Cooling device with temperature sensor failure detection
Disclosed is a cooling device which can perform cooling with suppressed power consumption and noise even when temperature sensor is in failure without increasing cost. The cooling device includes a temperature estimation unit which, if a failure is detected in at least one of heat source temperature sensors (HSTSs) measuring temperature of the heat sources (HSs), estimates a value to have been measured by the failed HSTS based on measured values by the HSTSs not in failure, a measured value by an exhaust temperature sensor measuring an exhaust temperature which is temperature of an air outlet for discharging heat generated by HSs from a housing containing the HSs, and information representing a temperature distribution characteristic within the housing; and a rotational frequency calculation unit which calculates a rotational frequency of a cooling fan which rotates based on the estimated value and the measured values by the HSTSs not in failure.
1. A cooling device comprising:
a memory storing instructions;
a processor configured to execute the instructions to:
obtain measured temperature values generated by a plurality of heat source temperature sensors and an exhaust temperature sensor, wherein:
the plurality of heat source temperature sensors are configured to measure temperatures of a plurality of heat sources contained in a housing, and
the exhaust temperature sensor is configured to measure an exhaust temperature which is a temperature of an air outlet for discharging heat generated by the plurality of heat sources;
when detecting a heat source temperature sensor has failed, access information representing a temperature distribution characteristic within the housing, wherein the information includes predetermined temperature values of the plurality of heat source temperature sensors and the exhaust temperature sensor, the predetermined temperature values being measured in advance or derived by calculation;
extract, from the information representing the temperature distribution characteristic, a record including:
predetermined temperature values which are the same as, or nearest to, the measured temperature values generated by heat source temperature sensors not in failure and the exhaust temperature sensor, and
a corresponding predetermined temperature value of the failed heat source temperature sensor;
determine an estimated temperature value of the failed heat source temperature sensor to be the corresponding predetermined temperature value in the record; and
calculate a rotational frequency of a cooling fan which rotates in the housing, based on the estimated temperature value of the failed heat source temperature sensor and the measured values generated by the heat source temperature sensors not in failure.
2. The cooling device according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions to:
when more than one of the plurality of heat source temperature sensors have failed, estimating temperature values of the failed heat source temperature sensors, based on the measured values of the heat source temperature sensors not in failure, the measured value of the exhaust temperature sensor, and the information representing the temperature distribution characteristic within the housing.
3. An electronic apparatus comprising:
a plurality of heat source temperature sensors configured to measure temperatures of a plurality of heat sources contained in a housing;
an exhaust temperature sensor configured to measure an exhaust temperature, which is a temperature of an air outlet for discharging heat generated by the plurality of heat sources;
a memory storing:
information representing a temperature distribution characteristic within the housing, wherein the information includes predetermined temperature values of the plurality of heat source temperature sensors and the exhaust temperature sensor, the predetermined temperature values being measured in advance or derived by calculation; and
instructions; and
a processor configured to execute the instructions to:
obtain measured temperature values generated by the plurality of heat source temperature sensors and the exhaust temperature sensor;
when detecting a heat source temperature sensor has failed, extract, from the information representing the temperature distribution characteristic, a record including:
predetermined temperature values which are the same as, or nearest to, the measured temperature values generated by heat source temperature sensors not in failure and the exhaust temperature sensor, and
a corresponding predetermined temperature value of the failed heat source temperature sensor;
determine an estimated temperature value of the failed heat source temperature sensor to be the corresponding predetermined temperature value in the record; and
calculate a rotational frequency of a cooling fan rotating in the housing, based on the estimated temperature value of the failed heat source temperature sensor and the measured values generated by the heat source temperature sensors not in failure.
4. A cooling method comprising:
obtaining measured temperature values generated by a plurality of heat source temperature sensors and an exhaust temperature sensor, wherein:
the plurality of heat source temperature sensors are configured to measure temperatures of a plurality of heat sources contained in a housing, and
the exhaust temperature sensor is configured to measure an exhaust temperature which is a temperature of an air outlet for discharging heat generated by the plurality of heat sources;
when it is detected that a heat source temperature sensor has failed, accessing information representing a temperature distribution characteristic within the housing, wherein the information includes predetermined temperature values of the plurality of heat source temperature sensors and the exhaust temperature sensor, the predetermined temperature values being measured in advance or derived by calculation;
extracting, from the information representing a temperature distribution characteristic, a record including:
predetermined temperature values which are the same as, or nearest to, the measured temperature values generated by heat source temperature sensors not in failure and the exhaust temperature sensor, and
a corresponding predetermined temperature value of the failed heat source temperature sensor;
determining an estimated temperature value of the failed heat source temperature sensor to be the corresponding predetermined temperature value in the record; and
calculating a rotational frequency of a cooling fan which rotates in the housing, based on the estimated temperature value of the failed heat source temperature sensor and the measured values generated by the heat source temperature sensors not in failure.