# US 12,225,682 B2 · Temperature adaptive information handling system

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- Number: US 12,225,682 B2
- Document ID: US12225682B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/171,466
- Filed: 2023-02-20
- Published: 2024-05-30
- Granted: 2025-02-11
- Earliest claimed: 2022-11-24
- Assignees: Dell Products L.P.
- Applicants: Dell Products L.P.
- Inventors: Zhuo Ya Shi; Xin Zhi Ma
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12225682B2

## CPC

- H05K 7/20145: {Means for directing air flow, e.g. ducts, deflectors, plenum or guides}
- G06F 1/20: Cooling means
- G06F 1/206: {comprising thermal management}
- H05K 7/20209: {Thermal management, e.g. fan control}
- H05K 7/20727: {within server blades for removing heat from heat source}
- H10W 40/28: comprising Peltier coolers
- H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10

## Abstract

In an information handling system, positions of a plurality of mechanical structures may be configured to be controlled to selectively direct airflow cooled by first heat-rejecting media and a thermoelectric cooler between flowing through the first exhaust plenum and flowing proximate to the one or more information handling resources and selectively direct airflow heated by the second heat-rejecting media and the thermoelectric cooler between flowing through the second exhaust plenum and flowing proximate to the one or more information handling resources.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An information handling system comprising:
one or more information handling resources;
a thermoelectric cooler;
first heat-rejecting media thermally coupled to a first side of the thermoelectric cooler such that when electrical energy is applied to the thermoelectric cooler, heat is transferred from the first heat-rejecting media to the first side of the thermoelectric cooler;
second heat-rejecting media thermally coupled to a second side of the thermoelectric cooler such that when electrical energy is applied to the thermoelectric cooler, heat is transferred from the second side of the thermoelectric cooler to the second heat-rejecting media;
a first exhaust plenum arranged such that airflow through the first exhaust plenum is isolated from the one or more information handling resources;
a second exhaust plenum arranged such that airflow through the second exhaust plenum is isolated from the one or more information handling resources; and
a plurality of mechanical structures arranged relative to the one or more information handling resources, the thermoelectric cooler, the first heat-rejecting media, the second heat-rejecting media, the first exhaust plenum, and the second exhaust plenum, such that positions of the plurality of mechanical structures are configured to be controlled to:
selectively direct airflow cooled by the first heat-rejecting media between flowing through the first exhaust plenum and flowing proximate to the one or more information handling resources; and
selectively direct airflow heated by the second heat-rejecting media between flowing through the second exhaust plenum and flowing proximate to the one or more information handling resources.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The information handling system of claim 1, further comprising one or more fans configured to impel airflow proximate to the first heat-rejecting media and the second heat-rejecting media.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The information handling system of claim 1, further comprising a thermal control system communicatively coupled to the plurality of mechanical structures and configured to control the positions of the plurality of mechanical structures.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The information handling system of claim 1, the plurality of mechanical structures comprising:
a first mechanical structure located proximate to an inlet of the first exhaust plenum and configured to be selectively positioned between a closed position of the first mechanical structure in which the first mechanical structure substantially impedes flow of air through the inlet of the first exhaust plenum and an open position of the first mechanical structure in which the first mechanical structure substantially permits flow of air through the inlet of the first exhaust plenum; and
a second mechanical structure located proximate to an inlet of the second exhaust plenum and configured to be selectively positioned between a closed position of the second mechanical structure in which the second mechanical structure substantially impedes flow of air through the inlet of the second exhaust plenum and an open position of the second mechanical structure in which the second mechanical structure substantially permits flow of air through the inlet of the second exhaust plenum.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The information handling system of claim 4, the plurality of mechanical structures further comprising a third mechanical structure located between the first heat-rejecting media and the second heat-rejecting media on one hand and the first exhaust plenum, the second exhaust plenum, and the one or more information handling resources on the other hand, the third mechanical structure configured to be selectively positioned between:
a first position of the third mechanical structure in which the third mechanical structure substantially directs flow of air passing proximate to the first heat-rejecting media to flow proximate to the one or more information handling resources and substantially directs flow of air passing proximate to the second heat-rejecting media to flow through the second exhaust plenum; and
a second position of the third mechanical structure in which the third mechanical structure substantially directs flow of air passing proximate to the second heat-rejecting media to flow proximate to the one or more information handling resources and substantially directs flow of air passing proximate to the first heat-rejecting media to flow through the first exhaust plenum.

