Thermoelectric conversion device and thermoelectric conversion method

Abstract

The embodiment of the invention provides a thermoelectric conversion device and a thermoelectric conversion method, and relates to the technical field of terminals. The device comprises a screen, a backboard, a power supply unit, a processor and a thermoelectric conversion unit, the power supply unit, the processor and the thermoelectric conversion unit are arranged between the screen and the backboard, and the power supply unit is respectively connected with the thermoelectric conversion unit and the processor. The processor continuously generates heat in the working process, and the thermoelectric conversion unit converts heat energy into electric energy through temperature difference based on the thermoelectric effect and provides the electric energy for the power supply unit. Therefore, the thermoelectric conversion unit realizes energy recovery, so that the cruising ability of the terminal is enhanced, and the problem that the energy utilization rate of related technologies in the terminal is not high is effectively solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of terminal technology, and in particular to a thermoelectric conversion device and a thermoelectric conversion method. Background Technology

[0002] Smartphones have become an important part of people's daily lives and work. With the increase in application load and user demand, the battery consumption rate of mobile phones is also accelerating, and battery life has become one of the key factors restricting user experience.

[0003] To improve the battery life of mobile phones, a common approach is to use a larger capacity battery, such as a lithium-ion battery with higher energy density, which can increase battery capacity without significantly increasing battery size and weight.

[0004] Existing technologies for improving battery life have the following problem: they are not very efficient in terms of energy utilization. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application provides a thermoelectric conversion device and method, applicable to the field of terminal technology. This thermoelectric conversion device enables energy recovery from the terminal, enhancing the battery life of the terminal device.

[0006] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a thermoelectric conversion device, including: a screen, a back panel, a thermoelectric conversion unit, a processor, and a power supply unit;

[0007] The thermoelectric conversion unit, processor, and power supply unit are located between the screen and the back panel;

[0008] The power supply unit is connected to the processor and is used to supply power to the processor;

[0009] The thermoelectric conversion unit is used to convert the heat energy generated during the operation of the processor into electrical energy. The thermoelectric conversion unit is also connected to the power supply unit to provide the converted electrical energy to the power supply unit.

[0010] In this implementation, the processor can be viewed as a heat source, continuously generating heat during operation. This energy would otherwise be considered wasted. A thermoelectric conversion unit is placed between the screen and the back panel. When there is a temperature difference on both sides of the thermoelectric conversion unit, it generates an electromotive force based on the thermoelectric effect. This electromotive force increases with the increase of the temperature difference. The heat required to create the temperature difference can be generated by the processor. The electromotive force generated by the thermoelectric conversion unit can then be used to charge the power supply unit. This converts a portion of the previously wasted heat energy into new electrical energy and stores it in the power supply unit, achieving energy recovery and improving energy efficiency, thereby enhancing the battery life of the thermoelectric conversion device.

[0011] In one possible implementation, during the operation of the processor, the temperature of the first plane of the thermoelectric conversion unit is lower than the temperature of the second plane of the thermoelectric conversion unit;

[0012] The thermoelectric conversion unit is used to convert electrical energy based on the temperature difference between the first plane and the second plane.

[0013] In one possible implementation, the thermoelectric conversion unit is positioned between the screen and the processor;

[0014] The first plane of the thermoelectric conversion unit is close to the screen, and the second plane of the thermoelectric conversion unit is close to the processor.

[0015] In this implementation, the processor continuously generates heat during operation, resulting in a relatively higher temperature in its vicinity. The screen, in contact with the external space, facilitates heat dissipation, thus keeping the area near the screen relatively cooler. By placing the thermoelectric conversion unit between the processor and the screen, with the first plane closer to the screen and the second plane closer to the processor, a temperature difference is created, with the temperature of the first plane being lower than that of the second plane. In this way, the thermoelectric conversion unit can generate an electromotive force based on the thermoelectric effect and the temperature difference, thereby charging the power supply unit.

[0016] In this implementation, because the second plane is directly close to the processor, a larger temperature difference is generated, allowing the thermoelectric conversion unit to generate a higher electromotive force, thus resulting in higher energy conversion efficiency. Furthermore, this implementation does not require additional modules and has a relatively simple and clear architecture, making it easy to implement.

[0017] In one possible implementation, a heat-conducting plate is also provided between the processor and the screen. The length of the heat-conducting plate in a first direction is greater than the length of the processor in the first direction, which is parallel to the long side of the screen.

[0018] In this implementation, a heat sink is placed between the processor and the screen. Since heat sinks generally have higher thermal conductivity, they accelerate the rate of heat transfer, thus making the processor's heat dissipation capacity stronger compared to the case without a heat sink.

[0019] In one possible implementation, the thermoelectric conversion unit is disposed between the screen and the heat-conducting plate;

[0020] The first plane of the thermoelectric conversion unit is close to the screen, and the second plane of the thermoelectric conversion unit is close to the heat-conducting plate.

[0021] In this implementation, a heat-conducting plate is placed above the processor, and a thermoelectric conversion unit is positioned between the heat-conducting plate and the screen. A further thermoelectric conversion unit can be positioned on the corresponding portion of the heat-conducting plate extending beyond the processor's reach in the first direction. The heat generated by the processor is transferred through the heat-conducting plate to the second plane of the thermoelectric conversion unit, creating a temperature difference between the two planes. This allows the thermoelectric conversion unit to charge the power supply unit, achieving energy recovery.

[0022] In addition, by referencing existing uniform heat dissipation technologies, a heat recovery method can be implemented by placing a heat-conducting plate between the screen and the processor, which can improve energy utilization without affecting the original heat dissipation path or changing the original heat dissipation system.

[0023] In one possible implementation, the thermoelectric conversion device further includes a PCB located between the processor and the backplane, and the length of the PCB in the first direction is greater than the length of the processor in the first direction.

[0024] In one possible implementation, the thermoelectric conversion unit is positioned between the heat-conducting sheet and the PCB;

[0025] The first plane of the thermoelectric conversion unit is close to the heat-conducting plate, and the second plane of the thermoelectric conversion unit is close to the PCB.

[0026] In this implementation, the thermoelectric conversion unit is positioned between the heatsink and the PCB. Since the PCB directly receives heat from the processor, the accumulated heat causes its temperature to be relatively high. The heat transferred through the heatsink can be dissipated outwards through the screen, making the heatsink's temperature relatively lower than the PCB. Thus, with the first plane of the thermoelectric conversion unit close to the heatsink and the second plane close to the PCB, the temperature of the first plane is lower than that of the second plane. This allows for the generation of an electromotive force based on the thermoelectric effect to charge the power unit, converting heat energy into electrical energy. Furthermore, the heatsink itself also contributes to accelerating heat dissipation, balancing heat dissipation and battery life.

[0027] In one possible implementation, the electronic device also includes a PCB, with the thermoelectric conversion unit disposed between the screen and the PCB;

[0028] The first plane of the thermoelectric conversion unit is close to the screen, and the second plane of the thermoelectric conversion unit is close to the PCB.

[0029] In this implementation, because the processor is in close contact with the PCB, the PCB temperature is relatively high, especially in the area near the processor. By placing the thermoelectric conversion unit between the PCB and the screen, the temperature difference between the two allows the thermoelectric conversion unit to generate an electromotive force based on the thermoelectric effect and charge the power supply unit.

[0030] While achieving energy recovery, this implementation method also minimizes the impact on the environment and settings near the processor, making it easier to integrate this thermoelectric conversion device into various electronic devices. Furthermore, by rationally positioning the thermoelectric conversion unit, the thickness of the thermoelectric conversion device can be kept relatively constant, thereby improving the user experience in some situations.

[0031] In one possible implementation, the thermoelectric conversion device also includes a PCB, and a graphite sheet is disposed between the PCB and the back plate, with the thermoelectric conversion unit disposed between the PCB and the graphite sheet.

[0032] The first plane of the thermoelectric conversion unit is close to the graphite sheet, and the second plane of the thermoelectric conversion unit is close to the PCB.

[0033] In this implementation, the thermoelectric conversion unit is positioned between the back of the PCB and the graphite sheet, with the PCB being the relatively warmer side and the graphite sheet the cooler side. This creates a temperature difference, allowing the thermoelectric conversion unit to convert heat energy into electrical energy. Furthermore, because there are fewer components and circuits on the back of the PCB, it effectively avoids impacting existing electronic components and circuits. In other words, the thermoelectric conversion device proposed in this implementation can be easily integrated into various electronic devices that require energy recovery.

[0034] In one possible implementation, in the thermoelectric conversion device, the area between the screen and the back panel includes a first sub-region and a second sub-region, the boundary line between the first sub-region and the second sub-region being parallel to the short side of the screen and located at the middle position of the long side of the screen.

[0035] The processor is located in the first sub-region, the thermoelectric conversion unit is located in the second sub-region, and the second plane of the thermoelectric conversion unit is close to the screen.

