| Patent application number | Description | Published |
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| 20080212641 | APPARATUS FOR THERMAL CHARACTERIZATION UNDER NON-UNIFORM HEAT LOAD - What is disclosed is an apparatus for determining the cooling characteristics of a cooling device used for transferring heat from an electronic device. The apparatus comprising a cooling device thermally coupled to a heat pipe. The heat pipe having an exposed surface for the selective application of heat thereon. A localized heat source is selectively applied to at least one region of the exposed surface. The heat source preferably capable of being varied both positionally relative to the exposed surface and in heat intensity. A heat shield is preferably positioned around the exposed surface of the heat pipe to isolate the operational cooling device from the localized heat source. A temperature detector repeatedly measures a temperature distribution across the exposed surface while the cooling device is in a heat transfer mode. The temperature distribution is then used to thermally characterize the cooling device. | 09-04-2008 |
| 20080215284 | APPARATUS FOR THERMAL CHARACTERIZATION UNDER NON-UNIFORM HEAT LOAD - A method and apparatus for real-time thermal characterization of a fully operating cooling device ( | 09-04-2008 |
| 20080236745 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FABRICATING OR ALTERING MICROSTRUCTURES USING LOCAL CHEMICAL ALTERATIONS - A method and apparatus for fabricating or altering a microstructure use means for heating to facilitate a local chemical reaction that forms or alters the submicrostructure. | 10-02-2008 |
| 20080239539 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THREE-DIMENSIONAL MEASUREMENTS - An apparatus and method for measuring the physical quantities of a data center during operation and method for servicing large-scale computing systems is disclosed. The apparatus includes a cart that supports a plurality of sensors. The cart is moveable within the data center. The sensors capture temperature or other physical parameters within the room. The sensor readings, along with position and orientation information pertaining to the cart are transmitted to a computer system where the data is analyzed to select the optimum temperature or other system environmental parameters for the data center. | 10-02-2008 |
| 20080258068 | DEVICE AND METHOD FOR GENERATING AN X-RAY POINT SOURCE BY GEOMETRIC CONFINEMENT - A device for generating an x-ray point source includes a target, and an electron source for producing electrons which intersect with the target to generate an x-ray point source having a size which is confined by a dimension of the target. | 10-23-2008 |
| 20080281551 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THREE-DIMENSIONAL MEASUREMENTS - An apparatus and method for measuring the physical quantities of a data center during operation and method for servicing large-scale computing systems is disclosed. The apparatus includes a cart that supports a plurality of sensors. The cart is moveable within the data center. The sensors capture temperature or other physical parameters within the room. The sensor readings, along with position and orientation information pertaining to the cart are transmitted to a computer system where the data is analyzed to select the optimum temperature or other system environmental parameters for the data center. | 11-13-2008 |
| 20080285232 | Techniques for Data Center Cooling - Techniques for cooling in a data center are provided. In one aspect a computer equipment rack is provided comprising one or more air inlets; one or more exhaust outlets, and one or more of: an air inlet duct mounted to the computer equipment rack surrounding at least a portion of the air inlets, the air inlet duct having a lateral dimension that approximates a lateral dimension of the computer equipment rack and a length that is less than a length of the computer equipment rack, and an air exhaust duct mounted to the computer equipment rack surrounding at least a portion of the exhaust outlets, the air exhaust duct having a lateral dimension that approximates the lateral dimension of the computer equipment rack and a length that is less than the length of the computer equipment rack. | 11-20-2008 |
| 20080288193 | Techniques for Analyzing Data Center Energy Utilization Practices - Techniques for improving on data center best practices are provided. In one aspect, an exemplary methodology for analyzing energy efficiency of a data center having a raised-floor cooling system with at least one air conditioning unit is provided. The method comprises the following steps. An initial assessment is made of the energy efficiency of the data center based on one or more power consumption parameters of the data center. Physical parameter data obtained from one or more positions in the data center are compiled into one or more metrics, if the initial assessment indicates that the data center is energy inefficient. Recommendations are made to increase the energy efficiency of the data center based on one or more of the metrics. | 11-20-2008 |
