Electronic device and temperature modulation method thereof

Abstract

An electronic device and a temperature modulation method are disclosed herein. The electronic device includes a system body, a heat pipe module, a fan module, an orientation sensor, a temperature sensor and a control module. The system body includes an electronic component. The heat pipe module is connected to the electronic component. The fan module is installed in the system body. The orientation sensor can detect an orientation of the system body and output an orientation-sensing signal based on the orientation. The temperature sensor can detect a temperature of the heat pipe module and output a temperature-sensing signal based on the temperature. The control module can control rotation of the fan module according to at least one of the orientation-sensing signal and the temperature-sensing signal.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An electronic device, comprising:
 a system body, comprising:
 an electronic component; 
   a heat pipe module connected to the electronic component;   a fan module disposed in the system body;   an orientation sensor for detecting an orientation of the system body and outputting an orientation-sensing signal based on the orientation;   a temperature sensor for detecting a temperature of the heat pipe module and outputting a temperature-sensing signal based on the temperature; and   a control module for controlling rotation of the fan module according to at least one of the orientation-sensing signal and the temperature-sensing signal.   
     
     
         2 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the system body comprises a casing, and the casing has a first air opening and a second air opening disposed on two adjacent sides of the casing; when the first air opening is higher than the second air opening, the control module controls the fan module to rotate in a first direction according to the orientation-sensing signal, such that the second air opening acts as an air intake vent and the first air opening acts as an air outlet vent; when the second air opening is higher than the first air opening, the control module controls the fan module to rotate in a second direction opposite the first direction according to the orientation-sensing signal, such that the first air opening acts as the air intake vent and the second air opening acts as the air outlet vent. 
     
     
         3 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the system body comprises a casing, the casing has a first air opening and a second air opening on two opposite sides, the heat pipe module comprises a first heat pipe and a second heat pipe which respectively extend from two sides of the electronic component to the first air opening and the second air opening, and the fan module comprises a first fan and a second fan adjacent to the first air opening and the second air opening respectively; when the casing is turned so that the first air opening is higher than the second air opening, the control module controls a rotational speed of the first fan and a rotational speed of the second fan according to the orientation-sensing signal, such that the rotational speed of the first fan is higher than the rotational speed of the second fan. 
     
     
         4 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the system body comprises a casing, the casing has a first air opening and a second air opening on two opposite sides, the heat pipe module comprises a first heat pipe and a second heat pipe which extend from two sides of the electronic component to the first air opening and the second air opening respectively, and the fan module comprises a first fan and a second fan respectively adjacent to the first air opening and the second air opening; when the first air opening is higher than the second air opening and the temperature sensor detects that the temperature of the first heat pipe is higher than a temperature standard so that the temperature sensor outputs the temperature-sensing signal, the control module controls a rotational speed of the first fan and a rotational speed of the second fan according to the temperature-sensing signal, such that the rotational speed of the first fan is higher than the rotational speed of the second fan. 
     
     
         5 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the system body further comprises a base and a panel pivoted to the base, two adjacent sides of the base have two air openings adjacent to the fan module, and the fan module operates so that air flows through the two air openings in a first airflow direction; when the panel is away from or approaches the base, the control module changes a rotational direction of the fan module according to the orientation-sensing signal so that air flows through the two air openings in a second airflow direction opposite to the first airflow direction. 
     
     
         6 . A temperature modulation method for an electronic device, the electronic device comprising a system body, a heat pipe module connected to the system body and a fan module disposed in the system body, the temperature modulation method comprising:
 detecting an orientation of the system body and generating an orientation-sensing signal based on the orientation;   detecting a temperature of the heat pipe module and generating a temperature-sensing signal based on the temperature; and   controlling rotation of the fan module according to at least one of the orientation-sensing signal and the temperature-sensing signal.   
     
     
         7 . The temperature modulation method of  claim 6 , wherein the step of controlling rotation of the fan module according to the orientation-sensing signal comprises:
 controlling the fan module to rotate in a first direction according to the orientation-sensing signal when a first air opening of the system body is higher than a second air opening of the system body, such that the second air opening acts as an air intake vent and the first air opening acts as an air outlet vent; and   when the second air opening is higher than the first air opening, controlling the fan module to rotate in a second direction opposite the first direction according to the orientation-sensing signal, such that the first air opening acts as an air intake vent and the second air opening acts as an air outlet vent.   
     
     
         8 . The temperature modulation method of  claim 6 , wherein the step of controlling rotation of the fan module according to the orientation-sensing signal comprises:
 controlling a rotational speed of the fan module such that a rotational speed of a first fan of the fan module adjacent to a first air opening is higher than a rotational speed of a second fan of the fan module adjacent to a second air opening when the system body is turned such that the first air opening of the system body is higher than the second air opening of the system body.   
     
     
         9 . The temperature modulation method of  claim 6 , wherein the step of controlling rotation of the fan module according to the temperature-sensing signal comprises:
 controlling a rotational speed of a first fan of the fan module and a rotational speed of a second fan of the fan module according to the temperature-sensing signal, such that the rotational speed of the first fan adjacent to a heat pipe is higher than the rotational speed of the second fan away from the heat pipe when a first air opening of the system body adjacent to the first fan is higher than a second air opening of the system body adjacent to the second fan and when a temperature of the heat pipe is higher than a temperature standard.   
     
     
         10 . The temperature modulation method of  claim 6 , wherein the system body comprises a base and a panel pivoted to the base, and the step of controlling rotation of the fan module according to the orientation-sensing signal comprises:
 controlling the fan module to rotate in a first direction according to the orientation-sensing signal such that a first air opening of the system body acts as an air intake vent and a second air opening of the system body acts as an air outlet vent; and   when the panel is away from or approaches the base, controlling the fan module to rotate in a second direction opposite the first direction according to the orientation-sensing signal, such that the second air opening of the system body acts as an air intake vent and the first air opening of the system body acts as an air outlet vent.