Thermal structures for thermal mitigation

Abstract

The present invention relates to thermal structures for thermal mitigation. Embodiments of thermal structures for thermal mitigation are described. For example, the thermal structure provides a multilayer structure for optimizing heat diffusion and dissipation and wireless performance of wireless devices. For example, the thermal structure is installed inside the wireless device adjacent to various internal components to absorb heat generated by the components and dissipate heat. According to various embodiments, the thermal structure is implemented as a thermally conductive layer surrounded by a layer of conductive material. Conductive vias can be formed through the thermally conductive layer and form electrical connections between different conductive layers to mitigate current in the thermally conductive layer.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to thermal structures for thermal mitigation. Background Art

[0002] Devices such as smart devices, wireless devices (e.g., cell phones and tablet devices), consumer electronics, etc. can be implemented for a wide range of industries and a variety of different applications. Many of these devices can be configured for wireless cellular communications, such as GSM / 2G, UMTS / 3G, and LTE / 4G, which are expanding to include multiple communication bands and modulation schemes. In addition, fifth generation (5G) cellular network technology is being implemented to accommodate millimeter wave (mmW) frequencies and provide faster data downloads and greater network reliability. In addition to wireless cellular communications, modern wireless devices can utilize a variety of other types of wireless technologies, such as Bluetooth TM , WiFi TM , Near Field Communication (NFC), etc.

[0003] The antenna configurations in these devices are designed to accommodate multiple transmit and receive antennas to exploit multipath propagation, particularly in the mmNR bands (new radio frequency range, including bands in the millimeter wave range between 24-100GHz). For 5G antenna configurations, the resulting heat loads can be significant, exceeding the operating temperature range of the device components and exceeding the user's comfort level in holding and using the device. Typically, these 5G devices are implemented for higher data rates and faster communication performance, and the antenna modules can reach their thermal specification limits in a very short period of time, resulting in the need for some form of thermal mitigation or device shutdown.

[0004] Some techniques have been developed to try to manage thermal conditions in these devices, such as by using heat sinks or heat sinks to direct and distribute heat across the device. However, these techniques typically use materials that exhibit lossy conductive properties and are prone to introducing radio frequency (RF) diffraction when implemented near the antenna. 2 R) losses and other problematic effects of reduced RF efficiency and therefore increased RF power requirements on the device. Summary of the invention

[0005] The present invention relates to a wireless device, comprising: a device housing having internal components located in the device housing, the internal components including one or more antennas; and a thermal structure, the thermal structure being positioned within the device housing to dissipate at least a portion of the heat generated by the internal components, the thermal structure comprising: a thermally conductive layer formed of a first material; a first conductive layer formed of a second material and adhered to a first surface of the thermally conductive layer, the first conductive layer having a thickness at least corresponding to a skin depth of the second material, and the second material having an electrical conductivity greater than that of the first material; a second conductive layer adhered to a second surface of the thermally conductive layer opposite to the first surface of the thermally conductive layer; and one or more conductive vias, the one or more conductive vias passing through the thermally conductive layer and forming a conductive connection between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer.

[0006] The present invention also relates to a thermal structure for heat dissipation, comprising: a thermally conductive layer, the thermally conductive layer being formed of a first material; a first electrically conductive layer, the first electrically conductive layer being formed of a second material and being adhered to a first surface of the thermally conductive layer, the first electrically conductive layer having a thickness at least corresponding to a skin depth of the second material, and the second material having an electrical conductivity greater than that of the first material; a second electrically conductive layer, the second electrically conductive layer being adhered to a second surface of the thermally conductive layer opposite to the first surface of the thermally conductive layer; and one or more electrically conductive vias, the one or more electrically conductive vias passing through the thermally conductive layer and forming an electrically conductive connection between the first electrically conductive layer and the second electrically conductive layer.

[0007] The present invention also relates to a method for producing a thermal structure, comprising: adhering a first conductive layer formed of a first material to a first surface of a thermally conductive layer formed of a second material, the first conductive layer having a thickness corresponding at least to a skin depth of the first material, and the first material having an electrical conductivity greater than that of the second material; adhering a second conductive layer to a second surface of the thermally conductive layer opposite to the first surface of the thermally conductive layer; and forming one or more conductive vias to pass through the thermally conductive layer and form a conductive connection between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] Embodiments of thermal structural techniques for thermal mitigation are described with reference to the following drawings. The same numbers throughout the text may be used to reference similar features and components shown in the figures:

[0009] Figure 1 An environment is shown in which techniques for thermal structures for thermal mitigation may be used in accordance with one or more implementations of the techniques described herein.

