Heights man receives patent for system to help computers save energy

A Heights man received a U.S. patent this week for a computer energy-saving system he and a research partner developed for Hewlett-Packard.

According to the patent, the system is designed to help a computer automatically adjust the amount of memory it is using in order to reduce the amount of energy or undesirable heat it is generating. The inventors claim this could result in significant savings for facilities that use large numbers of computers, such as server centers. It also would reduce damage to computers from overheating.

The patent lists the system's inventors as Darren J. Cepulis of the Heights area of Houston and Vincent Nguyen, also of Houston. The patent's official number is 7,873,850 and it was originally filed on Oct. 11, 2006. HP owns the patent.

While its international headquarters is in Palo Alto, California, HP's Houston offices serve as the nerve center of its U.S. division. They are located in the Cy-Fair area at 20555 SH 249.