JP2000293270A - Method for cooling portable electronic equipment and portable electronic equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make it possible to use the portable electronic equipment whose housing is thin and small even when a high-performance CPU with large power consumption is mounted on the portable electronic equipment and to efficiently cool the inside of the main body device of a sub-notebook type PC when a function extension unit is connected to the sub-notebook type PC. SOLUTION: By the cooling method for the portable electronic equipment which makes it possible to connect a device for function extension or a unit for function extension having an interface for external connection to the lower part or back part of the main body device of the portable electronic equipment 1 with a microprocessor, the main body device of the portable electronic equipment 1, the device for function extension, or the unit for function extension is cooled in function extension mode and the portable electronic equipment 1 is made to operate fast.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a portable electronic device such as a portable personal computer and a method of cooling the same, and more particularly, to a device for expanding functions or connecting an external device to a lower portion or a rear portion of a personal computer main unit. The present invention relates to a technology effective when applied to cooling of a notebook personal computer in which a function expansion unit having an interface for connection can be connected.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, personal computers (hereinafter, referred to as personal computers).
The performance of a PC has been dramatically improved, and a main unit having a central processing unit (CPU), a display device, a keyboard, and a floppy disk drive (F).
In a device called a notebook PC having a size of about A4 size paper in which an auxiliary storage device such as a DD) or a hard disk drive (HDD) is integrated, the performance of the CPU and the like is improved, but the performance of the PC is improved. The power consumption is increasing with the improvement. As the power consumption of the CPU increases, the amount of heat generated also increases, and the temperature inside the main unit becomes high. Therefore, it is necessary to cool the inside of the main unit so that the device such as the CPU does not exceed the operation guarantee temperature and fail. In a device called a sub-note PC which is smaller and more portable than the notebook PC, it is necessary to make the housing thinner and smaller, and to reduce the weight of the device. In many cases, a method of dissipating heat is used, so that a CPU with a relatively low speed and low power consumption is mounted. The sub-notebook PC is inferior in operability to other PCs and notebook PCs in that the key pitch of the keyboard is small and the display screen is small because the housing is thin and small, but in recent years, the key pitch has also increased. Operability is improved by taking a large area and mounting a large display screen,
As for the user interface, it has become possible to use a sub-notebook PC as a main system in an office or home. In addition, some PCs are provided with only the minimum necessary functions by omitting a part of the auxiliary storage device in order to reduce the thickness of the housing and reduce the weight of the device, and there were also functional problems, An interface for connecting an external device is provided in the sub-notebook PC main unit, and a function expansion unit capable of mounting an auxiliary storage device or the like is connected, so that it can be sufficiently used as a main system. A method of connecting the function expansion unit to the sub-notebook PC or the notebook PC is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-26.
The function expansion unit disclosed in JP 3304
There are a method of connecting to the lower part of the C main unit and a method of connecting to the back of the PC main unit. In addition, there is an increasing demand for using the same PC at the office and at home.

[0003]

However, a sub-notebook PC for releasing heat inside the main unit from the surface of the main unit is provided with a function expansion unit as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-263304. When connected to the lower part of the main unit of the sub-notebook PC, the heat generated inside the main unit cannot be released from the lower part of the main unit, and the cooling efficiency is deteriorated.
There is a problem that the device mounted on the main unit easily breaks down. Further, the sub-notebook type PC uses a method of radiating heat inside the main unit from the surface of the main unit, so that the cooling efficiency is poor, and the performance and power consumption of the CPU mounted on the main unit are limited. Desktop type P
It is impossible to mount a high-performance and large-power-consumption CPU such as a device called C and a large-sized high-performance notebook PC. Therefore, the user (user) of the sub-notebook PC is
The sub-notebook PC may be used as a main system in an office or home while dissatisfied with the performance of U, or a desktop PC or a high-performance notebook PC may be used as a main system in an office or home. High performance CPU
Use a PC equipped with a PC, and use a sub-notebook PC on the go
There was a problem that it was necessary to use such as using.

