An intelligent fan module integrated with wireless control function and a control system thereof

Abstract

The application discloses an intelligent fan module integrated with a wireless control function and a control system thereof.A DC-DC voltage conversion module and an MCU control module integrated with Wi-Fi+Bluetooth functions are integrated on a same PCB board, a local intelligent control node capable of directly receiving computer APP wireless instructions is constructed, wireless integrated control of PWM speed regulation of a fan, FG rotating speed feedback monitoring and LED light effect mode is realized, an architecture in a traditional scheme must rely on an external independent controller is abandoned, a bill of materials cost and assembly complexity of the product are reduced, precise and stable voltages are provided for each module through a two-stage voltage reduction power supply network, direct and low-delay conversion of wireless instructions into physical signals is realized through hard connection of MCU pins and fan motor drive chips and DI ends of LED lamp panels, complicated wire connection between multiple fans and between the fan and the controller is reduced, internal wiring structure of a case is optimized, and integration, reliability and user experience of the system are improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of fan cooling technology, specifically relating to an intelligent fan module with integrated wireless control function and its control system. Background Technology

[0002] As computer hardware performance continues to improve, heat dissipation has become an increasingly prominent issue, requiring multiple cooling fans inside the computer case to ensure stable system operation. Meanwhile, to meet users' demands for personalized computer aesthetics, modern cooling fans generally integrate RGB lighting effects.

[0003] Currently, most commercially available cooling fans with lighting effects are typically connected via wired connection to a separate physical controller (such as a fan hub or lighting controller), or connected to a specific interface on the motherboard and controlled by the motherboard's accompanying software.

[0004] However, the aforementioned existing technologies require additional configuration of external control drivers or rely on motherboard hardware and software, increasing the user's purchase cost and assembly complexity; moreover, the wiring connections between multiple fans and between fans and controllers are cumbersome, resulting in messy wiring inside the chassis, affecting airflow and aesthetics; in addition, external controllers are usually large in size, occupying internal chassis space, and their control functions are relatively simple, failing to achieve flexible and convenient wireless control.

[0005] Therefore, in view of the above-mentioned technical problems and defects, there is an urgent need to design and develop an intelligent fan module and its control system that integrates wireless control functions. Summary of the Invention

[0006] To overcome the shortcomings and difficulties of the existing technology, the present invention aims to provide an intelligent fan module and its control system with integrated wireless control function, so as to simplify the control structure of the fan module, reduce system cost and achieve flexible and efficient wireless control.

[0007] The first objective of this invention is to provide an intelligent fan module with integrated wireless control functionality; the second objective of this invention is to provide an intelligent fan control system with integrated wireless control functionality.

[0008] The first objective of this invention is achieved as follows: the intelligent fan module includes at least one circuit board, and a power input terminal disposed on the circuit board for connecting to a DC power supply; an integrated power module disposed on the circuit board, with its input terminal connected to the power input terminal and used to convert the DC power supply into a first operating voltage and a second operating voltage; and a wireless control module disposed on the circuit board, with its power supply terminal connected to the integrated power module to receive the second operating voltage and used to receive and parse external wireless control commands.

[0009] The intelligent fan module further includes a fan motor module whose power supply terminal is connected to the power input terminal to receive the DC power supply, and whose control terminal is connected to the first signal terminal of the wireless control module and is used to adjust the operating state according to the wireless control command; and a lighting effect module whose power supply terminal is connected to the integrated power module to receive the first operating voltage, and whose signal input terminal is connected to the second signal terminal of the wireless control module and is used to adjust the lighting effect mode according to the wireless control command.

[0010] Furthermore, the wireless control module includes at least one microcontroller chip that integrates Wi-Fi and Bluetooth functions and is used to establish a wireless communication link with the host computer application, and to generate corresponding fan control signals and lighting effect control signals based on the received instructions.

