Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
1
PIVOTING HANDLE FOR DEHUMIDIFIER
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates generally to dehumidification and more particularly to
a pivoting
handle for a dehumidifier.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In certain situations, it is desirable to reduce the humidity of air within a
structure. For
example, in fire and flood restoration applications, it may be desirable to
quickly remove
moisture from areas of a damaged structure. To accomplish this, one or more
portable
dehumidifiers may bc placed within the structure to dehumidify the air and
direct dry air toward
water-damaged areas. Many current dehumidifiers, however, are bulky, difficult
to move, not
rugged, and have proven inefficient in various respects.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to embodiments of the present disclosure, disadvantages and problems
associated with previous dehumidification systems may be reduced or
eliminated.
Certain exemplary embodiments can provide a portable dehumidifier, comprising:
a
cabinet comprising: a front side and a back side opposite the front side; an
airflow inlet located
on a first side of the cabinet; and an airflow outlet located on a second side
of the cabinet that
is opposite the first side; two wheels coupled to the front side of the
cabinet; a pivoting handle
configured to pivot from a stored position to an engaged position, the
pivoting handle
comprising: a cross member configured to permit a user to grip the pivoting
handle; two
extension members, each extension member coupled to a respective end of the
cross member;
and a cam arm coupled to one of the extension members at an end of the
extension member that
is opposite the cross member, the cam arm comprising: a spring arm configured
to engage with
a locking pin coupled to the cabinet; a clearance hole configured to permit
the cam arm to clear
the locking pin when the pivoting handle is in the stored position; an
aperture configured to
permit a pivot pin to secure the cam arm to the cabinet, the cam arm
configured to pivot about
the pivot pin; and a compression gap adjacent to the spring arm, the
compression gap configured
to permit the spring arm to provide resistance to the pivoting handle during
pivoting; wherein:
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the pivoting handle is coupled to a top portion of the back side of the
cabinet; the pivoting
handle is configured to lay flat against the back side of the cabinet when in
the stored position;
and the pivoting handle is configured to pivot upwards towards the top portion
of the back side
of the cabinet when the pivoting handle is pivoted into the engaged position.
Certain exemplary embodiments can provide a portable dehumidifier, comprising:
a
cabinet comprising a front side and a back side opposite the front side; two
wheels coupled to
the front side of the cabinet; a pivoting handle configured to pivot from a
stored position to an
engaged position, the pivoting handle comprising: a cross member configured to
permit a user
to grip the pivoting handle; two extension members, each extension member
coupled to a
respective end of the cross member; and a cam arm coupled to one of the
extension members at
an end of the extension member that is opposite the cross member, the cam arm
comprising: a
spring arm configured to engage with a locking pin coupled to the cabinet; a
clearance hole
configured to permit the cam arm to clear the locking pin when the pivoting
handle is in the
stored position; an aperture configured to permit a pivot pin to secure the
cam arm to the cabinet,
the cam arm configured to pivot about the pivot pin; and a compression gap
adjacent to the
spring arm, the compression gap configured to permit the spring arm to provide
resistance to
the pivoting handle during pivoting; wherein: the pivoting handle is coupled
to a top portion of
the back side of the cabinet; the pivoting handle is configured to lay flat
against the back side
of the cabinet when in the stored position; and the pivoting handle is
configured to pivot
upwards towards the top portion of the back side of the cabinet when the
pivoting handle is
pivoted into the engaged position.
Certain exemplary embodiments can provide a portable dehumidifier, comprising:
a
cabinet comprising a front side and a back side opposite the front side; and a
pivoting handle
configured to pivot from a stored position to an engaged position, the
pivoting handle
comprising: a cross member configured to permit a user to grip the pivoting
handle; two
extension members, each extension member coupled to a respective end of the
cross member;
and a cam arm coupled to one of the extension members at an end of the
extension member that
is opposite the cross member, the cam arm comprising: a spring arm configured
to engage with
a locking pin coupled to the cabinet; a clearance hole configured to permit
the cam arm to clear
the locking pin when the pivoting handle is in the stored position; an
aperture configured to
permit a pivot pin to secure the cam arm to the cabinet, the cam arm
configured to pivot about
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the pivot pin; and a compression gap adjacent to the spring arm, the
compression gap configured
to permit the spring arm to provide resistance to the pivoting handle during
pivoting.
In some embodiments, a portable dehumidifier includes a cabinet, a fan, a
dehumidification system, and a compressor. The cabinet includes a front side
and a back side
opposite the front side, an airflow inlet located on a first side of the
cabinet, and an airflow
outlet located on a second side of the cabinet that is opposite the first
side. The dehumidification
system includes a secondary evaporator located proximate to the airflow inlet,
a primary
condenser located proximate to the airflow outlet, a primary evaporator
located adjacent to the
secondai y evaporator, a secondary condenser located between the primary
evaporator and the
primary condenser, and a compressor. The fan is configured to generate an
airflow that flows
into the cabinet through the airflow inlet and out of the cabinet through the
airflow outlet. The
airflow flows through the dehumidification system in order to provide
dehumidification to the
airflow.
In some embodiments, a portable dehumidifier includes a cabinet and a pivoting
handle.
The cabinet includes a front side and a back side opposite the front side. The
pivoting handle
is configured to pivot from a stored position to an engaged position. The
pivoting handle
includes a cross member, two extension members, and a cam arm. The cross
member is
configured to permit a user to grip the pivoting handle. Each extension member
is coupled to a
respective end of the cross member. The cam arm is coupled to one of the
extension members
at an end of the extension member that is opposite the cross member. The cam
arm includes a
spring arm configured to engage with a locking pin coupled to the cabinet, a
clearance hole
configured to permit the cam arm to clear the locking pin when the pivoting
handle is in the
stored position, an aperture configured to permit a pivot pin to secure the
cam arm to the cabinet,
and a compression gap adjacent to the spring arm. The compression gap is
configured to permit
the spring arm to provide resistance to the pivoting handle during pivoting.
In certain embodiments, a portable dehumidifier includes a cabinet and two
wheel
mounting brackets. The cabinet includes a front side and a back side opposite
the front side,
and a top side and a bottom side opposite the top side. Each wheel mounting
bracket is
configured to secure one of two wheels to the cabinet. F,ach wheel mounting
bracket includes
an inside member, a bottom member, a top member and an outside member. The
inside member
includes a first axle aperture that is configured to accept one end of an axle
used to secure one
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of the two wheels to the cabinet. The bottom member is coupled to the inside
member and is
proximate to the bottom side of the cabinet. The bottom member includes one or
more mounting
apertures configured to permit one or more fasteners to couple the wheel
mounting bracket
assembly to the bottom side of the cabinet. The outside member is proximate to
an outside of
the cabinet with respect to the inside member and includes a second axle
aperture configured to
accept another end of the axle. The top member couples the outside member to
the inside
member and is coupled to an end of the inside member opposite to the bottom
member. The
top member includes one or more locating pins configured to be inserted into
one or more
locating apertures in the cabinet.
