Patent Application
20220095494
The present invention relates to a display system with fan control and a method thereof, and more specifically, to a display system with fan control capable of modulating a rotational speed associated with temperature.
As increased efficiency is required for display systems, problems relating to heat dissipation may arise. If heat generated by the inner components of electronic products cannot be dissipated efficiently, the stability and efficiency of display system operations will be affected. This may even result in mechanical malfunction, thereby causing damage to the display system. Therefore, a display system with fan control is needed to decrease temperature efficiently and to improve reliability.
According to some example embodiments of the instant disclosure, a display system with fan control includes a display module, a fan, a temperature detector and a fan controller. The fan is configured to generate an air flow in the display system. The temperature detector is configured to detect temperature within the display system. The fan controller is configured to generate a control signal to control a rotational speed of the fan based on the detected temperature and a first time period when the detected temperature reaches a first threshold, and in which the detected temperature remains equal to or higher than the first threshold. The fan controller keeps the rotational speed of the fan unchanged when the detected temperature is lower than the first threshold.
According to some example embodiments of the instant disclosure, a method for fan controlling in display system includes: detecting temperature within the display system; and generating a control signal to control a rotational speed of the fan based on the detected temperature and a first time period when the detected temperature reaches a first threshold and in which the detected temperature remains equal to or higher than the first threshold. The rotational speed of the fan is kept unchanged when the detected temperature is lower than the first threshold.
Aspects of the present disclosure are readily understood from the following detailed description when read with the accompanying figures. It should be noted that various features may not be drawn to scale. In fact, the dimensions of the various features may be arbitrarily increased or reduced for clarity of discussion.
Common reference numerals are used throughout the drawings and the detailed description to indicate the same or similar elements. The present disclosure will be more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
The following disclosure provides many different embodiments, or examples, for implementing different features of the provided subject matter. Specific examples of components and arrangements are described below. These are, of course, merely examples and are not intended to be limiting. In the present disclosure, reference to the formation of a first feature over or on a second feature in the description that follows may include embodiments in which the first and second features are formed in direct contact, and may also include embodiments in which additional features may be formed between the first and second features, such that the first and second features may not be in direct contact. In addition, the present disclosure may repeat reference numerals and/or letters in the various examples. This repetition is for the purpose of simplicity and clarity and does not in itself dictate a relationship between the various embodiments and/or configurations discussed.
Embodiments of the present disclosure are discussed in detail below. It should be appreciated, however, that the present disclosure provides many applicable concepts that can be embodied in a wide variety of specific contexts. The specific embodiments discussed are merely illustrative and do not limit the scope of the disclosure.
The temperature detector 101 is used to detect temperature within the display system 10 and generate a detecting signal DS indicating the detected temperature within the display system 10. The detecting signal DS can be any form of signal, such as a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal, a voltage-controlled signal or a current-controlled signal.
The fan controller 102 receives the detecting signal DS and generates a control signal CS to control a rotational speed of the fan 103. The control signal CS is determined by the fan controller 102 according to the detecting signal DS. The fan controller 102 could include a digital signal processor (DSP), a microcontroller (MCU), a central-processing unit (CPU) or a plurality of parallel processors relating the parallel processing environment to implement the operating system (OS), firmware, driver and/or other applications of the display system 10. In some embodiments, the fan controller 102 may be implemented with a single transistor to control the on/off status of the fan 103.
The fan 103 is used to generate an air flow toward, passing by, or surrounding the display module 104 in the display system 10 so as to reduce the temperature of the display system 10. The control signal CS is transmitted from the fan controller 102 to the fan 103 to modulate the rotational speed of the fan 103. The rotational speed of the fan 103 is determined based on the control signal CS of the fan controller 102. The control signal CS can be any form of signal, such as a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal, a voltage-controlled signal or a current-controlled signal.
The display module 104 is used to display various kinds of information, such as goods and services for sale. The display module 104 could be a projective display device, a 3D-image display device, an organic LED display, an electronic paper, a system-integrated panel, an LED display liquid-crystal panel, or a touch display panel such as a resistive touch panel, capacitive touch panel, optical touch panel or electromagnetic touch panel.
As shown in
When the detected temperature of the display system 10 is equal to or higher than the threshold T1, the rotational speed enters the region R3 and is increased until it reaches the rotational speed P1. Meanwhile, the fan controller 102 monitors the first time period in which the detected temperature is equal to or higher than the threshold T1. The fan controller 102 may be configured to increase the rotational speed of the fan 103 continuously as the first time period increases. The fan controller 102 may be configured to increase the rotational speed of the fan 103 gradually as the first time period increases. The fan controller 102 may be configured to increase the rotational speed of the fan 103 sequentially as the first time period increases. More specifically, the rotational speed is increased continuously as the first time period increases until the rotational speed reaches the rotational speed P1.
Afterwards, when the detected temperature decreases and is smaller than the threshold T1, the rotational speed may remain unchanged, but enters the region R2 from the region R3. The rotational speed may remain unchanged when the temperature is between T1 and T2. The increase of the rotational speed may stop as the first time period ends.
When the detected temperature of the display system 10 is equal to or less than the threshold T2, the rotational speed enters the region R1 and is decreased until it reaches the rotational speed P2. Meanwhile, the fan controller 102 monitors the second time period in which the detected temperature is equal to or less than the threshold T2. The fan controller 102 may be configured to decrease the rotational speed of the fan 103 continuously as the second time period increases. The fan controller 102 may be configured to decrease the rotational speed of the fan 103 gradually as the second time period increases. The fan controller 102 may be configured to decrease the rotational speed of the fan 103 sequentially as the second time period increases. More specifically, the rotational speed is decreased continuously as the second time period increases until the rotational speed reaches the rotational speed P2.