[0011] Furthermore, the wireless control module is provided with a first control circuit for realizing wireless reception control;

[0012] The first control circuit is equipped with a second control chip; the model of the second control chip is ESP32-C3-WROOM-02.

[0013] Furthermore, the integrated power module includes a first voltage conversion unit whose input terminal is connected to the power supply input terminal and is used to step down the DC power supply to convert it into the first operating voltage; and a second voltage conversion unit whose input terminal is connected to the output terminal of the first voltage conversion unit and is used to step down the first operating voltage to convert it into the second operating voltage.

[0014] Furthermore, the first operating voltage is used to power the lighting module and the voltage is 5V;

[0015] The second operating voltage is used to power the wireless control module and is 3.3V.

[0016] Furthermore, the fan motor module includes at least one motor driver chip, and the first pin of the motor driver chip is connected to the first signal terminal of the wireless control module for receiving pulse width modulation signals to control the fan speed.

[0017] Furthermore, the second pin of the motor drive chip is connected to the third signal terminal of the wireless control module to output a speed feedback signal to the wireless control module, thereby realizing closed-loop speed monitoring.

[0018] Furthermore, the lighting effect module includes at least one addressable light-emitting diode, the data input terminal of which is connected to the second signal terminal of the wireless control module, for receiving lighting effect control data to perform preset dynamic lighting mode switching;

[0019] The DC power supply connected to the power input terminal is 12V, which provides power to both the integrated power module and the fan motor module.

[0020] The second objective of this invention is achieved as follows: the system includes the aforementioned intelligent fan module, and a host computer application running on an electronic device for sending control commands to the wireless control module of the intelligent fan module via a wireless network to regulate the operating status of the fan motor module and the lighting effect mode of the lighting effect module.

[0021] Furthermore, the control of the operating state includes at least adjusting the fan speed by changing the duty cycle of the pulse width modulation signal, and the control of the lighting effect mode includes at least switching one or more of the lighting effect's color, brightness, and dynamic flowing mode.

[0022] This invention integrates a power input terminal mounted on a circuit board for connecting to a DC power source; an integrated power module mounted on the circuit board, with its input terminal connected to the power input terminal for converting the DC power source into a first operating voltage and a second operating voltage; a wireless control module mounted on the circuit board, with its power supply terminal connected to the integrated power module to receive the second operating voltage and for receiving and parsing external wireless control commands; a fan motor module with its power supply terminal connected to the power input terminal to receive the DC power source and its control terminal connected to the first signal terminal of the wireless control module for adjusting its operating state according to the wireless control commands; and a lighting effect module with its power supply terminal connected to the integrated power module to receive the first operating voltage and its signal input terminal connected to the second signal terminal of the wireless control module for adjusting the lighting effect mode according to the wireless control commands. By integrating the power conversion module and the wireless receiving and control module on the same PCB board, this invention enables wireless reception of computer APP commands and direct control of the fan's lighting effects, speed feedback, and pulse width modulation mode, thereby simplifying the system structure, reducing production costs, and improving the user experience.

[0023] In other words, this invention integrates a DC-DC voltage conversion module with an MCU control module that integrates Wi-Fi and Bluetooth functionality onto the same PCB board, creating a local intelligent control node that can directly receive wireless commands from a computer APP. This enables wireless integrated control of fan PWM speed regulation, FG speed feedback monitoring, and LED lighting modes. This design eliminates the traditional architecture that relies on an external independent controller, reducing the product's bill of materials cost and assembly complexity. Simultaneously, a two-stage step-down power supply network provides precise and stable voltage to each module, and a hard connection between the MCU pins and the fan motor driver chip and the LED light board's DI terminal achieves direct, low-latency conversion from wireless commands to physical signals. This reduces cumbersome wiring connections between multiple fans and between fans and the controller, optimizes the internal wiring structure of the chassis, and thus improves system integration, reliability, and user experience. Attached Figure Description

[0024] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0025] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the frame of an intelligent fan module integrating wireless control function according to the present invention;

[0026] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the intelligent fan module with integrated wireless control function according to the present invention;

[0027] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the framework of an intelligent fan control system integrating wireless control function according to the present invention;

[0028] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the DC-DC voltage conversion control circuit of an intelligent fan control system integrating wireless control function according to the present invention.