In certain embodiments, a method for controlling a fan of a dehumidifier
includes
performing a first step of obtaining an ambient temperature, an exhaust
temperature, and a delta
temperature that is a difference between the ambient temperature and the
exhaust temperature.
The method further include determining, after performing the first step,
whether the delta
temperature is within a delta temperature range. If the delta temperature is
within the delta
temperature range, the method proceeds back to the first step. If the delta
temperature is not
within the delta temperature range, the method performs a second step of
determining an
adjusted fan speed using the delta temperature. The method further includes
performing, after
performing the second step, a third step of setting the fan speed to the
determined adjusted fan
speed.
Certain embodiments of the present disclosure may provide one or more
technical
advantages. For example, unique internal arrangement of components of certain
embodiments
provides a portable dehumidifier that is more compact and rugged than existing
systems.
Certain embodiments include a pivoting/folding handle that pivots to an angle
when the portable
dehumidifier is being transported but folds down against the portable
dehumidifier for storage.
In some embodiments, the portable dehumidifier utilizes two unique wheel
mourning brackets
that enable the wheels to be mounted partially within and very close to the
cabinet of the portable
dehumidifier, thereby increasing the compactness of the portable dehumidifier.
In some
embodiments, the portable dehumidifier utilizes a unique control method for
its fan that utilizes
a delta temperature that is calculated between the exhaust and ambient
temperatures. In these
embodiments, there is a minimum delta temperature for each ambient temperature
that the
portable dehumidifier will attempt to maintain by adjusting its fan speed. If
the delta
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temperature falls below a minimum allowed amount, the fan will be slowed to
maintain the
desired delta temperature.
Certain embodiments of the present disclosure may include some, all, or none
of the
above advantages. One or more other technical advantages may be readily
apparent to those
skilled in the art from the figures, descriptions, and claims included herein.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
To provide a more complete understanding of the present invention and the
features and
advantages thereof, reference is made to the following description taken in
conjunction with the
accompanying drawings, in which:
FIGURES 1-2 illustrate perspective views of a portable dehumidifier, according
to
certain embodiments;
FIGURES 3A-3F illustrate cut-away views of the portable dehumidifier of
FIGURES
1-2, according to certain embodiments;
FIGURES 4-6 illustrate various positions of a pivoting handle of the portable
dehumidifier of FIGURES 1-2, according to certain embodiments;
FIGURES 7A-7G illustrate more details of the pivoting handle of FIGURES 4-6,
according to certain embodiments;
FIGURES 8A-811) illustrate a wheel mounting bracket assembly of the portable
dehumidifier of FIGURES 1-2, according to certain embodiments;
FIGURES 9A-9B illustrate another embodiment of the wheel mounting bracket
assembly of FIGURES 8A-8D, according to certain embodiments;
FIGURE 10 illustrates a fan control method that may be used by the portable
dehumidifier of FIGURES 1-2, according to certain embodiments; and
FIGURE 11 illustrates a computing system that may be used by the portable
dehumidifier of FIGURES 1-2, according to certain embodiments.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In certain situations, it is desirable to reduce the humidity of air within a
structure. For
example, in fire and flood restoration applications, it may be desirable to
remove water and
moisture from a damaged structure by placing one or more portable
dehumidifiers within the
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structure. Many current dehumidifiers, however, are bulky, difficult to move,
not rugged, and
have proven inefficient in various respects.
The disclosed embodiments provide a portable dehumidifier that includes
various
features to address the inefficiencies and other issucs with current portable
dehumidification
systems. In some embodiments, a unique internal arrangement of components is
used to provide
a portable dehumidifier that is more compact and rugged than existing systems.
Certain
embodiments include a pivoting/folding handle that pivots to an angle when the
portable
dehumidifier is being transported but folds down against the portable
dehumidifier for storage.
In some embodiments, the portable dehumidifier utilizes two unique wheel
mounting brackets
that enable the wheels to be mounted partially within andvery close to the
cabinet o fthe portable
dehumidifier, thereby increasing the compactness of the portable dehumidifier.
In some
embodiments, the portable dehumidifier utilizes a unique control method for
its fan that utilizes
a delta temperature that is calculated between the exhaust and ambient
temperatures. In these
embodiments, there is a minimum delta temperature for each ambient temperature
that the
portable dehumidifier will attempt to maintain by adjusting its fan speed. If
the delta
temperature falls below a minimum allowed amount, the fan will be slowed to
maintain the
desired delta temperature.
These and other advantages and features of certain embodiments are discussed
in more
detail below in reference to FIGURES 1-11. FIGURES 1-2 illustrate perspective
views of
certain embodiments of a portable dehumidifier; FIGURES 3A-3F illustrate cut-
away views of
the portable dehumidifier of FIGURES 1-2, FIGURES 4-6 illustrate various
positions of a
pivoting handle of the portable dehumidifier of FIGURES 1-2, FIGURES 7A-7G
illustrate more
details of the pivoting handle of FIGURES 4-6, FIGURES 8A-8D illustrate a
wheel mounting
bracket of the portable dehumidifier of FIGURES 1-2, FIGURES 9A-9B illustrate
another
embodiment of the wheel mounting bracket of FIGURES 8A-8D, FIGURE 10
illustrates a fan
control method that may be used by the portable dehumidifier of FIGURES 1-2,
and FIGURE
11 illustrates a computing system that may be used by the portable
dehumidifier of FIGURES
1-2, according to certain embodiments.
FIGURES 1-2 illustrate perspective views of a portable dehumidifier 100,
according to
certain embodiments. In some embodiments, portable dehumidifier 100 includes a
cabinet 105,
an airflow inlet 110, an airflow outlet 115, two or more wheels 130, a
pivoting handle 135,
and
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one or more stationary handles 136. While a specific arrangement of these and
other
components of portable dehumidifier 100 are illustrated in these figures,
other embodiments
may have other arrangements and may have more or fewer components than those
illustrated.
In general, portable dehumidifier 100 provides dehumidification to an area
(e.g., a room,
a floor, etc.) by moving air through portable dehumidifier 100. To dehumidify
air, portable
dehumidifier 100 generates an airflow 101 that enters cabinet 105 via airflow
inlet 110, travels
through a dehumidification system (e.g., dehumidification system 300 described
below) where
it is dried, and then exits cabinet 105 via airflow outlet 115. Water removed
from airflow 101
via the dehumidification system may be captured within a water reservoir of
portable
dehumidifier 100 (e.g., drain pan 360 described below) where it may be later
removed via, for
example, a drain or a pump (e.g., drain pump 370 described below).
Cabinet 105 may be any appropriatc shape and size. In some embodiments,
cabinet 105
includes multiple sides 106. For example, some embodiments of cabinet 105
include a top side
106A, a bottom side 106B, a front side 106C, a back side 106D, a right side
106E, and a left
side 106F as illustrated in the figures. In some embodiments, airflow inlet
110 is on right side
106E and airflow outlet 115 is on left side 106F.