[0010] Figure 2A thermal structure is shown removed and separated from a wireless device and other components of the wireless device according to one or more implementations of the techniques described herein.

[0011] Figure 3 An enlarged view of a cross-section of a thermal structure is shown in accordance with one or more implementations of the technology described herein.

[0012] Figure 4 A cross-sectional portion of a cross-section of a thermal structure is shown.

[0013] Figure 5 A cross section of another example embodiment of a heating structure is shown.

[0014] Figure 6 A cross section of another example embodiment of a heating structure is shown.

[0015] Figure 7 An example method of manufacturing a thermal structure according to one or more implementations of the technology described herein is shown.

[0016] Figure 8 Various components of an example device that may be used to implement techniques of thermal structures for thermal mitigation as described herein are shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0017] Embodiments of thermal structures for thermal mitigation are described, and techniques are provided to not only address heat generated by components of wireless devices (e.g., components of 5G wireless devices), but also manage and improve radio frequency (RF) performance that may be impacted by conventional thermal mitigation techniques. For example, the thermal structure provides a multi-layer structure that optimizes heat diffusion and dissipation and wireless performance of the wireless device. For example, the thermal structure is installed inside the wireless device adjacent to various internal components to absorb heat generated by the components and diffuse and dissipate the heat.

[0018] According to various embodiments, the thermal structure is implemented as a thermally conductive layer surrounded by a conductive material layer. Typically, the conductive layer optimizes wireless performance by alleviating RF absorption and distortion that may be caused by wireless signals contacting the thermally conductive layer. For example, the outer conductive layer of the thermal structure forms a high impedance surface that minimizes the coupling of the RF signal to the surface, forming a "reflection" surface that alleviates RF absorption and enables the wireless signal to be received and transmitted more freely by adjacent antennas. In addition, the thermally conductive layer is formed by a thermally conductive material that promotes heat diffusion across the thermal structure and makes the heat generated by the components of the wireless device more easily dissipated. Conductive vias passing through the thermally conductive layer can be formed and electrical connections are formed between different conductive layers to short-circuit the conductive layer and alleviate the flow of current in the thermally conductive layer. Typically, this reduces the signal loss that may be caused by signal absorption in the thermally conductive layer.

[0019] While the features and concepts of thermal structures for thermal mitigation may be implemented in any number of different devices, systems, environments, and / or configurations, embodiments of thermal structures for thermal mitigation are described in the context of the following example devices, systems, and methods.

[0020] Figure 1 An environment 100 in which thermal structural techniques for thermal mitigation may be used is shown. The environment 100 includes a wireless device 102 held by a user 104. In general, the wireless device 102 may be implemented in a variety of different ways, such as a smartphone, a tablet device, a laptop computer, a wearable computing device (e.g., a smart watch or a fitness tracker), etc. However, these examples should not be construed as limiting, and the wireless device 102 may be implemented in a variety of different ways and form factors. Figure 8 Other example attributes of the wireless device 102 are discussed in detail in connection with device 800 .

[0021] The environment 100 also shows an interior view 106 of the wireless device 102 after a surface portion 108 of the wireless device 102 is removed. For example, the surface portion 108 represents a cover, such as a back cover, of the wireless device 102. The interior view 106 makes various internal components of the wireless device 102 visible. For example, the internal components include an imaging component 110, a battery 112, and an antenna 114. For example, the imaging component 110 represents functionality for capturing images and / or light-related phenomena, and may include a lens, a light source, a light sensor, etc. The battery 112 represents a power source for the wireless device 102, and the antenna 114 represents functionality for transmitting and receiving wireless signals, such as part of 5G wireless cellular communications. Although a single antenna is specifically mentioned here, it should be understood that the wireless device 102 will typically include multiple different antennas positioned in different areas inside the wireless device 102.

[0022] The internal components of the wireless device 102 further include a heat sink and dissipation structure (“thermal structure”) 116 that represents the function of spreading and dissipating heat generated by the various components of the wireless device 102. In this particular example, the thermal structure 116 surrounds the various components of the wireless device 102 in order to minimize interference with the operation of the components. For example, Figure 2 The thermal structure 116 is shown removed and separated from the wireless device 102 and other components of the wireless device 102. Figure 2As shown, the thermal structure 116 includes cavities 200a, 200b, and 200c. Generally, cavity 200 represents a void (e.g., a hole and / or cutout) in the thermal structure 116 that can accommodate components of the wireless device 102. For example, cavity 200a is positioned to accommodate the imaging component 110, cavity 200b is positioned to accommodate the battery 112, and cavity 200c is positioned to accommodate the antenna 114. These cavities are presented for exemplary purposes only, and it should be understood that embodiments of the thermal structure described herein may include a variety of different cavities and may be implemented in a variety of different configurations to accommodate many different device designs and configurations.