[0004] An object of the present invention is to provide a technology capable of mounting a high-performance CPU with large power consumption on a portable electronic device having a thin and small housing. Another object of the present invention is to efficiently cool the inside of a main body device of a portable electronic device when a function expansion device or a function expansion unit is connected to a small and small portable electronic device. It is to provide various technologies. Another object of the present invention is to provide a sub-note type P when a function expansion unit is connected to a small and small portable PC.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a technique capable of efficiently cooling the inside of the main unit of C. The above and other objects and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the description of the present specification and the accompanying drawings.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Among the inventions disclosed in the present application, the outline of a representative one will be briefly described.
It is as follows. (1) A method for cooling a portable electronic device in which a device for function expansion or a unit for function expansion having an interface for external connection can be connected to a lower portion or a rear portion of a main unit of the portable electronic device having a microprocessor. When the function is extended, the main device of the portable electronic device and the device or the unit for function extension are cooled to operate the portable electronic device at high speed. (2) In a portable electronic device having a function expansion device or a function expansion unit having an external connection interface connectable to a lower portion or a rear portion of a main body device of the portable electronic device having a microprocessor, A cooling means is provided inside a device for functioning or a unit for function expansion, and means for operating the portable electronic device at a high speed at the time of function expansion is provided. (3) A portable computer in which a function expansion device or a function expansion unit having an external connection interface can be connected to a lower portion or a rear portion of the main unit of the portable personal computer. Cooling means provided inside the expansion unit, means for operating the central processing unit at high speed when the function expansion unit is connected, and means for operating the central processing unit in the power saving mode when the function expansion unit is not connected It is. Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with embodiments (examples) with reference to the drawings. In all the drawings for describing the embodiments, components having the same function are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their repeated description will be omitted.

[0006]

FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a subnotebook PC according to an embodiment of the present invention and a function expansion unit connected to the subnotebook PC.
As shown in FIG. 1, the sub-notebook type PC of this embodiment
In addition to the PU2, although not shown, an LSI for controlling a memory and peripheral devices, and an LSI for displaying graphics
Motherboard (board) with built-in basic components
The sub-notebook PC main body 1 in which the sub-notebook PC 3 is stored, an input keyboard 5 arranged on the surface of the sub-notebook PC main body 1, an openable LCD integrated with the sub-notebook PC main body 1, and the like. A display device 6 and a connector (not shown) that can be connected to a function expansion unit provided on the lower surface of the sub-notebook PC main body 1, and a lower surface, a back surface, and a side surface of the sub-notebook PC main body 1 are provided. It consists of various connectors for connection. The CPU 2 incorporated in the motherboard 3 is a high-performance and large power consumption CPU that requires cooling by a large-capacity cooling fan at the time of the highest speed operation. In the sub-notebook PC of this embodiment, the subnotebook PC main body 1 is about the size of B5 size paper or A5 size paper and is excellent in portability. Does not have a cooling fan, and heat inside the sub-notebook PC main body 1 is provided on the lower surface of the sub-notebook PC main body 1 around a position corresponding to the CPU 2 incorporated in the motherboard 3. The heat is radiated from the radiating slit 4 and other surfaces of the sub-notebook PC main body 1. Although not shown, a temperature sensor is provided on the surface of the CPU 2. Although not shown, the sub-notebook PC main body 1 is provided with an input terminal for an external power supply and a place for attaching a battery such as a rechargeable battery, and can be driven by either an AC power supply or a battery. .

FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view showing a schematic configuration of a function expansion unit connected to the sub-notebook PC of this embodiment. In FIG. 2, reference numeral 7 denotes a function expansion unit main body, 8 denotes a large-capacity cooling fan, 9 denotes an air intake port, 10 denotes an exhaust port, 11 denotes a function expansion device, and 12 denotes a sub notebook PC main body 1 for connection. A PC connection connector 13 is an interface connector for connecting an external device. As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG.
The function expansion unit main body 7 having a PC connector 12 connectable to the lower surface of the sub-notebook PC main body 1 is provided at a position corresponding to the heat radiation slit 4 provided on the lower surface of the sub-notebook PC main body 1. A large-capacity cooling fan 8, an intake port 9 when the large-capacity fan 8 sucks air inside the sub-notebook PC main body 1, and a function expansion unit for removing heat exhausted by the large-capacity cooling fan 8. An exhaust port 10 for exhausting air to the outside of the main body 7, a function expansion device 11 for expanding the function of the sub-notebook PC main body 1, and a parallel port provided on the back of the function expansion unit main body 7. An interface connector 13 for connecting an external device such as a serial port is provided. An intake port 9 is provided on the surface of the function expansion unit main body 7 at a position corresponding to the heat dissipation slit 4 provided below the sub-notebook PC main body 1. When the main body 7 is connected to the sub-note type PC main body 1, the sub-note P
The air inside the C body 1 can be sucked,
The sucked air can be exhausted to the outside through an exhaust port 10 provided on the back surface of the function expansion unit main body 7. The PC connection connector 12 provided on the surface of the function expansion unit main body 7 is a connector (not shown) that can be connected to the function expansion unit main body 7 provided below the sub-notebook PC main body 1. When the function expansion unit main body 7 is connected to the sub-notebook PC main body 1 by the PC connection connector 12, the function expansion device 11 and the large-capacity cooling fan 8 can be operated. In addition, the function expansion device 11
Examples thereof include auxiliary storage devices such as a floppy disk drive (FDD), a hard disk drive (HDD), and a CD-ROM drive.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram for explaining the operation and cooling method of a central processing unit (CPU) equipped with the main body of the sub-notebook type PC of this embodiment. In FIG. 3, 1 is a sub-notebook PC main body, 2 is a subnotebook PC.
CPU mounted on the device, 7 is a function expansion unit main body, 8
Is a large-capacity cooling fan, 14 is a temperature sensor attached to the surface of the CPU 2, and 15 is a CPU from the temperature sensor 14.
An event controller (EC) 16 for acquiring surface temperature information, other operation and processing information of the second, and a temperature sensor 1 for 16
System management bus (SM-BU) for exchanging information between the communication controller 4 and the event controller (EC) 15.
S) and 17 are system controllers (SC) for controlling the order of instruction processing and device operation, and 18 is an interrupt signal (Ext-S) for interrupting the system controller 17.
MI signal), 19 is a data bus for acquiring an interrupt factor from the event controller 10, 20 is an operation speed control signal (STPCLK # signal) for controlling the operation speed of the CPU 2, and 21 is the function expansion unit main body 7 connected thereto. A connection recognition signal (EXTIN signal) 22 for recognizing this fact is a control signal (FANON signal) for operating the large capacity cooling fan 8 of the function expansion unit main body 7 connected to the sub-notebook PC main body 1.

