Patent Publication Number: US-2022232730-A1

Title: System and method for measuring and controlling dust ingress in a particulate matter sensor in an information handling system

Description:
Field of the Disclosure 
     This disclosure generally relates to information handling systems, and more particularly relates to measuring and controlling dust ingress in a particulate matter sensor in an information handling system. 
     As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option is an information handling system. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements may vary between different applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software resources that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems. 
     SUMMARY 
     An information handling system may include a fan to cool a component of the information handling system, and a sensor device. The fan may include a first fan inlet, a second fan inlet, and a fan outlet. The fan may draw air into the first and second fan inlets and blow air out the fan outlet. The sensor device may include a sensor inlet, a sensor outlet, and a cover. The sensor may be coupled to the fan with the first fan inlet collocated with the sensor outlet such that air drawn into the first fan inlet is first drawn through the sensor inlet. The cover may be configured in a first position to cover the sensor inlet to permit no air flow through the sensor inlet and in a second position to uncover the sensor inlet to permit air to flow through the sensor inlet. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       It will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of illustration, elements illustrated in the Figures have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements are exaggerated relative to other elements. Embodiments incorporating teachings of the present disclosure are shown and described with respect to the drawings presented herein, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating an information handling system according to an embodiment of the current disclosure; 
         FIGS. 2 and 3  are views of an information handling system according to an embodiment of the current disclosure; 
         FIG. 4  is a flowchart illustrating a method for measuring and controlling dust ingress in a particulate matter sensor in an information handling system according to an embodiment of the current disclosure; 
         FIG. 5  is a flowchart illustrating a method for providing cascading ownership of an information handling system based upon particulate matter sensor data according to an embodiment of the current disclosure; and 
         FIG. 6  is a block diagram illustrating a generalized information handling system according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     The use of the same reference symbols in different drawings indicates similar or identical items. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
     The following description in combination with the Figures is provided to assist in understanding the teachings disclosed herein. The following discussion will focus on specific implementations and embodiments of the teachings. This focus is provided to assist in describing the teachings, and should not be interpreted as a limitation on the scope or applicability of the teachings. However, other teachings can certainly be used in this application. The teachings can also be used in other applications, and with several different types of architectures, such as distributed computing architectures, client/server architectures, or middleware server architectures and associated resources. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a green processing system  100 . Green processing system  100  represents an element of processing equipment that is designed and manufactured in accordance with various environmental sustainability goals, such as increased use of recycled and recyclable materials or materials that otherwise carry a lower carbon footprint in their manufacture, lower power consumption technologies, and the like. In a particular embodiment, green processing system  100  is configured to monitor the processing environment in which the green processing system is utilized, or is projected to be utilized through the inclusion of various environmental sensors, and to dynamically adjust the data acquisition rates for environmental sensors, thereby reducing system resource load, lowering overall energy usage, and improving battery usage. 
     Green processing system  100  includes an information handling system  110  that includes environmental sensors  120  and an environmental control module  150 . Information handling system  110  represents a wide variety of types of computer systems, as needed or desired. As illustrated, information handling system  110  represents a laptop computer system, but the information handling system may be understood more broadly to represent other consumer oriented computer systems, such as tablet devices, cellular devices, smart phone, home desktop systems, other consumer oriented computer systems, as needed or desired. Moreover, information handling system  110  may be understood to represent a wide variety of types of commercial computer systems, such as slim client systems, workstations, office server systems, or other commercial computer systems, as needed or desired. Further, in its capacity to monitor and manage power consumption or processing resources, as described below, the teachings of the current disclosure may further be applied to datacenter equipment, such as server systems, blade- or sled-based processing systems, storage racks, I/O racks, switching racks, or other datacenter equipment, as needed or desired. 
