Identifying physical locations of devices within an electronic system

摘要

A system comprises a plurality of fans, wherein each of the fans is configurable to run at a unique fan speed that is different from fan speeds of other fans from the plurality of fans. A plurality of variable-positioned devices, capable of being positioned at various locations within the system, are physically positioned such that airflow from one of the plurality of fans strikes a particular variable-positioned device. A plurality of anemometers, each of which is connected to a particular variable-positioned device, measure airflow across the variable-positioned devices. A system controller, which contains location information that identifies a physical position within the system of each of the plurality of fans, utilizes airflow readings from each of the anemometers to identify a physical location of each of the plurality of variable-positioned devices by matching physical locations of the fans to measured airflow across the variable-positioned devices.

主权项

1. A system comprising:
a plurality of fans, wherein each of the fans is configurable to run at a unique fan speed that is different from fan speeds of other fans from the plurality of fans, wherein each of the plurality of fans runs at a different unique fan speed during a predefined period of time during initialization of the system; a hardware controller, wherein physical locations of all of the plurality of fans are known to the hardware controller; a plurality of variable-positioned devices, wherein the plurality of variable-positioned devices are capable of being positioned at various locations within the system, and wherein each of the plurality of variable-positioned devices is physically positioned such that airflow from one of the plurality of fans strikes a particular variable-positioned device; a plurality of anemometers, wherein each of the anemometers is connected to a particular variable-positioned device, from the plurality of variable-positioned devices, for measuring airflow across the particular variable-positioned device, and wherein the anemometers are capable of transmitting airflow readings that describe the airflow across each of the multiple variable-positioned devices; and a system controller, wherein the system controller contains location information that determines a physical position within the system of each of the plurality of fans, and wherein the system controller utilizes airflow readings received from each of the anemometers to determine a physical location of each of the plurality of variable-positioned devices by matching known physical locations of the fans to measured airflow across the variable-positioned devices.