Active vents for cooling of computing device

Abstract

Apparatus and methods of cooling a computing device using active air vents. Embodiments include active air vents capable of dynamically changing the pattern of inlet airflow into the housing of the computing device and selectively directing airflow to cool heat-generating components on need basis. Embodiments include active vents coupled to an actuation mechanism to preferentially open and close the active air vents so that inlet airflow into the housing can be regulated based on the cooling requirement of heat-generating components in the housing. Embodiments also include a control module to determine the cooling requirement of the components of the device.

1 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a housing of a computing device having at least a first and a second vent, said vents each having a plurality of through openings;   a first set of heat-generating components disposed within the housing and adjacent to the first vent;   a second set of heat-generating components disposed within the housing and adjacent to the second vent;   a plurality of cover members, each being paired to said vents and being configured to regulate airflow into the housing via the through openings of said vents; and   an actuation mechanism being configured to engagably displace the plurality of cover members.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a control module to determine a cooling requirement of the first and second sets of heat-generating components and to control the actuation mechanism based on the cooling requirement. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the control module determines the cooling requirement based on temperature-state inputs, or power-state inputs, or a combination of temperature-state and power-state inputs of the first and second heat-generating components. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the actuation mechanism includes one of a magnetic solenoid or a linear motor, and is being coupled to the plurality of cover members. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein each of the plurality of cover members includes a plurality of through openings. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of cover members is capable of varying the size of the through openings of said vents available for inlet airflow to pass. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the plurality of cover members is made of shape memory alloy (SMA). 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the plurality of cover members is a bimetallic strip made of materials with different coefficients of thermal expansion. 
     
     
         9 . An assembly, comprising:
 a housing of a computing device having at least a first and a second vent, said vents being capable of drawing an inlet airflow through a plurality of through openings of said vents to cool a plurality of heat-generating components disposed within the housing;   a plurality of cover members disposed adjacent to said vents, the cover members being configured to regulate the inlet airflow passing through the through openings;   an actuation mechanism operatively coupled to the plurality of cover members to cause the cover members to fully open, fully shut or partially open said vents; and   a control module operatively connected to an operating system of the computing device and a thermal management system, the control module being configured to determine a cooling requirement for each of the heat-generating components and to activate the actuation mechanism to selectively direct the inlet airflow to cool the heat generating components.   
     
     
         10 . The assembly of  claim 10 , further comprising a fan adapted to create an evacuative airflow having a negative pressure gradient within the housing relative to the ambient air. 
     
     
         11 . The assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the control module includes an embedded controller capable of altering the BIOS of the computing device. 
     
     
         12 . The assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the actuation mechanism includes a magnetic solenoid system or a linear motor. 
     
     
         13 . The assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the plurality of cover members is capable of varying the size of the through openings of said vents available for inlet airflow to pass. 
     
     
         14 . The assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of cover members is made of one of shape memory alloy (SMA) and bimetallic material, wherein the bimetallic material includes materials with different coefficients of thermal expansion. 
     
     
         15 . A method, comprising:
 disposing at least a first and a second set of heat-generating components in a housing of a computing device, the housing having at least a first vent adjacent to the first set of heat-generating components and a second vent adjacent to the second set of heat-generating components, wherein said vents each includes a plurality of through openings;   determining a cooling requirement for each of the first and second sets of heat-generating components;   causing a plurality of cover members to fully open, fully shut or partially open said vents based on the cooling requirement; and   selectively directing airflow passing through the through openings of said vents to cool the heat-generating components.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising aligning a plurality of through openings disposed on the cover members against the through openings of said vents. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein causing the cover members to fully open, fully shut or partially open said vents includes changing the shape, size or configuration of the cover members. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the plurality of cover members is made of shape memory alloy (SMA) or a bimetallic material, wherein the bimetallic material includes materials with different coefficients of thermal expansion.