[0023] return Figure 1 , environment 100 further illustrates a cross section 118 (eg, a side cross section) of thermal structure 116. For example, cross section 118 is taken from a portion of a side region 120 of thermal structure 116. Cross section 118 illustrates various structural features of the thermal structure, examples of which will be detailed in subsequent discussion.

[0024] Figure 3 An enlarged view of a cross-section 118 of the thermal structure 116 is shown. In this particular example, the thermal structure 116 includes a conductive layer 300a and a conductive layer 300b and a thermally conductive layer 302 therebetween. In general, the conductive layer 300 can be formed of any suitable conductive material, such as copper (Cu), aluminum (Al), silver (Ag), gold (Au), etc. In addition, the thermally conductive layer 302 can be formed of any suitable material that exhibits a desired thermal conductivity, such as graphite and / or other suitable carbon-based materials. The conductive layer 300 can be adhered to the thermally conductive layer 302 using any suitable lamination technique, such as electroplating, adhesives, physical vapor deposition (PVD), etc. In addition, the conductive layer 300 and the thermally conductive layer 302 are positioned parallel to each other.

[0025] The cross section 118 further illustrates vias 304a and vias 304b, which represent conductive connectors connecting the conductive layers 300a, 300b across the thermally conductive layer 302. In at least one embodiment, the vias 304 represent conductive materials placed in perforations in the thermally conductive layer 302 and extending perpendicular to the conductive layer 300. For example, the vias 304 are formed of the same material as the conductive layer 300 and act to short the conductive layer 300 to relieve (e.g., prevent) current in the thermally conductive layer 302. In general, by relieving current in the thermally conductive layer 302, the wireless performance of the wireless device 102 is enhanced compared to conventional thermal mitigation techniques. For example, the cross section 118 illustrates an antenna portion 306, which represents a cross section of the antenna 114. In this particular example, the antenna 114 is positioned within the cavity 200c and is coplanar with the thermal structure 116. However, this is not intended to be limiting, and the embodiments described herein may utilize a variety of different positional relationships between internal components of the wireless device (e.g., antenna 114) and the thermal structure.

[0026] Cross section 118 further illustrates an adhesive layer 308 adhered to conductive layer 300b and that may be used to adhere thermal structure 116 to the wireless device. For example, adhesive layer 308 is used to adhere and achieve good thermal contact between thermal structure 116 and internal components of wireless device 102, such as to enable thermal conduction from the internal components to travel across the adhesive layer to other layers of thermal structure 116. However, this is not intended to be limiting, and other attachment techniques may additionally or alternatively be employed, such as mechanical attachment, magnetic attachment, pastes, etc.

[0027] To enhance the wireless performance of the antenna 114 and / or other wireless components of the wireless device 102, the dimensions of various structural features of the thermal structure 116 are optimized. For example, consider a cross-sectional portion 400 showing the cross-section 118. Figure 4 The cross-sectional portion 400 illustrates various dimensions of the thermal structure 116 , including a thickness 402 of the electrically conductive layer 300 a , a thickness 404 of the thermally conductive layer 302 , a thickness 406 of the electrically conductive layer 300 b , and a thickness 408 of the adhesive layer 308 .

[0028] In at least one embodiment, the thickness 402 of the conductive layer 300a is specified based on the skin depth of the material used to form the conductive layer 300a. Generally, the "skin depth" of a material refers to the depth from the surface of the material through which current tends to flow. For example, when a current of a certain frequency is applied to a material, the outer surface of the material tends to have a higher current density, and the current density decreases as the distance from the surface increases. Except for the skin depth from the surface of a particular material, little or no current is observed. Therefore, the thickness 402 of the conductive layer 300a can be specified based on the skin depth of the corresponding material to optimize the current flowing along the conductive layer 300a and prevent the current from an external source (e.g., a received wireless signal) from contacting the thermally conductive layer 302. Generally, this alleviates signal loss that may occur based on the absorption of the wireless signal by the thermally conductive layer 302.

[0029] One example approach for determining the skin depth of a material uses the equation:

[0030]

[0031] in:

[0032] δ = skin depth

[0033] ρ = material resistivity of the conductive material

[0034] μ o = Magnetic permeability of free space = 4πx 10 -7

[0035] μ r =Relative magnetic permeability of conductive material

[0036] f=frequency of the current, for example, the frequency of the wireless signal received at the wireless device 102 .

