Temperature indication apparatus

1. Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to indication apparatuses, and particularly to an indication apparatus for indicating temperature status of motherboards.

2. Description of Related Art

Developments in today's highly information-intensive society have led to remarkable improvements in the performance of electronic devices. During operation of many contemporary electronic devices such as computers central processing units (CPUs), large amounts of heat are produced. Typically, a fan is used to facilitate removal of the heat.

However, the fan may not operate properly and overheating still occur so monitoring of temperatures is very important.

Many aspects of the embodiments can be better understood with references to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the embodiments. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

FIG. 1 is a block view of an embodiment of a temperature indication apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the temperature indication apparatus of FIG. 1 .

The disclosure is illustrated by way of example and not by way of limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which like references indicate similar elements. It should be noted that references to “an” or “one” embodiment in this disclosure are not necessarily to the same embodiment, and such references mean at least one.

In general, the word “module,” as used herein, refers to logic embodied in hardware or firmware, or to a collection of software instructions, written in a programming language, such as, for example, Java, C, or Assembly. One or more software instructions in the modules may be embedded in firmware, such as an EPROM. It will be appreciated that modules may comprise connected logic units, such as gates and flip-flops, and may comprise programmable units, such as programmable gate arrays or processors. The modules described herein may be implemented as either software and/or hardware modules and may be stored in any type of computer-readable medium or other computer storage device.

Referring to FIG. 1 , an indication apparatus in an embodiment for indicating temperature status of a motherboard (not shown) includes a detection module 100 , a comparison module 200 , a switch module 300 , and an indication module 400 . The detection module 100 detects temperatures of the motherboard, and converts the detected temperatures to voltage signals. The comparison module 200 receives the voltage signals, compares the voltage signals with a reference voltage, and outputs control signals according to a comparison result. The switch module 300 receives the control signals, and turns on or off according to the control signals. The indication module 400 indicates temperature states of the motherboard when the switch module 300 turns on or off.

Referring to FIG. 2 , the detection module 100 includes a thermal resistor RT 1 and a resistor R 1 . A first terminal of the thermal resistor RT 1 receives +12 volt. A second terminal of the thermal resistor RT 1 is grounded via the resistor R 1 . The comparison module 200 includes comparators A 1 , A 2 and resistors R 2 ˜R 6 . A non-inverting input terminal of the comparator A 1 receives a reference voltage via the resistor R 2 . An inverting input terminal of the comparator A 1 is electrically coupled to a connection point between the thermal resistor RT 1 and the resistor R 1 via the resistor R 3 . A non-inverting input terminal of the comparator A 2 is electrically coupled to the connection point between the thermal resistor RT 1 and the resistor R 1 via the resistor R 4 . An inverting input terminal of the comparator A 2 receives a +7 volt reference voltage via the resistor R 5 . In one embodiment, a resistance of the thermal resistor RT 1 is 33 kiloohms. A resistance of the resistor R 1 is 3.3 kiloohms. The thermal resistor RT 1 contacts a heat dissipating portion on the motherboard. A resistance of the thermal resistor RT 1 is variable corresponding to temperature status of the motherboard. In one embodiment, the reference voltage is +10 volt.

The switch module 300 includes transistors T 1 ˜T 5 and resistors R 7 ˜R 11 . Abase of the transistor T 1 is electrically coupled to an output terminal of the comparator A 1 via the resistor R 7 . The base of the transistor T 1 receives the +12 volt via the resistor R 6 . An emitter of the transistor T 1 receives the +12 volt. Abase of the transistor T 2 is electrically coupled to the output terminal of the comparator A 1 via the resistor R 8 . A collector of the transistor T 2 receives the +12 volt via the resistor R 9 . The collector of the transistor T 2 is electrically coupled to a base of the transistor T 3 . An emitter of the transistor T 2 is electrically coupled to a collector of the transistor T 4 . An emitter of the transistor T 3 receives the +12 volt. A base of the transistor T 4 is electrically coupled to an output terminal of the comparator A 2 via the resistor R 10 . An emitter of the transistor T 4 is grounded. A base of the transistor T 5 is electrically coupled to the output terminal of the comparator A 2 via the resistor R 11 . The base of the transistor T 5 receives the +12 volt via the resistor R 12 . An emitter of the transistor T 5 receives the +12 volt. In one embodiment, the transistors T 1 , T 3 , and T 5 are pnp type transistors. The transistors T 2 and T 4 are npn type transistors.

The indication module 400 includes LEDs D 1 ˜D 3 , a fan F 1 , and resistors R 13 ˜R 15 . An anode of the LED D 1 is electrically coupled to a collector of the transistor T 1 . A cathode of the LED D 1 is grounded via the resistor R 13 . The collector of the transistor T 1 is grounded via the fan F 1 . An anode of the LED D 2 is electrically coupled to a collector of the transistor T 3 via the resistor R 14 . A cathode of the LED D 2 is grounded. An anode of the LED D 3 is electrically coupled to a collector of the transistor T 5 via the resistor R 15 . A cathode of the LED D 3 is grounded. In one embodiment, the LEDs D 1 ˜D 3 emit red, orange, and blue light respectively.

In use, the temperature of the thermal resistor RT 1 will fluctuate with the temperature of the heat dissipating portion, thus when the temperature of the heat dissipating portion is less than a normal temperature, resistance of the thermal resistor RT 1 will be greater than 2.36 kiloohms, and voltage at the connection point between the thermal resistor RT 1 and the resistor R 1 will be less than 12÷(2.36+3.3)×3.3=7 volt. Then, the output terminal of the comparator A 1 outputs a high voltage level, and the output terminal of the comparator A 2 outputs a low voltage level. Thus the transistors T 1 , T 4 turn off, the transistors T 2 , T 5 turn on, and the transistor T 3 turns off. The LEDs D 1 , D 2 do not emit light, and the LED D 3 emits blue light to indicate the motherboard is at a normal temperature.

When the temperature of the heat dissipating portion is greater than the normal temperature, but less than an upper limit temperature, resistance of the thermal resistor RT 1 will be less than 2.36 kiloohms, but greater than 0.66 kiloohms A voltage of the connection point between the thermal resistor RT 1 and the resistor R 1 will be greater than 7 volt, but less than 12÷(0.66+3.3)×3.3=10 volt. The output terminals of the comparators A 1 , A 2 output low voltage levels. Thus, the transistors T 1 , T 5 turn off, and the transistors T 2 , T 3 , T 4 turn on. The LEDs D 1 , D 3 do not emit light, and the LED D 2 emits orange light to indicate the motherboard is at a slightly high temperature.

When the thermal resistor RT 1 detects a temperature of the heat dissipating portion is greater than the upper limit temperature, resistance of the thermal resistor RT 1 will be less than 0.66 kiloohms and voltage of the connection point between the thermal resistor RT 1 and the resistor R 1 will be greater than 10 volt. The output terminal of the comparator A 1 outputs a low voltage level, and the output terminal of the comparator A 2 outputs a high voltage level. The transistors T 1 , T 4 turn on, and the transistors T 2 , T 3 , T 5 turn off. The LEDs D 2 , D 3 do not emit light, and the LED D 1 emits red light to indicate the motherboard is at a very high temperature. The fan F 1 is powered on and rotates to dissipate heat for the heat dissipating portion.

It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the embodiments have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.