The operation and cooling method of the high-performance CPU 2 mounted on the sub-notebook PC main body 1 of this embodiment will be described below with reference to FIGS. First, a case where a function expansion unit is connected to a sub-notebook PC as shown in FIG. 1 will be described. When the power is turned on in a state where the function expansion unit main body 7 is connected to the sub-notebook PC main body 1, the event controller 15 of the sub-notebook PC main body 1 causes a signal provided on the function expansion unit connection connector 12 to be provided. The connection recognition signal (EXTIN signal) 21 from the function expansion unit main body 7 recognizes that the function expansion unit main body 7 is connected by the line. The event controller 15, which has recognized that the function expansion unit main body 7 has been connected, uses a separate signal line provided in the function expansion unit connection connector 12 to output a large-capacity cooling fan in the function expansion unit main body 7. 8
, A control signal (FANON signal) 22 is output, the large-capacity cooling fan 8 is operated, and cooling inside the sub-notebook PC main body 1 is started. After outputting the control signal (FANON signal) 22 for the large-capacity cooling fan 8, the event controller 15 sends an interrupt signal (Ext-SMI signal) 18 to the system controller 17 connected to the event controller 15 via a signal line. Output and interrupt. An interrupt signal (E
The system controller 17 interrupted by the (xt-SMI signal) 18 temporarily interrupts the processing that has been performed until then, acquires the interrupt factor from the event controller 15 through the data bus 19, and the function expansion unit main body 7 Recognize that connection has been established. The system controller 17 recognizing that the function expansion unit main body 7 is connected, sends an operation speed control signal (STPCL) to the CPU 2 connected to the system controller 17 via a signal line.
K # signal) 20 to make the operation speed of the CPU 2 the maximum (100%), and then resume the interrupted processing. Since the CPU 2 starts operating at the highest speed in response to the operation speed control signal (STPCLK # signal) 20 from the system controller 17, the power consumption is maximized and the heat generation is also maximized. The air inside the sub-notebook PC main body 1 heated and heated to a high temperature by the CPU 2 operating at the highest speed is transferred to the lower surface of the sub-notebook PC main body 1 by the large-capacity cooling fan 8 operating in the function expansion unit main body 7. The suction port 4 is sucked into the function expansion unit main body 7 from a certain heat radiation slit 4, and the exhaust port 1 on the back surface of the function expansion unit main body 7
Exhausted from zero. That is, the sub-notebook PC main body 1
By cooling the inside of the sub-notebook PC main body 1 by the large-capacity cooling fan 8 provided in the function expansion unit main body 7 connected to the It is possible to prevent the temperature inside the mold PC main body 1 from becoming high and exceeding the operation guarantee temperature of the CPU 2 to cause the CPU 2 to malfunction or break down. The function expansion unit main body 7 connected to the sub-notebook PC main body 1 is equipped with a function expansion device 11 such as a CD-ROM drive or a floppy disk drive (FDD). Since the interface connector 13 for connecting an external device such as a port is provided, the functions lacking in the sub-notebook PC can be sufficiently supplemented. As described above, the sub-notebook PC main body 1
By connecting a function expansion unit main body 7 equipped with a large-capacity cooling fan 8 to a sub-notebook PC equipped with a high-performance CPU 2 and an expansion function installed in the function expansion unit, an office or home can be used. It can be used as a main system.

