Patent Application
20130147631
1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a server system and a fan indication method.
2. Description of Related Art
In rack servers, a plurality of fans are mounted in rows on a back of an enclosure of the rack servers to dissipate heat from the servers. Some indicator lights are mounted on the fan housings to indicate the status of the fans. However, because these indicator lights are at the back of the enclosure, it is inconvenient for users to observe the indicator lights and determine the status of the fans.
Many aspects of the present embodiments can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present disclosure. Moreover, in the drawings, all the views are schematic, and like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.
The disclosure, including the accompanying drawing in which like references indicate similar elements, is illustrated by way of example and not by way of limitation. References to “an” or “one” embodiment in this disclosure are not necessarily to the same embodiment, and such references mean at least one.
Referring to the
The fan indicator system 40 includes a plurality of fan control units 42, a main controller 44, and an indicator unit 46. Each fan control unit 42 corresponds to one fan row 30. The fan control unit 42 can read a rotating speed of each fan 34 in the fan row 30. Each fan control unit 42 stores positional information regarding the fan row 30 which it controls and positional information regarding each fan 34 in the fan row 30.
The fan control unit 42 encodes the read rotating speeds according to the stored positional information of the corresponding fan row 30 and the positional information of each fan 34 on the corresponding fan row 30. Each code consists of a first value and a second value. The first value gives the positional information of the fan row 30 which the read rotating speed comes from. The second value denotes the positional information of the fan which the read rotating speed comes from on the corresponding fan row 30. The fan control unit 42 is connected to the main controller 44 and outputs the rotating speeds together with the codes to the main controller 44. The main controller 44 is connected to the indicator unit 46.
The main controller 44 includes a determination module 442 and a control module 444.
The determination module 442 receives the rotating speeds with the codes, and determines whether the rotating speeds are within a predetermined rotating speed range. If the rotating speeds are within the predetermined rotating speed range, it denotes that the fan 34 is normal. If one of the rotating speeds is out of the predetermined rotating speed range, the fan 34 rotating at that speed is working abnormally. The determination module 442 outputs the code corresponding to the rotating speed of the abnormal fan 34 to the control module 444.
The control module 444 turns on the indicator unit 46 after receiving the code corresponding to the rotating speed of the abnormal fan 34.
The indicator unit 46 includes one or more 7-segment LED digital numerical displays or similar device (digital display unit 462) and a lighting module 464. The digital display unit 462 and the lighting module 464 are mounted on a front panel 12 of the enclosure 10. The digital display unit 462 includes a first display 4622 and a second display 4624. The first display 4622 displays the first value of the received code to denote that the positional information of the fan row 30 on which the abnormal fan 34 is mounted. The second display 4624 displays the second value of the received code to denote the positional information of the abnormal fan 34 on the fan row 30 corresponding to the displayed first value of the received code. The lighting module 464 includes a light emitting diode (LED) 4642 and a light transferring pole 4644. The LED 4642 is mounted on a lower portion of the light transferring pole 4644. When the LED 4642 is lit, the light transferring pole 4644 is illuminated so as to present a signal visible from outside the enclosure 10.
In the embodiment, if the control module 444 receives many codes, the control module 444 controls the digital display unit 462 to display the received codes one by one, and turns on the LED 4642 to illuminate the light transferring pole 4644.
Referring to
In step S1, each fan control unit 42 reads the rotating speed of each fan 34 of the corresponding fan row 30.
In step S2, each fan control unit 42 encodes the read rotating speed of the fan 34 according to the stored positional information of the corresponding fan row 30 and the positional information of each fan 34 on the corresponding fan row 30, and outputs the rotating speed with the code.
In step S3, the determination module 442 determines whether the received rotating speed with the code is within the predetermined rotating speed range. If the received rotating speed with the code is within the predetermined rotating speed range, the procedure goes back to step S1. If the rotating speed with the code is out of the predetermined rotating speed range, the procedure goes to step S4.
In step S4, the determination module 442 outputs the code of the rotating speed to the control module 444.
In step S5, the control module 444 controls the digital display unit 462 to display the code of the rotating speed. Specifically, the control module 444 controls the first display 4622 to display the first value of the received code to denote the positional information of the fan row 30 on which the abnormal fan 34 is mounted, and controls the second display 4624 to display the second value of the received code denote the positional information of the abnormal fan 34 on the fan row 30, and illuminates the LED 4642.
Although numerous characteristics and advantages of the embodiments have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in the matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the embodiments to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 201110405752.2 | Dec 2011 | CN | national |