In some embodiments, cabinet 105 is formed from a rugged material such as
plastic. In
some embodiments, cabinet 105 is formed using a plastic rotational molding
process. In some
embodiments, all or a portion of cabinet 105 is removable for maintenance and
service to
portable dehumidifier 100. For example, cabinet 105 may include separate top
and lower
portions that are coupled to each other using any appropriate fasteners (e.g.,
screws, bolts, etc.).
The top portion of cabinet 105 may be easily removed by removing a certain
number of fasteners
that are accessible from the outside of cabinet 105.
Airflow inlet 110 is generally any opening in which airflow 101 enters
portable
.. dehumidifier 100. In somc embodiments, airflow inlet 110 is geometric
(e.g., hexagonal,
octagonal, square, rectangular, etc.) in shape as illustrated. In other
embodiments, airflow inlet
110 may have any other appropriate shape or dimensions. In some embodiments,
airflow inlet
110 includes a grate or grille that is formed out of geometric shapes. For
example, some
embodiments of airflow inlet 110 include a grill formed from hexagons,
octagons, and the like.
In some embodiments, a removable air filter (e.g., air filter 310 described
below) may be
installed proximate to airflow inlet 110 to filter airflow 10 1 as it enters
portable dehumidifier
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100. In some embodiments, airflow inlet 110 is located on right side 106E as
illustrated in the
figures, but may be in any other appropriate location on other embodiments of
portable
dehumidifier 100.
Airflow outlet 115 is generally any opening in which airflow 101 exits
portable
dehumidifier 100 after it has passed through a dehumidification system of
portable dehumidifier
100 such as dehumidification system 1400 for dehumidification. Similar to
airflow inlet 110,
airflow outlet 115 includes a grate or grille that is formed out of geometric
shapes such as
hexagons, octagons, and the like. Airflow outlet 115 may be hexagonal,
octagonal, square, or
rectangular in shape, but may have any other appropriate shape or dimensions.
In some
embodiments, airflow outlet 115 is located on left side 106F as illustrated in
the figures, but
may be in any other appropriate location on other embodiments of portable
dehumidifier 100.
Portable dehumidifier 100 includes a fan 117 that, when activated, draws
airflow 101
into portable dehumidifier 100 via airflow inlet 110, causes airflow 101 to
flow through a
dehumidification system such as dehumidification system 300, and exhausts
airflow 101 out of
airflow outlet 115. In some embodiments, fan 117 is located within cabinet 105
proximate to
airflow outlet 115 as illustrated in FIGURES 3A-3C. Fan 117 may be any type of
air mover
(e.g., axial fan, forward inclined impeller, backward inclined impeller, etc.)
that is configured
to generate airflow 101 that flows through portable dehumidifier 100 for
dehumidification and
exits portable dehumidifier 100 through airflow outlet 115.
Embodiments of portable dehumidifier 100 may include two or more wheels 130.
In
some embodiments, portable dehumidifier 100 includes two wheels 130 as
illustrated that
permit portable dehumidifier 100 to be tilted towards front side 106C and
easily transported to
a new location. Wheels 130 may be of any size and be made of any appropriate
materials. In
some embodiments, wheels 130 may be mounted to cabinet 105 using a bracket
such as wheel
mounting bracket assembly 810 or wheel mounting bracket 910 described below in
reference
to FIGURES 8A-9B. The use of such brackets may allow wheels 130 to be
partially within and
close to cabinet 105, which may help decrease the size and footprint of
portable dehumidifier
100.
Some embodiments of portable dehumidifier 100 may include a pivoting handle
135.
Pivoting handle 135 may be used to tilt portable dehumidifier 100 towards
front side 106C
and
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rolled to a new location. Particular embodiments of pivoting handle 135 are
described below
in reference to FIGURES 7A-7G.
In some embodiments, portable dehumidifier 100 includes one or more stationary
handles 136 that permit operators to lift and move portable dehumidifier 100.
In some
embodiments, stationary handles 136 are formed as a part of cabinet 105, but
may be separate
attachments in other embodiments. In some embodiments, portable dehumidifier
100 includes
a first stationary handle 136 located on front side 106C and a second
stationary handle 136
located on back side 106D of cabinet 105.
Embodiments of portable dehumidifier 100 also include a control panel 140
located in
cabinet 105. In general, control panel 140 provides various controls for an
operator to control
certain functions of portable dehumidifier 100. While control panel 140 is
located on top side
106A close to fi=ont side 106C in some embodiments, control panel 140 may be
located in any
appropriate location on cabinet 105.
In some embodiments, portable dehumidifier 100 includes a storage compartment
150
within cabinet 105. In general, storage compartment 150 provides a convenient
location for
operators to store hoses, cords, and other items needed forthe operation of
portable dehumidifier
100. In some embodiments, storage compartment 150 is an open pocket located on
top side
106A of cabinet 105 as illustrated. In other embodiments, storage compartment
150 may be in
any other appropriate location on cabinet 105 and may include one or more
doors or panels to
enclose storage compartment 150. Storage compartment 150 allows the operator
to store needed
accessories (e.g., cords, hoses, etc.) for each job without limiting the
ability to stack and store
portable dehumidifier 100 in the smallest possible volume during transport.
FIGURES 3A-3F illustrate various cut-away views of portable dehumidifier 100,
according to certain embodiments. FIGURE 3A is a cut-away top-down view of
portable
dehumidifier 100, FIGURES 3B-3C are cut-away perspective views of portable
dehumidifier
100, FIGURE 3D is a cut-away sectioned view of portable dehumidifier 100, and
FIGURES
3E-3F are cut-away perspective views of cabinet 105 (i.e., portable
dehumidifier 100 with most
internal components removed). As illustrated in these figures, portable
dehumidifier 100
includes various components to provide dehumidification to airflow 101. In
some
embodiments, portable dehumidifier 100 includes a compressor 320 and a
dehumidification
system 300 that may include a secondary evaporator 325, a primary evaporator
330, a
secondary
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condenser 340, and a primary condenser 350. In some embodiments,
dehumidification system
300 may be dehumidification system 300 as described in U.S. Patent No.
10,168,058, issued
January 1, 2019, (Application No. 15/460,772, filed March 16, 2017) and
entitled
"Dehumidifier with Secondary Evaporator and Condenser Coils". These and other
internal
components of portable dehumidifier 100 are uniquely arranged so as to
minimize the size and
maximize the effectiveness of portable dehumidifier 100. In some embodiments,
air filter 310
is located inside cabinet 105 adjacent to airflow inlet 110, and fan 117 is
located adjacent to
airflow outlet 115. Fan 117 generates airflow 101 that flows from airflow
inlet 110 to airflow
outlet 115 within cabinet 105. Secondary evaporator 325 is located adjacent to
air filter 310
and receives airflow 101 from air filter 310. Primary evaporator 330 is
located adjacent to
secondary evaporator 325 and receives airflow 101 from secondary evaporator
325. Secondary
condenser 340 is located between primary evaporator 330 and primary condenser
350 and
receives airflow 101 from primary evaporator 330. Primary condenser 350 is
located adjacent
to fan 117 and receives airflow 101 from secondary condenser 340. Compressor
320 may be
located adjacent to front side 106C of cabinet 105 as illustrated. In general,
compressor 320 is
not within airflow 101 in certain embodiments.