[0036] In this implementation, the thermoelectric conversion unit is positioned in a second sub-region relatively far from the processor. This allows heat to be transferred to the thermoelectric conversion unit via the screen, resulting in a higher temperature on the second plane of the unit. Conversely, the temperature on the back panel side is lower, corresponding to a lower temperature on the first plane of the thermoelectric conversion unit. This temperature difference enables the thermoelectric conversion unit to generate an electromotive force, which in turn charges the power supply unit and improves battery life. Furthermore, the second sub-region offers more space for configuring functional modules compared to the first sub-region, reducing interference with other functional modules and avoiding a significant increase in device thickness.

[0037] In one possible implementation, the thermoelectric conversion device includes multiple thermoelectric conversion units connected in parallel;

[0038] Multiple parallel thermoelectric conversion units are connected to the power supply unit.

[0039] In this implementation, the thermoelectric conversion device charges the power supply unit through the parallel connection of multiple thermoelectric conversion units, thus covering as many areas with temperature differences as possible within the thermoelectric conversion device. In this way, each thermoelectric conversion unit can convert the thermal energy of its corresponding area into electrical energy. Multiple thermoelectric conversion units can generate more electrical energy, achieving not only energy recovery but also high energy recovery efficiency. Furthermore, using multiple electrical conversion units in parallel ensures that the voltage used to charge the power supply unit is not excessive.

[0040] In one possible implementation, the multiple parallel thermoelectric conversion units include a first thermoelectric conversion unit and a second thermoelectric conversion unit;

[0041] The temperature of the first plane of the first thermoelectric conversion unit is higher than or equal to the temperature of the second plane of the second thermoelectric conversion unit, and the first plane of the first thermoelectric conversion unit is close to the second plane of the second thermoelectric conversion unit.

[0042] This implementation further illustrates a parallel configuration of multiple thermoelectric conversion units. Understandably, due to the gradual transfer of heat, the temperature in different regions of the thermoelectric conversion device generally varies continuously. Therefore, the thermoelectric conversion units can be arranged in pairs in relatively close proximity. This compact arrangement ensures that multiple thermoelectric conversion units cover a large temperature range within the device, thereby converting more heat energy into electrical energy.

[0043] In one possible implementation, when the thermoelectric conversion unit is in the first operating mode, the thermoelectric conversion unit is used to convert the heat energy generated during the operation of the processor into electrical energy.

[0044] When the thermoelectric conversion unit is in the second working mode, the thermoelectric conversion unit is used to generate a temperature difference between the third plane and the fourth plane of the thermoelectric conversion unit based on the power supply control of the power supply unit;

[0045] The third plane and the fourth plane are located on different sides of the thermoelectric conversion unit, and the temperature of the third plane is lower than that of the fourth plane.

[0046] In this implementation, the thermoelectric conversion unit in the thermoelectric conversion device has two operating modes, based on two different thermoelectric effects. In the first mode, energy recovery is achieved, while in the second mode, rapid heat dissipation for the processor is achieved. Specifically, in the second mode, the thermoelectric conversion unit, powered by the power supply unit, forms a low-temperature region on its third plane. This low-temperature region is close to the processor, thereby cooling it. By switching the operating modes of the thermoelectric conversion unit, energy recovery or heat dissipation can be achieved in different modes, allowing a single thermoelectric conversion device to perform multiple functions.

[0047] In one possible implementation, the power supply unit includes a battery, a management unit, a first voltage conversion unit, and a second voltage conversion unit;

[0048] The battery is connected to the thermoelectric conversion unit via a management unit and a first voltage conversion unit connected in sequence;

[0049] The battery is connected to the processor via a management unit and a second voltage conversion unit connected in sequence to supply power to the processor.

[0050] In this implementation, the battery supplies power to other modules while also charging itself. The management unit monitors the battery's status and provides related management and protection. The first and second voltage conversion units boost or buck the current. Thus, during the energy recovery process of the thermoelectric conversion device, the first voltage conversion unit adjusts the current based on the voltage of the thermoelectric management unit and the battery's voltage range during charging, ensuring the normal operation of the charging process.

[0051] In one possible implementation, the battery and thermoelectric conversion unit are arranged side by side between the screen and the back panel.

[0052] In this implementation, the battery is positioned between the screen and the back panel, just like the thermoelectric conversion unit. With this setup, when the battery temperature is too low to supply power, the thermoelectric conversion unit can transfer heat to the battery through the screen or other media to quickly raise the battery temperature. This allows the battery to supply power to other modules at its rated voltage, thus enabling the electronic device to operate normally.

[0053] Secondly, embodiments of this application provide an electronic device that includes a thermoelectric conversion device as described in the first aspect or any possible implementation thereof.

[0054] It should be understood that the second aspect of this application corresponds to the technical solution of the first aspect or any possible implementation of the first aspect, and the beneficial effects obtained by the corresponding feasible implementation are similar, and will not be described again.

[0055] Thirdly, embodiments of this application propose a thermoelectric conversion method, applied to the thermoelectric conversion apparatus described in the first aspect or any possible implementation of the first aspect, the method comprising:

[0056] The power supply unit supplies power to the processor;

[0057] The thermoelectric conversion unit responds to the first instruction to start the first working mode. In the first working mode, the thermoelectric conversion unit converts the heat energy generated during the operation of the processor into electrical energy and provides the converted electrical energy to the power supply unit.

[0058] In this implementation, the processor sends a first instruction to the thermoelectric conversion unit, causing the unit to switch to a first operating mode. The thermoelectric conversion unit converts the processor's heat energy during operation into electrical energy, which is then used to charge the power supply unit. This achieves energy recovery and enhances the battery life of the electronic device. Furthermore, this energy recovery method can be used in conjunction with existing battery life enhancement methods to further improve the battery life of the electronic device.

[0059] In one possible implementation, the thermoelectric conversion unit responds to a second instruction to activate a second operating mode. In the second operating mode, the thermoelectric conversion unit creates a temperature difference between the third and fourth planes based on the power supply from the power unit and performs heat dissipation on the processor.

[0060] In one possible implementation, the thermoelectric conversion unit activates a second operating mode in response to a third command. In the second operating mode, the thermoelectric conversion unit creates a temperature difference between the third and fourth planes based on the power supply from the power unit and heats the battery.

[0061] Fourthly, embodiments of this application provide an electronic device including a processor and a memory, the memory for storing code instructions, and the processor for executing the code instructions to perform the methods described in the third aspect or any possible implementation of the third aspect.

[0062] Fifthly, embodiments of this application provide a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program or instructions that, when executed on a computer, cause the computer to perform the methods described in the third aspect or any possible implementation thereof.

[0063] In a sixth aspect, embodiments of this application provide a computer program product including a computer program, which, when run on a computer, causes the computer to perform the methods described in the third aspect or any possible implementation thereof.

[0064] Seventhly, this application provides a chip or chip system including at least one processor and a communication interface, wherein the communication interface and at least one processor are interconnected via a circuit, and the at least one processor is used to run a computer program or instructions to perform the methods described in the third aspect or any possible implementation thereof. The communication interface in the chip may be an input / output interface, pins, or circuits, etc.

[0065] In one possible implementation, the chip or chip system described above in this application further includes at least one memory storing instructions. The memory can be an internal storage unit of the chip, such as a register or cache, or it can be a storage unit of the chip itself (e.g., read-only memory, random access memory, etc.).

[0066] It should be understood that aspects four through seven of this application correspond to the technical solutions of aspect three of this application, and the beneficial effects achieved by each aspect and the corresponding feasible implementation are similar, and will not be repeated here. Attached Figure Description

[0067] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the implementation of heat dissipation treatment in the terminal device provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0068] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the hardware structure of the terminal device provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0069] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the software structure of the terminal device provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0070] Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the thermoelectric conversion device provided in the embodiments of this application Figure 1 ;

[0071] Figure 5 Schematic diagram of the thermoelectric conversion device provided in the embodiments of this application Figure 2 ;

[0072] Figure 6 Schematic diagram of the thermoelectric conversion device provided in the embodiments of this application Figure 3 ;

[0073] Figure 7 Schematic diagram of the thermoelectric conversion device provided in the embodiments of this application Figure 4 ;

[0074] Figure 8 Schematic diagram of the thermoelectric conversion device provided in the embodiments of this application Figure 5 ;

[0075] Figure 9 Schematic diagram of the thermoelectric conversion device provided in the embodiments of this application Figure 6 ;

[0076] Figure 10 Temperature diagram of each area of ​​the terminal provided in the embodiments of this application Figure 1 ;

[0077] Figure 11 Schematic diagram of the thermoelectric conversion device provided in the embodiments of this application Figure 7 ;

[0078] Figure 12 Temperature diagram of each area of ​​the terminal provided in the embodiments of this application Figure 2 ;

[0079] Figure 13 A schematic diagram illustrating the parallel implementation of the thermoelectric conversion device provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0080] Figure 14 Schematic diagram of the thermoelectric conversion device provided in the embodiments of this application Figure 8 ;

[0081] Figure 15 Schematic diagram of the thermoelectric conversion device provided in the embodiments of this application Figure 9 ;

[0082] Figure 16 Schematic diagram of the thermoelectric conversion device provided in the embodiments of this application Figure 10 ;

[0083] Figure 17 Schematic diagram of the thermoelectric conversion device provided in the embodiments of this application Figure 10 one;

[0084] Figure 18 A schematic flowchart illustrating the energy recovery method provided in this application embodiment;

[0085] Figure 19 A schematic flowchart illustrating the heat dissipation method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0086] Figure 20 A schematic flowchart of the battery heating method provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0087] Figure 21 This is a schematic diagram of the hardware structure of the electronic device provided in the embodiments of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0088] To facilitate a clear description of the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, some terms and technologies involved in the embodiments of this application will be briefly introduced below:

[0089] 1. System-on-a-Chip (SOC)

[0090] A System-on-a-Chip (SoC) is a highly integrated microprocessor that integrates numerous components, including a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), a memory controller, a communication module, an artificial intelligence (AI) processor, and a global positioning system (GPS) module, onto a single chip.