[0029] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the LED light group control circuit of an intelligent fan control system with integrated wireless control function according to the present invention.

[0030] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the MCU receiving control circuit (first control circuit) of an intelligent fan control system integrating wireless control function according to the present invention;

[0031] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the DC fan motor control circuit of an intelligent fan control system with integrated wireless control function according to the present invention.

[0032] The objectives, features, and advantages of this invention will be further explained in conjunction with the embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Detailed Implementation

[0033] To facilitate a clearer understanding of the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention, the invention will be further described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of this invention from the content disclosed in this specification.

[0034] This invention can also be implemented or applied through other different specific examples, and various details in this specification can also be modified and changed based on different viewpoints and applications without departing from the spirit of this invention.

[0035] It should be noted that if the embodiments of the present invention involve directional indicators (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.), the directional indicators are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of the components in a certain specific posture (as shown in the figure). If the specific posture changes, the directional indicators will also change accordingly.

[0036] Furthermore, if the embodiments of this invention involve descriptions such as "first" or "second," these descriptions are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of those features. Secondly, the technical solutions of the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but this must be based on the ability of those skilled in the art to implement them. When the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or impossible to implement, it should be considered that such a combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection claimed by this invention.

[0037] The invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, such as Figures 1-2 As shown, the present invention provides an intelligent fan module with integrated wireless control function. The intelligent fan module includes at least one circuit board, and a power input terminal disposed on the circuit board for connecting to a DC power supply; an integrated power supply module disposed on the circuit board, with its input terminal connected to the power input terminal and used to convert the DC power supply into a first operating voltage and a second operating voltage; and a wireless control module disposed on the circuit board, with its power supply terminal connected to the integrated power supply module to receive the second operating voltage and used to receive and parse external wireless control commands.

[0038] The intelligent fan module further includes a fan motor module whose power supply terminal is connected to the power input terminal to receive the DC power supply, and whose control terminal is connected to the first signal terminal of the wireless control module and is used to adjust the operating state according to the wireless control command; and a lighting effect module whose power supply terminal is connected to the integrated power module to receive the first operating voltage, and whose signal input terminal is connected to the second signal terminal of the wireless control module and is used to adjust the lighting effect mode according to the wireless control command.

[0039] The wireless control module includes at least one microcontroller chip that integrates Wi-Fi and Bluetooth functions and is used to establish a wireless communication link with the host computer application, and to generate corresponding fan control signals and lighting effect control signals based on the received instructions.

[0040] The wireless control module is equipped with a first control circuit for implementing wireless reception control.

[0041] The first control circuit is equipped with a second control chip; the model of the second control chip is ESP32-C3-WROOM-02.

[0042] The integrated power module includes a first voltage conversion unit whose input terminal is connected to the power supply input terminal and is used to step down the DC power supply to convert it into the first operating voltage; and a second voltage conversion unit whose input terminal is connected to the output terminal of the first voltage conversion unit and is used to step down the first operating voltage to convert it into the second operating voltage.

[0043] The first operating voltage is used to power the lighting module and the voltage is 5V;

[0044] The second operating voltage is used to power the wireless control module and is 3.3V.

[0045] The fan motor module includes at least one motor driver chip, and the first pin of the motor driver chip is connected to the first signal terminal of the wireless control module for receiving pulse width modulation signals to control the fan speed.

[0046] The second pin of the motor drive chip is connected to the third signal terminal of the wireless control module, and is used to output a speed feedback signal to the wireless control module to realize closed-loop speed monitoring.