FIGURE 3D is a cut-away sectioned view of portable dehumidifier 100, and
FIGURES
3E-3F are cut-away perspective views of cabinet 105. These figures illustrate
various features
of portable dehumidifier 100 for storing and disposing of water extracted from
airflow 101 by
dehumidification system 300. In some embodiments, portable dehumidifier 100
includes drain
pan 360 located at the bottom of cabinet 105 at least partially below
dehumidification system
300. In some embodiments, drain pan 360 is integrally-formed as a part of
cabinet 105. In
other embodiments, drain pan 360 may be a separate drain pan unit that is
coupled to cabinet
105. Drain pan 360, in general, is configured to hold water that is condensed
from
dehumidification system 300.
In some embodiments, portable dehumidifier 100 includes a drain pump 370 is
located
at least partially within drain pan 360. In some embodiments, drain pump 370
is located
adjacent to front side 106C of cabinet 105. In general, drain pump 370 is any
appropriate
electrical pump that is configured to pump water from drain pan 360 and out of
portable
dehumidifier 100 (e.g., via an attached hose).
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In some embodiments, portable dehumidifier 100 includes a drain pan cover 390
that is
located adjacent to front side 106C of cabinet 105. In some embodiments, drain
pan cover 390
is configured to secure drain pump 370 in place. In such embodiments, drain
pan cover 390
may include various features (e.g., indentations, ridges, etc.) that
correspond to various features
of drain pump 370 in order to secure drain pump 370 in place. In some
embodiments, drain
pump 370 may be fastened to drain pan cover 390 using any appropriate
fasteners in order to
secure drain pump 370 in place. In general, drain pan cover 390 covers a front
portion of drain
pan 360 that is adjacent to front side 106C of cabinet 105. This prevents
water that is stored in
drain pan 360 from spilling out of portable dehumidifier 100 when portable
dehumidifier 100
is tilted towards front side 106C during transport.
In some embodiments, portable dehumidifier 100 includes a wall 380 as
illustrated in
FIGURES 3D-3F. In general, wall 380 is located at least partially between
secondary condenser
340 and primary condenser 350. In some embodiments, wall 380 extends from an
inside bottom
surface of cabinet 105 to a height that is less than a height of primary
condenser 350. In some
embodiments, wall 380 is less than one-fourth the height of primary condenser
350. In general,
wall 380 forms at least a portion of drain pan 360 and prevents water from
exiting portable
dehumidifier 100 via airflow outlet 115. As water is removed from airflow 101
via
dehumidification system 300, it falls via gravity to the bottom of cabinet 105
and into drain pan
360 where is may be later removed from portable dehumidifier 100. By having
wall 380 being
integrated into cabinet 105 and forming a portion of drain pan 360, valuable
space may be saved
within portable dehumidifier 100. This further helps reduce the overall size
and footprint of
portable dehumidifier 100.
In some embodiments, wall 380 wraps at least partially around a bottom portion
321 of
compressor 320. This is best illustrated in FIGURE 3D. In addition to helping
secure
compressor 320, this curved feature of wall 380 further helps reduce the
overall size and
footprint of portable dehumidifier 100 by allowing compressor 320 to be moved
closer to the
middle of cabinet 105.
In some embodiments, portable dehumidifier 100 includes features that permit
an
operator to claim ownership of portable dehumidifier 100. For example,
portable dehumidifier
100 may include a computing system (e.g., computer system 1100) and a
communications
interface ( e.g., communication interface 1110) that permits portable
dehumidifier I 00 to
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communicate wirelessly (e.g., Bluetooth, BLE, or Wi-Fi) to another computing
system such as
a smartphone or tablet computer. To claim ownership of portable dehumidifier
100, an operator
may download and install a dedicated application ("app") to their device and
then register for
an account using the app. Once registered with the app, the operator may
establish a wireless
communications link with portable dehumidifier 100 using the communications
interface (e.g.,
connect to portable dehumidifier 100 using Bluetooth) and claim ownership of
portable
dehumidifier 100. Once connected, the operator may view the current
status/performance
history of portable dehumidifier 100 and control various operations of
portable dehumidifier
100. In some embodiments, the purchaser of portable dehumidifier 100 may
associate portable
dehumidifier 100 with a particular company. By using this feature, only
employees of the
particular company may be permitted to connect to portable dehumidifier 100
and view the
current status/performance history of portable dehumidifier 100 and control
the operation of
portable dehumidifier 100.
Although not illustrated, some embodiments of portable dehumidifier 100 may
include
multiple sensors to sense various aspects of airflow 101 and the environment.
For example,
portable dehumidifier 100 may include multiple sensors such as thermometers,
humidistats, and
the like. In some embodiments, portable dehumidifier 100 may include a sensor
to sense
conditions of the ambient air before it is dehumidified by portable
dehumidifier 100. Such a
sensor may be installed anywhere in airflow 101 prior to airflow 101 entering
secondary
evaporator 325 (e.g., anywhere between airflow inlet 110 and secondary
evaporator 325). In
some embodiments, portable dehumidifier 100 may include a sensor to sense
conditions of
airflow 101 as it is exhausted out of airflow outlet 115. Such a sensor may be
installed anywhere
in airflow 101 after airflow 101 exits primary condenser 350 (e.g., anywhere
between primary
condenser 350 and airflow outlet 115). In some embodiments, portable
dehumidifier 100 may
include a sensor to sense the temperature of primary evaporator 330. This
sensor may be
installed anywhere proximate to primary evaporator 330.
FIGURES 4-7G illustrate details of pivoting handle 135 while pivoting handle
135 is in
various positions. In general, pivoting handle 135 may be used to tilt
portable dehumidifier 100
towards it front sidc 106C and then rolled to a new location on wheels 130. In
general, pivoting
handle 135 provides a solution to a collapsible handle that is rigid and is
held in multiple
positions. 'fo operate pivoting handle 135, an operator may push a locking
latch 410 to the side
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(FIGURE 7G) to unlock pivoting handle 135 from its stored position (FIGURE 4
and 7C) and
enable it to pivot upwards toward top side 106A. Once pivoting handle 135 has
been unlocked,
some embodiments of portable dehumidifier 100 utilize a torsion spring (not
illustrated) to pivot
pivoting handle 135 upwards toward the operator. The operator grasps pivoting
handle 135 and
pivots pivoting handle 135 upwards until it stops into an engaged position
(e.g., approximately
fifteen degrees above vertical). The engaged position of pivoting handle 135
is illustrated in
FIGURES 5-6 and 7B. Pivoting handle 135 is locked into its engaged position by
a cam arm
720, described in more detail below. Once pivoting handle 135 is in its
engaged position, the
operator may tilt portable dehumidifier 100 towards fiont side 106C and
transport portable
dehumidifier 100 using wheels 130. Once no longer needed, pivoting handle 135
may be
pivoted downwards and back into its stored position (e.g., flat against back
side 106D). Once
in its stored position, latch 410 automatically rotates to engage pivoting
handle 135 and lock it
in its stored position (FIGURE 7F).
