Patents by Inventor Chien Ouyang

Chien Ouyang 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: 20100194278
    Abstract: The embodiments of the present invention apply the RF or microwave energy on electrically conductive traces and waveguide structures to excite micro plasma, and the micro plasma is manipulated to drive the micro fluid flow. The micro fluid flow is used to cool down electronic device, or used for the applications of gas fluid transportation, gas fluid mixture, and gas fluid reaction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2009
    Publication date: August 5, 2010
    Inventor: Chien Ouyang
  • Patent number: 7759790
    Abstract: A system for cooling a semiconductor includes a heat sink in thermal contact with the semiconductor, a thermal interface material (TIM) layer disposed between the heat sink and the semiconductor, and a picture frame support disposed between a substrate of the semiconductor and the heat sink, wherein the picture frame support encloses at least a portion of the semiconductor in a plane between the substrate and the heat sink, and wherein the picture frame support has a height that is greater than a height of the semiconductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignee: Oracle America, Inc.
    Inventor: Chien Ouyang
  • Patent number: 7675163
    Abstract: A system for cooling a semiconductor device is disclosed. The system includes a lid encasing the semiconductor device, a first plurality of carbon nanotubes disposed within the lid, and a fluid system configured to pass a fluid through the lid. Furthermore, a second system for cooling a semiconductor device is disclosed. The second system includes a lid, a first plurality of carbon nanotubes disposed within the lid, and a fluid system configured to pass a fluid through the lid. The lid is configured to be mounted over and encase the semiconductor device. Additionally, a method for cooling a semiconductor device is disclosed. The method includes disposing a first plurality of carbon nanotubes within a lid, mounting the lid over the semiconductor device, and passing a fluid through the lid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventors: Ali Heydari, Chien Ouyang
  • Patent number: 7672129
    Abstract: A cooling system for a heat producing component includes a base having two or more cells. The cells may include microchannel passages. A pump system may be coupled to the base. The pump system may circulate fluid independently in each of two or more of the cells. The pump system may include an array of two more magnetohydrodynamic pumps. Each magnetohydrodynamic pump may provide fluid to a different cell. A controller may control a flow rate in each one of cell of the cooling system independently one or more of other cells of the cooling system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventors: Chien Ouyang, Kenneth C. Gross
  • Publication number: 20100032141
    Abstract: A cooling system to cool the airflow through a electrical system includes a CNT heat exchanger module disposed within a housing of the electrical system, a cooling device configured to receive a coolant, a unit board disposed within the housing of the electrical system, and an air flow device configured to pass air across at least a portion of the unit board and at least a portion of the CNT heat exchanger module. The CNT heat exchanger module includes a member having a hole defined therethrough and a plurality of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) attached to the member. The coolant is propagated through the hole in the member so as to dissipate the heat generated by the electrical system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2008
    Publication date: February 11, 2010
    Applicant: SUN MICROSYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Ali Heydari, Chien Ouyang
  • Publication number: 20100006269
    Abstract: A cooling apparatus includes a heat pipe base covering a heat source; a heat sink with a plurality of heat sink fins; a plurality of heat pipes connecting the heat pipe base and the heat sink; and a magneto-hydrodynamic (MHD) pump assembly connected to the heat sink. In a method for cooling a heat source with heat pipes, magneto-hydrodynamic (MHD) fluid pipes, and a heat sink, the method includes transmitting heat from evaporating ends of the heat pipes connected to a heat source to condensing ends of the heat pipes connected to the heat sink; and circulating MHD fluid inside the MHD fluid pipes embedded in the heat sink to dissipate heat.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2009
    Publication date: January 14, 2010
    Applicant: SUN MICROSYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventor: Chien Ouyang
  • Publication number: 20090308081
    Abstract: Some embodiments of the present invention provide a system that cools an integrated circuit (IC) chip within a computer system. During operation, the system converts heat generated by a heat-generating device within the computer system during operation of the computer system into thermoelectric power. Next, the system supplies the thermoelectric power to drive a fluid pump. Finally, the system uses the fluid pump to conduct heat away from the IC chip.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2008