     Environmental sensors  120  include various air quality sensors including a particulate matter sensor  122 , a CO 2  sensor  124 , a relative humidity/temperature sensor  126 , a barometric pressure sensor  128 , a volatile organic compound (VOC) sensor  130 , and a radon sensor  132 . Particulate matter sensor  122  represents a sensor that detects the presence of fine particulate matter in the ambient air around green processing system  100 . Fine particulate matter may include soot, dust, smoke, dirt, pollen, and the like. Fine particulate matter is typically measured in micrometers, and current environmental standards are concerned with fine particulate matter that is less than two and one-half micrometers in diameter. Hence a common particulate matter sensor may be designated as a PM2.5 sensor. CO 2  sensor  124  detects the amount of CO 2  in the ambient air around green processing system  100 . 
     Relative humidity/temperature sensor  126  and barometric pressure sensor  128  represent sensors to detect atmospheric conditions, either as a function of the weather in the area of green processing system  100 , or as a result of the environmental conditioning in the vicinity of the green processing system. VOC sensor  128  represents a sensor that detects airborne chemicals. VOCs may include acetone, acetic acid, butanal, carbon disulfide, ethanol, alcohol, formaldehyde, methylene chloride, sulfur, or other compounds. VOCs may be present in the ambient air surrounding green processing system  100 , or may be outgassed from materials in the vicinity of the green processing system. 
     Other environmental sensors  120  include a light sensor  134 , a location sensor  136 , and a noise sensor  138 . Light sensor  134  represents a photodetector that operates to detect light in the ambient environment of green processing system  100 , and can include detectors for detecting the spectrum of the ambient light, including in the ultraviolet (UV) range, and can detect the brightness of the ambient light. Location sensor  136  represents various positional sensors of green processing system  100 , including a global positioning system (GPS), a wide area network (WAN) locator system, an accelerometer or other motion detector whereby the green processing system can determine relative location with respect to a fixed location determined by the GPS or WAN locator system, or other sensors configured to determine the location of the green processing system. Noise sensor  138  represents a microphone or other sound receiving sensor that can determine a frequency spectrum of the received sound in the ambient environment of green processing system  100 , the volume of the received sound, or the like. 
     Each of sensors  120  may consume power within green processing system  100 , based upon the receipt and analysis of the various environmental factors measured by the various sensors. For example, while operating particulate matter sensor  122  and CO 2  sensor  124  may consume on the order of six hundred milliwatts (mW) of power. Other sensors  120  may similarly consume power within green processing system  100 . As such, operating all of sensors  120  simultaneously may result in an undue burden on the power resources of green processing system  100 , such as a battery or the like. Thus, it may be desirable to determine a sampling frequency for each of sensors  120 , based upon the type of ambient condition that is being measured, and the rate at which such conditions are likely to change. Moreover, each of sensors  120  may be understood to necessitate the consumption of system resources of information handling system  110 , such as processor cycles, memory resources, memory and I/O bandwidth, and the like. In particular, each one of sensors  120  may be associated with its own driver or other application programming interface (API) that utilizes processing resources to run. Thus, as with the power consumption described above, it may be desirable to minimize the amount of sampling done by each of sensors  120  in order to reduce the processing load on information handling system  110 . 
     Sensors  120  are each connected to environmental control module  150 . Here, environmental control module  150  may be understood to represent hardware needed to interface with one or more of sensors  120 , software, such as drivers and APIs needed to operate the sensors, or a combination thereof. In addition, environmental control module  150  operates to manage the sampling frequencies of sensors  120 , the power consumed by the sensors, the processing resources consumed by the sensors, and the like. As described further below, environmental control module  150  further operates to leverage historical data from sensors  120 , user location and location history data, external data resources, and the like, to modify the sampling frequencies, the power consumption, and the processing resource consumption of sensors  120  in order to intelligently optimize the performance of the sensors and of information handling system  110 , and to improve the experience of the user of green processing system  100 . 
