Patents by Inventor Tanja Smith

Tanja Smith 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).

  • Patent number: 7515411
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a multi-fan cooling system in which redundancy in airflow across a plurality of electrical boards is maintained. This redundancy is provided by having an ability to at least partially divert airflow from a functioning fan to an electrical board for which its corresponding fan has failed. According to various embodiments of the present invention, the multi-fan cooling system comprises two fans located proximate to each other. An airflow plenum couples and distributes air from the two fans across a plurality of electrical boards. In certain embodiments, the plenum comprises stacked outlets that distribute airflow from the two fans across the plurality of electrical boards. During normal operation, this airflow is approximately evenly distributed across the electrical boards. However, if one of the fans fails, the plenum causes air from the single operating fan to still be distributed across the plurality of electrical boards.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2009
    Assignee: LSI Corporation
    Inventors: Terrill Woolsey, Tanja Smith
  • Publication number: 20080192429
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a multi-fan cooling system in which redundancy in airflow across a plurality of electrical boards is maintained. This redundancy is provided by having an ability to at least partially divert airflow from a functioning fan to an electrical board for which its corresponding fan has failed. According to various embodiments of the present invention, the multi-fan cooling system comprises two fans located proximate to each other. An airflow plenum couples and distributes air from the two fans across a plurality of electrical boards. In certain embodiments, the plenum comprises stacked outlets that distribute airflow from the two fans across the plurality of electrical boards. During normal operation, this airflow is approximately evenly distributed across the electrical boards. However, if one of the fans fails, the plenum causes air from the single operating fan to still be distributed across the plurality of electrical boards.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2007
    Publication date: August 14, 2008
    Inventors: Terrill Woolsey, Tanja Smith