As illustrated in FIGURES 7A-7G, some embodiments of pivoting handle 135
include
a cross member 710, two extension members 715, and a cam arm 720. Cross member
710 is
any appropriate shape that allows for an operator to hold cross member 710
while transporting
portable dehumidifier 100. In some embodiments, cross member 710 includes a
material (e.g.,
paint) or surface design that makes pivoting handle 135 suitable for gripping
by an operator. In
some embodiments, cross member 710 may be attached to extension members 715
using any
appropriate fastener (e.g., screws, bolts, etc.) or may be permanently
attached to extension
members 715 using, for example, welding. Cross member 710, extension members
715, and
cam arm 720 may be made of any appropriate material such as metal or plastic.
In some embodiments, cam arm 720 includes a spring arm 730, a clearance hole
740, an
aperture 755 for a pivot pin 760, and a compression gap 780. Spring arm 730
may include an
indentation 790 and a straight edge 735. Pivot pin 760, which may be any
appropriate fastener
such as a shoulder bolt, is inserted through aperture 755 and into a pivot
plate 750 in order to
secure cam arm 720 to cabinet 105 and to provide a pivot point for cam arm 720
to pivot.
Indentation 790 and straight edge 735 of spring arm 730 engages with a locking
pin 770 at
various times while pivoting handle 135 is being pivoted. Locking pin 770 is
any appropriate
fastener or protrusion coupled to pivot plate 750. In some embodiments, a
bearing 775 is
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coupled to locking pin 770 and is configured to contact spring arm 730 and
rotate about locking
pin 770.
Spring arm 730 may have any appropriate shape to allow cam arm 720 to engage
locking
pin 770 at various points while pivoting handle 135 is pivoting upwards. In
some embodiments,
spring arm 730 is a finger-shaped protrusion as illustrated in FIGURES 4-7G
and includes
indentation 790 at an end of spring arm 730. Indentation 790 is any
appropriate feature at the
end of spring arm 730 to engage with locking pin 770 and lock pivoting handle
135 in its
engaged position (see FIGURE 7B). Compression gap 780 is adjacent to spring
arm 730 and is
located between spring arm 730 and aperture 755. Compression gap 780 is any
appropriate
shaped gap in cam arm 720 that allows spring arm 730 to compress towards pivot
pin 760 and
therefore act as a spring. This provides positive feedback and resistance to
pivoting handle 135
as it is pivoted upwards to it engaged position.
Clearance hole 740 is any gap in cam arm 720 that permits cam arm 720 to clear
locking
pin 770 when pivoting handle 135 is in the stored position (see FIGURE 7C). In
other words,
clearance hole 740 prevents cam arm 720 from contacting locking pin 770 when
pivoting handle
135 is pivoted from its engaged position to its stored position. Clearance
hole 740 may have
any appropriate shape, but is generally larger than locking pin 770. Clearance
hole 740 is
located between an end of extension member 715 and pivot pin 760.
In operation, pivoting handle 135 is typically in the stored position when not
in use (see
.. FIGURE 7C). In the stored position, pivoting handle 135 lays flat against
back side 106D of
cabinet 105. In addition, as illustrated in FIGURE 7C, clearance hole 740
prevents cam arm
720 from contacting locking pin 770 while pivoting handle 135 is in the stored
position. When
an operator desires to move portable dehumidifier 100 to a new location, the
operator may push
locking latch 410 to the side (see FIGURE 7G) to unlock pivoting handle 135
from its stored
.. position and enable pivoting handle 135 to pivot upwards toward top side
106A. The operator
then grasps pivoting handle 135 and pivots pivoting handle 135 upwards. While
pivoting handle
135 is being pivoted upwards, straight edge 735 of spring arm 730 begins
contacting locking
pin 770 (see FIGURE 7D). This permits spring arm 730 to slide along locking
pin 770. While
sliding along locking pin 770, spring arm 730 begins compressing into
compression gap 780.
This spring action of spring arm 730 provides positive feedback and resistance
to pivoting
handle 135 during pivoting. Once pivoting handle 135 is pivoted upwards
further, indentation
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790 will engage locking pin 770. This stops the pivoting of pivoting handle
135 and locks
pivoting handle 135 into its engaged position (see FIGURE 7E). At the engaged
position,
indentation 790 of spring arm 730 provides enough holding strength to hold up
the weight of
pivoting handle 135 without requiring the operator to hold up pivoting handle
135. In addition,
the spring action of spring arm 730 and the shape of indentation 790 allows
pivoting handle 135
to "pop" into its engaged position. This provides confirmation to the operator
that pivoting
handle 135 has been sufficiently pivoted into the engaged position. Once
pivoting handle 135
is in its engaged position, the operator may tilt portable dehumidifier 100
towards front side
106C and transport portable dehumidifier 100 using wheels 130. Once no longer
needed,
pivoting handle 135 may be pivoted downwards and back into its stored position
(e.g., flat
against back side 106D). Once in its stored position, latch 410 automatically
rotates to engage
pivoting handle 135 and lock it in its stored position (see FIGURE 7F).
FIGURES 8A-8D illustrate a wheel mounting bracket assembly 810 of portable
dehumidifier 100, according to certain embodiments. In general, certain
embodiments of
portable dehumidifier 100 utilize two unique wheel mounting bracket assemblies
810 that
enable wheels 130 to be mounted partially within and very close to cabinet 105
of portable
dehumidifier 100. For example, wheels 130 may be partially covered by skirts
131 as illustrated
in FIGI TRES 1-2. Skirts 131 maybe, for example, integrally-formed portions of
cabinet 105 or
may be separate components that are coupled to cabinet 105 during assembly.
This increases
the compactness and ruggedness of portable dehumidifier 100. FIGURE 8A
provides a cut-
away view of cabinet 105 showing how wheel mounting bracket assembly 810 is
coupled to
cabinet 105 in some embodiments. FIGURR 8B provides an isolated view of wheel
mounting
bracket assembly 810 and a wheel 130 that is coupled to wheel mounting bracket
assembly 810
using an axle 805. FIGURES 8C-8D, which are discussed in more detail below,
provide more
details on specific embodiments of wheel mounting bracket assembly 810.
As illustrated in FIGURES 8C-8D, some embodiments of wheel mounting bracket
assembly 810 include an inside member 820, an outside member 830, a bottom
member 840,
and a top member 865. Inside member 820 is installed proximate to one of the
sides of cabinet
105 and is closer to the interior of cabinet 105 than outside member 830. In
some embodiments,
inside member 820 includes a first axle aperture 870 that is configured to
accept one end of axle
805. Axle 805 is generally configured to secure one of wheels 130 to cabinet
105.