[0037] In at least one embodiment, the thickness 402 of the conductive layer 300a is specified as δ+n, and / or 1.25δ. In general, using a thickness 402 greater than the skin depth mitigates absorption of wireless signals into the thermally conductive layer 302. Absorption of wireless signals by the thermally conductive layer 302 can degrade the wireless performance of the wireless device 102, for example, by reducing received wireless signal strength and / or quality, and / or by requiring more power to be allocated to an antenna of the wireless device 102.

[0038] The thickness 404 of the thermally conductive layer 302 may be specified to be equal to or less than λ / 4, where λ is the wavelength of a frequency of a set of wireless frequencies utilized by the wireless device 102, such as the highest frequency of the set. Additionally, the thickness 406 of the conductive layer 300b may be equal to or greater than the thickness 402. The thickness 408 of the adhesive layer 308 may be approximately less than 10 micrometers (μm), such as 7 μm+ / -2 μm.

[0039] In at least one embodiment, vias 304a, 304b are positioned at a λ / 4 spacing (e.g., center-to-center distance) relative to each other and are positioned so that antenna 114 is located in the middle of vias 304 and may also be positioned at a different height than vias 304. These dimensions for the components and various layers of thermal structure 116 are provided for exemplary purposes only, and it should be understood that the embodiments may utilize a variety of different dimensions within the scope of the claimed embodiments.

[0040] Figure 5 A cross-section 500 of another example implementation of the thermal structure 116 is shown. In this particular example, the thermal structure 116 includes a sublayer 502a and a sublayer 502b adhered to each other via an adhesion layer 504a. In at least one implementation, the adhesion layer 504a can be conductive to ground the conductive layers of the thermal structure 116 to each other, such as depending on the electrical grounding topology utilized. In addition, the sublayer 502a includes a thermally conductive layer 506a and a conductive layer 508a adhered to the top surface of the thermally conductive layer 506a, and a conductive layer 508b adhered to the bottom surface of the thermally conductive layer 506a. The sublayer 502a also includes conductive vias 510a, 510b that pass through the thermally conductive layer 506a and are electrically connected to the conductive layers 508a, 508b.

[0041] In addition, sublayer 502b includes thermally conductive layer 506b and conductive layer 508c adhered to the top surface of thermally conductive layer 506b, and conductive layer 508d adhered to the bottom surface of thermally conductive layer 506b. Sublayer 502b also includes conductive vias 510c, 510d that pass through thermally conductive layer 506b and are electrically connected to conductive layers 508c, 508d. In general, the dimensions of various layers and components (e.g., conductive layer 508, thermally conductive layer 506, and / or via 510) may refer to Figure 3 and 4 Same as above corresponding layer.

[0042] To enable the thermal structure 116 to be attached to the wireless device, an adhesive layer 504b is applied between the conductive layer 508d and a corresponding inner surface of the wireless device 102. In at least one embodiment, the adhesive layer 504b can be conductive to ground the conductive layers of the thermal structure 116 to each other, such as depending on an electrical grounding topology for the thermal structure 116. In this particular example, the thermal structure 116 includes a ground connection 512 that is electrically connected to the conductive layer 508a and a ground connection of the wireless device 102 and is used to ground the thermal structure 116 relative to the wireless device 102.

[0043] Further illustrated in cross section 500 is an antenna cross section 514 of antenna 114 positioned adjacent to (e.g., on a surface of) thermal structure 116. Thus, in additional or alternative embodiments to positioning the antenna within a cavity within heating structure 116, the antenna may be placed external to thermal structure 116.

[0044] Figure 6 A cross section 600 of another example implementation of the thermal structure 116 is shown. In this particular example, the thermal structure 116 includes a thermally conductive layer 602 and an electrically conductive layer 604a adhered to a top surface of the thermally conductive layer 602 via an adhesive layer 606a. Additionally, an electrically conductive layer 604b is adhered to a bottom surface of the thermally conductive layer 602 via the adhesive layer 606b. The cross section 600 also shows electrically conductive vias 608a, 608b that pass through the thermally conductive layer 602 and the adhesive layers 606a, 606b to electrically connect the electrically conductive layers 604a, 604b to one another. In at least one implementation, the adhesive layers 606a, 606b can be electrically conductive to ground the electrically conductive layers of the thermal structure 116 to one another, for example depending on an electrical grounding topology for the thermal structure 116.

