Fan speed control methods

Abstract

Fan speed control methods are provided to dissipate heat from an electric device in a computer system. A load-temperature curve of the electronic device is determined by detecting load and temperature thereof within a working interval. Subsequently, a fan speed-temperature curve is determined according to the load-temperature curve, and the fan speed is controlled according to the fan speed-temperature curve.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention can be more fully understood by reading the subsequent detailed description and examples with references made to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a load-temperature diagram of three different CPUs;

FIGS. 2, 3, and 4 are schematic diagrams of three conventional fan speed-temperature curves;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of an embodiment of the method for controlling fan speed;

FIG. 6 is a load-temperature diagram in accordance with FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a fan speed-temperature diagram corresponding to the load-temperature diagram of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a load-temperature diagram of an electronic device with temperature control circuit (TCC);

FIG. 9 is a fan speed-temperature diagram corresponding to the load-temperature diagram of FIG. 8; and

FIG. 10 is a flowchart of another embodiment of a method for controlling fan speed.

Claims

1. A method of fan speed control of a computer, the computer comprising at least an electronic device and a fan to dissipate heat therefrom, the method comprising: generating a load-temperature curve of the electronic device by detecting load and temperature thereof within a working interval; andgenerating a fan speed-temperature curve according to the load-temperature curve; andcontrolling the fan speed according to the fan speed-temperature curve.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising determining whether the load-temperature curve exists, in an operating system of the computer.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising determining a fan address corresponding to the fan and the electronic device.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising storing data relating to the fan speed-temperature curve.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the method is initiated in a BIOS setup menu of the computer.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the computer comprises a plurality of electronic devices and fans corresponding thereto.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electronic device comprises an IC.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electronic device comprises a motherboard.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electronic device comprises a power supply.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electronic device comprises a CPU.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein generation of the fan speed-temperature curve comprises setting a critical temperature less than a threshold temperature of the electronic device within the working interval.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the fan speed-temperature is divided into a first section and a second section by the critical temperature, wherein the profile of the first section substantially corresponds to the load-temperature curve, and maximum slope of the second section exceeds that of the first section.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the second section of the fan speed-temperature rises to a maximum fan speed within the working interval.

14. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the electronic device comprises a temperature control circuit reducing working frequency of the electronic device when exceeding the threshold temperature.

15. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the fan speed-temperature jumps to a maximum fan speed within the working interval when the electronic device reaches the critical temperature.