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In some embodiments, bottom member 840 is coupled to an end of inside member
820
that is opposite from top member 865. When wheel mounting bracket assembly 810
is installed
in portable dehumidifier 100, bottom member 840 contacts a portion of bottom
side 106B of
cabinet 105. In some embodiments, bottom member 840 includes one or more
mounting
.. apertures 845 that are configured to permit one or more fasteners to couple
wheel mounting
bracket assembly 810 to bottom side 106B of cabinet 105. For example, some
embodiments of
bottom member 840 include two mounting apertures 845 that permit two fasteners
(e.g., screws
or bolts) to couple wheel mounting bracket assembly 810 to cabinet 105.
In some embodiments, top member 865 couples inside member 820 to outside
member
830. In some embodiments, top member 865 includes one or more locating pins
860 that are
configured to be inserted into one or more locating apertures (not
illustrated) in cabinet 105.
For example, some embodiments of wheel mounting bracket assembly 810 include
two threaded
locating pins 860 (e.g., bolts, screws, or pins that are otherwise coupled to
top member 865) that
may be inserted into locating apertures of cabinet 105. The locating apertures
may be any
appropriate receptacle for locating pins 860 and function to align and secure
wheel mounting
bracket assembly 810 within cabinet 105. In some embodiments, top member 865
is two
separate portions: one portion that is coupled to an end of inside member 820
that is opposite to
bottom member 840, and a second portion that is coupled to an end of outside
member 830 that
is opposite second axle aperture 835. In such embodiments, wheel mounting
bracket assembly
810 is formed from two separate pieces that are welded or otherwise coupled
together: inside
member 820 and outside member 830. In other embodiments, wheel mounting
bracket
assembly 810 is a single bracket that is formed from a single piece of metal.
An example of
such embodiments is discussed below in reference to FIGURES 9A-913.
In some embodiments, wheel mounting bracket assembly 810 includes an outside
member 830 that is closer to an outside of cabinet 105 with respect to inside
member 820 when
wheel mounting bracket assembly 810 is installed in cabinet 105. In some
embodiments,
outside member 830 includes a second axle aperture 835 that is configured to
accept another
end of axle 805. In some embodiments, outside member 830 includes a weld nut
850 coupled
to an outside surface of outside member 830 as illustrated. Weld nut 850 may
be used to secure
axle 805 and may include a threaded aperture that is aligned with second axle
aperture 835. In
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some embodiments, outside member 830 is shorter than inside member 820 as
illustrated in the
figures.
In some embodiments, wheel mounting bracket assembly 810 includes multiple
gussets
880. For example, some embodiments include one or more first gussets 880 that
are located at
an edge between inside member 820 and bottom member 840, one or more second
gussets 880
that are located at an edge between inside member 820 and top member 865, and
one or more
third gussets 880 that are located at an edge between outside member 830 and
top member 865.
In general, gussets 880 give strength and structural support to the various
members of wheel
mounting bracket assembly 810.
FIGURES 9A-9B illustrate a wheel mounting bracket 910 according to certain
embodiments. In general, wheel mounting bracket 910 is similar to wheel
mounting bracket
assembly 810. However, unlike wheel mounting bracket assembly 810 which may be
formed
from two separate pieces of metal that are coupled together at top member 865,
wheel mounting
bracket 910 may be formed from a single piece of metal. This may provide for
lower material
and assembly costs for portable dehumidifier 100.
FIGURE 10 illustrates a fan control method 1000 that may be used by portable
dehumidifier 100, according to certain embodiments. In general, fan control
method 1000
provides for a unique method for controlling the speed of fan 117_ For each
ambient
temperature, there is a minimum temperature difference between the exhaust
temperature and
the ambient temperature that portable dehumidifier 100 will try to maintain by
adjusting the
speed of fan 117. If the temperature difference falls below the minimum
allowed at that ambient
temperature, portable dehumidifier 100 will slow the speed of fan 117 to
maintain the
temperature difference. A particular embodiment of fan control method 1000 is
discussed in
more detail below in reference to the flow chart illustrated in FIGURE 10.
At step 1002, which is an optional step in some embodiments, method 1000 turns
on
compressor 320. At step 1004, which may also be an optional step in some
embodiments,
method 1000 sets the speed of fan 117 to a default fan spced. In some
embodiments, the default
fan speed may be a maximum fan speed, a minimum fan speed, a fan speed
associated with a
quiet-mode of portable dehumidifier 100, or any other fan speed between the
minimum and
maximum fan speed. At step 1006, which may also be an optional step in some
embodiments,
method 1000 waits a fu st predetermined amount of time. In some embodiments,
the first
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predetermined amount of time may be zero seconds or less, greater than zero
seconds but less
than or equal to five minutes, or greater than five minutes but less than or
equal to ten minutes.
After step 1006, method 1000 may proceed to step 1010.
At step 1010, method 1000 performs a first step of obtaining an ambient
temperature,
obtaining an exhaust temperature, and calculating or otherwise obtaining a
delta temperature
which is a difference between the ambient temperature and the exhaust
temperature. In some
embodiments, the ambient temperature is obtained from a temperature sensor
located anywhere
within airflow 101 prior to dehumidification system 300, and the exhaust
temperature is
obtained from a temperature sensor located anywhere within airflow 101 after
dehumidification
.. system 300.
After step 1010, method 1000 may proceed to step 1020 where the delta
temperature of
step 1010 is compared to a predetermined delta temperature range. If the delta
temperature of
step 1010 is within the delta temperature range, method may proceed to step
1025. Otherwise,
if the delta temperature is not within the delta temperature range, method
1000 may proceed to
step 1030. In some embodiments, step 1020 includes determining whether the
delta temperature
of step 1010 is greater than or equal to 20 degrees Fahrenheit (plus or minus
10%) and less than
or equal to 23 degrees Fahrenheit (plus or minus 10%). In some embodiments,
the delta
temperature range is a predetermined a constant range. In other embodiments,
the delta
temperature range is a variable range based on the ambient temperature.
At step 1025, method 1000 waits a second predetermined amount of time. The
second
predetermined amount of time may be, for example, zero seconds or less,
greater than zero
seconds but less than or equal to one minute, greater than one minute but less
than or equal to
five minutes, or greater than five minutes.- After step 1025, method 1000
proceeds back to step
1010.
At step 1030, method 1000 performs a second step ofdetermining an adjusted fan
speed
using the delta temperature of step 1010. In some embodiments, determining the
adjusted fan
speed using the delta temperature of this step includes calculating an
adjusted delta by
subtracting a target delta constant from the delta temperature of step 1010
and then calculating
the adjusted fan speed by multiplying the adjusted delta by a fan unit
constant. The target delta
constant may be, for example 21.5 degrees Fahrenheit (plus or minus 20%). In
some
embodiments, the fan unit constant is a number of fan units per degree
Fahrenheit (e.g., three
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fan units per degree Fahrenheit). The fan units may correspond to a number of
rotations per
minute (RPM) or cubic feet per minute (CFM).
After step 1030, method 1000 may proceed to step 1040 where portable
dehumidifier
100 determines whether an evaporator temperature is less than a predetermined
temperature. In
some embodiments, the evaporator temperature is a measurement ofthe
temperature of primary
evaporator 330 and is performed by any appropriate temperature sensor located
proximate to
primary evaporator 330. In some embodiments, the predetermined temperature is
the water/ice
point (i.e., 32 degrees Fahrenheit). If the evaporator temperature is not less
than the
predetermined temperature, method 1000 proceeds to step 1060. However, if the
evaporator
temperature is less than the predetermined temperature, method 1000 proceeds
to step 1050.