       FIG. 2  illustrates an information handling system  200  similar to information handling system  110 . Information handling system  200  includes a heat-generating component  210  installed within a case  220 . Component  210  is cooled by a cooling fan  230 . Cooling fan  230  includes a fan inlet  232  to receive cool air, and one or more fan outlet, not illustrated, that is located to blow the cool air over component  210 . The cool air removes heat from component  210  and the heated air is blown out of one or more case outlet  222 , thereby removing the heat from component  210 . In a particular embodiment, fan inlet  232  is situated at a bottom side of case  220 , such that ambient air is drawn into fan  230  via the fan inlet, and  FIG. 2  will be understood to be a bottom-view. 
     In another embodiment, fan inlet  232  is situated within case  220 . Here, ambient air will be understood to be drawn in via one or more case inlet, not illustrated, and the ambient air may provide a degree of cooling for other components of information handling system  200  before cooling component  210 . Here,  FIG. 2  may be understood to be a top-view or a bottom-view, as needed or desired. In yet another embodiment, the air from component  210  may be utilized to cool other components of information handling system  200  prior to being blown out of case outlet  222 . The design of airflow to cool components of an information handling system, the placement of fans, air inlets, and air outlets, and the like, and other aspects of cooling systems of an information handling system are known in the art and will not be further described herein, except as needed to illustrate the current embodiments. 
     Information handling system  200  further includes a sensor  240  similar any one of sensors  120 . In particular, sensor  240  represents a sensor that utilizes air flow to detect the associated environmental factor. As such, sensor  240  will be understood to include a sensor element that detects the particular environmental factor from the air flowing through the sensor. Sensor  240  includes a movable cover  242  and a wax motor  250 . Sensor  240  includes a sensor outlet, not illustrated, and the sensor is affixed to fan  230 , such that a second inlet of the fan, not illustrated, is collocated with the sensor outlet. Sensor  240  operates such that, when wax motor  250  is in a first state, cover  242  is in a closed position over a sensor inlet to prevent the ambient air from flowing through the sensor element. Sensor  240  further operates such that, when the wax motor is in a second state, cover  242  is in an open position over the sensor inlet to permit the ambient air to flow through the sensor element. Here, the ambient air is drawn into fan  230  by the second inlet, and the flow of ambient air from sensor  240  is added to the air flowing through component  210  and out case outlet  222 . 
     Wax motor  250  represents a linear actuator that is controlled to be in an off-state or an on-state, such that thermal energy in a material produces a phase change in the material, and the phase change results in the movement of an actuator. For example, the thermal energy may be generated by the actuation of a heating element or the passing of a current through the wax motor. Wax motor  250  is illustrated in  FIG. 2  in the off-state. Here a wax  252  is cooled, and hence contracted into a case  254  of wax motor  250 , thereby drawing an actuator  256  in towards the wax motor. Actuator  256  is mechanically attached to cover  242 , such that the drawn-in actuator causes the cover to close over the sensor inlet. Wax motor  250  is illustrated in  FIG. 3  in the on-state. Here wax  252  is heated, causing the wax to expand into case  254 , thereby pushing actuator  256  outwardly from the wax motor. Here the pushing-out of actuator  256  causes the cover to open, permitting air flow through the sensor element. 
     Wax motor  250  may be controlled by an electrical control signal from an environmental controller similar to environmental control module  150 . When the environmental control module determines to sample the ambient air, the environmental control module turns on wax motor  250  to open cover  242  to permit the ambient air to flow through the sensor element. Here, the use of a wax motor is illustrative, and is not intended to be limiting as to the mechanism for opening or closing a cover of a sensor. More generally, other types of linear actuators may be utilized, including a bi-metal temperature actuated mechanism, a barometric actuator, or another actuator, as needed or desired. 
     In a particular embodiment, sensor  240  represents a particle detector, such as a PM2.5 particle detector. Here, sensor  240  may be able to detect particles as small as two point five micrometers across, that may include small dust particles, fibers, composite resins, and the like. Here further, in addition to information handling system  200  being configured to manage and provide user updates as to the ambient environment surrounding the information handling system, sensor  240  may provide information to a manufacturer of the information handling system as to the amount of contaminants in the ambient environment of the information handling system, and the historical rates of such contaminants. For example, where a manufacturer of an information handling system provides sustainability targets for the life of the information handling system, telemetry data from a PM2.5 particle detector may contribute to the sustainability and longevity of the information handling system. 