Afterwards, when the detected temperature increases and is greater than the threshold T2, the rotational speed may remain unchanged but enters the region R2 from the region R1. The decrease of the rotational speed may stop as the second time period ends. The rotational speed may remain unchanged when the temperature is between T1 and T2.
Referring to
More specifically, the curves of the increasing rates of the rotational speed further integrate the system noise and heat transfer, and complies with the user's specification so as to generate the optimal operation curve of the rotational speed of the fan 103. For example, if the user prefers avoiding the noise of the display system 10, a low increasing rate, such as the increasing rate 302, can be selected by the fan controller 102 for generating the control signal CS. If the user puts a high priority on heat dissipation, a high increasing rate, such as the increasing rate 301, or increasing rate 303, could be selected by the fan controller 102 to improve the sensitivity of the rotational speed toward the detected temperature and to dissipate heat effectively.
The second time period indicates the period where the detected temperature of the display system 10 is equal to or less than the threshold T2. The longer the second time period is, the more the detected temperature needs to be increased. As the second time period increases, the decreasing rate of the rotational speed could be modulated correspondingly by the fan controller 102 from the increasing rate 306 to the increasing rate 305 even the increasing rate 304. The decreasing rate may be chosen based on the setting or operation mode of the display apparatus or the environment outside of the display apparatus.
Therefore, the temperature of the display system 10 could be adaptively and efficiently adjusted to prevent the display system 10 from being damaged due to abnormal temperatures. In addition, the adjustments on the rotational speed associated with the detected temperature executed by the fan controller 102 can provide and increase the flexible operation for the display system 10 without needing additional or more complicated circuit elements.
After the detected temperature is smaller than the threshold T1, the rotational speed remains unchanged unless it reaches the threshold T2. When the detected temperature is below the threshold T2, the rotational speed enters the region R1 and the fan controller 102 starts decreasing the rotational speed. Furthermore, the decreasing rate could be modulated corresponding to the second time period so as to pull up the detected temperature to be greater than the threshold T2. Therefore, the display system 10 can be kept within the normal temperature between the thresholds T1 and T2 to maintain its system stability and display performance.
More specifically, the thresholds T1 and T2 are configured based on environmental temperature of the display system 10. When the display system 10 is located outdoors or in a tropical area, the high thresholds T1 and T2 can be predetermined by the fan controller 102 in correspondence with high environmental temperatures. Similarly, low thresholds T1 and T2 could also be predetermined when the environmental temperature of the display system 10 is low.
If the detected temperature is greater than the first threshold, step 503 will be executed. If not, step S505 will be executed. In step S503, whether or not the rotational speed is greater than a first rotational speed is determined. If so, the method goes back to step S501; if not, step 504 will be executed so that the rotational speed is increased.
In step S505, whether the detected temperature is lower than a second threshold or not is determined. If so, step S506 will be executed; if not, the method goes back to step S501. In step S506, whether or not the rotational speed is lower than a second rotational speed is determined. If so, the method goes back to step S501; if not, step 507 will be executed so that the rotational speed is decreased.
Please refer to
Specifically, one of the resistors 101A and 101B is a thermistor while the other one is a resistor whose resistance remains substantially the same as its temperature varies. By applying the above arrangement of the thermistor, the divided voltage at the node between the resistors 101A and 101B varies based on the temperature of the display system 10A, and the detecting signal DS can be used to indicate the detected temperature. Accordingly, the detecting signal DS can be transmitted to the fan controller 102 for modulating the rotational speed of the fan 103.
By utilizing the thermistor, the temperature of the display system 10C can be easily detected for controlling the rotational speed of the fan 103 without requiring additional circuit elements. Therefore, the size and manufacturing cost of the display system 10C can be reduced.
Spatially relative terms, such as “beneath,” “below,” “lower,” “above,” “upper,” “lower,” “left,” “right” and the like, may be used herein for ease of description to describe one element or feature's relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. The spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. The apparatus may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein may likewise be interpreted accordingly. It should be understood that when an element is referred to as being “connected to” or “coupled to” another element, it may be directly connected to or coupled to the other element, or intervening elements may be present.
The terms “approximately,” “substantially,” “substantial” and “about” are used herein to describe and account for small variations. When used in conjunction with an event or circumstance, the terms can refer to instances in which the event or circumstance occurs precisely, as well as instances in which the event or circumstance occurs to a close approximation. As used herein with respect to a given value or range, the term “about” generally means within ±10%, ±5%, ±1%, or ±0.5% of the given value or range. Ranges can be expressed herein as being from one endpoint to another endpoint or between two endpoints. All ranges disclosed herein are inclusive of the endpoints, unless specified otherwise. The term “substantially coplanar” can refer to two surfaces within micrometers (μm) of lying along a same plane, such as within 10 μm, within 5 μm, within 1 μm, or within 0.5 μm of lying along the same plane. When referring to numerical values or characteristics as “substantially” the same, the term can refer to the values lying within ±10%, ±5%, ±1%, or ±0.5% of an average of the values.
The foregoing outlines the features of several embodiments and detailed aspects of the present disclosure. The embodiments described in the present disclosure may be readily used as a basis for designing or modifying other processes and structures for carrying out the same or similar purposes and/or achieving the same or similar advantages of the embodiments introduced herein. Such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure, and various changes, substitutions, and alterations may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.