    Publication date: December 17, 2009
    Applicant: SUN MICROSYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Chien Ouyang, Kenny C. Gross, Ali Heydari
  • Patent number: 7628198
    Abstract: A heat sink has a heat spreader structure containing magneto-hydrodynamic fluid. Also, the heat spreader includes a central metallic cylinder and a metal ring screen surrounding the central metallic cylinder. Electrical and magnetic fields induce the magneto-hydrodynamic fluid to undergo a swirling motion. The swirling motion acts as an MHD pump and provides efficient heat dissipation from a heat source contacting the heat spreader. A heat sink spreader has a central metallic cylinder surrounded by a metallic ring screen, and a magneto-hydrodynamic fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2009
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventor: Chien Ouyang
  • Patent number: 7621319
    Abstract: A heat sink uses thermally conductive ferrofluid to cool an integrated circuit. A direction of flow of the ferrofluid in the heat sink is controlled by a motorized pump assembly. The motorized pump assembly uses a motor to rotate a metal plate to which at least one magnet is connected. The direction of flow of the ferrofluid is dependent on a magnetic field induced between the at least one magnet and at least one magnetic particle in the ferrofluid passing through the motorized pump assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2009
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventor: Chien Ouyang
  • Patent number: 7614445
    Abstract: A cooling apparatus includes a heat pipe base covering a heat source; a heat sink with a plurality of heat sink fins; a plurality of heat pipes connecting the heat pipe base and the heat sink; and a magneto-hydrodynamic (MHD) pump assembly connected to the heat sink. In a method for cooling a heat source with heat pipes, magneto-hydrodynamic (MHD) fluid pipes, and a heat sink, the method includes transmitting heat from evaporating ends of the heat pipes connected to a heat source to condensing ends of the heat pipes connected to the heat sink; and circulating MHD fluid inside the MHD fluid pipes embedded in the heat sink to dissipate heat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2009
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventor: Chien Ouyang
  • Patent number: 7562533
    Abstract: A method for transferring heat from a first location to a second location includes thermoelelectrically transferring heat from the first location to a third location; and transferring heat from the third location to the second location through a magneto-hydrodynamic (MHD) flow. A cooling system includes a thermoelectric cooling (TEC) component; and a magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) component, wherein the MHD component and the TEC component are in thermal contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2009
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventor: Chien Ouyang
  • Patent number: 7516778
    Abstract: A heat sink uses a pump assembly to generate a radial magnetic field. Pipes arranged to house a portion of a first channel and a portion of a second channel are formed in the heat sink. The direction of fluid flow in the first channel and the direction of fluid flow in the second channel is dependent on the radial magnetic field. The radial magnetic field causes fluid in the first channel to flow toward a heat source and fluid in the second channel to flow away from the heat source, thereby resulting in heat transfer between the first and second channels and between the heat sink and the respective first and second channels. The heat sink may also use a heat exchanger assembly that is connected to the heat source, where the heat exchanger assembly is formed of a plurality of channels that each propagate fluid in one of the directions of the first channel and the second channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventor: Chien Ouyang
  • Publication number: 20090065177
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention uses an actuator, which is actuated by electromagnetic microwave. The actuator is used to generate the micro-plasma and ions. The configurations of actuators may be microstrip lines structure, stripline structure, piping structure, multiplayer traces and electrodes structure, waveguide structure, and cavity structure. The generated micro-plasma and ions will induce a local turbulent gas flow and the flow is to carry the heat away from the surfaces of the heat sink fins. The actuators may be coupled to heat sink fins, heat transferring pipes, cooling fans, and heat sources in varied configurations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2008
    Publication date: March 12, 2009
    Inventor: Chien Ouyang
  • Publication number: 20090052137
