Fan Control Unit for Noise Reduction in Portable Computers
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Solution Overview
Problem
High-performance electronic products generate noise and consume battery power due to cooling fans, leading to increased noise levels and reduced operable duration in portable devices.
Innovation Solution
A computer system with a processing unit, temperature detecting unit, and fan control unit that adjusts fan rotational speed based on operating temperature, allowing for a low noise mode where the fan is shut down to reduce noise and power consumption, while maintaining overheat protection mechanisms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the cooling fan operates at high rotational speed to dissipate heat, then the heat dissipation performance is improved, but the noise level increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic fan speed control based on real-time temperature monitoring. The processing unit adjusts the fan's rotational speed according to the current operating temperature, allowing the system to operate at low noise levels during normal conditions while providing high-speed cooling only when heat dissipation is actually required. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction by making the fan speed adaptive rather than fixed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational parameters of the cooling fan based on temperature conditions. By monitoring temperature and adjusting fan speed accordingly, the system transitions between different operational states (low speed/low noise vs. high speed/high cooling) to optimize both noise levels and heat dissipation performance under different working conditions.
2Temperature
If the cooling fan operates continuously to maintain low temperature, then the temperature control is improved, but the battery power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of continuous operation, the cooling fan is activated periodically based on temperature requirements. The system monitors temperature and only activates the fan when cooling is actually needed, allowing the system to conserve battery power during periods when cooling demand is low or absent, thus resolving the contradiction between continuous temperature control and power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses its own temperature monitoring capability to automatically control the cooling fan operation. The processing unit monitors its own temperature and autonomously decides when to activate or deactivate the fan, eliminating the need for continuous operation and reducing unnecessary power consumption while maintaining adequate temperature control.
3Reliability
If the cooling fan operates at high speed to ensure cooling, then the reliability is improved, but the operable duration decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts fan operation based on actual cooling needs rather than maintaining constant high-speed operation. By monitoring temperature and activating the fan only when necessary, the system maintains cooling reliability when required while extending operable duration during periods of lower thermal demand, thus resolving the contradiction between cooling reliability and battery life.
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 effectively reduces noise levels by 10 dB to 20 dB and decreases power consumption by 1 W to 5 W, extending the operable or standby duration of portable devices.
Implementation Method 1
The fan unit is conducive to dissipation of heat from the processing unit
Data Source
AI summary
A method and a computer system for reducing noise are provided. The method includes: setting the computer system's operating mode to normal mode or low-noise mode by a processing unit according to a selection signal; measuring an operating temperature of the processing unit; controlling a rotational speed of a fan unit conducive to dissipation of heat from the processing unit according to the operating temperature by a fan-control unit in normal mode; detecting the operating temperature according to a first threshold and starting an overheat-protection mechanism by the processing unit in normal mode when the operating temperature reaches the first threshold; shutting down the fan unit by the fan-control unit in low-noise mode; and detecting the operating temperature according to a second threshold lower than the first threshold and starting the overheat-protection mechanism by the processing unit in low-noise mode when the operating temperature reaches the second threshold.