Air Mover Interrupt Handling for Runtime Event Notification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing information handling systems lack a mechanism for proactive notification of air mover events, such as fan failures, to the operating system during runtime, relying on inefficient polling methods that can impact system performance.
Innovation Solution
An information handling system with a controller associated with an air mover generating interrupts for events, a driver in the operating system to receive these interrupts, and a basic input/output system communicating air mover data to the driver, enabling runtime notification of air mover events to the operating system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If polling methods are used to detect air mover events, then the operating system can become aware of events, but system performance is negatively affected
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements a feedback mechanism where the basic input/output system actively notifies the operating system driver about air mover events through interrupts. The driver receives event notifications and retrieves status information only when events occur, rather than continuously polling. This event-driven feedback loop maintains reliable event detection while eliminating the performance penalty of continuous polling operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical polling approach (repeatedly querying status) with an interrupt-driven notification system. Instead of the operating system actively querying the basic input/output system at regular intervals, the basic input/output system generates interrupts to notify the operating system when events occur. This substitution eliminates the continuous performance overhead of polling while maintaining event detection capability.
2Productivity
If interrupts are used for event notification, then system performance is maintained, but the basic input/output system must communicate events to the operating system driver
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a driver as an intermediary layer between the basic input/output system and the operating system applications. The driver receives interrupts from the basic input/output system, retrieves event status information, and translates this information into a format suitable for operating system notification. This intermediary simplifies the overall system architecture by providing a standardized interface that manages the complexity of interrupt handling and status retrieval.
Data Source
AI summary
In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, an information handling system may include a processor, a controller, a driver, and a basic/input output system. The controller may be associated with an air mover and configured to generate an interrupt responsive to an event associated with the air mover. The driver may be embodied in an operating system configured for execution on the processor, the driver configured to, during a runtime execution of the operating system in which the event occurred, receive at least one of the interrupt from the controller or an indication of the interrupt from a basic input/output system. The basic input/output system may comprise a program of instructions executable by the processor and configured to cause the processor to, responsive to the event, receive air mover data from the air mover, and communicate the air mover data to the driver.