Patents by Inventor Ken McFarlane

Ken McFarlane 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).

  • Acoustic noise reduction using fan speed control
    Patent number: 7331532
    Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for acoustic noise reduction using fan speed control. The acoustic noise reduction using fan speed control includes a plurality of temperature detectors disposed at a plurality of locations within an electronics equipment enclosure, each detector having an associated setpoint temperature. An error value is determined for each temperature detector, the error consisting of the difference between the detected temperature and the associated setpoint temperature. The maximum error among all error values is then identified and the operating speed of a cooling fan in is set in response to this maximum error. Advantages include providing a fan speed directly related to electronics temperature which inherently accounts for higher ambient temperatures, enclosure altitude, electronics power consumption, and air filter clogging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2008
    Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited
    Inventors: Thomas Currie, John Clayton Atkinson, Marko Nicolici, Amrish Patel, Ken McFarlane
  • Acoustic noise reduction using fan speed control
    Publication number: 20050275365
    Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for acoustic noise reduction using fan speed control. The acoustic noise reduction using fan speed control includes a plurality of temperature detectors disposed at a plurality of locations within an electronics equipment enclosure, each detector having an associated setpoint temperature. An error value is determined for each temperature detector, the error consisting of the difference between the detected temperature and the associated setpoint temperature. The maximum error among all error values is then identified and the operating speed of a cooling fan in is set in response to this maximum error. Advantages include providing a fan speed directly related to electronics temperature which inherently accounts for higher ambient temperatures, enclosure altitude, electronics power consumption, and air filter clogging.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2004
    Publication date: December 15, 2005
    Inventors: Thomas Currie, John Atkinson, Marko Nicolici, Amrish Patel, Ken McFarlane