On-board Fan and VRM Guard-band Emulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
High volume manufacturing environments face challenges in testing computers under conditions similar to those created by a sealed guard-band chamber due to time and space constraints, making it impractical to use a sealed guard-band chamber for all manufactured computers.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that uses on-board fans to control temperature and Voltage Regulator Modules (VRMs) to emulate a guard-band test environment, allowing for testing under varying temperature and voltage conditions, which can be performed at the manufacturer's or customer's site, either locally or remotely, using a test program that logs results.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a sealed guard-band chamber is used to control temperature and humidity, then testing reliability is improved, but device complexity and space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the temperature control function from the external sealed chamber environment and relocates it to on-board fans integrated within the computer system itself. This eliminates the need for a separate guard-band chamber while maintaining temperature control capability, thereby reducing device complexity and space requirements while preserving testing reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The computer system performs its own temperature control during testing using on-board fans, rather than requiring an external chamber to provide this function. The system serves itself by using its own components (fans) to create the necessary test conditions, eliminating the need for complex external infrastructure.
2Measurement precision
If a sealed guard-band chamber is used for testing, then testing accuracy is improved, but productivity decreases due to time and space constraints
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the requirement for a physical sealed chamber and extracts only the essential function of environmental control to software-based management of on-board components. This allows testing to be performed in standard environments without the space and time constraints of sealed chambers, thereby improving productivity while maintaining testing accuracy through software-controlled parameter variation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical sealed chamber system with a software-based control system that manages on-board fans and voltage regulators. This substitution eliminates the physical constraints of sealed chambers while maintaining the ability to control test parameters, thus improving productivity without sacrificing measurement precision.
3Device complexity
If on-board fans are used to control temperature, then device complexity is reduced, but temperature control precision may worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements software-based monitoring and control of on-board fan operation, using feedback mechanisms to adjust fan speed and operation based on measured temperature conditions. This feedback control compensates for the simpler mechanical design of on-board fans, maintaining temperature control precision while keeping device complexity low.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses dynamic software control to adjust fan operation in real-time based on test requirements and measured conditions. This dynamic adjustment allows the simple on-board fan system to achieve precise temperature control by adapting its operation continuously, rather than relying on fixed mechanical control mechanisms.
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
Enables efficient and effective testing of computers under controlled temperature and voltage conditions, similar to a sealed guard-band chamber, without the need for physical guard-band chambers, facilitating testing in high volume manufacturing environments and troubleshooting of temperature or voltage-related issues.
Implementation Method 1
The temperature of the computer is controlled by one or more on-board fans inside the computer's enclosure
Implementation Method 2
Voltages are controlled at the Voltage Regulator Module (VRM) level
Data Source
AI summary
A method and system for testing a computer is presented. The temperature of the computer is controlled by one or more on-board fans inside the computer's enclosure. Voltages are controlled at the Voltage Regulator Module (VRM) level. A test program is then run under varying temperature and VRM voltages, and the results of the test program are logged. The present invention can be used either at the manufacturer's location or the customer's site, either under local or remote control.