Next, a case will be described in which the connected function expansion unit is detached and used only with the sub-notebook PC. When using only the sub-notebook PC without connecting the function expansion unit, such as when going out, the large-capacity cooling fan 8 mounted on the function expansion unit main unit 7 cannot be used, and the subnotebook PC main unit 1 is not used. Heat must be released from the heat-dissipating slits 4 provided on the upper and lower surfaces of the heat sink. Therefore, when the high-performance CPU 2 mounted on the sub-notebook PC main body 1 is operated at the highest speed, the air inside the sub-notebook PC main body 1 is heated to a high temperature, and the temperature of the CPU 2 exceeds the operation guarantee temperature of the CPU 2. It may cause malfunction or failure. Therefore, when the function expansion unit is not connected, it is necessary to operate the CPU 2 by power saving so that the temperature of the CPU 2 is kept below the operation guarantee temperature. As shown in FIG. 3, a temperature sensor 14 for monitoring the surface temperature of the CPU 2 is attached to the surface of the CPU 2 mounted on the sub-notebook PC main body 1. The temperature sensor 14 is preferably a sensor that can accurately detect a temperature in the range of 0 ° C. to 150 ° C. Examples of the temperature sensor 14 include a thermistor using a temperature change in electric resistance, a transistor IC using a temperature change in a pn junction characteristic of a semiconductor, a thermocouple using a temperature change in thermoelectromotive force,
BaSrTiO ₃ ceramic using temperature change of electric capacity, thermal ferrite using temperature change of magnetism,
A temperature sensor such as a bimetal utilizing a volume change due to thermal expansion is exemplified. When the function expansion unit is not connected to the sub-notebook PC, the connection recognition signal (EXTIN signal) from the function expansion unit main body 7 when the power is turned on, etc.
If 21 has not been input to the event controller 15, the event controller 15 starts monitoring the surface temperature of the CPU 2. The temperature sensor 14 attached to the CPU 2 is connected to the event controller 15 by a system management bus (SM-BUS) 16. The event controller 15 periodically acquires surface temperature information of the CPU 2 from the temperature sensor 14. ing. In the event controller 15, a temperature upper limit lower by several degrees than the guaranteed operation temperature of the CPU 2 is set in advance.
If the surface temperature of the CPU 2 is equal to or lower than the preset upper temperature limit based on the information acquired from the temperature sensor 14, the event controller 15 does not output the interrupt signal (Ext-SMI signal) 18 to the system controller 17, The CPU 2 operates at the highest speed (100%). If the operation at the highest speed is continued and the surface temperature of the CPU 2 exceeds the preset upper temperature limit, an interrupt signal (Ext-SMI signal) 18 is output from the event controller 15 and the system controller 17 is interrupted. multiply. An interrupt signal (E
The system controller 17 interrupted by the (xt-SMI signal) 18 temporarily suspends the processing performed so far, and acquires an interrupt factor from the event controller 15 through the data bus 19. The system controller 17 that has acquired the interrupt factor from the event controller 15 that the surface temperature of the CPU 2 has exceeded the set temperature upper limit value outputs an operation speed control signal (STPCLK # signal) 20 to the CPU 2, CP
After the operation speed of U2 is reduced to, for example, 50%, the interrupted processing is restarted. By reducing the operation speed of the CPU 2, the power consumption and the amount of heat generated by the CPU 2 decrease, so that the temperature inside the sub-notebook PC main body 1 and the surface temperature of the CPU 2 gradually decrease. When the operation speed of the CPU 2 is reduced and the surface temperature of the CPU 2 obtained from the temperature sensor 14 decreases by a certain value or more, the event controller 15 outputs an interrupt signal (Ext-SMI signal) 18 again and interrupts the system controller 17. Multiply. Interrupted system controller 17
Temporarily interrupts the processing that has been performed, and acquires the interrupt factor from the event controller 15 via the data bus 19. The system controller 17, which has acquired the interrupt factor from the event controller 15 that the surface temperature of the CPU 2 has dropped by a certain value or more, outputs an operation speed control signal (STPCLK # signal) 20 to the CPU 2, and the operation speed of the CPU 2 Is returned to the highest speed (100%), and the interrupted processing is resumed. After the operating speed of the CPU 2 is returned to the highest speed (100%), the temperature rises again, and when the temperature exceeds a preset temperature upper limit value, the operating speed of the CPU 2 is reduced again by the above-described procedure. repeat. That is, by controlling the operating speed of the CPU 2 while periodically monitoring the surface temperature of the CPU 2,
The temperature of the surface of the CPU 2 is prevented from exceeding the operation guarantee temperature and causing malfunction or failure.

