Patents by Inventor Travis C. North

Travis C. North has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20220179461
    Abstract: A portable information handling system integrates an audio speaker having a speaker chamber with an adjustable volume so that audio output from the audio speaker is adapted based upon the selected audio chamber volume. For instance, the audio speaker has two housing portions sealed with a gasket that slide relative to each other change an audio chamber volume within which a transducer generates audible sounds, such as bass. The audio chamber volume may adjust based upon the information handling system housing rotational orientation, the type of audio played at the audible speaker, or other conditions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2020
    Publication date: June 9, 2022
    Applicant: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Travis C. North, Jace W. Files, John Trevor Morrison
  • Publication number: 20220158119
    Abstract: A portable information handling system integrates a display film having OLED pixels to a housing with a graphene foam having graphene particles disposed in an intermediary material with varied orientations that promote thermal transfer from the display film. For example, graphene particles disposed in a silicon resin to form the foam couples between a portable housing and a display film to transfer thermal energy to the portable housing from the display film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2020
    Publication date: May 19, 2022
    Applicant: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Deeder M. Aurongzeb, Jong Seo Lee, Travis C. North
  • Patent number: 11320876
    Abstract: A portable information handling system housing has a handle to aid an end user in carrying of the system. A heat pipe loop passes through the handle and couples to a processing component heat sink to transfer excess thermal energy from within the housing to the handle for rejection to the ambient environment. Thermal wax disposed in the handle stores energy with a phase change from a solid to a liquid state. A color indicator disposed on the handle provides an end user with an indication of a temperature of the handle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Travis C. North, Jace W. Files, John Trevor Morrison
  • Publication number: 20220129052
    Abstract: A keyboard assembly for a portable information handing system. The keyboard assembly includes a plurality of keys, the plurality of keys being arranged in a typewriter style layout to allow a user to enter text content into the portable information handling system; and, a keyboard carrier, the plurality of keys being mounted to the keyboard carrier, the keyboard carrier determining when a key of the plurality of keys is actuated and generating information regarding the key of the plurality of keys, the keyboard carrier comprising a venting portion, the venting portion being located beneath a set of keys of the plurality of keys, the venting portion comprising a plurality of venting apertures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2020
    Publication date: April 28, 2022
    Applicant: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Mark Andrew Schwager, Travis C. North, Yu-Feng Huang, Kai-Yuan Cheng
  • Patent number: 11314294
    Abstract: Modular heat sinks are provided that support configurations using combinations of cooling and expansion card components, whereby the expansion card may support coupled devices. Heat sinks may include a fin set that is permanently fixed to the heat sink and a second fin set that can be decoupled from a location on the heat sink base. The second fin set can instead be replaced on the heat sink base by an expansion card connector, such as a M.2 expansion card connector. In some embodiments, an expansion card connector also includes a fin set, with the expansion card connector fastened on top of that fin set. The fin set to which the expansion card connector is fastened may include multiple tiers of fins of different heights that may conform to the space available to the heat sink, thus maximize cooling capabilities of the heat sink while also supporting an expansion card.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: Dell Products, L.P.