[0045] In this particular example, the thermal structure 116 includes edge covers 610a, 610b adhered to the outer edge of the thermal structure 116. For example, the edge covers 610a, 610b can be conductive and formed to be electrically connected to the conductive layers 604a, 604b along the edge of the thermal structure 116. For example, the edge covers 610a, 610b are formed of the same material as the conductive layers 604a, 604b. In at least one embodiment, the edge covers 610a, 601b are a portion of the edge layer that passes through the entire peripheral edge of the thermal structure 116 and encapsulates (e.g., completely surrounds) the thermally conductive layer 602 so that the thermally conductive layer 602 is not exposed to the outside of the thermal structure 116. In at least one embodiment, the edge covers 610a, 610b further enhance the wireless performance of the associated wireless device by further preventing wireless signals from being incident on and / or being absorbed by the thermally conductive layer 602. The cross section 600 also shows an adhesive layer 606c for adhering the thermal structure 116 to the wireless device 102. In at least one embodiment, the adhesive layer 606c can be conductive to ground the conductive layers of the thermal structure 116 to each other and to ground the wireless device, e.g., depending on the electrical grounding topology for the heating structure 116. In general, the various components and layers shown in the cross-section 600 (e.g., the conductive layer 604, the thermally conductive layer 602, and / or the via 608) can be the same as the corresponding dimensions of the corresponding layers discussed in the previous embodiments.

[0046] The various embodiments discussed and illustrated above may be combined and iterated in various ways to provide a wide variety of different thermal structures for controlling and mitigating thermal conditions in different types of devices.

[0047] Figure 7 An example method 700 of manufacturing a thermal structure according to various embodiments is shown. The order of the method is not intended to be construed as a limitation, and any number or combination of the method operations may be performed in any order to perform the method or alternate methods.

[0048] At 702, a first conductive layer formed of a first material is adhered to a first surface of a thermally conductive layer formed of a second material. As discussed above, the various conductive layers can be formed of any suitable electrical conductors, examples of which are discussed above. In addition, any suitable adhesion technique can be used. Typically, the first conductive layer has a thickness corresponding to at least the skin depth of the first material, and the first material has a greater electrical conductivity than the second material.

[0049] A second conductive layer is adhered to a second surface of the thermally conductive layer opposite the first surface of the thermally conductive layer at 704. The second conductive layer can be formed of the same material as the first conductive layer, or formed of a different conductive material.

[0050] At 706, a conductive via is formed to pass through the thermally conductive layer and form a conductive connection between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer. For example, the conductive via can be formed of the same material as the conductive layer, or formed of a different conductive material.

[0051] At 708, a conductive edge cap is adhered to one or more outer edges of the conductive layer to encapsulate the outer edges of the thermally conductive layer. For example, the edge cap extends partially or completely around the periphery of the thermal structure to connect the conductive layer and partially or completely encapsulate the thermally conductive layer. In general, the conductive edge cap can be formed of the same material as the conductive layer, or formed of a different conductive material.

[0052] According to various embodiments, this process can be performed iteratively, such as generating multiple sub-layers that can be combined (e.g., adhered to each other) to generate a thermal structure having multiple different sub-layers. In addition, cavities can be formed in different layers to accommodate components of the device, such as internal components of the wireless device 102.

[0053] Figure 8 Various components of an example device 800 are shown in which aspects of a thermal structure for thermal mitigation can be implemented. The example device 800 can be used as a reference to the aforementioned Figures 1 to 7 Any of the devices described are implemented, such as any type of wireless device, mobile phone, client device, companion device, paired device, display device, tablet computer, computing, communication, entertainment, gaming, media playback and / or any other type of computing and / or electronic device. For example, the wireless device 102 described above can be implemented as the example device 800.

[0054] Device 800 includes a communication transceiver 802 that enables device data 804 to communicate with other devices by wire and / or wireless communication. Device data 804 may include any type of audio, video, and / or image data. Example communication transceivers 802 include various IEEE 802.15 (Bluetooth) TM ) standard wireless personal area network (WPAN) radio, compliant with various IEEE 802.11 (WiFi TM ) standards, wireless local area network (WLAN) radios for cellular telephone communications, wireless wide area network (WWAN) radios compliant with various IEEE 802.16 (WiMAX TM ) standard Wireless Metropolitan Area Network (WMAN) radios and wired Local Area Network (LAN) Ethernet transceivers for network data communications.

[0055] The device 800 may also include one or more data input ports 806 through which any type of data, media content, and / or input is received, such as user-selectable input of the device, messages, music, television content, recorded content, and any other type of audio, video, and / or image data received from any content and / or data source. The data input ports may include USB ports, coaxial cable ports, and other serial or parallel connectors (including internal connectors) for flash memory, DVDs, CDs, etc. These data input ports may be used to couple the device to any type of component, peripheral device, or accessory such as a microphone and / or camera.