[0091] The SOC is designed to optimize space utilization, reduce power consumption, and improve data transmission efficiency. It is a core component of modern smartphones, responsible for handling various functions such as computing, image display, network communication, and photo processing.

[0092] 2. Junction temperature

[0093] Junction temperature refers to the highest temperature reached in a PN junction or similar structural region within a semiconductor material. In integrated circuits, electrical energy is converted into heat, and the PN junction, as the primary heat-generating region, typically has a temperature higher than the chip surface temperature and package temperature. Therefore, junction temperature is an important indicator for evaluating chip operational reliability and thermal management performance.

[0094] The junction temperature mentioned in this application primarily refers to the junction temperature of the terminal processor or SOC. High junction temperatures can lead to performance degradation and shortened lifespan of semiconductor devices, and even cause functional failure. Therefore, in SOC design and application, an upper limit for the junction temperature, i.e., the maximum junction temperature, is usually set to ensure that the chip can operate within a safe temperature range.

[0095] 3. Thermal conductive gel

[0096] Thermal conductive gels are typically materials with a silicone matrix mixed with various high-performance ceramic powders. These materials are designed to optimize heat dissipation in electronic devices, particularly smartphones. Thermal conductive gels offer several advantages, including:

[0097] It has good adaptability, can fill tiny gaps and ensure good thermal contact; it can reduce thermal resistance by closely fitting the surface of the heating element to reduce thermal resistance in the heat transfer path;

[0098] Long-term stability: Compared with traditional thermal grease, thermal gel is less prone to drying or evaporation, ensuring long-term heat dissipation and equipment lifespan.

[0099] 4. Heat-conducting sheet

[0100] The main function of thermal pads in a terminal's heat dissipation system is to improve heat conduction efficiency, helping to quickly transfer the heat generated by internal heat-generating components, such as the CPU and GPU, to the terminal's casing or dedicated heat dissipation areas. This prevents localized overheating, protects the components, and maintains the terminal's normal operation. Commonly used thermal pad materials include thermally conductive graphite sheets and thermally conductive silicone grease.

[0101] 5. Joule's Law

[0102] Joule's law, also known as the Joule heating effect, Joule-Lenz's law, or the thermal effect, is a fundamental law in electricity. It describes how electrical energy is converted into heat energy when an electric current passes through a conductor. It states that the heat generated when an electric current passes through a conductor is positively correlated with the square of the current, the resistance of the conductor, and the duration of the current flow.

[0103] Joule's law is crucial for designing electronic devices because it is directly related to thermal management. Furthermore, Joule's law also applies to semiconductor materials and devices, serving as a foundational theory for other more advanced theories describing the conversion of electrical and thermal energy.

[0104] 6. Thermoelectric effect

[0105] The thermoelectric effect is a voltage conversion effect that generates voltage from a temperature difference, and vice versa. Two specific thermoelectric effects are introduced here: the Seebeck effect, which generates a voltage when there is a temperature difference across a thermoelectric conversion unit; and the Peltier effect, which generates a temperature difference across a thermoelectric conversion unit when a voltage is applied to it.

[0106] 7. Thermoelectric sensor

[0107] A thermoelectric sensor is a thermoelectric conversion unit built using the thermoelectric effect. It can be used to generate electrical energy and measure temperature, cooling or heating objects. Thermoelectric sensors typically use metals or semiconductors with significant thermoelectric properties. When two different materials are combined, a voltage is generated at the contact point when there is a temperature difference between their two ends. Conversely, if a voltage is actively applied, a temperature difference will be created between the two ends.

[0108] Thermoelectric sensors may have different names in different scenarios, including thermoelectric conversion chips, thermoelectric coolers, thermoelectric power generation and cooling chips, and thermoelectric transfer sensors.

[0109] 8. Shell temperature

[0110] In this embodiment, the casing temperature refers to the temperature of the casing or outer surface, also known as the housing temperature. The casing temperature directly relates to the terminal's thermal management capabilities; a good heat dissipation design can ensure that the casing temperature remains within a safe range during high-load operation.

[0111] 9. Hotspots / Colds

[0112] In this embodiment, a hot spot refers to an area in the terminal that generates a lot of heat and has a relatively high temperature, typically the area where the processor is located; a cold spot refers to an area in the terminal that generates less heat and has a lower temperature, typically an area far from the processor. These can also be referred to as a hot / cold area, a hot surface / cold surface, or a hot end / cold end.

[0113] 10. Uniform heating

[0114] In this embodiment of the application, it can also be called uniform heat dissipation, which refers to the gradual transfer of heat from hot spots to cold spots, so that a temperature distribution with continuous variation is formed in the direction from hot spots to cold spots, wherein the temperature of the area closer to the hot spot is relatively higher.

[0115] 11. Active heat dissipation

[0116] In this embodiment, active cooling refers to a method of heat dissipation that is actively employed, in contrast to some traditional passive cooling technologies. For example, natural cooling can be considered a passive cooling technology; while using a fan to accelerate heat transfer and achieve faster cooling can be considered an active cooling technology.

[0117] 12. Transient

[0118] In this application embodiment, "short time" refers to the relevant state / performance parameters of the terminal within a short period of time, generally on the order of seconds or even shorter. Specifically, it can refer to the transient performance of the SOC, that is, the load situation of the SOC within a short period of time. Compared with non-transient performance, transient performance better reflects the detailed load situation of the terminal, and thus allows for relevant optimizations based on detailed load requirements.

[0119] 13. PMIC

[0120] A power management integrated circuit (PMIC) is a highly integrated electronic component designed to manage and optimize power distribution in electronic devices. PMICs include functions such as DC-DC conversion (boost / buck), linear regulation, battery charging management, power metering, load switching, power sequencing, and protection circuitry.

[0121] 14. DDR

[0122] Double data rate (DDR) memory is a form of RAM specifically designed for mobile devices. This type of memory can transfer data on both the rising and falling edges of each clock cycle, thus doubling the data transfer speed and improving data processing efficiency compared to traditional RAM.

[0123] 15. VC

[0124] A vapor chamber (VC), also known as a heat spreader or heat conduction plate, is a device that uses a phase change principle to dissipate heat from the terminal. It consists of a sealed vacuum chamber containing a small amount of working fluid. The working fluid undergoes a phase change process to absorb or release heat, thus cooling the terminal.

[0125] 16. TEC

[0126] A thermoelectric cooler (TEC) is also a type of thermoelectric sensor, a device that utilizes the electrothermal effect of semiconductor materials to achieve heating or cooling. Specifically, the thermoelectric effect refers to the Peltier effect. The basic working principle of a TEC is that when a direct current passes through a thermocouple composed of two different types of materials, heat absorption and release occur at the junction. By changing the direction of the current, the hot and cold ends can be switched, thus achieving the function of heating or cooling.

[0127] Since the thermoelectric effect of semiconductor materials is usually more significant than that of metal materials, semiconductor thermocouples can generate a larger thermoelectric potential at the same temperature difference. Therefore, two different types of semiconductors are usually used to manufacture TECs, which can improve the sensitivity and heating / cooling efficiency of TECs. The two different types of semiconductors are usually N-type and P-type semiconductors.

[0128] 17. Other terms

[0129] In the embodiments of this application, terms such as "first" and "second" are used to distinguish identical or similar items with substantially the same function and purpose. For example, "first chip" and "second chip" are used only to distinguish different chips and do not limit their order of execution. Those skilled in the art will understand that terms such as "first" and "second" do not limit the quantity or execution order, and that "first" and "second" do not necessarily imply that they are different.

[0130] It should be noted that, in the embodiments of this application, the terms "exemplary" or "for example" are used to indicate examples, illustrations, or descriptions. Any embodiment or design scheme described as "exemplary" or "for example" in this application should not be construed as being more preferred or advantageous than other embodiments or design schemes. Specifically, the use of terms such as "exemplary" or "for example" is intended to present the relevant concepts in a specific manner.

