Apple files patent for an autonomous thermal management device and method
Posted by Dennis Sellers 
Sep 19, 2005 at 11:35am
On September 15, 2005, the US Patent & Trademark Office revealed Apple’s patent application 20050204175 entitled Autonomous thermal management. The inventor listed on the application is Joel S. Burton for serial number 800258, originally filed on March 11, 2004.
Summary of the invention
The present invention provides both a peripheral device that regulates its own temperature by adjusting its power consumption, and a method to accomplish the same. In one embodiment of the invention, the method includes monitoring the temperature of the mass storage device and reducing power consumption when the temperature exceeds a certain threshold. In such an embodiment, the mass storage device would be capable of operating while the power consumption is reduced.
In another embodiment, the method includes reducing offline diagnostic activities if the temperature of the peripheral device exceeds a first temperature, reducing an operational speed in which the peripheral device fulfills requests from a host device if the temperature of the peripheral device exceeds a second temperature and reducing power consumption of a physical layer interface that connects the peripheral device to the host device if the peripheral device exceeds a third temperature and if the peripheral device experienced a period of inactivity that exceeds a first time threshold. In yet other embodiments, the temperature in a hard drive can be further reduced by parking heads of the hard drive if a temperature threshold and a time threshold are exceeded.
In yet other embodiments, a hard drive that autonomously manages its temperature is described. The hard drive includes a hard platter that rotates, a magnetic medium that stores information, heads that read and write information to the magnetic medium, an arm that holds the heads, a temperature sensor that measures temperature and an integrated controller. The integrated controller that can reduce power consumption when the temperature exceeds a certain threshold, wherein the hard drive is capable of operating while the power consumption is reduced.
Background of the invention
General-purpose computers require a mass storage system. Unlike main memory, which is used for the direct manipulation of data, mass storage is used to retain data. Generally a program is stored in mass storage and, when the program is executed; either the entire program or portions of the program are copied into main memory. Common mass storage devices include floppy disks, hard disks, optical disks and tapes.
All mass storage devices are designed to operate within certain environmental conditions. Temperature is typically the most important condition. If temperatures exceed the normal operating conditions, the risk of data loss and file corruption increases, as does the potential for total device failure.
In an effort to help users avoid data loss, hard drive manufacturers incorporate logic into their drives that host systems can use to predict pending drive problems. The system is called Self-Monitoring Analysis and Reporting Technology or SMART. The hard disk’s integrated controller works with various sensors to monitor various aspects of the drive’s performance and makes available status information to software that probes the drive and look at it. SMART monitors disk performance, faulty sectors, recalibration, CRC errors, drive spin-up time, drive heads, distance between the heads and the disk platters, drive temperature, and characteristics of the media, motor and servomechanisms.
The hard drive itself does not actually do anything with SMART data; it merely makes the information available to the host upon request. It is up to the host to request and analyze the data, and typically up to the user to take appropriate action. In other words, a program, such as Norton Utilities from the Symantec Corporation of Cupertino, Calif., is required to initiate a SMART request, utilize the SMART data, and then notify the user of any potential problems.
SMART data is, of course, not the only way to get temperature data from a mass storage device. Temperature sensors from a separate device can be used to probe a mass storage device’s temperature. Many commercially available cooling systems that use fans and/or heat sinks to control a hard drive’s temperature also use temperature sensors to report temperature to the user.
Although the described technologies work well in many applications, there are continuing efforts to further improve the ability to monitor and regulate device temperatures.
Macsimum Note
By popular demand, Macsimum readers have requested that the Summary of the Invention appear first in order of patent details, followed by Background of the Invention and if applicable, list extra details only on the more popular patents under the heading “For Detail Junkies.” Personal observations will only be included on the more popular/cool “retail” type patents, with the remainder treated as straight news items.
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Cats Says:
Who said it was “hot?” Looks to me like this comment is simply from a competing site. It’s a patent, it’s news, grow up!
Posted on September 19, 2005
RB Says:
name, what’s novel about this idea (I presume that you did not come up with it, common as it is...) is that, for the first time I can recall, steps are being taken to preserve the hard disk by throttling down the processor, a huge heat source. We usually see processor speed throttling mentioned in relation to battery life.
Patent drawings aside, I assume this applies primarily to laptop products, since they have serious temperature issues and a higher hard disk failure rate. So, for the average user, the system is taking steps to preserve the hard disk instead of just letting it fail. I think it’s great....and innnovative.
Posted on September 19, 2005
Stu Says:
Obviously this is a general look at this patent. So those wanting to actually see/read about the innovations present in depth should read the actual patent. That’s why there’s a handy link. Some I just peek at and others I spend more time with going to the patent itself. It seems as though power per watt is the big thing now and it seems this is another aspect to getting heat/power issues under tighter control.
Posted on September 19, 2005
maelsson Says:
I think what we need to consider here is with the horrendous amounts of heat that 7200 RPM drives generate (and future drives will generate), there will be a lot more interest in the future by the general computing public to monitor and maintain safe temps. If Apple patents this technology, there exists a potential for licensing, or worse, developing a technology and then having to pay license fees to another party who claims the patent. The iPod interface is a mistake I don’t think they want to repeat all too often.
Just my two cents..,
Posted on September 19, 2005
name Says:
I think maelsson got my point. I’m not bashing Apple, but rather the patent system. Today, it serves more to stymie progress than promote it. Apple has no choice but play the patent game (which our government—for the people, by the people—has created through bad legislation).
Posted on September 20, 2005
mark Says:
Hi ‘name’,
well, if I remember correctly from the ‘patent law’ course at our university (so correct me, if I’m wrong here), the American law permits to file a patent without any proof of novelty. Only if a competitor complains, he can call for a check - therefore US patents are registered ‘just in case it’s useful’ and are registered that frequently.
In Germany - which is where I live - patents have to present a certain level of novelty and progress, otherwise they are refused. The patent office has many good engineers on its payroll that do the reviewing. While this is certainly more expensive for the applicant, it reduces the number of those patents that people usually refer to, if they argue like you.
From my perspective, patents are not the problem, it’s the general conditions that need some adjustment (like ‘what’s an invention?’, ‘for how long should a software patent be granted at max?’, ‘is there a must for licensing?’).
Greetings from Old Europe,
Mark
Posted on September 20, 2005
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Comment on this Article Print this Article Email this Article 20050204175 entitled Autonomous thermal management. The inventor listed on the application is Joel S. Burton for serial number 800258, originally filed on March 11, 2004.
Summary of the invention
The present invention provides both a peripheral device that regulates its own temperature by adjusting its power consumption, and a method to accomplish the same. In one embodiment of the invention, the method includes monitoring the temperature of the mass storage device and reducing power consumption when the temperature exceeds a certain threshold. In such an embodiment, the mass storage device would be capable of operating while the power consumption is reduced.
In another embodiment, the method includes reducing offline diagnostic activities if the temperature of the peripheral device exceeds a first temperature, reducing an operational speed in which the…&topic=tech_news&phase=2" id="digg">Digg This
Contributor
Dennis Sellers
Dennis has been a newspaper editor/reporter (seven years) and teacher (seven years). He has over 4,000 magazine, newspaper and online articles to his credit. He has also covered the Mac and tech industries for over a decade for such online publications as MacCentral, MacMinute and now MacsimumNews.
name Says:
This is a perfect example why patents should rarely be granted any longer. What’s so novel about this idea? Let’s see… How hot is it? Oh, it’s hot? Then power down a bit. Oh, it’s not? Then full speed ahead. Damn the torpedos. That must have taken about one full minute to conceptualize.
Posted on September 19, 2005