    Inventors: Chris M. Helberg, Travis C. North
  • Patent number: 11262821
    Abstract: A portable information handling system rejects excess thermal energy from within a housing by blowing a cooling airflow with a cooling fan across first and second sets of cooling fins and out an exhaust. The cooling fins have an interleaved position with higher impedance and a separated position with a lower impedance that can increase cooling airflow. In one example embodiment, a central processing unit couples to a first circuit board and the first set of cooling fins and a graphics processor couples to a second circuit board and the second set of cooling fins so that movement of the circuit boards moves the cooling fins between the interleaved and separated positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Travis C. North, Jace W. Files, John Trevor Morrison
  • Patent number: 11262807
    Abstract: A piezoelectric speaker fits in a cavity of a portable information handling system covered by a transparent cover that defines a speaker chamber within the cavity. The transparent cover integrates wirelines that align power pads with power contacts of the speaker to communicate audible information that generates sounds. In one embodiment, the transparent cover integrates a liquid crystal display that presents visual images associated with generated sound and backlit with illumination provided from the cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Travis C. North, Jace W. Files, John Trevor Morrison
  • Patent number: 11262820
    Abstract: A portable information handling system manages thermal conditions of an external surface based upon context that indicates user presence versus use in a standalone mode, such as based upon movements sensed by an accelerometer, touches sensed by a capacitive sensor, and the rotational orientation of the system housing. In one embodiment, a motorized hinge varies a time to close the housing so that the housing external surface cools sufficiently for an end user touch. A color coded light illuminates that the housing to provide the end user a visual indication of the housing temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Travis C. North, Jace W. Files, John Trevor Morrison
  • Patent number: 11262822
    Abstract: A portable information handling system rejects excess thermal energy from within a housing by blowing a cooling airflow with a cooling fan across first and second sets of cooling fins and out an exhaust. The cooling fan has an upper and lower intake and moves vertically within the housing to adjust spacing at the upper intake. The cooling fan exhaust couples to one of the sets of cooling fins to exhaust across both sets of cooling fins when interleaved and the one set of cooling fins when spacing at the upper cooling fan intake increases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Travis C. North, Jace W. Files, John Trevor Morrison
  • Patent number: 11248852
    Abstract: A system may include a thermal source, a thermal sink and heat-rejecting media comprising a thermal cable, the thermal cable comprising a main length comprising a flexible graphite layer rolled into a cylindrical shape covered on the outside thereof by a thermally-insulating layer of the same cylindrical shape, a first termination at which the flexible graphite layer thermally couples to the thermal source, and a second termination at which the flexible graphite layer thermally couples to the thermal sink.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Steven Embleton, Travis C. North
  • Publication number: 20220007545
    Abstract: A system may include a thermal source, a thermal sink and heat-rejecting media comprising a thermal cable, the thermal cable comprising a main length comprising a flexible graphite layer rolled into a cylindrical shape covered on the outside thereof by a thermally-insulating layer of the same cylindrical shape, a first termination at which the flexible graphite layer thermally couples to the thermal source, and a second termination at which the flexible graphite layer thermally couples to the thermal sink.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2020
    Publication date: January 6, 2022
    Applicant: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Steven EMBLETON, Travis C. NORTH
  • Publication number: 20220003511
    Abstract: A member may include a flexible material with thickness significantly smaller than that of other dimensions of the flexible material and at least one localized structure patterned within the flexible material, the at least one localized structure having a negative Poisson's ratio, such that when the member is mechanically coupled to a second structure using mechanical stress, the member conforms to features of the second structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2020
    Publication date: January 6, 2022
    Applicant: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Steven EMBLETON, Travis C. NORTH
  • Publication number: 20220007544
    Abstract: A system may include a thermal source, a thermal sink, and heat-rejecting media comprising flexible graphite thermally coupled between the thermal source and the thermal sink and configured to transfer heat from the thermal source to the thermal sink.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2020
    Publication date: January 6, 2022
    Applicant: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Steven EMBLETON, Travis C. NORTH
  • Publication number: 20210373626
    Abstract: An information handling system, comprising: a voltage source; a thermally regulated structure, including: a thermal fabric layer, the thermal fabric layer having a porosity; a laminate layer coupled to the thermal fabric layer, wherein a shape of the laminate layer controls the porosity of the thermal fabric layer; a temperature sensor configured to detect a first temperature of the information handling system; a thermal management controller to perform operations comprising: determining that the first temperature is above a threshold; in response, calculating a voltage to apply to the thermally regulated structure based on the first temperature; and providing a command to the voltage source to apply the voltage to the laminate layer of the thermally regulated structure to adjust a shape of the laminate layer such the porosity of the thermal fabric provides an emissivity of the thermally regulated structure to thermally radiate heat from the thermally regulated structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2020
    Publication date: December 2, 2021
    Inventors: DEEDER M. AURONGZEB, WEIJONG SHEU, TRAVIS C. NORTH
  • Publication number: 20210341976
    Abstract: Modular heat sinks are provided that support configurations using combinations of cooling and expansion card components, whereby the expansion card may support coupled devices. Heat sinks may include a fin set that is permanently fixed to the heat sink and a second fin set that can be decoupled from a location on the heat sink base. The second fin set can instead be replaced on the heat sink base by an expansion card connector, such as a M.2 expansion card connector. In some embodiments, an expansion card connector also includes a fin set, with the expansion card connector fastened on top of that fin set. The fin set to which the expansion card connector is fastened may include multiple tiers of fins of different heights that may conform to the space available to the heat sink, thus maximize cooling capabilities of the heat sink while also supporting an expansion card.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2020
    Publication date: November 4, 2021
    Applicant: Dell Products, L.P.