[0047] The lighting effect module includes at least one addressable light-emitting diode (LED). The data input terminal of the LED is connected to the second signal terminal of the wireless control module to receive lighting effect control data to perform preset dynamic lighting mode switching.

[0048] The DC power supply connected to the power input terminal is 12V, which provides power to both the integrated power module and the fan motor module.

[0049] Specifically, in this embodiment of the invention, by integrating the DC-DC voltage conversion module and the MCU receiving and control module on the same PCB board, it is possible to receive wireless signals sent by a computer APP, thereby controlling the product's lighting effects, FG and PWM modes, eliminating the need for an external control driver to control the product's lighting effects, FG and PWM modes, and thus reducing the product's cost.

[0050] Preferably, the microcontroller chip in the present invention is an ESP32-C3-WROOM-02 chip, which is a wireless receiver module chip with 2.4GHz Wi-Fi + Bluetooth function. It receives instructions from a computer APP to control the switching of LED lighting effects, fan FG and PWM signals of the product, thereby realizing wireless signal reception to control the lighting effects, fan PWM and FG signals of the fan product. This invention utilizes a DC-DC module, with a step-down chip NDP2330KC converting 12V to 5V and inputting it to the LED module, enabling the LED module to power on and operate normally. Based on the NDP2330KC's conversion, the HT7533 chip further steps down the 5V to 3.3V and supplies it to pin 1 of the ESP32-C3-WROOM-02 chip in the MCU receiving control module, connecting to the pins of resistors R2 and R3, ensuring the chip's normal operation. Pin 3 of the ESP32-C3-WROOM-02 chip is connected to pin 2 of the DC fan motor module chip, controlling the FG signal. Pin 4 of the ESP32-C3-WROOM-02 chip is connected to pin 1 of the DC fan motor module chip, controlling the PWM signal. Pin 5 of the ESP32-C3-WROOM-02 chip is connected to the DI terminal of resistor R1 in the LED module, controlling the LED module's lighting effect signal.

[0051] This solution uses the ESP32-C3-WROOM-02 chip to receive wireless signals. The MCU processes the signals and controls the LED lighting effects, as well as the switching of the fan's FG and PWM signals, reducing the need for external control drivers and lowering costs.

[0052] In other words, in the embodiments of the present invention, an intelligent fan module is provided, which mainly includes a circuit board, and a power input terminal, an integrated power module, a wireless control module, a fan motor module and a lighting effect module integrated on the circuit board.

[0053] Specifically, the power input terminal is used to connect to an external DC power source. In this embodiment, a 12V DC power source is connected, which simultaneously powers the integrated power module and the fan motor module.

[0054] The integrated power module includes a first voltage conversion unit and a second voltage conversion unit. The input terminal of the first voltage conversion unit is connected to the power supply input terminal, and it is used to step down the 12V voltage to a 5V voltage (i.e., the first operating voltage). In this embodiment, a step-down chip of model NDP2330KC is used for implementation. The input terminal of the second voltage conversion unit is connected to the output terminal of the first voltage conversion unit, and it is used to further step down the 5V voltage to a 3.3V voltage (i.e., the second operating voltage). In this embodiment, a linear regulator chip of model HT7533 is used for implementation.

[0055] The wireless control module includes a microcontroller chip integrating 2.4GHz Wi-Fi and Bluetooth functions; in this embodiment, the ESP32-C3-WROOM-02 chip is preferably used. The power supply terminal of this chip (such as pin 1) is connected to the output terminal of the second voltage conversion unit, receiving a stable 3.3V operating voltage, and receiving wireless control commands from the computer APP through its built-in antenna, parsing them and generating corresponding control signals.