     By analyzing telemetry data from a PM2.5 particle detector over time, a service branch of the manufacturer may be able to proactively warn a user of the information handling system when dust buildup or exposure to corrosive materials threatens to impact the usability, performance, or reliability of the information handling system. For example, when a large number of dust particles are detected in the ambient environment surrounding the information handling system, the information handling system may provide periodic updates to the manufacturer, for example via a service portal API installed on the information handling system, and the manufacturer may provide recommendations for cleaning of the information handling system, the fans and vent holes of the information handling system, or the like, or to periodically replace various components of the information handling system. Further, as manufacturers implement various right-to-repair agreements with their user base, such recommendations may be an important factor in maintaining and improving customer satisfaction with the manufacturer&#39;s products. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates a method for measuring and controlling dust ingress in a particulate matter sensor in an information handling system, starting at block  400 . A sensor cover for a particulate matter sensor is opened in block  402  and the particulate matter level is measured in block  404 . A decision is made as to whether or not corrosive particles are present in the measured level of particulate matter in decision block  406 . If not, the “NO” branch of decision block  406  is taken, the system fan speed is restored to a normal operating speed and the system performance level is restored to a normal performance level in block  408 , and the method returns to block  404  where the particulate matter level is measured. If corrosive particles are present in the measured level of particulate matter, the “YES” branch of decision block  406  is taken, and the system fan speed is reduced and the system performance level is reduced in block  410 . A user is notified of the presence of the corrosive particles and that the system fan speed and performance level have been reduced in block  412 . The sensor cover is closed in block  416 , the measured particulate level is recorded in a database in block  418 , and the method ends in block  420 . 
       FIG. 5  illustrates a method for providing cascading ownership of an information handling system based upon particulate matter sensor data starting at block  500 . An information handling system is received by a service center in block  502 . Here, the service center receives the information handling system for the purposes of refurbishment, restoration, or reconditioning for reuse by another user than the user from which the information handling system was received. The particulate matter level history is read from a database on the information handling system in block  504 . A decision is made as to whether or not the information handling system was exposed to corrosive particles in decision block  506 . 
     Decision block  504  may represent a determination of an absolute exposure to corrosive particles, or a determination that a positive exposure to corrosive particles is further associated with a determination that the level of exposure to corrosive particles exceeds a threshold. If the information handling system was not exposed to corrosive particles, the “NO” branch of decision block  506  is taken, minor repairs are performed on the information handling system as needed in block  508 , the information handling system is prepared for cascaded ownership in block  512 , and the method ends in block  514 . If the information handling system was exposed to corrosive particles, the “YES” branch of decision block  506  is taken, detailed repairs associated with exposure to corrosive particles are performed on the information handling system as needed in block  510 , the information handling system is prepared for cascaded ownership in block  512 , and the method ends in block  514 . 
       FIG. 6  illustrates a generalized embodiment of an information handling system  600 . For purpose of this disclosure an information handling system can include any instrumentality or aggregate of instrumentalities operable to compute, classify, process, transmit, receive, retrieve, originate, switch, store, display, manifest, detect, record, reproduce, handle, or utilize any form of information, intelligence, or data for business, scientific, control, entertainment, or other purposes. For example, information handling system  600  can be a personal computer, a laptop computer, a smart phone, a tablet device or other consumer electronic device, a network server, a network storage device, a switch router or other network communication device, or any other suitable device and may vary in size, shape, performance, functionality, and price. Further, information handling system  600  can include processing resources for executing machine-executable code, such as a central processing unit (CPU), a programmable logic array (PLA), an embedded device such as a System-on-a-Chip (SoC), or other control logic hardware. Information handling system  600  can also include one or more computer-readable medium for storing machine-executable code, such as software or data. Additional components of information handling system  600  can include one or more storage devices that can store machine-executable code, one or more communications ports for communicating with external devices, and various input and output (I/O) devices, such as a keyboard, a mouse, and a video display. Information handling system  600  can also include one or more buses operable to transmit information between the various hardware components. 