    Inventors: Chris M. Helberg, Travis C. North
  • Patent number: 11147186
    Abstract: Airflow cooling is provided in an IHS (Information Handling System), where the airflow cooling may be adapted to reduce noise generated by the airflow cooling system and to provide cooling that is particularized to specific users. The operation of a software application by a user is detected. A workload profile associated with that application is determined and used to provide airflow cooling. The workload profile specifies parameters for providing cooling during use of applications associated with a first type of resource utilization. Upon detecting use of a different application, a different workload profile associated with applications of a second type of resource utilization may be determined and used to provide cooling. The user may provide noise feedback inputs specifying noise level preferences that are used in adapting the cooling provided by workload profiles. The workload profiles may be further adapted to reduce noise generated by the cooling system while still providing adequate cooling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: Dell Products, L.P.
    Inventors: Travis C. North, Mitchell Anthony Markow, Richard C. Thompson
  • Patent number: 11145287
    Abstract: An information handling system may include an air mover configured to cause movement of gaseous fluid within the information handling system in order to thermally cool one or more components of the information handling system and a dynamic noise generation system configured to receive an indication of expected acoustical energy generated by the air mover and generate sound in accordance with an output noise signal based on noise generated by the air mover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Claire H. Hsu, Travis C. North, Robert E. Freehill, Douglas J. Peeler
  • Publication number: 20210311535
    Abstract: In IHSs (Information Handling Systems), cooling is provided by increasing the airflow generated by cooling fans. However, unnecessary airflow cooling results in noise and wasted energy. An IHS processor may support faster operating frequencies when cooled below an upper threshold, but these operating frequencies drop at temperatures below a lower threshold. Embodiments provide techniques for calibrating the cooling of an IHS to the thermal characteristics of a specific processor since manufacturing variances result in processors having differing responses to cooling. A turbo frequency supported by a processor is measured at a series of temperature margins that are progressively lower than the processor's specification temperature. A rate of increase in the measured turbo frequencies is determined at each of the temperature margins. A first temperature margin is identified at which the rate of increase in turbo frequencies falls below a threshold. This margin is used in providing airflow cooling.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2020
    Publication date: October 7, 2021
    Applicant: Dell Products, L.P.
    Inventors: Yuan David Ma, Travis C. North
  • Patent number: 11079816
    Abstract: An integrated heat dissipation system for a haptic piezoelectric keyboard of an information handling system comprising a base chassis formed of a C-cover affixed to a D-cover to house the haptic piezoelectric keyboard assembly, a processor, and a heat dissipating layer and the heat dissipating layer thermally coupled to a haptic piezoelectric keyboard assembly and the processor to direct heat away from the keys of the piezoelectric keyboard of the C-cover and toward a vertical edge of the base chassis, where the piezoelectric keyboard assembly comprises a plurality of piezoelectric sensors disposed across a support plate, and a contact foil layer, for detecting deformation of one of the plurality of piezoelectric sensors and registering a keystroke, affixed to the plurality of piezoelectric sensors and the support plate and provide a haptic feedback control signal to generate a haptic response to the keys of the piezoelectric keyboard.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: Dell Products, LP
    Inventors: Travis C. North, Michiel Knoppert, Priyank Gajiwala
  • Patent number: 10985086
    Abstract: Information handling system thermal rejection of thermal energy generated by one or more components, such as a central processing unit and graphics processing unit, is enhanced by disposing boron arsenide between the one or more components and a heat transfer structure that directs thermal energy from the one or more components to a heat rejection region, such as cooling fan exhaust. For instance, the boron arsenide is a layer formed with chemical vapor deposition on a copper heat pipe or a layer of thermal grease infused with the boron arsenide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Travis C. North, Deeder M. Aurongzeb, Claire Hao Wen Hsu