| 20090150123 | METHOD OF LAYING OUT A DATA CENTER USING A PLURALITY OF THERMAL SIMULATORS - A method is provided for facilitating installation of one or more electronics racks within a data center. The method includes: placing a plurality of thermal simulators in the data center in a data center layout to establish a thermally simulated data center, each thermal simulator simulating at least one of airflow intake or heated airflow exhaust of a respective electronics rack of a plurality of electronics racks to be installed in the data center; monitoring temperature within the thermally simulated data center at multiple locations, and verifying the data center layout if measured temperatures are within respective acceptable temperature ranges for the data center when containing the plurality of electronics racks; and establishing the plurality of electronics racks within the data center using the verified data center layout, the establishing including at least one of reconfiguring or replacing each thermal simulator with a respective electronics rack. | 06-11-2009 |
| 20090150129 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR SIMULATING HEATED AIRFLOW EXHAUST OF AN ELECTRONICS SUBSYSTEM, ELECTRONICS RACK OR ROW OF ELECTRONICS RACKS - Apparatus and method are provided for facilitating simulation of heated airflow exhaust of an electronics subsystem, electronics rack or row of electronics racks. The apparatus includes a thermal simulator, which includes an air-moving device and a fluid-to-air heat exchanger. The air-moving device establishes airflow from an air inlet to air outlet side of the thermal simulator tailored to correlate to heated airflow exhaust of the electronics subsystem, rack or row of racks being simulated. The fluid-to-air heat exchanger heats airflow through the thermal simulator, with temperature of airflow exhausting from the simulator being tailored to correlate to temperature of the heated airflow exhaust of the electronics subsystem, rack or row of racks being simulated. The apparatus further includes a fluid distribution apparatus, which includes a fluid distribution unit disposed separate from the fluid simulator and providing hot fluid to the fluid-to-air heat exchanger of the thermal simulator. | 06-11-2009 |
| 20090150133 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR SIMULATING ONE OR MORE OPERATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS OF AN ELECTRONICS RACK - Apparatus and method are provided for facilitating simulation of one or more operating characteristics of an electronics rack. The apparatus includes a rack frame, one or more air-moving devices associated with the rack frame, and an adjustable heat source associated with the rack frame. The one or more air-moving devices establish airflow through the rack frame from an air inlet side to an air outlet side thereof, wherein the established airflow through the rack frame is related to airflow through the electronics rack to be simulated. The adjustable heat source heats air passing through the rack frame, with heated air exhausting from the air outlet side of the rack frame simulating heated air exhausting from the electronics rack. | 06-11-2009 |
| 20090326879 | Techniques for Thermal Modeling of Data Centers to Improve Energy Efficiency - Techniques for modeling a data center are provided. In one aspect, a method for modeling a data center is provided. The method comprises the following steps. Spatially dense three-dimensional thermal distribution and air flow measurements made in the data center using a mobile off-line surveying system are obtained. A temperature and air flow model for the data center is created using the spatially dense three-dimensional thermal distribution and air flow measurements. The temperature and air flow model is used to make thermal distribution and air flow predictions of the data center. The thermal distribution and air flow predictions are compared with the thermal distribution and air flow measurements made using the mobile off-line surveying system to produce a validated model for the data center. | 12-31-2009 |
| 20090326884 | Techniques to Predict Three-Dimensional Thermal Distributions in Real-Time - Techniques for monitoring and predicting environmental operating conditions in a data center are provided. In one aspect, a method for real-time, three-dimensional analysis of environmental operating conditions in a data center includes the following steps. High spatial resolution three-dimensional measurements of one or more environmental variables in the data center made at a time t | 12-31-2009 |
| 20100046574 | APPARATUS FOR THERMAL CHARACTERIZATION UNDER NON-UNIFORM HEAT LOAD - What is disclosed is an apparatus for determining the cooling characteristics of a cooling device used for transferring heat from an electronic device. The apparatus comprising a cooling device thermally coupled to a heat pipe. The heat pipe having an exposed surface for the selective application of heat thereon. A localized heat source is selectively applied to at least one region of the exposed surface. The heat source preferably capable of being varied both positionally relative to the exposed surface and in heat intensity. A heat shield is preferably positioned around the exposed surface of the heat pipe to isolate the operational cooling device from the localized heat source. A temperature detector repeatedly measures a temperature distribution across the exposed surface while the cooling device is in a heat transfer mode. The temperature distribution is then used to thermally characterize the cooling device. | 02-25-2010 |