[0131] In this application embodiment, "at least one" refers to one or more, and "more than one" refers to two or more. "And / or" describes the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A alone, A and B simultaneously, or B alone, where A and B can be singular or plural. The character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects are in an "or" relationship. "At least one of the following" or similar expressions refer to any combination of these items, including any combination of single or plural items. For example, at least one of a, b, or c can represent: a, b, c, ab, a--c, bc, or abc, where a, b, and c can be single or multiple.

[0132] 18. Electronic equipment

[0133] The electronic devices in this application embodiment may include handheld devices with energy recovery functions, vehicle-mounted devices, etc. For example, some electronic devices include: mobile phones, tablets, PDAs, laptops, mobile internet devices (MIDs), wearable devices, virtual reality (VR) devices, augmented reality (AR) devices, wireless terminals in industrial control, wireless terminals in self-driving, wireless terminals in remote medical surgery, wireless terminals in smart grids, wireless terminals in transportation safety, wireless terminals in smart cities, wireless terminals in smart homes, cellular phones, cordless phones, session initiation protocol (SIP) phones, wireless local loop (WLL) stations, personal digital assistants (PDAs), handheld devices with wireless communication capabilities, computing devices or other processing devices connected to wireless modems, in-vehicle devices, wearable devices, terminal devices in 5G networks and future communication networks, or future evolved public land mobile communication networks. Terminal devices in a network (PLMN), etc., are not limited to this in the embodiments of this application.

[0134] By way of example and not limitation, in this embodiment, the electronic device can also be a wearable device. Wearable devices, also known as wearable smart devices, are a general term for devices that utilize wearable technology to intelligently design and develop everyday wearables, such as glasses, gloves, watches, clothing, and shoes. Wearable devices are portable devices that are worn directly on the body or integrated into the user's clothing or accessories. Wearable devices are not merely hardware devices, but also achieve powerful functions through software support, data interaction, and cloud interaction. Broadly speaking, wearable smart devices include those that are feature-rich, large in size, and can achieve complete or partial functions without relying on a smartphone, such as smartwatches or smart glasses, as well as those that focus on a specific type of application function and require the use of other devices such as smartphones, such as various smart bracelets and smart jewelry for vital sign monitoring.

[0135] Furthermore, in this embodiment of the application, the electronic device can also be a terminal device in the Internet of Things (IoT) system. IoT is an important part of the future development of information technology. Its main technical feature is to connect objects to the network through communication technology, thereby realizing an intelligent network of human-machine interconnection and object-to-object interconnection.

[0136] The electronic devices in the embodiments of this application may also be referred to as: terminal equipment, user equipment (UE), mobile station (MS), mobile terminal (MT), access terminal, user unit, user station, mobile station, mobile station, remote station, remote terminal, mobile device, user terminal, terminal, wireless communication equipment, user agent, or user device, etc.

[0137] In this embodiment, the electronic device or various network devices include a hardware layer, an operating system layer running on top of the hardware layer, and an application layer running on top of the operating system layer. The hardware layer includes hardware such as a central processing unit (CPU), a memory management unit (MMU), and memory (also called main memory). The operating system can be any one or more computer operating systems that implement business processing through processes, such as Linux, Unix, Android, iOS, or Windows. The application layer includes applications such as browsers, address books, word processing software, and instant messaging software.

[0138] Based on the above introduction, the relevant technologies involved in this application will be further described in detail below.

[0139] Taking mobile phones as an example, smartphones have become an indispensable part of people's daily life and work, and their functions are becoming increasingly powerful.

[0140] Mobile phones have a wide range of functions. Users not only use them for calls and messaging, but also extensively for social media, online video, games, mobile payments, and health monitoring. Most of these applications involve energy-intensive activities. At the same time, the fast pace of modern life means users expect their phones to work continuously all day or even longer without frequent charging.

[0141] Therefore, a mobile phone's battery life is directly related to user convenience and satisfaction, and users' demand for longer battery life is increasing day by day.

[0142] Furthermore, to support the operation of complex applications on mobile phones, modern phones generally use high-performance CPUs and GPUs, which generate a lot of heat under high loads. Also, in pursuit of thinness and portability, the internal space of mobile phones is extremely compressed, resulting in limited heat dissipation space. Poor heat dissipation can lead to excessively high processor temperatures, triggering frequency throttling mechanisms, affecting computing speed and graphics processing capabilities, and degrading the user experience.

[0143] Therefore, a phone's heat dissipation capability is also an important factor that directly affects the user experience, and it is necessary to meet users' needs for better heat dissipation as much as possible.

[0144] For electronic devices, especially mobile devices or terminal devices, there are various battery life technologies. Taking mobile phones as an example, the battery life technologies employed can include: battery optimization, low-power hardware, software optimization, and intelligent power-saving modes. In addition, fast charging technology can also be seen as a way to indirectly improve battery life. These battery life technologies are often not used in isolation, but rather combined according to the phone's design requirements and cost considerations to achieve the best possible battery life.

[0145] Battery optimization technologies are an effective and intuitive way to improve battery life. The following explains these technologies:

[0146] 1. Uses high energy density battery materials

[0147] Replacing graphite with silicon-based anode materials in traditional lithium-ion batteries offers the advantage of higher theoretical specific capacity, allowing for the storage of more lithium ions and significantly improving battery energy density. This enables batteries to store more energy within the same volume or weight, extending phone usage time.

[0148] Using solid electrolytes instead of traditional liquid electrolytes reduces the internal resistance of the battery, improves safety, and also enables higher energy density.

[0149] 2. Optimize battery packaging and layout

[0150] Develop flexible or foldable batteries that utilize non-planar spaces inside the phone, such as curved edge areas, to increase battery footprint and further enhance overall capacity.

[0151] 3. Battery Management System Optimization

[0152] It monitors battery status in real time, intelligently predicts and adjusts charging rate and discharge power to avoid overcharging or over-discharging, extend battery life, and optimize power usage without affecting user experience, such as automatically closing unnecessary background applications when the battery is low.

[0153] The above solutions, including battery optimization, are characterized by a focus on and optimization of two aspects: improving power storage and reducing power consumption. By continuously improving performance in these two areas, the phone's battery life is enhanced, much like increasing revenue and reducing expenditure.

[0154] However, existing technologies for improving battery life suffer from low energy efficiency. Understandably, taking a processor as an example, due to the Joule effect, when a processor receives power from a battery, some or most of the electrical energy is converted into heat during operation. This portion of energy can be considered wasted, as it is not utilized further, resulting in low energy efficiency.

[0155] Meanwhile, for electronic devices, especially mobile phones, there are various heat dissipation technologies, including graphite heat dissipation, metal backplate heat dissipation, thermal conductive gel heat dissipation, heat pipe heat dissipation, VC heat dissipation, and air cooling. Similarly, these heat dissipation technologies are often used in combination to achieve better heat dissipation.

[0156] Among them, VC cooling technology, also known as vacuum chamber heat sink technology, is a relatively efficient thermal management solution used in smartphones, laptops, tablets, and high-performance computing devices. The following is a detailed explanation of VC cooling technology in mobile phones.

[0157] VC cooling technology is based on the principle of phase change. Its internal structure includes a sealed vacuum chamber containing a small amount of working fluid, typically water or other low-boiling-point liquids. When a heat source generates heat, the liquid in the chamber absorbs the heat and rapidly evaporates into a gas. Due to the low pressure in the vacuum environment, the gas easily diffuses to the cold end of the chamber. At the cold end, the gaseous fluid releases heat and condenses back into a liquid state, then returns to the heat source through capillary action or gravity. This cycle repeats continuously, forming a continuous heat transfer process.

[0158] Figure 1 This paper demonstrates a heat dissipation implementation method incorporating VC in a terminal device. The following explanation will help to better understand the subsequent embodiments. Figure 1 In the process, the power supply unit supplies power to the processor. The processor continuously generates heat during operation, which is then transferred to the VC (Vibration Controller) via thermal gel on top of the processor. The VC then distributes the heat evenly and finally dissipates it outwards through the screen. In other words, a heat transfer path is formed from the processor to the thermal gel and then from the thermal gel to the VC, which is used to dissipate heat evenly from the processor.

[0159] Since VC cooling technology is based on the above-mentioned scheme of phase change principle, it has some advantages, including: two-dimensional heat dissipation, reduced thermal resistance and silent operation, which makes VC cooling technology an efficient heat dissipation method with a better user experience.

[0160] The main problem with the various cooling technologies mentioned above, including VC cooling, is the long cooling time. Generally, cooling technologies like VC require minutes to achieve uniform heat dissipation. For example, after an electronic device experiences a temperature rise due to increased load, it may take several minutes to tens of minutes to lower the temperature to a relatively low level, allowing the device to operate at its optimal performance.