[0056] The fan motor module includes a brushless DC fan motor and its driver chip. Its power supply terminal is directly connected to the power input terminal to obtain a 12V drive voltage. The driver chip's PWM control pin (e.g., pin 1) is connected to the first signal terminal of the wireless control module (e.g., pin 4 of ESP32-C3-WROOM-02) to receive PWM signals and adjust the fan speed. The driver chip's FG speed feedback pin (e.g., pin 2) is connected to the third signal terminal of the wireless control module (e.g., pin 3 of ESP32-C3-WROOM-02) to feed back the real-time speed to the MCU, achieving closed-loop monitoring.

[0057] The lighting effect module includes several WS2812 series addressable RGB LED beads connected in series or parallel. Its power supply terminal is connected to the output terminal of the first voltage conversion unit to receive a 5V operating voltage; its data input terminal (DI terminal) is connected to the second signal terminal of the wireless control module (such as pin 5 of ESP32-C3-WROOM-02) through a current-limiting resistor R1, which is used to receive lighting effect control data and realize the switching of color, brightness and dynamic mode.

[0058] To achieve the above objectives, such as Figures 3-7As shown, the present invention also provides an intelligent fan control system with integrated wireless control functionality. The system includes the aforementioned intelligent fan module and a host computer application running on an electronic device, used to send control commands to the wireless control module of the intelligent fan module via a wireless network to regulate the operating state of the fan motor module and the lighting effect mode of the lighting effect module. The regulation of the operating state includes at least adjusting the fan speed by changing the duty cycle of the pulse width modulation signal, and the regulation of the lighting effect mode includes at least switching between one or more of the following: color, brightness, and dynamic flowing light mode.

[0059] Specifically, the host computer application runs on the user's electronic device, such as a personal computer or smartphone. This application establishes a wireless communication link with the ESP32-C3-WROOM-02 chip in the smart fan module via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. Through the application interface, users can intuitively adjust the fan speed (e.g., dragging the slider to change the PWM duty cycle), monitor real-time speed (reading the FG signal frequency), switch LED lighting effects (such as breathing, rainbow, and solid-color modes), and adjust brightness and color.

[0060] In this embodiment, one or more smart fan modules can be used in parallel. When multiple modules are present, since each module has an independent wireless control module, they can receive commands independently and achieve differentiated control without the need to connect control signals in series via physical cables, further simplifying wiring.

[0061] This invention integrates a power input terminal mounted on a circuit board for connecting to a DC power source; an integrated power module mounted on the circuit board, with its input terminal connected to the power input terminal for converting the DC power source into a first operating voltage and a second operating voltage; a wireless control module mounted on the circuit board, with its power supply terminal connected to the integrated power module to receive the second operating voltage and for receiving and parsing external wireless control commands; a fan motor module with its power supply terminal connected to the power input terminal to receive the DC power source and its control terminal connected to the first signal terminal of the wireless control module for adjusting its operating state according to the wireless control commands; and a lighting effect module with its power supply terminal connected to the integrated power module to receive the first operating voltage and its signal input terminal connected to the second signal terminal of the wireless control module for adjusting the lighting effect mode according to the wireless control commands. By integrating the power conversion module and the wireless receiving and control module on the same PCB board, this invention enables wireless reception of computer APP commands and direct control of the fan's lighting effects, speed feedback (FG), and pulse width modulation (PWM) modes, thereby simplifying the system structure, reducing production costs, and improving the user experience.

[0062] In other words, this invention integrates a DC-DC voltage conversion module with an MCU control module (ESP32-C3-WROOM-02) that integrates Wi-Fi and Bluetooth functions onto the same PCB board, creating a local intelligent control node that can directly receive wireless commands from a computer APP. This enables wireless integrated control of fan PWM speed regulation, FG speed feedback monitoring, and LED lighting modes. This design eliminates the traditional architecture that relies on an external independent controller (such as a remote control, wired control board, or dedicated driver box), reducing the product's bill of materials cost and assembly complexity. Simultaneously, a two-stage step-down power supply network (12V→5V→3.3V) provides precise and stable voltage to each module, and a hard connection between the MCU pins and the fan motor driver chip and the LED light board DI terminal achieves direct, low-latency conversion from wireless commands to physical signals. This reduces cumbersome wiring connections between multiple fans and between fans and the controller, optimizes the internal wiring structure of the chassis, and thus improves the system's integration, reliability, and user experience.

