Fan Control System with Dynamic Sensing Intervals
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Solution Overview
Problem
Fan control systems become unstable when system temperature fluctuates around a threshold, requiring frequent adjustments to fan speed to maintain optimal cooling, leading to inefficiencies and potential overheating or undercooling.
Innovation Solution
A fan control system with a temperature sensor, acquisition, calculation, comparison, control, setting, and detection modules that adjust fan speed and sensing intervals based on temperature differences and trigger values to efficiently manage heat dissipation, including warnings and maximum speed limits.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If fan speed is increased to cool down the system when temperature exceeds threshold, then cooling efficiency is improved, but system temperature may fall below threshold immediately causing unstable fan control
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by adjusting the fan speed to a preset value (not maximum speed) when temperature first exceeds the threshold, and by implementing a delay mechanism before reducing fan speed after temperature drops below threshold. This prevents immediate over-cooling and the subsequent unstable oscillations between speeding up and slowing down the fan, thereby resolving the contradiction between cooling efficiency and control stability.
2Use of energy by moving object
If fan speed is decreased to reduce energy consumption when system temperature is below threshold, then energy efficiency is improved, but system temperature may climb up threshold immediately requiring frequent adjustments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by introducing a delay mechanism before reducing fan speed when temperature drops below the threshold. This delay allows the system to maintain adequate cooling for a brief period, preventing immediate temperature rise and the need for frequent fan speed adjustments, thus resolving the contradiction between energy efficiency and control stability.
3Measurement precision
If temperature sensing interval is shortened to monitor temperature changes more frequently, then temperature control precision is improved, but system complexity and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the temperature sensing interval adjustable rather than fixed. The system can dynamically change the sensing interval based on system conditions - using shorter intervals when temperature changes are detected and longer intervals during stable conditions. This resolves the contradiction by providing high monitoring precision when needed while reducing system complexity and energy consumption during normal operation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system stabilizes fan control by dynamically adjusting fan speed and sensing frequency based on temperature changes, preventing overheating and ensuring efficient cooling, with warnings for potential shutdowns when maximum limits are reached.
Implementation Method 1
The temperature sensor 110 is configured to keep sensing a system temperature of the electronic device 10 at a time interval
Data Source
AI summary
In a fan control method, consecutive temperature values are acquired at a time interval. Whether a current temperature value is higher than a threshold is determined. A difference between the current temperature value and a previous temperature value is calculated when the current temperature value is higher than the threshold. A fan is speeded up and the time interval is greatly shortened when the temperature difference is higher than a first trigger value. Only the time interval is slightly shorten when the temperature difference falls between the first trigger value and a second trigger value less than the first trigger value. Nothing to do when the temperature difference falls between the second trigger value and a third trigger value less than the third trigger value. The fan is slowed down and the time interval is extended when the temperature difference is lower than the third trigger value.