     Information handling system  600  can include devices or modules that embody one or more of the devices or modules described below, and operates to perform one or more of the methods described below. Information handling system  600  includes a processors  602  and  604 , an input/output (I/O) interface  610 , memories  620  and  625 , a graphics interface  630 , a basic input and output system/universal extensible firmware interface (BIOS/UEFI) module  640 , a disk controller  650 , a hard disk drive (HDD)  654 , an optical disk drive (ODD)  656  , a disk emulator  660  connected to an external solid state drive (SSD)  662 , an I/O bridge  670 , one or more add-on resources  674 , a trusted platform module (TPM)  676 , a network interface  680 , a management device  690 , and a power supply  695 . Processors  602  and  604 , I/O interface  610 , memory  620 , graphics interface  630 , BIOS/UEFI module  640 , disk controller  650 , HDD  654 , ODD  656  , disk emulator  660 , SSD  662 , I/O bridge  670 , add-on resources  674 , TPM  676 , and network interface  680  operate together to provide a host environment of information handling system  600  that operates to provide the data processing functionality of the information handling system. The host environment operates to execute machine-executable code, including platform BIOS/UEFI code, device firmware, operating system code, applications, programs, and the like, to perform the data processing tasks associated with information handling system  600 . 
     In the host environment, processor  602  is connected to I/O interface  610  via processor interface  606 , and processor  604  is connected to the I/O interface via processor interface  608 . Memory  620  is connected to processor  602  via a memory interface  622 . Memory  625  is connected to processor  604  via a memory interface  627 . Graphics interface  630  is connected to I/O interface  610  via a graphics interface  632 , and provides a video display output  636  to a video display  634 . In a particular embodiment, information handling system  600  includes separate memories that are dedicated to each of processors  602  and  604  via separate memory interfaces. An example of memories  620  and  630  include random access memory (RAM) such as static RAM (SRAM), dynamic RAM (DRAM), non-volatile RAM (NV-RAM), or the like, read only memory (ROM), another type of memory, or a combination thereof. 
     BIOS/UEFI module  640 , disk controller  650 , and I/O bridge  670  are connected to I/O interface  610  via an I/O channel  612 . An example of I/O channel  612  includes a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) interface, a PCI-Extended (PCI-X) interface, a high-speed PCI-Express (PCIe) interface, another industry standard or proprietary communication interface, or a combination thereof. I/O interface  610  can also include one or more other I/O interfaces, including an Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) interface, a Small Computer Serial Interface (SCSI) interface, an Inter-Integrated Circuit (I 2 C) interface, a System Packet Interface (SPI), a Universal Serial Bus (USB), another interface, or a combination thereof. BIOS/UEFI module  640  includes BIOS/UEFI code operable to detect resources within information handling system  600 , to provide drivers for the resources, initialize the resources, and access the resources. BIOS/UEFI module  640  includes code that operates to detect resources within information handling system  600 , to provide drivers for the resources, to initialize the resources, and to access the resources. 
     Disk controller  650  includes a disk interface  652  that connects the disk controller to HDD  654 , to ODD  656 , and to disk emulator  660 . An example of disk interface  652  includes an Integrated Drive Electronics (IDE) interface, an Advanced Technology Attachment (ATA) such as a parallel ATA (PATA) interface or a serial ATA (SATA) interface, a SCSI interface, a USB interface, a proprietary interface, or a combination thereof. Disk emulator  660  permits SSD  664  to be connected to information handling system  600  via an external interface  662 . An example of external interface  662  includes a USB interface, an IEEE 1394 (Firewire) interface, a proprietary interface, or a combination thereof. Alternatively, solid-state drive  664  can be disposed within information handling system  600 . 
