The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 10, 1998
Filed:
May. 24, 1996
Robert L Brown, Pleasant Hill, CA (US);
Techeng Lin, Fremont, CA (US);
Micronics Computers Inc., Fremont, CA (US);
Abstract
Computer apparatus 10 provides the working condition of fan 12 therein to user display device 10D. Fan 12 has rotating blade 12B for moving a flow of convective cooling air. The fan also has motor winding 12W which receives working current for causing the blade to rotate. Current monitoring circuit 14 is responsive to the working current for determining the present fan working condition. Display message generator 16 is responsive to the present fan working condition from the current monitoring circuit for generating a user message containing the present fan working condition. A central processing unit (CPU chip) 10C controls the operation of the computer apparatus. The CPU employs a multi-task operating system such as 3.1 windows which permits non-disruptive interruption of system functions in order to the present user message containing the present fan working condition to the user display monitor. The operating system polls the display message generator at predetermined time intervals in order to capture the present fan working condition. If the user message indicates a normal fan working condition, the operating system resets a timer. If the user message indicates an abnormal fan working condition such as underload or overload, the operating system displays the message. The data forming the user message may have a conventional raster scan format for presentation to the user display device. User display device 10D is responsive to the display message generator for displaying the user message. The user message alerts the user to the present fan working condition.