| 20100103721 | Heater and memory cell, memory device and recording head including the heater - A heater includes at least two leads, and a heating element which is formed between the at least two leads, a material of the heating element being different from a material of the at least two leads such that a location of a hot spot in the heater is controllable based on a polarity of current in the heater. | 04-29-2010 |
| 20100108131 | Techniques for Use of Nanotechnology in Photovoltaics - Techniques for combining nanotechnology with photovoltaics are provided. In one aspect, a method of forming a photovoltaic device is provided comprising the following steps. A plurality of nanowires are formed on a substrate, wherein the plurality of nanowires attached to the substrate comprises a nanowire forest. In the presence of a first doping agent and a first volatile precursor, a first doped semiconductor layer is conformally deposited over the nanowire forest. In the presence of a second doping agent and a second volatile precursor, a second doped semiconductor layer is conformally deposited over the first doped layer. The first doping agent comprises one of an n-type doping agent and a p-type doping agent and the second doping agent comprises a different one of the n-type doping agent and the p-type doping agent from the first doping agent. A transparent electrode layer is deposited over the second doped semiconductor layer. | 05-06-2010 |
| 20100307171 | Cooling Infrastructure Leveraging a Combination of Free and Solar Cooling - Energy-efficient data center cooling techniques that utilize free cooling and/or solar cooling are provided. In one aspect, a cooling system is provided including a cooling tower; one or more modular refrigeration chiller units; and a water loop that can be selectively directed through the cooling tower, through one or more of the modular refrigeration chiller units or through a combination thereof. Another cooling system is provided including a solar cooling unit; one or more modular refrigeration chiller units; and a water loop that can be selectively directed through the solar cooling unit, through one or more of the modular refrigeration chiller units or through a combination thereof. | 12-09-2010 |
| 20100312498 | Three Dimensional Air Flow Sensors for Data Center Cooling - Techniques for airflow analysis are provided. In one aspect, a mobile sensing device is provided. The mobile sensing device includes an airflow sensing system having a plurality of airflow sensing units arranged in a grid. Each airflow sensing unit includes a first air passage that contains at least one first airflow sensor; a second air passage perpendicular to the first air passage, wherein the second air passage contains at least one second airflow sensor; and a third air passage perpendicular to the first air passage and the second air passage, wherein the third air passage contains at least one third airflow sensor. | 12-09-2010 |
| 20100327259 | Ultra-Sensitive Detection Techniques - Techniques for ultra-sensitive detection are provided. In one aspect, a detection device is provided. The detection device comprises a source; a drain; a nanowire comprising a semiconductor material having a first end clamped to the source and a second end clamped to the drain and suspended freely therebetween; and a gate in close proximity to the nanowire. | 12-30-2010 |
| 20100330687 | ULTRA-SENSITIVE DETECTION TECHNIQUES - Techniques for ultra-sensitive detection are provided. In one aspect, a detection device is provided. The detection device comprises a source; a drain; a nanowire comprising a semiconductor material having a first end clamped to the source and a second end clamped to the drain and suspended freely therebetween; and a gate in close proximity to the nanowire. | 12-30-2010 |
| 20110002576 | Silicide Thermal Heaters for Silicon-on-Insulator Nanophotonic Devices - A thermally switched Silicon-On-Insulator (SOI) photo electronic device includes a silicon layer including an optical waveguide and a silicide heating element horizontally adjacent to the waveguide. The waveguide has a refractive index that changes with heat applied to the waveguide. | 01-06-2011 |
| 20110010151 | FLUID DISTRIBUTION APPARATUS AND METHOD FACILITATING COOLING OF ELECTRONICS RACK(S) AND SIMULATING HEATED AIRFLOW EXHAUST OF ELECTRONICS RACK(S) - Apparatus and method are provided for facilitating simulation of heated airflow exhaust of an electronics subsystem, electronics rack or row of electronics racks. The apparatus includes a thermal simulator, which includes an air-moving device and a fluid-to-air heat exchanger. The air-moving device establishes airflow from an air inlet to air outlet side of the thermal simulator tailored to correlate to heated airflow exhaust of the electronics subsystem, rack or row of racks being simulated. The fluid-to-air heat exchanger heats airflow through the thermal simulator, with temperature of airflow exhausting from the simulator being tailored to correlate to temperature of the heated airflow exhaust of the electronics subsystem, rack or row of racks being simulated. The apparatus further includes a fluid distribution apparatus, which includes a fluid distribution unit disposed separate from the fluid simulator and providing hot fluid to the fluid-to-air heat exchanger of the thermal simulator. | 01-13-2011 |