At step 1050, method 1000 determines if the adjusted fan speed determined in
step 1040
is positive (i.e., faster) or negative (i.e., slower) with respect to the
current fan speed. If the
adjusted fan speed is positive, method 1000 proceeds to step 1060. If the
adjusted fan speed is
negative or identical, method 1000 proceeds back to step 1010.
At step 1060, method 1000 performs a third step of setting the speed of fan
117 to the
adjusted fan speed determined in step 1030. After step 1060, method 1000
proceeds to step
1025 where method 1000 waits the second predetermined amount of time before
proceeding
back to step 1010.
Particular embodiments may repeat one or more steps of the method of FIGURE
10,
where appropriate. Although this disclosure describes and illustrates
particular steps of the
method of FIGURE 10 as occurring in a particular order, this disclosure
contemplates any
suitable steps of the method of FIGURE 10 occurring in any suitable order.
Moreover, although
this disclosure describes and illustrates particular components, devices, or
systems carrying out
particular steps of the method of FIGURE 10, this disclosure contemplates any
suitable
combination of any suitable components, devices, or systems carrying out any
suitable steps of
the method of FIGURE 10 (including computer system 1100 described below).
FIGURE 11 illustrates an example computer system 1100. In particular
embodiments,
one or more computer systems 1100 perform one or more steps of one or more
methods
described or illustrated herein. In particular embodiments, one or more
computer systems 1100
provide functionality described or illustrated herein. In particular
embodiments, software
running on one or more computer systems 11 00 performs one or more steps of
one or more
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methods described or illustrated herein or provides functionality described or
illustrated herein.
Particular embodiments include one or more portions of one or more computer
systems 1100.
Herein, reference to a computer system may encompass a computing device, and
vice versa,
where appropriate. Moreover, reference to a computer system may encompass one
or more
computer systems, where appropriate.
This disclosure contemplates any suitable number of computer systems 1100.
This
disclosure contemplates computer system 1100 taking any suitable physical
form. As example
and not by way of limitation, computer system 1100 may be an embedded computer
system, a
system-on-chip (Sac), a single-board computer system (SBC) (such as, for
example, a
computer-on-module (COM) or system-on-module (SOM)), a desktop computer
system, a
laptop or notebook computer system, an interactive kiosk, a mainframe, a mesh
of computer
systems, a mobile telephone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a server, a
tablet computer
system, an augmented/virtual reality device, or a combination of two or more
of these. Where
appropriate, computer system 1100 may include one or more computer systems
1100; be unitary
or distributed; span multiple locations; span multiple machines; span multiple
data centers; or
reside in a cloud, which may include one or more cloud components in one or
more networks.
Where appropriate, one or more computer systems 1100 may perform without
substantial spatial
or temporal limitation one or more steps of one or more methods described or
illustrated herein_
As an example and not by way of limitation, one or more computer systems 1100
may perform
in real time or in batch mode one or more steps of one or morc methods
described or illustrated
herein. One or more computer systems 1100 may perform at different times or at
different
locations one or more steps of one or more methods described or illustrated
herein, where
appropriate.
In particular embodiments, computer system 1100 includes a processor 1102,
memory
1104, storage 1106, an input/output (I/O) interface 1108, a communication
interface 1110, and
a bus 1112. Although this disclosure describes and illustrates a particular
computer system
having a particular number of particular components in a particular
arrangement, this disclosure
contemplates any suitable computer system having any suitable number of any
suitable
components in any suitable arrangement.
In particular embodiments, processor 1102 includes hardware for executing
instructions,
such as those making up a computer program. As an example and not by way of
limitation, to
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execute instructions, processor 1102 may retrieve (or fetch) the instructions
from an internal
register, an internal cache, memory 1104, or storage 1106; decode and execute
them; and then
write one or more results to an internal register, an internal cache, memory
1104, or storage
1106. In particular embodiments, processor 1102 may include one or more
internal caches for
data, instructions, or addresses. This disclosure contemplates processor 1102
including any
suitable number of any suitable internal caches, where appropriate. As an
example and not by
way of limitation, processor 1102 may include one or more instruction caches,
one or more data
caches, and one or more translation lookaside buffers (TLBs). Instructions in
the instruction
caches may be copies of instructions in memory 1104 or storage 1106, and the
instruction caches
may speed up retrieval of those instructions by processor 1102. Data in the
data caches may be
copies of data in memory 1104 or storage 1106 for instructions executing at
processor 1102 to
operate on; the results of previous instructions executed at processor 1102
for access by
subsequent instructions executing at processor 1102 or for writing to memory
1104 or storage
1106; or other suitable data. The data caches may speed up read or write
operations by processor
1102. The TLBs may speed up virtual-address translation for processor 1102. In
particular
embodiments, processor 1102 may include one or more internal registers for
data, instructions,
or addresses. This disclosure contemplates processor 1102 including any
suitable number of any
suitablc internal registers, where appropriate. Where appropriate, processor
1102 may include
one or more arithmetic logic units (ALUs); be a multi-core processor; or
include one or more
processors 1102. Although this disclosure describes and illustrates a
particular processor, this
disclosure contemplates any suitable processor.
In particular embodiments, memory 1104 includes main memory for storing
instructions
fbr processor 1102 to execute or data for processor 1102 to operate on. As an
example and not
by way oflimitation, computer system 1100 may load instructions from storage
1106 or another
source (such as, for example, another computer system 1100) to memory 1104.
Processor 1102
may then load the instructions from memory 1104 to an internal register or
internal cache. To
execute the instructions, processor 1102 may retrieve the instructions from
the internal register
or internal cache and decode them. During or after execution of the
instructions, processor 1102
may writc one or more results (which may be intermediate or final results) to
the internal register
or internal cache. Processor 1102 may then write one or more of those results
to memory 1104.
In particular embodiments, processor 1102 executes only instructions in one or
more internal
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registers or internal caches or in memory 1104 (as opposed to storage 1106 or
elsewhere) and
operates only on data in one or more internal registers or internal caches or
in memory 1104 (as
opposed to storage 1106 or elsewhere). One or more memory buses (which may
each include
an address bus and a data bus) may couple processor 11 02 to memory 1104. Bus
1112 may
include one or more memory buses, as described below. In particular
embodiments, one or more
memory management units (MMUs) reside between processor 1102 and memory 1104
and
facilitate accesses to memory 1104 requested by processor 1102. In particular
embodiments,
memory 1104 includes random access memory (RAM). This RAM may be volatile
memory,
where appropriate. Where appropriate, this RAM may be dynamic RAM (DRAM) or
static
RAM (SRAM). Moreover, where appropriate, this RAM may be single-ported or
multi-ported
RAM. This disclosure contemplates any suitable RAM. Memory 1104 may include
one or more
memories 1104, where appropriate. Although this disclosure describes and
illustrates particular
memory, this disclosure contemplates any suitable memory.
