Abstract: Some embodiments of an apparatus and system are described for a crossflow blower. An apparatus may comprise an enclosure having a first side and a second side where a portion of the first side is recessed in a direction of the second side. The enclosure may also comprise a first internal height between the first side and the second side and a second internal height between the recessed portion of the first side and the second side. The enclosure may also comprise a motor and a crossflow blower arranged to generate a flow of air between the first side and the second side in a direction substantially perpendicular to an axis of rotation of the crossflow blower. Other embodiments are described.

Abstract: In one or more embodiments, a fixed time interval for a system is determined. The fixed time interval corresponds to time between clock ticks. A random time interval is determined based on the fixed time interval and an offset. One or more electronic components affixed to a motherboard are transitioned to a new power state when the random time interval has elapsed. By introducing a randomization to the timing element to a control signal that drives the power state transition, a periodicity for the system is disrupted. The disruption in periodicity mitigates acoustic noise generated by vibrations in electronic components and motherboards affected by current and/or voltage transitions.

Abstract: Systems and methods of identifying electrical sources of audible acoustic noise may involve identifying first frequency content of a circuit board, wherein the first frequency content is associated with at least one of acoustic noise and a vibration of the circuit board. Second frequency content of an electrical signal associated with the circuit board may also be identified. In addition, a coherence between the first frequency content and the second frequency content may be determined.

Abstract: In one or more embodiments, a fixed time interval for a system is determined. The fixed time interval corresponds to time between clock ticks. A random time interval is determined based on the fixed time interval and an offset. One or more electronic components affixed to a motherboard are transitioned to a new power state when the random time interval has elapsed. By introducing a randomization to the timing element to a control signal that drives the power state transition, a periodicity for the system is disrupted. The disruption in periodicity mitigates acoustic noise generated by vibrations in electronic components and motherboards affected by current and/or voltage transitions.

Abstract: Systems and methods of identifying electrical sources of audible acoustic noise may involve identifying first frequency content of a circuit board, wherein the first frequency content is associated with at least one of acoustic noise and a vibration of the circuit board. Second frequency content of an electrical signal associated with the circuit board may also be identified. In addition, a coherence between the first frequency content and the second frequency content may be determined.

Abstract: Some embodiments of an apparatus and system are described for a crossflow blower. An apparatus may comprise an enclosure having a first side and a second side where a portion of the first side is recessed in a direction of the second side. The enclosure may also comprise a first internal height between the first side and the second side and a second internal height between the recessed portion of the first side and the second side. The enclosure may also comprise a motor and a crossflow blower arranged to generate a flow of air between the first side and the second side in a direction substantially perpendicular to an axis of rotation of the crossflow blower. Other embodiments are described.

Abstract: The present invention is directed towards a family of vibroacoustic emulators to simulate the vibroacoustic characteristics of components of an electronic device. Specific embodiments for simulating a hard disk drive comprise a housing and a vibroacoustic generator coupled to the housing. Various embodiments enable acoustic emulation through a cover side and base side, out-of-plane vibrational emulation to simulate hard disk drive during seek periods, and in-plane vibrational emulation to simulate a hard-disk drive during idle periods. Methods for using the vibroacoustic emulators to characterize system noise are also disclosed.

Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling cooling fan speed based on ambient noise levels are disclosed. Some embodiments may include a method for controlling cooling fan speed. The method may include receiving an indication of a current ambient noise level at a computer system and predicting noise due to one or more cooling fans at an expected operator position for the computer system based on a first speed of the cooling fan(s). Embodiments of the method may also include comparing the predicted operation position noise due to the cooling fan(s) with the current ambient noise level and adjusting the cooling fan(s) to a second speed based on the comparison between the predicted operator position noise and the current ambient noise level. Other embodiments are disclosed and claimed.