[0056] The device 800 includes a processor system 808 of one or more processors (e.g., any of a microprocessor, a controller, etc.) and / or a processor and memory system implemented as a system on a chip (SoC) for processing computer executable instructions. The processor system can be implemented at least in part in hardware, which can include components of an integrated circuit or system on a chip, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), a complex programmable logic device (CPLD), and other implementations in silicon and / or other hardware. Alternatively or additionally, the device can be implemented with any one or combination of software, hardware, firmware, or fixed logic circuits implemented in conjunction with processing and control circuits typically identified at 810. The device 800 may further include any type of system bus or other data and command transmission system that couples various components within the device. The system bus may include any one or combination of different bus structures and architectures, as well as control and data lines.

[0057] The device 800 also includes a computer-readable storage memory 812 (e.g., a storage device) capable of data storage, such as a data storage device that can be accessed by a computing device and provides permanent storage of data and executable instructions (e.g., software applications, programs, functions, etc.). Examples of computer-readable storage memory 812 include volatile memory and non-volatile memory, fixed and removable media devices, and any suitable storage device or electronic data storage that maintains data for access by a computing device. The computer-readable storage memory can include various implementations of random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, and other types of storage media in various memory device configurations. The device 800 may also include a mass storage media device.

[0058] The computer-readable storage memory 812 provides a data storage mechanism to store device data 804, other types of information and / or data, and various device applications 814 (e.g., software applications). For example, an operating system 816 may be maintained as software instructions with the memory device and executed by the processor system 808. The device applications may also include a device manager 818, such as any form of control application, software application, signal processing and control module, code native to a particular device, a hardware abstraction layer for a particular device, etc.

[0059] In this example, the device 800 includes one or more antennas 820 related to an embodiment of a thermal structure for thermal mitigation. Examples of antennas 820 include reference Figure 1 The antenna 114 may represent a plurality of antennas located at various areas of the wireless device 102 .

[0060] In this example, the device 800 also includes a camera 822 and a device sensor 824, such as a temperature sensor to monitor the operating temperature of the device components (including the antenna module 820), and a device sensor such as a component that can be implemented as an inertial measurement unit (IMU). The device sensor 824 can be implemented together with various motion sensors such as gyroscopes, accelerometers and / or other types of motion sensors to sense the motion of the device. The motion sensor can generate a sensor data vector with three-dimensional parameters (e.g., a rotation vector in x, y and z axis coordinates) to indicate the position, location, acceleration, rotation speed and / or direction of the device. The device 800 may also include one or more power supplies 826, for example when the device is implemented as a wireless device or a collaborative device. The power supply may include a charging and / or power supply system, and may be implemented as a flexible strip battery, a rechargeable battery, a charged supercapacitor and / or any other type of active or passive power supply.

[0061] The device 800 may also include an audio and / or video processing system 828 that generates audio data for an audio system 830 and / or generates display data for a display system 832. The audio system and / or display system may include any device that processes, displays, and / or renders audio, video, display, and / or image data. The display data and audio signals may be communicated with an audio component and / or display component via an RF (radio frequency) link, an S-video link, an HDMI (high-definition multimedia interface), a composite video link, a component video link, a DVI (digital video interface), an analog audio connection, or other similar communication link, such as a media data port 834. In an embodiment, the audio system and / or display system are integrated components of the example device. Alternatively, the audio system and / or display system are external, peripheral components of the example device.

[0062] The device 800 further includes a thermal structure 836 that enables thermal conditions within the device 800 to be controlled. For example, the thermal structure 836 enables heat generated by other components of the device 800 to be delocalized (e.g., dispersed) and dissipated from the device 800. In at least one embodiment, the thermal structure 836 represents an embodiment of the thermal structure 116 described in detail above.

[0063] Although embodiments of thermal structures for thermal mitigation have been described in language specific to features and / or methods, the subject matter of the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or methods. Rather, the specific features and methods disclosed as examples of thermal structures for thermal mitigation, and other equivalent features and methods are intended to fall within the scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, various different examples are described and it should be understood that each of the described examples may be implemented independently or in combination with one or more of the other described examples. Additional aspects of the techniques, features, and / or methods discussed herein relate to one or more of the following:

[0064] A wireless device, comprising: a device housing having internal components located therein, the internal components including one or more antennas; and a thermal structure positioned within the device housing to dissipate at least a portion of heat generated by the internal components, the thermal structure comprising: a thermally conductive layer formed of a first material; a first electrically conductive layer formed of a second material and adhered to a first surface of the thermally conductive layer, the first electrically conductive layer having a thickness at least corresponding to a skin depth of the second material, and the second material having an electrical conductivity greater than the first material; a second electrically conductive layer adhered to a second surface of the thermally conductive layer opposite to the first surface of the thermally conductive layer; and one or more electrically conductive vias passing through the thermally conductive layer and forming an electrically conductive connection between the first electrically conductive layer and the second electrically conductive layer.