### Claim 6

A method, in an information handling system comprising one or more information handling resources, a thermoelectric cooler, first heat-rejecting media thermally coupled to a first side of the thermoelectric cooler such that when electrical energy is applied to the thermoelectric cooler, heat is transferred from the first heat-rejecting media to the first side of the thermoelectric cooler, second heat-rejecting media thermally coupled to a second side of the thermoelectric cooler such that when electrical energy is applied to the thermoelectric cooler, heat is transferred from the second side of the thermoelectric cooler to the second heat-rejecting media, a first exhaust plenum arranged such that airflow through the first exhaust plenum is isolated from the one or more information handling resources, a second exhaust plenum arranged such that airflow through the second exhaust plenum is isolated from the one or more information handling resources, and a plurality of mechanical structures arranged relative to the one or more information handling resources, the thermoelectric cooler, the first heat-rejecting media, the second heat-rejecting media, the first exhaust plenum, and the second exhaust plenum, the method comprising controlling positions of the plurality of mechanical structures to:
selectively direct airflow cooled by the first heat-rejecting media between flowing through the first exhaust plenum and flowing proximate to the one or more information handling resources; and
selectively direct airflow heated by the second heat-rejecting media between flowing through the second exhaust plenum and flowing proximate to the one or more information handling resources.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, wherein the information handling system further comprises one or more fans configured to impel airflow proximate to the first heat-rejecting media and the second heat-rejecting media.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, the plurality of mechanical structures comprising:
a first mechanical structure located proximate to an inlet of the first exhaust plenum and configured to be selectively positioned between a closed position of the first mechanical structure in which the first mechanical structure substantially impedes flow of air through the inlet of the first exhaust plenum and an open position of the first mechanical structure in which the first mechanical structure substantially permits flow of air through the inlet of the first exhaust plenum; and
a second mechanical structure located proximate to an inlet of the second exhaust plenum and configured to be selectively positioned between a closed position of the second mechanical structure in which the second mechanical structure substantially impedes flow of air through the inlet of the second exhaust plenum and an open position of the second mechanical structure in which the second mechanical structure substantially permits flow of air through the inlet of the second exhaust plenum.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, the plurality of mechanical structures further comprising a third mechanical structure located between the first heat-rejecting media and the second heat-rejecting media on one hand and the first exhaust plenum, the second exhaust plenum, and the one or more information handling resources on the other hand, the third mechanical structure configured to be selectively positioned between:
a first position of the third mechanical structure in which the third mechanical structure substantially directs flow of air passing proximate to the first heat-rejecting media to flow proximate to the one or more information handling resources and substantially directs flow of air passing proximate to the second heat-rejecting media to flow through the second exhaust plenum; and
a second position of the third mechanical structure in which the third mechanical structure substantially directs flow of air passing proximate to the second heat-rejecting media to flow proximate to the one or more information handling resources and substantially directs flow of air passing proximate to the first heat-rejecting media to flow through the first exhaust plenum.

### Claim 10

An article of manufacture, comprising;
a non-transitory computer readable medium; and
computer-executable instructions carried on the computer readable medium, the instructions readable by a processor, the instructions, when read and executed, for causing the processor to, in an information handling system comprising one or more information handling resources, a thermoelectric cooler, first heat-rejecting media thermally coupled to a first side of the thermoelectric cooler such that when electrical energy is applied to the thermoelectric cooler, heat is transferred from the first heat-rejecting media to the first side of the thermoelectric cooler, second heat-rejecting media thermally coupled to a second side of the thermoelectric cooler such that when electrical energy is applied to the thermoelectric cooler, heat is transferred from the second side of the thermoelectric cooler to the second heat-rejecting media, a first exhaust plenum arranged such that airflow through the first exhaust plenum is isolated from the one or more information handling resources, a second exhaust plenum arranged such that airflow through the second exhaust plenum is isolated from the one or more information handling resources, and a plurality of mechanical structures arranged relative to the one or more information handling resources, the thermoelectric cooler, the first heat-rejecting media, the second heat-rejecting media, the first exhaust plenum, and the second exhaust plenum, control positions of the plurality of mechanical structures to:
selectively direct airflow cooled by the first heat-rejecting media between flowing through the first exhaust plenum and flowing proximate to the one or more information handling resources; and
selectively direct airflow heated by the second heat-rejecting media between flowing through the second exhaust plenum and flowing proximate to the one or more information handling resources.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The article of claim 10, wherein the information handling system further comprises one or more fans configured to impel airflow proximate to the first heat-rejecting media and the second heat-rejecting media.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The article of claim 10, the plurality of mechanical structures comprising:
a first mechanical structure located proximate to an inlet of the first exhaust plenum and configured to be selectively positioned between a closed position of the first mechanical structure in which the first mechanical structure substantially impedes flow of air through the inlet of the first exhaust plenum and an open position of the first mechanical structure in which the first mechanical structure substantially permits flow of air through the inlet of the first exhaust plenum; and
a second mechanical structure located proximate to an inlet of the second exhaust plenum and configured to be selectively positioned between a closed position of the second mechanical structure in which the second mechanical structure substantially impedes flow of air through the inlet of the second exhaust plenum and an open position of the second mechanical structure in which the second mechanical structure substantially permits flow of air through the inlet of the second exhaust plenum.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The article of claim 12, the plurality of mechanical structures further comprising a third mechanical structure located between the first heat-rejecting media and the second heat-rejecting media on one hand and the first exhaust plenum, the second exhaust plenum, and the one or more information handling resources on the other hand, the third mechanical structure configured to be selectively positioned between:
a first position of the third mechanical structure in which the third mechanical structure substantially directs flow of air passing proximate to the first heat-rejecting media to flow proximate to the one or more information handling resources and substantially directs flow of air passing proximate to the second heat-rejecting media to flow through the second exhaust plenum; and
a second position of the third mechanical structure in which the third mechanical structure substantially directs flow of air passing proximate to the second heat-rejecting media to flow proximate to the one or more information handling resources and substantially directs flow of air passing proximate to the first heat-rejecting media to flow through the first exhaust plenum.