In particular embodiments, storage 1106 includes mass storage for data or
instructions.
As an example and not by way of limitation, storage 1106 may include a hard
disk drive (HDD),
a floppy disk drive, flash memory, an optical disc, a magneto-optical disc,
magnetic tape, or a
Universal Serial Bus (USB) drive or a combination of two or more of these.
Storage 1106 may
include removable or non-removable (or fixed) media, where appropriate.
Storage 1106 may he
internal or external to computer system 1100, where appropriate. In particular
embodiments,
storage 1106 is non-volatile, solid-state memory. In particular embodiments,
storage 1106
includes read-only memory (ROM). Where appropriate, this ROM may be mask-
programmed
ROM, programmable ROM (PROM), erasable PROM (EPROM), electrically erasable
PROM
(EEPROM), electrically alterable ROM (EAROM), or flash memory or a combination
of two
or more of these. This disclosure contemplates mass storage 1106 taking any
suitable physical
.. form. Storage 1106 may include one or more storage control units
facilitating communication
between processor 1102 and storage 1106, where appropriate. Where appropriate,
storage 1106
may include one or more storages 1106. Although this disclosure describes and
illustrates
particular storage, this disclosure contemplates any suitable storage.
In particular embodiments, I/O interface 1108 includes hardware, software, or
both,
providing one or more interfaces for communication between computer system
1100 and one
or more I/O devices. Computer system 1100 may include one or more of these I/O
devices,
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where appropriate. One or more of these I/O devices may enable communication
between a
person and computer system 1100. As an example and not by way of limitation,
an I/O device
may include a keyboard, keypad, microphone, monitor, mouse, printer, scanner,
speaker, still
camera, stylus, tablet, touch screen, trackball, video camera, another
suitable I/O device or a
combination of two or more of these. An I/O device may include one or more
sensors. This
disclosure contemplates any suitable I/O devices and any suitable I/O
interfaces 1108 for them.
Where appropriate, I/O interface 1108 may include one or more device or
software drivers
enabling processor 1102 to drive one or more of these I/O devices. I/O
interface 1108 may
include one or more I/O interfaces 1108, where appropriate. Although this
disclosure describes
.. and illustrates a particular I/O interface, this disclosure contemplates
any suitable I/0 interface.
In particular embodiments, communication interface 1110 includes hardware,
software,
or both providing one or more interfaces for communication (such as, for
example, packet-based
communication) between computer system 1100 and one or more other computer
systems 1100
or one or more networks. As an example and not by way of limitation,
communication interface
1110 may include a network interface controller (NIC) or network adapter for
communicating
with an Ethernet or other wire-based network or a wireless NIC (WNIC) or
wireless adapter for
communicating with a wireless network, such as a WI-Fl network. This
disclosure contemplates
any suitable network and any suitable communication interface 1110 for it. As
an example and
not by way of limitation, computer system 1100 may communicate with an ad hoc
network, a
personal area network (PAN), a local area network (LAN), a wide area network
(WAN), a
metropolitan area network (MAN), or one or more portions of the Internet or a
combination of
two or more of these. One or more portions of one or more of these networks
may be wired or
wireless. As an example, computer system 1100 may communicate with a wireless
PAN
(WPAN) (such as, for example, a BLUETOOTH WPAN), a WI-Fl network, a WI-MAX
.. network, a cellular telephone network (such as, for example, a Global
System for Mobile
Communications (GSM) network), or other suitable wireless network or a
combination of two
or more of these. Computer systcm 1100 may include any suitable communication
interface ,
1110 for any of these networks, where appropriate. Communication interface
1110 may include
one or more communication interfaces 1110, where appropriate. Although this
disclosure
describes and illustrates a particular communication interface, this
disclosure contemplates any
suitable communication interface.
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In particular embodiments, bus 1112 includes hardware, software, or both
coupling
components of computer system 1100 to each other. As an example and not by way
of
limitation, bus 1112 may include an Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) or other
graphics bus, an
Enhanced Industry Standard Architecture (EISA) bus, a front-side bus (FSB), a
HYPERTRANSPORT (HT) interconnect, an Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) bus,
an
INFINIBAND interconnect, a low-pin-count (LPC) bus, a memory bus, a Micro
Channel
Architecture (MCA) bus, a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI)bus, a PCI-
Express (PCIe)
bus, a serial advanced technology attachment (SATA) bus, a Video Electronics
Standards
Association local (VLB) bus, or another suitable bus or a combination of two
or more of these.
Bus 1112 may include one or more buses 1112, where appropriate. Although this
disclosure
describes and illustrates a particular bus, this disclosure contemplates any
suitable bus or
interconnect.
Herein, a computer-readable non-transitory storage medium or media may include
one
or more semiconductor-based or other integrated circuits (ICs) (such, as for
example, field-
programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) or application-specific ICs (ASICs)), hard
disk drives
(HDDs), hybrid hard drives (HHDs), optical discs, optical disc drives (ODDs),
magneto-optical
discs, magneto-optical drives, floppy diskettes, floppy disk drives (FDDs),
magnetic tapes,
solid-state drives (SSDs), RAM-drives, SECURE DIGITAL cards or drives, any
other suitable
computer-readable non-transitory storage media, or any suitable combination of
two or more of
these, where appropriate. A computer-readable non-transitory storage medium
may be volatile,
non-volatile, or a combination of volatile and non-volatile, where
appropriate.
Herein, "or" is inclusive and not exclusive, unless expressly indicated
otherwise or
indicated otherwise by context. Therefore, herein, "A or B" means "A, B, or
both," unless
expressly indicated otherwise or indicated otherwise by context. Moreover,
"and" is both joint
and several, unless expressly indicated otherwise or indicated otherwise by
context. Therefore,
herein, "A and B" means "A and B, jointly or severally," unless expressly
indicated otherwise
or indicated otherwise by context.
The scope of this disclosure encompasses all changes, substitutions,
variations,
alterations, and modifications to the example embodiments described or
illustrated herein that
a person having ordinary skill in the art would comprehend. The scope of this
disclosure is not
limited to the example embodiments described or illustrated herein. Moreover,
although this
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25
disclosure describes and illustrates respective embodiments herein as
including particular
components, elements, feature, functions, operations, or steps, any of these
embodiments may
include any combination or permutation of any of the components, elements,
features, functions,
operations, or steps described or illustrated anywhere herein that a person
having ordinary skill
in the art would comprehend. Furthermore, reference in the appended claims to
an apparatus or
system or a component of an apparatus or system being adapted to, arranged to,
capable of,
configured to, enabled to, operable to, or operative to perform a particular
function encompasses
that apparatus, system, component, whether or not it or that particular
function is activated,
turned on, or unlocked, as long as that apparatus, system, or component is so
adapted, arranged,
capable, configured, enabled, operable, or operative. Additionally, although
this disclosure
describes or illustrates particular embodiments as providing particular
advantages, particular
embodiments may provide none, some, or all of these advantages.
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