Cooling Device Temperature Sensor Failure Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electronic apparatuses face increased power consumption and noise when a temperature sensor fails, as they typically operate the cooling fan at maximum frequency, leading to inefficient cooling and cost issues due to the lack of effective solutions for sensor failures.
Innovation Solution
A cooling device and method that includes a temperature estimation unit to estimate the temperature value of a failed heat source sensor using measurements from functional sensors and an exhaust temperature sensor, along with information on temperature distribution characteristics, to calculate an optimal rotational frequency for the cooling fan, thereby reducing power consumption and noise without increasing costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the cooling fan is driven at maximum rotational frequency when a temperature sensor fails, then the reliability of cooling is improved, but power consumption and noise increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a virtual copy of the failed temperature sensor's measurement data by using temperature distribution characteristics and data from other functional sensors. This allows the control system to maintain accurate temperature monitoring and appropriate fan speed control without relying on the failed physical sensor, thereby reducing power consumption while maintaining cooling reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces temperature distribution characteristics as an intermediary element that connects the measurements from functional sensors to estimate the temperature at the location of the failed sensor. This intermediary allows indirect inference of the failed sensor's data without direct measurement, enabling continued optimal cooling control.
2Reliability
If duplexing of temperature sensors is implemented, then the reliability of temperature measurement is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of adding duplicate physical sensors (duplexing), the patent creates a virtual copy of the temperature measurement through calculation and data processing. This software-based approach achieves the same reliability improvement as hardware duplexing without increasing physical device complexity or cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical/hardware solution of duplexing sensors with a software-based data processing approach. By using temperature distribution characteristics and algorithms to estimate failed sensor data, the system achieves sensor redundancy without the physical complexity of duplicate sensor installations.
Data Source
AI summary
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.