[0065] In addition to the wireless device described above, any one or more of the following: wherein the thickness of the first conductive layer is greater than the skin depth value; wherein the thermal structure includes one or more cavities into which one or more internal components extend; wherein one or more antennas are implemented as millimeter wave (mmW) RF transmissions for 5G cellular network communications for the wireless device; wherein the thermal structure is positioned within the device housing, overlapping at least some of the internal components; wherein the thermal structure further includes an adhesive layer that adheres the second conductive layer to at least some of the internal components; wherein the thermal structure includes a cavity, wherein an antenna in one or more antennas is positioned in the cavity in a coplanar orientation relative to the thermal structure; wherein an antenna in one or more antennas is positioned to overlap a portion of the first conductive layer; wherein the thermal structure further includes an edge cover adhered to at least one outer edge of the thermal structure, the edge cover passing through an edge of the thermally conductive layer and forming a conductive connection between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer; wherein the edge cover extends along multiple outer edges of the thermal structure and encapsulates the thermally conductive layer so that the thermally conductive layer is not exposed to the outside of the thermal structure or the one or more antennas; wherein one or more of the first conductive layer or the second conductive layer is electrically grounded relative to one or more of the internal components.

[0066] A thermal structure for heat dissipation, comprising: a thermally conductive layer formed of a first material; a first electrically conductive layer formed of a second material and adhered to a first surface of the thermally conductive layer, the first electrically conductive layer having a thickness at least corresponding to a skin depth of the second material, and the second material having an electrical conductivity greater than that of the first material; a second electrically conductive layer adhered to a second surface of the thermally conductive layer opposite to the first surface of the thermally conductive layer; and one or more electrically conductive vias penetrating the thermally conductive layer and forming an electrically conductive connection between the first electrically conductive layer and the second electrically conductive layer.

[0067] In addition to the above thermal structure, any one of one or more of the following: wherein the thickness of the first conductive layer is greater than the skin depth value; wherein one or more of the first conductive layer or the second conductive layer is adhered to the thermally conductive layer via a non-conductive adhesive, and wherein one or more conductive vias pass through the non-conductive adhesive to electrically connect the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer; further comprising an edge cover adhered to at least one outer edge of the thermal structure, the edge cover passing through the outer edge of the thermally conductive layer and forming a conductive connection between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer; wherein the edge cover extends along multiple outer edges of the thermal structure and encapsulates the thermally conductive layer so that the thermally conductive layer is not exposed to the outside of the thermal structure; further comprising: a third conductive layer, which is adhered to the second conductive layer using a non-conductive adhesive; a further thermally conductive layer, which is adhered to the third conductive layer along the first surface of the further thermally conductive layer; a fourth conductive layer, which is adhered to the second surface of the further thermally conductive layer opposite to the first surface of the further thermally conductive layer; and one or more further conductive vias, which pass through the further thermally conductive layer and form a conductive connection between the third conductive layer and the fourth conductive layer, wherein the one or more further conductive vias do not pass through the non-conductive adhesive between the third conductive layer and the second conductive layer.

[0068] A method of producing a thermal structure, comprising: adhering a first conductive layer formed of a first material to a first surface of a thermally conductive layer formed of a second material, the first conductive layer having a thickness corresponding to at least a skin depth of the first material, and the first material having a greater electrical conductivity than the second material; adhering the second conductive layer to a second surface of the thermally conductive layer opposite the first surface of the thermally conductive layer; and forming one or more conductive vias to pass through the thermally conductive layer and form an electrically conductive connection between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer.

[0069] In addition to the above method, any one of one or more of the following: further includes forming the first conductive layer to have a thickness greater than the skin depth value; further includes forming a conductive edge cover adhered to one or more outer edges of the thermal structure and encapsulating one or more outer edges of the thermal conductive layer.

Claims

1. A wireless device, comprising: a device housing having internal components located within the device housing, the internal components including one or more antennas; and a thermal structure positioned within the device housing to dissipate at least a portion of heat generated by the internal components, the thermal structure comprising: a heat-conducting layer, wherein the heat-conducting layer is formed of a first material; a first conductive layer, the first conductive layer being formed of a second material and adhered to the first surface of the thermal conductive layer, the first conductive layer having a thickness at least corresponding to a skin depth of the second material, and the second material having a greater electrical conductivity than the first material; a second electrically conductive layer adhered to a second surface of the thermally conductive layer opposite the first surface of the thermally conductive layer; and One or more conductive vias pass through the thermally conductive layer and form a conductive connection between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer.

