Forward-looking fan control using system operation information

A method comprising the steps of:

• monitoring an operational characteristic of a system;
• and
• predicting heat removal requirements for the system based on the operational characteristic,
• wherein the step of monitoring the operational characteristic of the system comprises the steps of:
• periodically measuring a power level of the processor;
• and
• generating a running average of past power level measurements to provide the operational characteristic.

A method for controlling fan speed in a computer system, the method comprising the steps of:

• periodically measuring an operational characteristic of the computer system;
• predicting a heat removal requirement of the computer system based at least in part on at least one past measurement of the operational characteristic;
• and
• controlling a fan to operate at a fan speed dependent at least in part on the predicted heat removal requirement.

An apparatus comprising:

• at least one computer readable medium;
• encoded information on the at least one computer readable medium for monitoring an operational characteristic of a system;
• and
• encoded information on the at least one computer readable medium for predicting a heat removal requirement for the system based on the operational characteristic,
• wherein the encoded information for monitoring includes encoded information for periodically measuring the operational characteristic,
• wherein the encoded information for predicting includes encoded information for predicting the heat removal requirement based on more than one past measurement of the operational characteristic.

An apparatus comprising:

• at least one computer readable medium;
• encoded information on the at least one computer readable medium for monitoring an operational characteristic of a system;
• and
• encoded information on the at least one computer readable medium for predicting a heat removal requirement for the system based on the operational characteristic,
• wherein the encoded information for monitoring the operational characteristic of the system comprises,
• encoded information for periodically measuring a clock frequency of the processor, and
• encoded information for generating a running average of past clock frequency measurements to provide the operational characteristic.

An apparatus comprising:

• at least one computer readable medium;
• encoded information on the at least one computer readable medium for monitoring an operational characteristic of a system;
• and
• encoded information on the at least one computer readable medium for predicting a heat removal requirement for the system based on the operational characteristic,
• wherein the encoded information for monitoring the operational characteristic of the system comprises,
• encoded information for periodically measuring a power level of the processor, and
• encoded information for generating a running average of past power level measurements to provide the operational characteristic.