[0063] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementations of the present invention, and while the descriptions are specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of the present invention, and these modifications and improvements all fall within the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of this patent should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A smart fan module with integrated wireless control function, characterized in that, The intelligent fan module includes at least one circuit board, and a power input terminal disposed on the circuit board for connecting to a DC power supply; an integrated power module disposed on the circuit board, with its input terminal connected to the power input terminal and used to convert the DC power supply into a first operating voltage and a second operating voltage; and a wireless control module disposed on the circuit board, with its power supply terminal connected to the integrated power module to receive the second operating voltage and used to receive and parse external wireless control commands. The intelligent fan module further includes a fan motor module whose power supply terminal is connected to the power input terminal to receive the DC power supply, and whose control terminal is connected to the first signal terminal of the wireless control module and is used to adjust the operating state according to the wireless control command; and a lighting effect module whose power supply terminal is connected to the integrated power module to receive the first operating voltage, and whose signal input terminal is connected to the second signal terminal of the wireless control module and is used to adjust the lighting effect mode according to the wireless control command.

2. The intelligent fan module with integrated wireless control function according to claim 1, characterized in that, The wireless control module includes at least one microcontroller chip that integrates Wi-Fi and Bluetooth functions and is used to establish a wireless communication link with the host computer application, and to generate corresponding fan control signals and lighting effect control signals based on the received instructions.

3. A smart fan module with integrated wireless control function according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The wireless control module is equipped with a first control circuit for implementing wireless reception control. The first control circuit is equipped with a second control chip; the model of the second control chip is ESP32-C3-WROOM-02.

4. The intelligent fan module with integrated wireless control function according to claim 1, characterized in that, The integrated power module includes a first voltage conversion unit whose input terminal is connected to the power supply input terminal and is used to step down the DC power supply to convert it into the first operating voltage; and a second voltage conversion unit whose input terminal is connected to the output terminal of the first voltage conversion unit and is used to step down the first operating voltage to convert it into the second operating voltage.

5. A smart fan module with integrated wireless control function according to claim 1 or 4, characterized in that, The first operating voltage is used to power the lighting module and the voltage is 5V; The second operating voltage is used to power the wireless control module and is 3.3V.

6. The intelligent fan module with integrated wireless control function according to claim 1, characterized in that, The fan motor module includes at least one motor driver chip, and the first pin of the motor driver chip is connected to the first signal terminal of the wireless control module for receiving pulse width modulation signals to control the fan speed.

7. A smart fan module with integrated wireless control function according to claim 6, characterized in that, The second pin of the motor drive chip is connected to the third signal terminal of the wireless control module, and is used to output a speed feedback signal to the wireless control module.

8. A smart fan module with integrated wireless control function according to claim 1, characterized in that, The lighting effect module includes at least one addressable light-emitting diode (LED). The data input terminal of the LED is connected to the second signal terminal of the wireless control module to receive lighting effect control data to perform preset dynamic lighting mode switching. The DC power supply connected to the power input terminal is 12V, which provides power to both the integrated power module and the fan motor module.

9. An intelligent fan control system integrating wireless control function, characterized in that, The system includes an intelligent fan module as described in any one of claims 1 to 8, and a host computer application running on an electronic device for sending control commands to the wireless control module of the intelligent fan module via a wireless network to regulate the operating status of the fan motor module and the lighting effect mode of the lighting effect module.

10. The intelligent fan control system with integrated wireless control function according to claim 9, characterized in that, The control of the operating state includes at least adjusting the fan speed by changing the duty cycle of the pulse width modulation signal, and the control of the lighting effect mode includes at least switching one or more of the lighting effect's color, brightness, and dynamic flowing mode.

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