[0161] The reason why cooling technologies like VC (Vibration Control) have a relatively long cooling time is that they are primarily designed based on the concept of uniform heat dissipation. In mobile phones, taking VC cooling technology as an example, heat is transferred from the phone's hot spots to its cool spots. However, during this heat transfer, the temperature of the cool spots continuously rises, reducing the temperature difference between the hot and cold spots and thus decreasing the overall cooling effect.

[0162] Based on the existing technologies described above, it is difficult to further enhance the battery life of electronic devices by relying solely on existing related technologies. Alternatively, in scenarios requiring rapid heat dissipation, existing related heat dissipation technologies, based on the idea of ​​uniform heat dissipation, are also difficult to achieve cooling in a short period of time.

[0163] The following examples illustrate several possible scenarios where the battery life of electronic devices is limited, as described above:

[0164] Scenario 1: Electronic devices have issues with battery capacity and aging.

[0165] Understandably, battery capacity plays a decisive role in a phone's battery life; a smaller battery capacity naturally cannot support prolonged use. Furthermore, as usage time increases, batteries gradually age, resulting in decreased capacity and reduced charging efficiency, which significantly impacts a phone's battery life.

[0166] Scenario 2: High power consumption of electronic devices themselves.

[0167] Modern electronic devices integrate high-performance processors, high-resolution screens, or multi-band communication modules. While providing powerful functions, these hardware components also consume a lot of power, putting the battery life of electronic devices to the test.

[0168] Scenario 3: Insufficient software optimization in electronic devices.

[0169] Operating system and application power management are crucial for the battery life of electronic devices. Inadequate system optimization, such as frequent background program wake-ups, application resident memory not being released, or system services excessively consuming resources, will cause unnecessary power consumption and reduce the battery life of electronic devices.

[0170] Scenario 4: Electronic devices require a continuous network connection.

[0171] A continuous network connection can also consume a significant amount of power. Especially in areas with weak signals, electronic devices need to increase their transmission power to maintain the network connection, which consumes power even more quickly.

[0172] In the scenarios described above, high demands are placed on the battery life of electronic devices, necessitating the design of technological solutions to further enhance this capability. Similarly, in other everyday use scenarios of electronic devices, longer battery life is always preferable.

[0173] In addition, scenarios where electronic devices require rapid heat dissipation will be explained below:

[0174] Scenario 5: Electronic devices reach a high load in a short period of time, causing the processor temperature to rise sharply.

[0175] For example, when using an electronic device, typically when launching a high-load application, the device's processor needs to perform a large number of operations in a short period of time. These operations may include: touch screen interaction detection, operating system receiving instructions, permission checks, loading and initialization, rendering the interface, network connection and data loading, or background service and function activation.

[0176] Scenario 6: When an application is running on an electronic device, the processor needs to perform a lot of calculations and processes in a short period of time due to user operations, which causes the processor temperature to rise sharply.

[0177] For example, when a user runs a video editing application on their mobile phone and completes the configuration of video editing operations, the application processes the video according to the configured parameters. This involves a large amount of computation and processing by the SOC, and the load increases rapidly in a short period of time. Video editing operations may include selecting video frame rates, adjusting window ratios, and adjusting color rendering.

[0178] Scenario 7: Multiple applications are running simultaneously on an electronic device.

[0179] For example, a user's mobile phone may have multiple different applications running simultaneously, including foreground and background applications, such as chat and communication applications, file download applications, and video playback applications. If multiple applications require a certain amount of SOC resources for a period of time, it will inevitably lead to an increase in the SOC load.

[0180] Scenario 8: Electronic devices run high-load applications for extended periods.

[0181] For example, when a user plays a game on a mobile phone, the game typically needs to perform dozens or even hundreds of rendering processes and corresponding game logic processing every second. This means that running the game requires the processor or SoC to continuously provide a high load in order to run smoothly; otherwise, stuttering or frame drops may occur. The continuous high load will continuously generate heat. If the heat dissipation efficiency is low and insufficient to transfer all the continuously generated heat, heat will accumulate.

[0182] In all of the above scenarios five through eight, the heat dissipation capabilities of electronic devices are required, especially the ability to quickly cool down and dissipate heat in a short period of time.

[0183] In addition, during the use of electronic devices, there may be some scenarios that cause the devices to malfunction. Examples are provided below:

[0184] Scenario 9: The battery temperature is so low that electronic devices cannot be used properly.

[0185] For example, when the ambient temperature is particularly low, the battery temperature in a newly started electronic device will also be particularly low. This will slow down the battery's chemical reactions, reduce the battery's charging and power supply performance, and consequently prevent the processor and other components from operating efficiently, resulting in problems such as slow operation.

[0186] Considering the aforementioned scenarios, existing technologies do not fully utilize their capabilities to enhance the battery life of electronic devices, and they also struggle to achieve rapid heat dissipation. Therefore, there is a desired architecture and corresponding technical solution that can be applied to these scenarios, further enhancing the battery life of electronic devices while also achieving rapid cooling and battery heating.

[0187] To meet the needs of the above-mentioned multiple scenarios, the embodiments of this application propose the following technical concepts:

[0188] First, unlike technical solutions that primarily improve battery life through cost reduction and energy saving, this application's embodiments consider energy recovery from a broader perspective, or rather, how to improve energy utilization. During the normal operation of electronic devices, due to Joule's law, a portion of electrical energy is converted into heat. This portion of energy can be quite significant in some cases; for example, in mobile phones, approximately 90% of electrical energy is ultimately converted into heat. Therefore, it is necessary to design a suitable energy recovery method that can convert the energy that was originally converted into heat back into electrical energy and then charge the battery for storage and subsequent use.

[0189] Next, unlike existing heat dissipation technologies that primarily rely on uniform heat dissipation, this application adopts a proactive and targeted heat dissipation approach to achieve rapid heat dissipation. Proactive refers to the ability to actively control whether heat dissipation occurs and the efficiency of heat dissipation; targeted refers to focusing on the temperature of hot spots and prioritizing their rapid reduction to ensure transient performance.

[0190] Based on the above analysis and considerations, by utilizing different thermoelectric effects, it is possible to achieve energy recovery, as well as meet the needs of rapid heat dissipation and battery heating. Under the same technical concept, a suitable architecture can be designed, and different functions can be achieved through some adjustments or switching operations. Such a device is called a thermoelectric conversion device.

[0191] Specifically, in this embodiment, a thermoelectric conversion unit is placed at a suitable location within the thermoelectric conversion device. When the two ends of the thermoelectric conversion unit are located at or connected to a hot spot and a cold spot within the thermoelectric conversion device, respectively, an electromotive force is generated due to the thermoelectric effect caused by the temperature difference. This electromotive force can then charge the battery of the thermoelectric conversion device. Specifically, the thermoelectric effect here is the Seebeck effect. In this way, energy recovery can be achieved, converting previously useless heat energy that needs to be dissipated into usable electrical energy, further enhancing the battery's range.

[0192] Under the same architecture, by switching modes or functions accordingly, the processor controls the battery to actively supply power to the thermoelectric conversion unit. This lowers the temperature on one side of the thermoelectric conversion unit, creating a low-temperature zone. By placing this low-temperature zone near the processor, the processor can be rapidly cooled. Unlike technologies such as VC cooling that utilize the cold spots of the electronic device itself for heat dissipation, this technology not only places the low-temperature zone formed by the thermoelectric conversion unit near the processor but also allows the battery to power the thermoelectric conversion unit, maintaining or further reducing the temperature of this zone. This efficiently transfers the processor's heat, achieving rapid heat dissipation.

[0193] Understandably, the same principle applies: by actively supplying power to the thermoelectric sensor and using the side with the increased temperature, the battery of the thermoelectric conversion device can be heated to keep the battery temperature within the normal operating range.

[0194] The technical solution provided in this application can be applied to terminal devices. The terminal devices will be briefly introduced below.

[0195] For example, Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the hardware structure of a terminal device provided in an embodiment of this application is shown.

[0196] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a terminal device provided in an embodiment of this application. The terminal device 200 may include a processor 210, an external memory interface 220, an internal memory 221, a universal serial bus (USB) interface 230, a charging management module 240, a power management module 241, a battery 242, an antenna 1, an antenna 2, a mobile communication module 250, a wireless communication module 260, an audio module 270, a speaker 270A, a receiver 270B, a microphone 270C, a headphone jack 270D, a sensor module 280, buttons 290, a motor 291, an indicator 292, a camera 293, a display screen 294, and a subscriber identification module (SIM) card interface 295, etc. The sensor module 280 includes a thermoelectric sensor 280A, and may also include a gyroscope sensor 280B, a barometric pressure sensor 280C, a magnetic sensor 280D, an accelerometer sensor 280E, a proximity sensor 280F, a proximity light sensor 280G, a fingerprint sensor 280H, a temperature sensor 280J, a touch sensor 280K, an ambient light sensor 280L, a bone conduction sensor 280M, a pressure sensor 280N, etc.

