Integrated fan assembly utilizing an embedded fan controller

[0002] 1. Technical Field

[0003] The present invention relates in general to cooling systems for electronic devices and, in particular, to cooling fans. More particularly, the present invention relates to an integrated fan assembly that utilizes a embedded fan controller.

[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0005] Integrated circuits and other electrical devices generally have rated operating temperature ranges. Within these operating ranges, the devices behave according to specified requirements. Outside of the rated operating range, the response characteristics of the circuits and devices can vary from the specified requirements. At elevated temperatures, it is known for integrated circuits and other electrical devices to fail or burn out or otherwise become defective. Accordingly, it is desirable to maintain circuits and devices within their rated operating temperature ranges.

[0006] In a computer system, continued operation of an electronic device leads to the generation of heat. In some instances, albeit rare, ambient air is sufficient to provide cooling to maintain the circuit or device within the desired operating temperature range. However, some circuits or components generate enough heat to require affirmative cooling from a cooling fan. Typically, computers have included a cooling fan inside the computer housing to prevent overheating caused by the normal operation of the computer. Also, it not uncommon for a computer system, such as a server system, to utilize more than one cooling fan to maintain a specified operating temperature.

[0007] Computer systems must monitor their cooling fans to verify that the fans are powered on and rotating at a predetermined speed to maintain a desired thermal condition that precludes accelerated failures of electronic devices utilized in the computer systems. Typically, each cooling fan generates a “feedback” signal that provides information, such as rotational speed. The feedback signal is generally a “tach” signal that is essentially a pulse train where each pulse represents a complete revolution of a fan blade. A monitoring processor, typically a system processor, receives this feedback signal at a fan sense pin.

[0008] The speed at which a cooling fan is operated is generally a function of the heat dissipation and acoustical noise requirements of the system in which it is utilized. For example, a fan operating at a high speed typically generates a higher noise level than a fan operating at a lower speed. The different cooling and acoustic noise requirements result in a different fan speed operation requirements. Thus, a manufacturer must customize a cooling system for each different application. This, in turn, results in the manufacturer utilizing a different “custom” fan for each separate application or product, increasing the manufacturer's inventory and cost.

[0009] Accordingly, what is needed in the art is an improved cooling fan that mitigates the limitations discussed above. More particularly, what is needed in the art is a single cooling fan that can be operated at different speeds to accommodate the different environmental requirements of disparate systems or applications.

[0010] It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an improved cooling fan.

[0011] It is another object of the invention to provide an integrated fan assembly with an embedded fan controller.

[0012] To achieve the foregoing objects, and in accordance with the invention as embodied and broadly described herein, a fan controller for use with a variable speed fan is disclosed. The fan controller includes a processor coupled to a communication circuit that, in an advantageous embodiment, includes a universal asynchronous receiver transmitter (UART). The communication circuit allows an external controller to monitor and establish a desired speed setting of the variable speed fan. The fan controller also includes a memory device, such as an electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM), coupled to the processor, that contains the desired speed setting of the variable speed fan. The fan controller further includes a feedback circuit, coupled to the processor, that receives a feedback signal indicative of the variable speed fan operation and a fan driver circuit, coupled to the processor, that provides a driving signal to control a speed of the variable speed fan.

[0013] The fan controller along with the associated variable speed fan constitutes a “phase locked loop” system where the variable fan speed is constantly monitored and adjusted accordingly to meet the predetermined speed requirements of the overall system where it is employed. The predetermined, i.e., desired, speed is contained in the memory device and the fan motor currents are adjusted until the desired speed is obtained. The fan controller communicates with and is typically under the control of a supervisory processor of the host machine via a bidirectional bus, allowing the fan controller to notify the supervisory processor of any existing problems. The present invention permits the utilization of a single fan assembly for use with disparate systems having different cooling requirements. The speed settings for the different cooling environments can be “flashed” into the memory device of the fan controller, thus allowing a single fan assembly to be inventoried reducing overall costs in manufacturing and operation.

[0014] The foregoing description has outlined, rather broadly, preferred and alternative features of the present invention so that those skilled in the art may better understand the detailed description of the invention that follows. Additional features of the invention will be described hereinafter that form the subject matter of the claims of the invention. Those skilled in the art should appreciate that they can readily use the disclosed conception and specific embodiment as a basis for designing or modifying other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should also realize that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention in its broadest form.

[0015] The novel features believed characteristic of the invention are set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself however, as well as a preferred mode of use, further objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0016] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary data processing system that provides a suitable environment for the practice of the present invention;

[0017] FIG. 2 illustrates an embodiment of an integrated fan assembly constructed according to the principles of the present invention;

[0018] FIG. 3A illustrates a serial implementation where the communication circuits of the integrated fan assemblies are coupled to a communication port of a supervisory or service processor;

[0019] FIG. 3B illustrates a parallel implementation where the alarm and speed control signals from the integrated fan assemblies are coupled to a parallel port of a supervisory processor; and

[0020] FIG. 3C illustrates a ring implementation where the alarm and control signals of the integrated fan assemblies are configured in a “daisy chain.”

