Patent ID: 7826215

Claim:
A computer system, comprising: a chassis securing a circuit board; a fan system mounted in the chassis, wherein the fan system draws air through the chassis and establishes an airflow direction; a heat-generating component mounted on the circuit board and exposed to the air flow; a hot air duct passively directing air heated by the heat-generating component from a single hot air duct inlet in direct downstream alignment with the heat-generating component to a single hot air duct outlet downstream of the single hot air duct inlet, wherein the hot air duct has a length to width aspect ratio of greater than four; a first thermal sensor secured within the hot air duct near the single hot air duct outlet for sensing the temperature of the heated air flowing through the hot air duct and generating a first temperature signal; and a controller in electronic communication with the first thermal sensor for receiving the temperature signal from the first thermal sensor and in electronic communication with the fan system for sending a fan speed control signal to the fan system.