[0197] It is understood that the structures illustrated in the embodiments of this application do not constitute a specific limitation on the terminal device 200. In other embodiments of this application, the terminal device 200 may include more or fewer components than illustrated, or combine some components, or split some components, or have different component arrangements. The illustrated components may be implemented in hardware, software, or a combination of software and hardware.

[0198] Processor 210 may include one or more processing units, such as application processors (APs), modem processors, graphics processing units (GPUs), image signal processors (ISPs), controllers, video codecs, digital signal processors (DSPs), baseband processors, and / or neural network processing units (NPUs). These different processing units may be independent devices or integrated into one or more processors.

[0199] The controller can generate operation control signals based on the instruction opcode and timing signals to complete the control of instruction fetching and execution.

[0200] The processor 210 may also include a memory for storing instructions and data. In some embodiments, the memory in the processor 210 is a cache memory. This memory can store instructions or data that the processor 210 has just used or that are used repeatedly. If the processor 210 needs to use the instruction or data again, it can retrieve it from the memory. This avoids repeated accesses, reduces the waiting time of the processor 210, and thus improves the efficiency of the system.

[0201] The charging management module 240 receives charging input from a charger. The charger can be a wireless charger or a wired charger. In some wired charging embodiments, the charging management module 240 receives charging input from the wired charger via a USB interface 230. In some wireless charging embodiments, the charging management module 240 receives wireless charging input via the wireless charging coil of the terminal device 200. While charging the battery 242, the charging management module 240 can also supply power to the terminal device via the power management module 241.

[0202] The power management module 241 connects the battery 242, the charging management module 240, and the processor 210. The power management module 241 receives input from the battery 242 and / or the charging management module 240, providing power to the processor 210, internal memory 221, display screen 294, camera 293, and wireless communication module 260, etc. The power management module 241 can also monitor parameters such as battery capacity, battery cycle count, and battery health status (leakage current, impedance). In some other embodiments, the power management module 241 may also be located within the processor 210. In other embodiments, the power management module 241 and the charging management module 240 may be located in the same device. Furthermore, the power management module 241 can also manage the charging of the battery 242 by some modules in the terminal device 200.

[0203] The thermoelectric sensor 280A is connected to the power management module 241, or it can be connected to the voltage conversion unit after passing through the power management module 241. In the terminal, the thermoelectric sensor 280A can be used for temperature measurement, cooling and heat dissipation, or energy conversion based on the thermoelectric effect, and can be placed in the area near the processor 210 as needed.

[0204] The software system of terminal device 200 can adopt a layered architecture, event-driven architecture, microkernel architecture, microservice architecture, or cloud architecture, etc. This application embodiment uses the layered architecture Android system as an example to exemplify the software structure of terminal device 200.

[0205] For example, Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the software structure of a terminal device provided in an embodiment of this application. For example... Figure 3 As shown, the layered architecture divides the software into several layers, each with a clear role and division of labor. Layers communicate with each other through interfaces. In some embodiments, the system may include an application layer, an application framework layer, the Android runtime and system libraries, a hardware abstraction layer (HAL), and a kernel layer. It should be noted that this application uses the Android system as an example; however, the solution can also be implemented in other operating systems (such as HarmonyOS, iOS, etc.) as long as the functions implemented by each module are similar to those in the embodiments of this application.

[0206] The application layer can include a series of application packages.

[0207] like Figure 3As shown, the application layer can include applications such as camera, gallery, games, calls, calendar, maps, navigation, wireless local area networks (WLAN), Bluetooth, music, video, SMS, lock screen application, settings application, etc.

[0208] Of course, the application layer may also include other application packages, such as third-party applications like payment apps, shopping apps, banking apps, and social apps; this application does not limit this. For example, third-party applications may have functions such as facial recognition, video calling, scanning, taking photos, and recording videos.

[0209] In addition, the application layer can also include terminal management-related applications, such as terminal processor temperature control programs and terminal power control programs.

[0210] Some applications require a high load during startup or long-term operation, such as cameras, games, and videos.

[0211] The application framework layer provides application programming interfaces (APIs) and a programming framework for applications in the application layer. The application framework layer includes some predefined functions. These may include, for example, an activity manager, a power manager, a window manager, a content provider, a view system, a resource manager, a notification manager, etc., though this embodiment does not impose any limitations on these.

[0212] In this embodiment, the application framework layer may further include a power management service, which can be used to manage the charging of other modules within the terminal to the power source. Furthermore, the power management service can also be used to determine power supply parameters and, based on these parameters, control the underlying power module to supply power to the heat dissipation unit. These power supply parameters include, but are not limited to, power supply voltage and power supply duration.

[0213] System libraries can include multiple functional modules. For example: surface manager, media libraries, 3D graphics processing libraries (e.g., OpenGL ES), 2D graphics engines (e.g., SGL), etc.

[0214] The Android runtime consists of the core libraries and the virtual machine. The Android runtime is responsible for scheduling and managing the Android system. The core libraries consist of two parts: one part contains the functionalities that Java calls, and the other part comprises the Android core libraries. The application layer and application framework layer run in the virtual machine. The virtual machine executes the Java files of the application layer and application framework layer as binary files. The virtual machine is used to perform functions such as object lifecycle management, stack management, thread management, security and exception management, and garbage collection.

[0215] The HAL layer is a wrapper around Linux kernel drivers, providing interfaces to the upper layers and shielding them from the implementation details of the lower-level hardware.

[0216] The HAL layer can include WiFi HAL, sensor HAL, camera service (Camera HAL Server) unit, and software code library, etc.

[0217] For new terminal function requirements, corresponding new HAL interfaces can be designed. For example, the HAL layer includes a power supply HAL interface, which allows upper-layer services to control the power management module. This interface should contain methods that, in some cases, require setting the power supply voltage and duration, as well as which device in the terminal is powered, or in other cases, require setting relevant parameters for power charging.

[0218] In one implementation, the HAL layer can pass control signals to the kernel through appropriate Linux kernel interfaces (such as the sysfs file system, ioctl commands, or dedicated character device drivers) to achieve precise control over the power supply to the thermoelectric sensor.

[0219] The kernel layer is the layer between hardware and software. The kernel layer includes at least display drivers, camera drivers, power drivers, sensor drivers, and charging drivers.

[0220] Among them, the power driver is the bridge between the PMIC and the mobile phone operating system. The PMIC is responsible for regulating the power distribution in the mobile phone, including charging management, battery status monitoring, and power supply management for different hardware components.

[0221] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application and how the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application solve the above-mentioned technical problems will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. The same or similar concepts or processes may not be described again in some embodiments.

[0222] First, combine Figure 4 The thermoelectric conversion device 400 provided in the embodiments of this application will be described below. Figure 4Schematic diagram of the thermoelectric conversion device provided in the embodiments of this application Figure 1 .

[0223] like Figure 4 As shown, the thermoelectric conversion device 400 provided in this embodiment may include five modules: a power supply unit 401, a processor 402, a thermoelectric conversion unit 403, a screen 406, and a back panel 407. The thermoelectric conversion unit 403 also has two planes: a first plane 404 and a second plane 405.

[0224] In the thermoelectric conversion device 400, the relative positions and connections of the five modules are as follows: the power supply unit 401, the processor 402 and the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 are located between the screen 406 and the back panel 407; the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 is located between the screen 406 and the processor 402; the power supply unit 401 is connected to the processor 402 and is also connected to the thermoelectric conversion unit 403.

[0225] The following is a detailed description of each module in the heat dissipation device 300:

[0226] 1. Screen 406 and back panel 407

[0227] The screen 406 and the back panel 407 are located on opposite sides of the thermoelectric conversion device 400.

[0228] First, screen 406 and back panel 407 can be used to help understand and determine the orientation of thermoelectric conversion device 400 and its various modules. For example, the orientation of screen 406 and back panel 407 can be understood when thermoelectric conversion device 400 is in a first posture. It can be understood that when thermoelectric conversion device 400 is in the first posture, screen 406, back panel 407 and thermoelectric conversion device 400 remain relatively stationary, so screen 406 and back panel 407 are also in the corresponding posture. At this time, the orientation of screen 406 and back panel 407, such as above and below, can be determined based on the posture of screen 406 and back panel 407.

[0229] For example, the first orientation can be that the thermoelectric conversion device 400 is placed horizontally on a plane, in which the screen 406 of the thermoelectric conversion device 400 is above the back panel 407. Correspondingly, the power supply unit 401, the processor 402, and the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 can be said to be below the screen 406, and the power supply unit 401, the processor 402, and the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 can be above the back panel 407.

[0230] In addition, both the screen 406 and the back panel 407 have a certain function of heat transfer. That is to say, the heat from other modules inside the thermoelectric conversion device 400 can be evenly transferred through the screen 406 and the back panel 407, and can also be dissipated to the external space.

