Fan Speed Control Protection Module With Optical Isolation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing devices for controlling heat dissipation fans in electronic equipment have poor reliability in speed regulation, leading to unstable fan operation and potential overheating damage when the system malfunctions during power-up.

Innovation Solution

A device comprising a control system and a protection module with optical couplers for isolating fan control signals, allowing the protection module to output a preset fan speed-regulation signal when the control system is abnormal, ensuring stable fan operation and enhancing reliability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the control system directly controls the fan through control signals, then the control method is simple, but the reliability of fan speed regulation is poor when the system malfunctions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvereliability of fan speed regulationVSAvoidcomplexity of control system
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an optical coupler as an intermediary component between the control system and the fan. The optical coupler isolates the control system from direct electrical connection with the fan, transmitting control signals optically. This mediator protects the control system from fan-related faults while maintaining control functionality, thereby improving reliability without significantly increasing system complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the control system into isolated modules: the control system, the optical coupler, and the fan form separate electrical zones. This segmentation allows the control system to operate independently from fan electrical noise and faults, improving the reliability of fan speed regulation while keeping each segment relatively simple.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If optical couplers are added for signal isolation, then the reliability and stability of heat dissipation are improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestability of heat dissipationVSAvoidcomplexity of control system
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The optical coupler serves as an intermediary that provides electrical isolation between the control system and fan while allowing control signals to pass through optically. This single component achieves both reliability improvement and stability enhancement without requiring multiple complex protection circuits, thus limiting the increase in device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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 solution enhances the reliability and stability of heat dissipation by allowing the protection module to maintain fan stability when the control system is malfunctioning, ensuring effective heat dissipation and preventing equipment damage.

Implementation Method 1

a control signal input end of the isolation module is connected with a control signal output end of the protection module, a fan speed-regulation control signal output by the protection module is input through the control signal input end of the isolation module, and output through a control signal output end of the isolation module via a first optical coupler provided within the isolation module

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectOptical coupling:

Data Source

PatentEP2897023B1Device for controlling heat dissipation fan and electronic equipment
Publication Date: 2019.03.27 ZTE CORP
  • EP2897023B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2897023B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Disclosed are a device for controlling a heat dissipation fan and an electric equipment, to solve the problem that the reliability of speed-regulation control for a fan in the device for controlling a heat dissipation fan is relatively poor. The device includes a control system and a protection module, wherein the protection module includes a control signal output end for outputting a fan speed-regulation control signal to the fan, wherein, when a control system normal operation indication signal is normal, the control signal output end of the protection module outputs the fan speed-regulation control signal provided by the control system, otherwise the protection module outputs a fan speed-regulation control signal preset by itself so as to make the fan operate stably. Since the protection module outputs the fan speed-regulation control signal preset in the protection module to make the fan operate stably when the control system operates abnormally, the reliability of speed-regulation control for the fan is enhanced and the reliability and stability of the heat dissipation fan system are improved.