Integrated fan assembly utilizing an embedded fan controller

An integrated fan assembly, comprising:

• a variable speed fan, said variable speed fan generating a feedback signal indicative of said variable speed fan operation;
• and
• a fan controller, coupled to said variable speed fan, including:
• a processor;
• a communication circuit, coupled to said processor, that allows an external controller to monitor a cooling requirement for a specific computer configuration and establish a single desired speed setting of said variable speed fan based on said cooling requirement for said specific computer configuration, said external controller being separate from said computer;
• a static programmable memory device, coupled to said processor, that contains said single desired speed setting of said variable speed fan, said single desired speed setting being previously programmed into said static programmable memory device by said external controller;
• a feedback circuit, coupled to said processor, that receives a feedback signal indicative of said variable speed fan operation;
• and
• a fan driver circuit, coupled to said processor, that provides a driving signal to control a speed of said variable speed fan, wherein a similar variable speed fan can be used in different computer configurations by establishing and storing a single desired speed setting in said static programmable memory device for use by said fan controller, and wherein said single desired speed setting is specific for said specific computer configuration.

A data processing system:

• a supervisory processor;
• and
• an integrated fan assembly, including:
• a variable speed fan, said variable speed fan generating a feedback signal indicative of said variable speed fan operation;
• and
• a fan controller, coupled to said variable speed fan, including:
• a processor;
• a communication circuit, coupled to said processor, that allows an external controller to monitor a cooling requirement for a specific computer configuration and establish a single desired speed setting of said variable speed fan based on said cooling requirement for said specific computer configuration, said external controller being separate from said computer;
• a static programmable memory device, coupled to said processor, that contains said single desired speed setting of said variable speed fan, said single desired speed setting being previously programmed into said static programmable memory device by said external controller;
• a feedback circuit, coupled to said processor, that receives a feedback signal indicative of said variable speed fan operation;
• and
• a fan driver circuit, coupled to said processor, that provides a driving signal to control a speed of said variable speed fan, wherein a similar variable speed fan can be used in different computer configurations by establishing and storing a single desired speed setting in said static programmable memory device for use by said fan controller, and wherein said single desired speed setting is specific for said specific computer configuration.