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention uses plasma-driven gas flow to cool down electronic devices. The cooling device may comprise micro heat sink fins assembly, micro plasma actuators assembly, and magnetic circuit assembly. The plasma actuator assembly comprises electrodes and dielectric pieces. Voltages are applied to electrodes to drive the plasma gas flow. A magnetic circuit assembly may be used to provide the magnetic field to couple with plasma actuators to induce the plasma gas flow to cool down the heat sink fins and heat source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2008
    Publication date: February 26, 2009
    Inventor: Chien Ouyang
  • Publication number: 20080302510
    Abstract: A plasma-driven cooling device generates and drives a plasma-driven gas flow to cool down electronic devices. The plasma-driven cooling device comprises electrodes, dielectric pieces, and heat sink fins. The voltages applied on the electrodes coupled with dielectric pieces and heat sink fins induce the gas flow, which is used to cool down heat sources. A magnetic circuit may be coupled with plasma-drive gas flow to enhance the cooling.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2008
    Publication date: December 11, 2008
    Inventor: Chien Ouyang
  • Publication number: 20080302514
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention uses plasma-driven gas flow to cool down electronic devices. The cooling device comprises heat sink fin assembly, plasma actuator assembly, and magnetic circuit assembly. The plasma actuator assembly comprises electrodes and dielectric pieces. Voltages are applied to electrodes to drive the plasma gas flow. The magnetic circuit assembly provides magnetic field to interact with electrical field and plasma flow, and therefore an induced gas flow is pumped into, or pumped out from, heat sink fin assembly, to cool down heat sink fins.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2008
    Publication date: December 11, 2008
    Inventor: Chien Ouyang
  • Patent number: 7436059
    Abstract: In various embodiments, a TEC device array may be coupled to a chip and a heat sink to cool the chip. The TEC device array may include multiple TEC devices separately controlled to provide different cooling rates at different points in the TEC device array coupled to the chip. In some embodiments, temperature data for areas on the chip or for separate electronic components may be determined using one or more thermal sensors and then sent to a controller. The controller may then determine an appropriate response for the TEC devices in the TEC device array near the area of the thermal sensor(s). The controller may thus control the cooling rates (which may be different) of several TEC devices in the TEC device array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2008
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventor: Chien Ouyang
  • Publication number: 20080229759
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that cools integrated circuit (IC) chips within a computer system. During operation, the system converts heat generated by a heat-generating-device within the computer system into thermoelectric power. The system then supplies the thermoelectric power to an IC chip as a cooling power to reduce the operating temperature of the IC chip, thereby recycling wasted energy within the computer system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2007
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Inventors: Chien Ouyang, Kenny C. Gross
  • Publication number: 20080230894
    Abstract: A system for cooling a semiconductor device is disclosed. The system includes a lid encasing the semiconductor device, a first plurality of carbon nanotubes disposed within the lid, and a fluid system configured to pass a fluid through the lid. Furthermore, a second system for cooling a semiconductor device is disclosed. The second system includes a lid, a first plurality of carbon nanotubes disposed within the lid, and a fluid system configured to pass a fluid through the lid. The lid is configured to be mounted over and encase the semiconductor device. Additionally, a method for cooling a semiconductor device is disclosed. The method includes disposing a first plurality of carbon nanotubes within a lid, mounting the lid over the semiconductor device, and passing a fluid through the lid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2007
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Applicant: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventors: Ali Heydari, Chien Ouyang
  • Patent number: 7423874
    Abstract: A heat sink uses a pump assembly to generate a magnetic field. A direction of electrically and thermally conductive liquid flowing through the pump assembly is dependent on an orientation of the magnetic field and the direction of electrical current induced across flowing fluid in the magnetic field. In such a manner, cool liquid may be directed toward a heat source and warmer liquid may be directed to flow away from the heat source, where heat transfer occurs between the liquid and the heat sink. Additional pump assemblies that generate separate magnetic fields may be used to increase fluid flow volume, thereby increasing heat transfer away from the heat source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2008
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventor: Chien Ouyang