US 12,274,023 B2
Current mode fan control and tachometer reporting design
Mengru Tsai, Taipei (TW); Lei Wang, Austin, TX (US); Chen Chi Hsieh, Taipei (TW); and Timothy M. Lambert, Austin, TX (US)
Assigned to Dell Products L.P., Round Rock, TX (US)
Filed by Dell Products L.P., Round Rock, TX (US)
Filed on Dec. 20, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/556,489.
Prior Publication US 2023/0200003 A1, Jun. 22, 2023
Int. Cl. H05K 7/20 (2006.01); G06F 1/20 (2006.01)
CPC H05K 7/20209 (2013.01) [G06F 1/20 (2013.01); H05K 7/20136 (2013.01); G06F 2200/201 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A data processing system to provide computer implemented services, the data processing system comprising:
hardware resources used to provide the computer implemented services;
a fan adapted to generate a gas flow proximate to the hardware resources for thermal management;
a thermal manager adapted to:
generate a first voltage signal indicating a rate of operation for the fan to implement, and
output the first voltage signal;
an interconnect positioned to operably connect the thermal manager and the fan, the interconnect also operably connecting the thermal manager and the fan to the hardware resources and a power supply of the data processing system, and the interconnect comprising both power and data buses;
a first voltage signal to current signal converter positioned between the thermal manager and the interconnect, and adapted to convert the first voltage signal to a first current signal on the interconnect; and
a first current signal to voltage signal converter positioned between the fan and the interconnect, and adapted to:
convert the first current signal to a second voltage signal, and
present the second voltage signal to the fan.