[0231] 2. Power Supply Unit 401

[0232] The power supply unit 401 is connected to the processor 402 and is used to supply power to the processor, thereby enabling the processor to run programs or send instructions to other modules in the thermoelectric conversion device 400 to complete corresponding tasks.

[0233] The power supply unit 401 is also connected to the thermoelectric conversion unit 403, and can supply power to the thermoelectric conversion unit 403, and conversely, the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 can charge the power supply unit 401. The conditions under which the power supply unit 401 supplies power to the thermoelectric conversion unit 403, and how the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 charges the power supply unit 401, will be explained in detail below.

[0234] 3. Processor 402

[0235] The processor 402 is connected to the power supply unit 401 and receives power from the power supply unit 401.

[0236] In the thermoelectric conversion device 400, in addition to handling routine tasks and executing general programs, the processor 402 can also perform the following actions, including:

[0237] Send corresponding instructions to the thermoelectric conversion device 403, so that it can switch to different working modes according to the instructions after receiving them.

[0238] The power supply unit 401 is sent a corresponding instruction, which, upon receiving the instruction, enables the power supply unit 401 to perform the corresponding power supply task. For example, the power supply unit 401 may supply power to the thermoelectric conversion unit 403, and the instruction may also include information on power supply parameters such as the power supply voltage and the power supply duration.

[0239] 4. Thermoelectric conversion unit 403

[0240] The thermoelectric conversion unit 403 is connected to the power supply unit 401 in the thermoelectric conversion device 400 and can be disposed between the screen 406 and the processor 402.

[0241] The thermoelectric conversion unit 403 is an important functional module of the thermoelectric conversion device 400. The thermoelectric conversion unit 403 can achieve its corresponding function based on the thermoelectric effect.

[0242] In some implementations, the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 can convert heat energy into electrical energy based on a thermoelectric effect that generates an electromotive force from a temperature difference. This thermoelectric effect can also be called the Seebeck effect.

[0243] In some implementations, the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 can use electrical energy to regulate temperature based on a thermoelectric effect that generates a temperature difference with an electric current. This thermoelectric effect can also be called the Peltier effect.

[0244] In some implementations, the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 can switch operating modes. For example, the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 can have two operating modes, corresponding to the two thermoelectric effects mentioned above. Different functions can be achieved by switching the operating modes.

[0245] The embodiments of this application do not impose specific limitations on the specific manufacturing process and materials used for the thermoelectric conversion unit 403.

[0246] For example, thermoelectric conversion unit 403 can be a thermoelectric sensor, which can be made of two different metal materials or semiconductor materials.

[0247] For example, the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 can also be composed of multiple thermoelectric sensors connected in series. It is understood that, compared to a single thermoelectric sensor, multiple thermoelectric sensors connected in series can achieve a larger temperature difference between the two ends, and a larger temperature difference can generate a larger electromotive force under thermoelectric action, thereby enhancing the rate of energy conversion.

[0248] In the technical solution of this application, it can be understood that the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 has two planes. However, these two planes are not fixed planes of the thermoelectric conversion unit 403, but rather two planes defined according to the actual temperature of the thermoelectric conversion unit 403. At the same time, these two planes are not strictly geometric planes, but rather regions with a certain temperature near the thermoelectric conversion unit 403. For the sake of logical and relative understanding, they will still be described as planes below.

[0249] In this embodiment, the two planes of the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 can be referred to as the first plane 404 and the second plane 405, respectively. The first plane 404 has a lower temperature, and the second plane 405 has a higher temperature; the temperature of the first plane 404 is lower than that of the second plane 405. Generally, the first plane 404 and the second plane 405 can be located on opposite sides of the thermoelectric conversion unit 403. The thermoelectric conversion unit 403 can generate an electromotive force based on the temperature difference between the first plane 404 and the second plane 405, thereby converting thermal energy into electrical energy.

[0250] Understandably, the processor 402 generates heat during operation, and in some cases, when the processor 402 is under high load, it can generate a large amount of heat, causing the temperature in its vicinity to rise significantly. Therefore, it is understandable that the second plane 405 of the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 is close to the processor 402, while the first plane 404 is close to the screen 406.

[0251] The meaning of "close" here can be understood in two ways: First, "close" is a relative concept, mainly used to express the positional relationship between the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 and the corresponding two planes on the screen 406 and the processor 402, indicating that the relevant unit is set close to a certain part; Second, "close" can also be understood as a small distance, for example, the distance between the relevant unit and a certain part is less than a certain preset distance threshold.

[0252] In this embodiment of the application, referring to the first posture described above, the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 can be located above the processor 402. At this time, the corresponding second plane 405 is also located above the processor 402 and between the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 and the processor 402.

[0253] When the processor 402 is working, it can be considered a heat source. Since the second plane 405 of the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 is close to the processor 402, the temperature of the second plane 405 will rise accordingly. Meanwhile, the first plane 404 of the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 is close to the screen 406, which can continuously dissipate heat to the outside, resulting in a lower temperature for the first plane 404. Thus, the temperature of the first plane 404 is lower than that of the second plane 405, creating a temperature difference. This temperature difference causes the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 to generate an electromotive force, which is then connected to the power supply unit 401 to provide converted electrical energy to the power supply unit 401.

[0254] Based on the five modules included in the thermoelectric conversion device 400 described above, the function of the thermoelectric conversion device 400 will be further summarized and explained below.

[0255] In this embodiment of the application, the processor 402 is powered by the power supply unit 401 and continuously generates heat during operation. There is a process of electrical energy being converted into heat energy, which is unavoidable. The part of energy converted into heat energy can be regarded as being wasted, so the energy utilization rate is not high.

[0256] In the thermoelectric conversion device 400, a thermoelectric conversion unit 403 is disposed between the processor 402 and the screen 406, or above the processor 402. The second plane 405 of the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 is close to the processor 402, and the first plane is close to the screen 406. When the processor 402 operates, the temperature of the second plane 405 rises, creating or increasing a temperature difference between the first plane 404 and the second plane 405. At this time, the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 generates an electromotive force based on the thermoelectric effect, and this electromotive force increases with the increase of the temperature difference. The thermoelectric conversion unit 403 can then charge the power supply unit 401, converting a portion of the previously wasted thermal energy back into new electrical energy, which is stored in the power supply unit 401 for subsequent power use by various modules in the thermoelectric conversion device 400.

[0257] In this way, energy recovery is achieved through the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 in the thermoelectric conversion device 400, improving energy efficiency and enhancing the endurance of the thermoelectric conversion device 400. Furthermore, since the second plane 405 is directly close to the processor 402, its higher temperature results in a larger temperature difference between the two sides of the thermoelectric conversion device 400, generating a higher electromotive force and thus achieving higher energy conversion efficiency.

[0258] The above describes one form of thermoelectric conversion device, in which the thermoelectric conversion unit is located between the processor and the screen. In another implementation, the thermoelectric conversion unit can also be located between the heat-conducting plate and the screen. This implementation will be described in detail below. Figure 5 Schematic diagram of the thermoelectric conversion device provided in the embodiments of this application Figure 2 .

[0259] The thermoelectric conversion device 500 provided in this embodiment includes six modules: a power supply unit 401, a processor 402, a thermoelectric conversion unit 403, a screen 406, a backplate 407, and a heat-conducting plate 408. The thermoelectric conversion unit 403 also has two planes: a first plane 404 and a second plane 405. Compared to the thermoelectric conversion device 400, the thermoelectric conversion device 500 adds the heat-conducting plate 408.

[0260] In the thermoelectric conversion device 500, the relative positions and connections of the six modules are as follows:

[0261] The power supply unit 401, the processor 402, and the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 are disposed between the screen 406 and the back panel 407; a heat-conducting plate 408 is also disposed between the processor 402 and the screen 406; the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 is disposed between the screen 406 and the heat-conducting plate 408; the power supply unit 401 is connected to the processor 402 and is also connected to the thermoelectric conversion unit 403.

[0262] The following is a detailed description of each module in the thermoelectric conversion device 500:

[0263] 1. Screen 406 and back panel 407

[0264] The screen 406 and back panel 407 in the thermoelectric conversion device 500 have the same settings and functions as the screen 406 and back panel 407 in the thermoelectric conversion device 400. Please refer to the corresponding description in the thermoelectric conversion device 400. It will not be repeated here.

[0265] 2. Power Supply Unit 401

[0266] The power supply unit 401 in the thermoelectric conversion device 500 has the same function as the power supply unit 401 in the thermoelectric conversion device 400. Please refer to the corresponding description in the thermoelectric conversion device 400. It will not be repeated here.

[0267] 3. Processor 402 and heat sink 408

[0268] In this embodiment of the application, a heat-conducting sheet 408 is provided between the processor 402 and the screen 406. The length of the heat-conducting sheet 408 in a first direction is greater than the length of the processor 402 in the first direction, wherein the first direction is a direction parallel to the long side of the screen 406.