Abstract: Apparatus, systems, and methods may operate to distribute acoustic spectral energy associated with a primary blade-passing frequency tonal component of fan noise and with harmonics thereof. The energy may be spectrally distributed by irregularly spacing a plurality of fan blades or stationary structures associated with the fan, or both. The stationary structures may be capable of being pressure-coupled to each one of the plurality of fan blades as each fan blade passes by each one of the stationary structures. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and system are described for providing for optimized heat exchanger fin spacing. The system may include a chassis and an apparatus. The apparatus may include a heat exchanger, and a cold plate. In some embodiments, a pump may provide for the flow of the fluid between the heat exchanger and the cold plate. In some embodiments, the heat exchanger may include a tube to transport a cooling fluid, and a plurality of fins coupled to the tube and having a spacing that facilitates optimizing the airflow from a blower; and a cold plate coupled to the tube and coupled to an electronic component from which thermal energy is transferred. Other embodiments may be described.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a way to modify the controller of a HDD head actuator to increase the error rejection capability and suppress the wideband vibration that affects the head motion. In one embodiment, a system to suppress influence of an external disturbance to an actuator comprises a controller providing a controller output as an actuator input to drive an actuator; a feedback loop to feed a head signal at an output of the actuator back as an input to the controller to produce an error signal; and a plurality of peak filters coupled to the controller and having different peak frequencies. Each peak filter has a peak filter input including the error signal, and has a peak filter output. A supervisor module is coupled with the peak filters to selectively add or delete the peak filter output of each peak filter to the actuator input to drive the actuator.

Abstract: A magnetic recording disk drive has a disturbance sensor and a disturbance frequency identifier that are used to adjust the frequency of a peak filter as the disturbance frequency changes. The sensor and the frequency identifier are separate from the servo control loop and thus do not rely on the head position error signal (PES) to predict the disturbance frequency. The adjustable peak filter is coupled in parallel with the servo feedback controller. The peak filter modifies the open loop transfer function and the error rejection function of the servo control loop to provide a higher rejection at the identified frequency. The peak filter may be switched out of or uncoupled from the servo feedback controller during track-seeking or as desired, depending on the amplitude of the sensor signal or the amplitude of the PES.

Abstract: A fluid mover includes a rotor to transfer momentum with a fluid when operated at a given volumetric flow rate through the rotor. The rotor includes a plurality of enclosed passages to transfer momentum in or out of the fluid as the fluid passes through the enclosed passages in response to rotation of the rotor. The passages are formed with a cross sectional shape and cross sectional dimensions along their entire length sufficient to establish and maintain laminar flow of the fluid along the entire length of the enclosed passages when the fluid is passing through the rotor at the given volumetric flow rate. The fluid mover also includes a housing having at least one inlet and at least one outlet for the fluid.

Abstract: Apparatus, systems, and methods may operate to distribute acoustic spectral energy associated with a primary blade-passing frequency tonal component of fan noise and with harmonics thereof. The energy may be spectrally distributed by irregularly spacing a plurality of fan blades or stationary structures associated with the fan, or both. The stationary structures may be capable of being pressure-coupled to each one of the plurality of fan blades as each fan blade passes by each one of the stationary structures. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a way to modify the controller of a HDD head actuator to increase the error rejection capability and suppress the wideband vibration that affects the head motion. In one embodiment, a system to suppress influence of an external disturbance to an actuator comprises a controller providing a controller output as an actuator input to drive an actuator; a feedback loop to feed a head signal at an output of the actuator back as an input to the controller to produce an error signal; and a plurality of peak filters coupled to the controller and having different peak frequencies. Each peak filter has a peak filter input including the error signal, and has a peak filter output. A supervisor module is coupled with the peak filters to selectively add or delete the peak filter output of each peak filter to the actuator input to drive the actuator.

Abstract: The present invention is directed towards a family of vibroacoustic emulators to simulate the vibroacoustic characteristics of components of an electronic device. Specific embodiments for simulating a hard disk drive comprise a housing and a vibroacoustic generator coupled to the housing. Various embodiments enable acoustic emulation through a cover side and base side, out-of-plane vibrational emulation to simulate hard disk drive during seek periods, and in-plane vibrational emulation to simulate a hard-disk drive during idle periods. Methods for using the vibroacoustic emulators to characterize system noise are also disclosed.