2. The wireless device according to claim 1, wherein: The thickness of the first conductive layer is greater than the value of the skin depth.

3. The wireless device according to claim 1, wherein: The thermal structure includes one or more cavities into which one or more of the internal components extend.

4. The wireless device according to claim 1, wherein: The one or more antennas are implemented for millimeter wave (mmW) RF transmission for 5G cellular network communications for the wireless device.

5. The wireless device according to claim 1, wherein: The thermal structure is positioned within the device housing overlapping at least some of the internal components.

6. The wireless device according to claim 5, wherein: The thermal structure further includes an adhesive layer adhering the second conductive layer to at least some of the internal components.

7. The wireless device of claim 1, wherein: The thermal structure includes a cavity in which an antenna of the one or more antennas is positioned in a coplanar orientation relative to the thermal structure.

8. The wireless device of claim 1, wherein: An antenna of the one or more antennas is positioned to overlap a portion of the first conductive layer.

9. The wireless device of claim 1, wherein: The thermal structure further includes an edge cap adhered to at least one outer edge of the thermal structure, the edge cap passing through an edge of the thermally conductive layer and forming an electrically conductive connection between the first electrically conductive layer and the second electrically conductive layer.

10. The wireless device of claim 9, wherein: The edge cover extends along a plurality of outer edges of the thermal structure and encapsulates the thermally conductive layer such that the thermally conductive layer is not exposed externally of the thermal structure or the one or more antennas.

11. The wireless device of claim 1, wherein: One or more of the first conductive layer or the second conductive layer is electrically grounded relative to one or more of the internal components.

12. A thermal structure for heat dissipation, comprising: a heat-conducting layer, wherein the heat-conducting layer is formed of a first material; a first conductive layer, the first conductive layer being formed of a second material and adhered to the first surface of the thermal conductive layer, the first conductive layer having a thickness at least corresponding to a skin depth of the second material, and the second material having a greater electrical conductivity than the first material; a second conductive layer adhered to a second surface of the thermally conductive layer opposite the first surface of the thermally conductive layer; and One or more conductive vias pass through the thermally conductive layer and form a conductive connection between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer.

13. The thermal structure of claim 12, wherein: The thickness of the first conductive layer is greater than the value of the skin depth.

14. The thermal structure of claim 12, wherein: One or more of the first conductive layer or the second conductive layer is adhered to the thermally conductive layer via a non-conductive adhesive, and wherein the one or more conductive vias pass through the non-conductive adhesive to electrically connect the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer.

15. The thermal structure of claim 12, further comprising an edge cap adhered to at least one outer edge of the thermal structure, the edge cap passing through an outer edge of the thermally conductive layer and forming an electrically conductive connection between the first electrically conductive layer and the second electrically conductive layer.

16. The thermal structure of claim 15, wherein: The edge cover extends along a plurality of outer edges of the thermal structure and encapsulates the thermally conductive layer such that the thermally conductive layer is not exposed to the outside of the thermal structure.

17. The thermal structure of claim 12, further comprising: a third conductive layer adhered to the second conductive layer using a non-conductive adhesive; a further thermally conductive layer adhered to the third electrically conductive layer along a first surface of the further thermally conductive layer; a fourth electrically conductive layer adhered to a second surface of the further thermally conductive layer opposite the first surface of the further thermally conductive layer; and one or more further electrically conductive vias, the one or more further electrically conductive vias passing through the further thermally conductive layer and forming an electrically conductive connection between the third electrically conductive layer and the fourth electrically conductive layer, wherein the one or more further electrically conductive vias do not pass through the non-conductive adhesive between the third electrically conductive layer and the second electrically conductive layer.

18. A method for producing a thermal structure, comprising: Adhering a first conductive layer formed of a first material to a first surface of a thermally conductive layer formed of a second material, the first conductive layer having a thickness at least corresponding to a skin depth of the first material, and the first material having a greater electrical conductivity than the second material; adhering a second electrically conductive layer to a second surface of the thermally conductive layer opposite the first surface of the thermally conductive layer; and One or more electrically conductive vias are formed to pass through the thermally conductive layer and form an electrically conductive connection between the first electrically conductive layer and the second electrically conductive layer. 19 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising forming the first conductive layer to have a thickness greater than a value of the skin depth.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising forming an electrically conductive edge cap adhered to one or more outer edges of the thermal structure and encapsulating one or more outer edges of the thermally conductive layer.

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