As described above, the sub-notebook PC main body 1 on which the high-performance CPU 2 is mounted is connected to the large-capacity cooling fan 8.
When the CPU 2 is used without being connected to the function expansion unit main body 7, the surface temperature of the CPU 2 is monitored by the temperature sensor 14, and the temperature of the CPU 2 exceeds the operation guarantee temperature by using the CPU 2 with power saving. , Malfunction or failure can be prevented. In addition to the power saving method of controlling the operation speed of the CPU 2 while periodically monitoring the surface temperature of the CPU 2 by the temperature sensor 14, the temperature of the CPU 2 rises to the operation assurance temperature even when the operation is continued for a long time. An operation speed that is not required may be obtained in advance, and when the function expansion unit main body 7 is not connected, the operation may be performed at the operation speed that is always obtained. In the above-described embodiment, the large-capacity cooling fan 8 is mounted on the function expansion unit main body 7 to forcibly exhaust the high-temperature air accumulated inside the sub-notebook PC main body 1. Instead of 8, a semiconductor cooler or the like may be used. Further, the sub-notebook type PC of the embodiment is
Although the open / close type display device 6 is mounted, a desktop type display device that does not open / close may be used. In the above embodiment, the present invention is applied to a sub-note type PC.
However, the present invention is not limited to this, and can be applied to all portable electronic devices.

[0012]

As described above, according to the present invention,
By connecting a function expansion unit equipped with a large-capacity cooling fan to a portable electronic device having a thin and small housing, for example, a sub-note PC, the inside of the main unit of the sub-note PC is efficiently cooled. So a sub-note PC
And a high-performance CPU with large power consumption. In addition, the inside of the main body of the sub-notebook PC to which the function expansion unit is connected by a large-capacity cooling fan mounted on the function expansion unit which can be connected to the subnotebook PC which is thin and small and has excellent portability. Is efficiently cooled, so that a high-performance CPU with large power consumption can be mounted on the sub-notebook PC. Thus, the sub-notebook PC can be used as a main system in an office or home. In addition, by providing cooling means inside the function expansion device or the function expansion unit, the central processing unit is operated at high speed when the function expansion unit is connected, and the central processing unit is operated when the function expansion unit is not connected. Since the operation is performed in the power saving mode, for example, a sub-notebook PC can be used effectively.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a sub-notebook PC according to an embodiment of the present invention and a function expansion unit connected to the subnotebook PC.

FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view illustrating a schematic configuration of a function expansion unit according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram for explaining an operation and a cooling method of a central processing unit (CPU) of the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

1: Sub-note type PC main body, 2: Central processing unit (C
PU), 3 ... board (motherboard), 4 ... heat dissipation slit, 5 ... keyboard, 6 ... display device, 7 ... function expansion unit body, 8 ... large capacity cooling fan, 9 ... intake port, 10 ... exhaust port , 11: Function expansion device, 12: Connector for connection to sub-notebook PC, 13: Connector for external device connection, 14: Temperature sensor, 15: Event controller (EC), 16: System management bus (SM-BUS) ), 17 ... System controller (S
C), 18 ... interrupt signal (Ext-SMI signal), 1
9 Data bus, 20 Operating speed control signal (STPCL
K # signal), 21... Connection recognition signal (EXTIN signal) of the function expansion unit, 22... Large-capacity cooling fan control signal (FANON signal).

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A method of cooling a portable electronic device in which a device for function expansion or a unit for function expansion having an interface for external connection can be connected to a lower part or a rear part of a main body device of the portable electronic device having a microprocessor. When the function is extended, the main device of the portable electronic device and the device for function extension or the unit for function extension are cooled, and the portable electronic device is operated at a high speed. Cooling method. 2. A portable electronic device having a function expansion device or a function expansion unit having an external connection interface connectable to a lower portion or a rear portion of a main unit of the portable electronic device having a microprocessor. A portable electronic device provided with cooling means inside a device for function extension or a unit for function extension, and means for operating the portable electronic device at a high speed at the time of function extension. 3. A portable computer in which a function expansion device or a function expansion unit having an external connection interface can be connected to a lower portion or a rear portion of a main unit of the portable personal computer. Alternatively, a cooling means is provided inside the function expansion unit, and means for operating the central processing unit at high speed when the function expansion unit is connected, and means for operating the central processing unit in the power saving mode when the function expansion unit is not connected. Portable electronic device characterized by the above-mentioned.