| 20110019525 | HEATER AND MEMORY CELL, MEMORY DEVICE AND RECORDING HEAD INCLUDING THE HEATER - A memory cell includes at least one heater, and at least two leads and a heating element which is formed between at least two leads, a material of the heating element being different from a material of at least two leads such that a location of a hot spot in the heater is controllable based on a polarity of current in the heater and at least one storage medium formed adjacent to at least one heater. | 01-27-2011 |
| 20110040392 | Measurement and Management Technology Platform - Techniques for implementing system best practices are provided. In one aspect, a method for monitoring, modeling and managing a physical system is provided. The method includes the following steps. A physical data model of the physical system is provided. Real time data is obtained from the physical system. The physical data model is updated based on the real time data. An analytic model of the physical system is created based on the updated physical data model. Operation of the physical system is controlled based on output from the analytic model. | 02-17-2011 |
| 20110040529 | Methods and Techniques for Creating and Visualizing Thermal Zones - Techniques for using air flow analysis to model thermal zones are provided. In one aspect, a method for modeling thermal zones in a space, e.g., in a data center, includes the following steps. A graphical representation of the space is provided. At least one domain is defined in the space for modeling. A mesh is created in the domain by sub-dividing the domain into a set of discrete sub-domains that interconnect a plurality of nodes. Air flow sources and sinks are identified in the domain. Air flow measurements are obtained from one or more of the air flow sources and sinks. An air flow velocity vector at a center of each sub-domain is determined using the air flow measurements obtained from the air flow sources and sinks. Each velocity vector is traced to one of the air flow sources, wherein a combination of the traces to a given one of the air flow sources represents a thermal zone in the space. | 02-17-2011 |
| 20110040532 | Knowledge-Based Models for Data Centers - Techniques for data center analysis are provided. In one aspect, a method for modeling thermal distributions in a data center is provided. The method includes the following steps. Vertical temperature distribution data is obtained for a plurality of locations throughout the data center. The vertical temperature distribution data for each of the locations is plotted as an s-curve, wherein the vertical temperature distribution data reflects physical conditions at each of the locations which is reflected in a shape of the s-curve. Each of the s-curves is represented with a set of parameters that characterize the shape of the s-curve, wherein the s-curve representations make up a knowledge base model of predefined s-curve types from which thermal distributions and associated physical conditions at the plurality of locations throughout the data center can be analyzed. | 02-17-2011 |
| 20110107841 | PIEZORESISTIVE STRAIN SENSOR BASED NANOWIRE MECHANICAL OSCILLATOR - An apparatus is provided and includes compressed conductive elements that each have independently adjustable dimensions sufficient to provide substantially enhanced piezoresistance to a current flowing across each conductive element with each of the conductive elements subjected to compressive strain, the conductive elements being oscillated in a direction parallel to that of the compressive strain at a defined frequency such that a resistance of the conductive elements to the current is thereby substantially reduced. | 05-12-2011 |
| 20110165724 | TECHNIQUES FOR USE OF NANOTECHNOLOGY IN PHOTOVOLTAICS - Techniques for combining nanotechnology with photovoltaics are provided. In one aspect, a method of forming a photovoltaic device is provided comprising the following steps. A plurality of nanowires are formed on a substrate, wherein the plurality of nanowires attached to the substrate comprises a nanowire forest. In the presence of a first doping agent and a first volatile precursor, a first doped semiconductor layer is conformally deposited over the nanowire forest. In the presence of a second doping agent and a second volatile precursor, a second doped semiconductor layer is conformally deposited over the first doped layer. The first doping agent comprises one of an n-type doping agent and a p-type doping agent and the second doping agent comprises a different one of the n-type doping agent and the p-type doping agent from the first doping agent. A transparent electrode layer is deposited over the second doped semiconductor layer. | 07-07-2011 |
