formula to a new formula, wherein the new formula is based on the new air mover.

Assignments (8)
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 (043775/0082) Recorded May 20, 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 060958/0468 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST AT REEL 043772 FRAME 0750 Recorded Nov 2, 2021
From: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 058298/0606 →
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 21, 2019
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 049452/0223 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (CREDIT) Recorded Sep 6, 2017
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 043772/0750 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (NOTES) Recorded Sep 6, 2017
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 043775/0082 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 30, 2017
From: SHABBIR, HASNAIN; LOVICOTT, DOMINICK A.; PETERSON, CHRIS E.
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.
Reel/Frame 042528/0042 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20180352681A1 · Dec 6, 2018
Cited By (1)
US 12,235,694