     I/O bridge  670  includes a peripheral interface  672  that connects the I/O bridge to add-on resource  674 , to TPM  676 , and to network interface  680 . Peripheral interface  672  can be the same type of interface as I/O channel  612 , or can be a different type of interface. As such, I/O bridge  670  extends the capacity of I/O channel  612  when peripheral interface  672  and the I/O channel are of the same type, and the I/O bridge translates information from a format suitable to the I/O channel to a format suitable to the peripheral channel  672  when they are of a different type. Add-on resource  674  can include a data storage system, an additional graphics interface, a network interface card (NIC), a sound/video processing card, another add-on resource, or a combination thereof. Add-on resource  674  can be on a main circuit board, on separate circuit board or add-in card disposed within information handling system  600 , a device that is external to the information handling system, or a combination thereof. 
     Network interface  680  represents a NIC disposed within information handling system  600 , on a main circuit board of the information handling system, integrated onto another component such as I/O interface  610 , in another suitable location, or a combination thereof. Network interface device  680  includes network channels  682  and  684  that provide interfaces to devices that are external to information handling system  600 . In a particular embodiment, network channels  682  and  684  are of a different type than peripheral channel  672  and network interface  680  translates information from a format suitable to the peripheral channel to a format suitable to external devices. An example of network channels  682  and  684  includes InfiniBand channels, Fibre Channel channels, Gigabit Ethernet channels, proprietary channel architectures, or a combination thereof. Network channels  682  and  684  can be connected to external network resources (not illustrated). The network resource can include another information handling system, a data storage system, another network, a grid management system, another suitable resource, or a combination thereof. 
     Management device  690  represents one or more processing devices, such as a dedicated baseboard management controller (BMC) System-on-a-Chip (SoC) device, one or more associated memory devices, one or more network interface devices, a complex programmable logic device (CPLD), and the like, that operate together to provide the management environment for information handling system  600 . In particular, management device  690  is connected to various components of the host environment via various internal communication interfaces, such as a Low Pin Count (LPC) interface, an Inter-Integrated-Circuit (I2C) interface, a PCIe interface, or the like, to provide an out-of-band (OOB) mechanism to retrieve information related to the operation of the host environment, to provide BIOS/UEFI or system firmware updates, to manage non-processing components of information handling system  600 , such as system cooling fans and power supplies. Management device  690  can include a network connection to an external management system, and the management device can communicate with the management system to report status information for information handling system  600 , to receive BIOS/UEFI or system firmware updates, or to perform other task for managing and controlling the operation of information handling system  600 . Management device  690  can operate off of a separate power plane from the components of the host environment so that the management device receives power to manage information handling system  600  when the information handling system is otherwise shut down. An example of management device  690  include a commercially available BMC product or other device that operates in accordance with an Intelligent Platform Management Initiative (IPMI) specification, a Web Services Management (WSMan) interface, a Redfish Application Programming Interface (API), another Distributed Management Task Force (DMTF), or other management standard, and can include an Integrated Dell Remote Access Controller (iDRAC), an Embedded Controller (EC), or the like. Management device  690  may further include associated memory devices, logic devices, security devices, or the like, as needed or desired. 
     Although only a few exemplary embodiments have been described in detail herein, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible in the exemplary embodiments without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the embodiments of the present disclosure. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the embodiments of the present disclosure as defined in the following claims. In the claims, means-plus-function clauses are intended to cover the structures described herein as performing the recited function and not only structural equivalents, but also equivalent structures. 
     The above-disclosed subject matter is to be considered illustrative, and not restrictive, and the appended claims are intended to cover any and all such modifications, enhancements, and other embodiments that fall within the scope of the present invention. Thus, to the maximum extent allowed by law, the scope of the present invention is to be determined by the broadest permissible interpretation of the following claims and their equivalents, and shall not be restricted or limited by the foregoing detailed description.