[0021] With reference now to the figures and in particular with reference to FIG. 1, there is depicted an exemplary data processing system 100 that provides a suitable environment for the practice of the present invention. Data processing system 100, such as a personal computer (PC), includes a processor 110, such as a conventional microprocessor, coupled to a number of electronic devices. As shown in the illustrated embodiment, the electronic devices generally include a power supply 140 for providing power, a non-volatile memory device, i.e., hard drive 120, and a plurality of circuit boards, generally designated 130a-130c, such as a graphic adapter card, modem card and network communication card. As discussed previously, these electronic devices generate heat when they are in operation. To dissipate the generated heat and prevent component failures due to elevated temperatures, an integrated fan assembly 150, having a variable speed fan 160 and an associated controller 170, is utilized in the illustrated embodiment to provide a means of removing the generated heat from an enclosure (not shown) that houses the electronic devices. The operation of integrated fan assembly 150 is monitored and controlled by processor 110 via a fan sense pin 110a. The construction and operation of integrated fan assembly 150 will hereinafter be described in greater detail with respect to FIG. 2, with continuing reference to FIG. 1.

[0022] Referring now to FIG. 2, there is illustrated an embodiment of an integrated fan assembly 200 constructed according to the principles of the present invention. Integrated fan assembly 200 (analogous to integrated fan assembly 150 shown in FIG. 1) includes a conventional variable speed fan 210 that, in an advantageous embodiment, is a brushless DC fan whose speed is directly proportional to a supplied DC voltage, or alternatively current, level provided from a fan controller 220. A feedback signal indicative of the speed of variable speed fan 210 is, in turn, provided to fan controller 220 to complete a closed loop control system.

[0023] Fan controller 220 includes a processor 230, a conventional microprocessor may be advantageously utilized, coupled to a communication circuit 240 that provides a means for communicating with an external processor, such as supervisory processor 110 depicted in FIG. 1. Communication circuit 240 includes a bidirectional USB serial I/O port managed by a universal asynchronous receiver-transmitter (UART), that allows for communication between the integrated fan assembly 200 and the external supervisory processor or other peripheral devices. This allows for supervisory processor 110 to set a speed of variable speed fan 210 and monitor its operation. Additionally, the serial I/O port allows for a speed setting to be “burned” into a memory device, e.g., a programable read-only memory (PROM), that is part of fan controller 220 during the manufacturing process. This, in turn, allows a single fan assembly to be utilized for systems having disparate cooling requirements. Different speed settings for the variable speed fan depending on the cooling requirements of the system utilizing the fan can be burned into the memory device of the fan controller during its assembly process, thus allowing for a single fan assembly to be inventoried, reducing overall costs in manufacturing and operation.

[0024] Communication circuit 240 also includes first and second transistor to transistor logic (TTL) signal pins 240a,240bthat provide for alarm and speed control, respectively. First signal pin 240agenerates an output alarm signal typically to an external supervisory processor that indicates the operational status of variable speed fan 210. Second signal pin 240btypically receives a speed control signal from an external supervisory processor that sets the desired speed of variable speed fan 210. Alternatively, in another advantageous embodiment, first and second signal pins 240a,240ballow for integrated fan assembly 200 to be operated as a standalone unit, i.e., no external or supervisory processor is required for the fan operation. An external control circuit, coupled to second signal pin 240b,may be utilized to control variable speed fan's 210 speed while first signal pin 240amay be tied to an alarm, such as a indicator on a control panel, to register a failure event.

[0025] A memory device 250 is also coupled to processor 230 and, in an advantageous embodiment, is an electrical erasable programable read-only memory (EEPROM) that provides a non-volatile memory for storing the speed settings of variable speed fan 210. Alternatively, in another embodiment, a flash memory device may be advantageously utilized. The utilization of these programable memory devices allows the speed of the variable speed fan 210 to be adjusted by an external controller, e.g., supervisory processor 110, to any desired setting based on external conditions, such as thermal and/or acoustic levels.

[0026] Fan controller 220 also includes a fan driver 260 and a feedback circuit 270 that are coupled to processor 230. As their name implies, fan driver 260 is utilized to provide the driving signal to operate variable speed fan 210 while feedback circuit 270 receives the speed feedback signal, e.g. a tach signal, from variable speed fan 210. In an advantageous embodiment, fan driver 260 is a conventional digital to analog converter (DAC) that converts a driving control signal from processor 230 based on the feedback signal received from feedback circuit 270 into an analog signal, e.g., a driving current, to operate variable speed fan 210 at a predetermined speed. In an advantageous embodiment, feedback circuit 270 is a counter that translates a tach feedback signal from variable speed fan 210 into a speed value that, in turn, is utilized by processor 230 to adjust the driving control signal. Additionally, in the event that feedback circuit's 270 signal indicates that variable speed fan 210 is not operating at the prescribed speed or not spinning at all, an alarm signal is generated by processor 230 to inform the supervisory processor that a failure condition has been encountered.

[0027] It should be noted that although fan controller 220 has been described above in the context of a collection of individual devices, in another advantageous embodiment, fan controller 220 may also be embodied in a microcontroller, such as the well-known 8051 microcontroller, available, e.g., from Intel Corporation. Turning now to FIGS. 3A-3C, there are depicted different configurations of multiple integrated fan assemblies. Specifically, FIG. 3A illustrates a serial implementation where the communication circuits of the integrated fan assemblies are coupled via a USB, I2C, RS232 link to a communication port, e.g., com port or USB port, of a supervisory or service processor. FIG. 3B depicts a parallel implementation where the alarm and speed control signals from the integrated fan assemblies are coupled to a parallel port of a supervisory processor. FIG. 3C illustrates a ring implementation where the alarm and control signals of the integrated fan assemblies are configured in a “daisy chain.”

[0028] While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to a preferred embodiment, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.