Patent Application
20070284431
The foregoing aspects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be more readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
The following description is of the best presently contemplated mode of carrying out the present invention. This description is not to be taken in a limiting sense but is made merely for the purpose of describing the general principles of the invention. The scope of the invention should be determined by referencing the appended claims.
The smart controller 160 uses a parameter measuring device, such as an output power detector 162, to detect the magnitude of the total output power of the power supply unit 120 to forecast the total heat generated by the electronic device and the range of operating temperatures of the electronic device. When the output power is increased, the smart controller 160 can forecast the subsequent operating temperature of the electronic device according to the actual power output of the power supply unit 120 and the relationship between the power output of the power supply unit 120 and the operating temperature of the electronic device. In addition, the smart controller 160 further increases the cooling power of the cooling device 170 to cool down the electronic device before the operating temperature of the electronic device is increased so as to maintain the operating temperature of the electronic device stably. Furthermore, the heat generated by the electronic device can be effectively removed from the electronic device to prevent the heat from being trapped inside the electronic device and damaging the electronic device or wasting energy. The cooling device 170 can be a system cooling device, a CPU cooling device and/or a cooling device of a graphic card.
Hence, the electronic device with the smart power supplying unit can effectively maintain the operating temperature thereof in a stable and smooth condition. The smart power supplying unit can increase the cooling power to reduce the operating temperature of the electronic device before the operating temperature is increased so that the cooling efficiency of the cooling device 170 is increased and the lifespan of the electronic components of the electronic device is also increased.
The power consumption curve 210 of the power supply unit is illustrated the measured data of the electrical power output of the power supply unit 120, the CPU temperature curve 220 is illustrated the CPU temperature variation, the motherboard temperature curve 240 is generally illustrated by a system temperature variation. The power supply unit temperature curve 230 is illustrated by a predetermined position temperature variation in the power supply unit 120, for example, the temperature variation of the heat fins of the power supply unit 120. Conventionally, the cooling device is adjusted the cooling power thereof according to the motherboard temperature curve 240 or the CPU temperature curve 220.
Referring to
Accordingly, the response time of the electrical power output variation rate of the power supply unit 120 is faster and more advanced than the other response times of the foregoing variation curves. Therefore, the cooling device 170 has enough time to exhaust the heat inside the electronic device in advance so as to effectively reduce the operating temperature of the electronic device and prevent the system from being damaged or energy for being wasted caused by the trapped heat inside the electronic device.
In addition, the smart power supplying unit can utilize a temperature detector 302 disposed at a predetermined position inside the power supply unit 120. The temperature of the predetermined position, such as the temperature of the heat fins of the power supply unit 120, is proportional to the temperature of the system temperature and able to respond in advance. The smart power supplying unit can also adjust the control program and parameters according to the measured data of the total output power detector 162, the individual output power detector 166, the temperature detector 302 inside the power supply unit, and the system temperature detector 306.
Hence, the smart power supplying unit according to the present invention can quickly adjust the system temperature of the electronic device by measuring the output power and the temperature of the power supply unit.
Furthermore, for different operating environments, the smart power supplying unit can further include an adaptive parameter adjustment (APA) function. The smart power supplying unit can utilize the total output power detector 162 to measure the total power output, the individual output power detector 166 to measure a single channel power output, such as the first power output interface 130, the second power output interface 140 or the third power output interface 150, the temperature detector 302 to measure the temperature of the power supply unit 120 and/or the system temperature detector 306 to measure the system temperature after the electronic device is turned on for about a predetermined time. The smart controller 160 can use the foregoing measured data to estimate the type of the electronic device, the typical amount of heat generated by the electronic device, heat dissipation capacity and the environmental temperature and adjust the control parameters and programs.
In one embodiment, the temperature detector 302 can first measure the temperature T0 in a predetermined position after the electronic device is turned on for about 2-3 minutes and transmit the data T0 to the smart controller 160, and smart controller 160 adjusts the cooling device 170 to a desired operation mode. The temperature of the power supply unit 120 is generally relative to the actual output power and the system temperature. When the smart power supplying unit is used in a low-level CPU, such as the Pentium III CPU, the operating temperature thereof is lower so that the operating temperature of the electronic device is also lower. Therefore, the smart controller 160 can adjust the control parameters to fit this kind of CPU and the cooling curve thereof.
While the computer is running, the temperature detector 302 can further measure the temperature of the predetermined position of the power supply unit 120 and the temperature is recorded as T1 and transmitted to the smart controller 160. When T1 is higher than T0, the previous control parameters and programs can functionally work and does not need to be adjusted. When T1 is lower than T0, the previous control parameters and programs is unsuitable for the electronic device, the smart controller 160 can adjust the control parameters and programs to improve the operation mode of the cooling device and records the value of temperature T1 as the initial temperature T0. The real-time adaptive parameter adjustment is therefore achieved with cycle detecting and adjusting.
When the computer is restarted, or suddenly shut down and restarted again, the temperature T0 may therefore be higher than normal and the smart controller with the adaptive parameter adjustment may therefore set up abnormal control parameters and programs, undesired control parameters and programs, that are unsuitable for the computer and reduces the cooling efficiency of the cooling device. When the temperature is normal again due to a long term in a low load operation or an idle operation, the temperature T1 may be lower than T0. The smart power supplying unit can adjust the control parameters and programs again to fit the actual operating conditions of the computer.
Therefore, the smart power supplying unit can use the smart controller to automatically achieve the adaptive parameter adjustment function so as to suitable to be utilized in various electronic devices and systems, such as desktop computers, notebook computers, server computers, copy machines, projectors, routers, PC Clusters and so on.
Hence, the smart power supplying unit according to the present invention can actively adjust the cooling power of the cooling device in advance according to the measured data of the output power or the temperature thereof. The smart power supplying unit according to the present invention can further achieve the adaptive parameter adjustment function with the smart controller and the temperature detector so as to suitable to be used on various electronic devices.
In addition, some power supply units for the electronic devices are externally connected to the electronic devices so that the smart controller can combine the parameter measuring devices to form a smart control module to electrically connected to the power supply unit and operate the cooling device of the electronic device so as to effectively control the system temperature of the electronic device.
The smart power supplying unit can actively adjust the operating power of a cooling device to prevent the operating temperature in an electronic device from increasing, before the operating temperature is increased, according to the power output of the smart power supplying unit itself and/or a temperature of a predetermined position thereof so as to effectively increase the operating stability of the electronic device. In addition, the smart power supplying unit with an adaptive parameter adjustment function can adjust the control parameters and programs thereof according to measured data of the total power output, individual power output, the operating temperature thereof and/or the operating temperature of the system at a predetermined time after the electronic device is turned on. In addition, the smart power supplying unit can further provide a real-time adaptive parameter adjustment (RAPA) function to real-time adjust the control parameters and programs of the cooling device when the electronic device is running.
As is understood by a person skilled in the art, the foregoing preferred embodiments of the present invention are illustrative of the present invention rather than limiting of the present invention. It is intended that various modifications and similar arrangements be included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims, the scope of which should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar structures.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 95120644 | Jun 2006 | TW | national |