[0269] Wherein, the length of the heat-conducting plate 408 in the first direction is greater than the length of the processor 402 in the first direction. The part of the heat-conducting plate 408 that overlaps with the processor 402 in the first direction can be called the part of the heat-conducting plate 408 closer to the processor 402, or the first part of the heat-conducting plate 408. The part of the heat-conducting plate 408 that does not overlap with the processor 402 in the first direction, or the part of the heat-conducting plate 408 that extends beyond the processor 402 in the first direction, can be called the part of the heat-conducting plate 408 further away from the processor 402, or the second part of the heat-conducting plate 408.

[0270] The heat generated by the processor 402 during operation can be transferred through the heat-conducting plate 408. Specifically, this can be understood in two ways. On the one hand, the heat generated by the processor 402 can be transferred upwards through the heat-conducting plate 408, and then transferred or dissipated through the screen 408. On the other hand, the heat generated by the processor 402 can be transferred from the first part of the heat-conducting plate 408 to the second part of the heat-conducting plate 408.

[0271] Understandably, the heat sink 408 can be made very thin. By adding the heat sink 408 between the screen 406 and the processor 402, the thickness of the thermoelectric conversion device 500, or the distance between the screen 406 and the back panel 407, can be kept almost constant. Furthermore, the heat sink 408 itself has good thermal conductivity, allowing it to quickly transfer the heat generated by the processor 402 away.

[0272] 4. Thermoelectric conversion unit 403

[0273] In this embodiment, the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 is disposed between the screen 406 and the heat-conducting sheet 408, and the first plane 404 of the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 is close to the screen 406, and the second plane 405 of the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 is close to the heat-conducting sheet 408.

[0274] In some implementations, the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 may be positioned above the second portion of the heat-conducting plate 408, that is, above the portion of the heat-conducting plate 408 that is relatively far from the processor 402. Furthermore, the second plane 405 of the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 is close to the heat-conducting plate 408, and the first plane 404 of the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 is close to the screen 404.

[0275] The heat generated during the operation of the processor 402 can be transferred through the heat-conducting plate 408, from the first part of the heat-conducting plate 408 to the second part. That is, the temperature of the heat-conducting plate 408 and its vicinity will rise, and consequently, the temperature of the second plane 405 of the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 near the heat-conducting plate 408 will also rise accordingly. This creates or amplifies the temperature difference between the two planes of the thermoelectric conversion unit 403. Based on the thermoelectric effect, the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 generates an electromotive force, which can charge the power supply unit 401.

[0276] Based on the six modules included in the thermoelectric conversion device 500 described above, the function of the thermoelectric conversion device 500 will be further summarized and explained below.

[0277] In the thermoelectric conversion device 500, a heat-conducting plate 408 is disposed above the processor 402, and the length of the heat-conducting plate 408 in the first direction is greater than the length of the processor 402 in the first direction. Based on the positional relationship, the heat-conducting plate 408 can be understood to include a first part and a second part. The thermoelectric conversion unit 403 is then disposed between the second part of the heat-conducting plate 408 and the screen 406. Heat can be transferred from the processor 402 to the second plane 405 of the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 through the heat-conducting plate 408. This creates a temperature difference between the two planes of the thermoelectric conversion unit 403, allowing the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 to charge the power supply unit 401, thereby achieving energy recovery.

[0278] Furthermore, compared to existing uniform heat dissipation technology, which dissipates the heat of the processor 402 upwards through the screen 406, the heat-conducting plate 408 has a very thin thickness and good thermal conductivity. Therefore, by setting the heat-conducting plate 408 between the screen 406 and the processor 402 to recover heat, the energy utilization rate can be improved without affecting the original heat dissipation path or changing the original heat dissipation system.

[0279] The above embodiments introduced several forms of thermoelectric conversion devices. The following will combine... Figure 6 Another thermoelectric conversion device provided in the embodiments of this application will be described in detail. Figure 6 Schematic diagram of the thermoelectric conversion device provided in the embodiments of this application Figure 3 .

[0280] The thermoelectric conversion device 600 provided in this embodiment includes six modules: a power supply unit 401, a processor 402, a thermoelectric conversion unit 403, a screen 406, a backplate 407, and a PCB 409. The thermoelectric conversion unit 403 further includes two planes: a first plane 404 and a second plane 405. Compared to the thermoelectric conversion device 400, the thermoelectric conversion device 600 adds a PCB 409.

[0281] In the thermoelectric conversion device 600, the relative positions and connections of the six modules are as follows:

[0282] The power supply unit 401, the processor 402, and the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 are disposed between the screen 406 and the back panel 407; the PCB 409 is located between the processor 402 and the back panel 407; the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 is disposed between the screen 406 and the PCB 409; the power supply unit 401 is connected to the processor 402 and is also connected to the thermoelectric conversion unit 403.

[0283] The following is a detailed description of each module in the thermoelectric conversion device 600:

[0284] 1. Screen 406 and back panel 407

[0285] The screen 406 and back panel 407 in the thermoelectric conversion device 600 have the same settings and functions as the screen 406 and back panel 407 in the thermoelectric conversion device 400. Please refer to the corresponding description in the thermoelectric conversion device 400. It will not be repeated here.

[0286] 2. Power Supply Unit 401

[0287] The power supply unit 401 in the thermoelectric conversion device 600 has the same function as the power supply unit 401 in the thermoelectric conversion device 400. Please refer to the corresponding description in the thermoelectric conversion device 400. It will not be repeated here.

[0288] 3. Processor 402 and PCB 409

[0289] In this embodiment of the application, the PCB 409 in the thermoelectric conversion device 600 is located between the processor 402 and the backplane 407, and the length of the PCB 409 in the first direction is greater than the length of the processor 402 in the first direction.

[0290] Understandably, processor 402 is generally mounted on PCB 409, or it can be understood as processor 402 being attached to PCB 409. Besides processor 402, there are other components and circuits on PCB 409, so processor 402 typically only occupies a portion of the PCB 409 area. Since processor 402 is attached to PCB 409, the heat generated by processor 402 during operation is directly transferred to PCB 409, spreading outwards from the location of processor 402, causing the temperature of PCB 409 to gradually increase. In other words, PCB 409 can also serve as a heat source in the thermoelectric conversion device 600.

[0291] To better explain the relevant modules later, we will first define different areas or portions of PCB 409. As mentioned above, the processor 402 generally occupies a portion of the area of ​​PCB 409, and in some implementations, the processor 402 is located on one side of PCB 409 in the first direction, for example in... Figure 6 This can be understood as processor 402 being located on the right side of PCB 409. Based on the location of processor 402 within PCB 409, the areas within PCB 409 can be defined as follows: the area of ​​PCB 409 where processor 402 is located can be called the first area of ​​PCB 409, and the other areas of PCB 409 where processor 402 is not located can be called the second area of ​​PCB 409. For example, in... Figure 6In the diagram, the area on the right side of PCB 409 in the first direction is the first area, and the area on the left side in the first direction is the second area.

[0292] 4. Thermoelectric conversion unit 403

[0293] In this embodiment, the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 is disposed between the screen 407 and the PCB 409, and the first plane 404 of the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 is close to the screen 406, and the second plane 405 of the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 is close to the PCB 409.

[0294] Based on the above explanation of the processor 402 and PCB 409, the heat generated by the processor during operation is directly transferred through PCB 409. Therefore, the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 can be positioned between the screen 407 and PCB 409. Since PCB 409 is relatively difficult to dissipate heat in a timely manner, while the screen 407, not being directly adjacent to the processor 402, dissipates heat more easily, the temperature of PCB 409 is generally higher than that of screen 407. Therefore, it can be understood that the first plane 404 of the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 is close to the screen 407, while the second plane 405 is close to the PCB 409. This creates a temperature difference, as the first plane 404 is cooler than the second plane 405. The thermoelectric conversion unit 403 can then generate an electromotive force based on this temperature difference to charge the power supply unit 401.

[0295] In some implementations, the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 can be positioned above the second area of ​​the PCB 409. This reduces the impact on the original setup and environment near the processor 402, for example, by not encroaching on the space of other components near the processor 402. Furthermore, by properly positioning the thermoelectric conversion unit 403, the thickness of the thermoelectric conversion device 600 can be avoided, or in other words, the distance between the screen 406 and the backplate 407 can be prevented from increasing.

[0296] Based on the six modules included in the thermoelectric conversion device 600 described above, the function of the thermoelectric conversion device 600 will be further summarized and explained below.

[0297] In the thermoelectric conversion device 600, there is a PCB 409 below the processor 402. Since the processor 402 is in close contact with the PCB 409, some of the heat generated by the processor 402 during operation can be transferred to the surroundings through the PCB 409. The thermoelectric conversion unit 403 is disposed between the PCB 409 and the screen 407, for example, specifically between a second area of ​​the PCB 409 and the screen 407. Utilizing the temperature difference between the two, the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 can generate an electromotive force based on the thermoelectric effect and charge the power supply unit 401.

[0298] While achieving energy recovery, the technical solution provided in this application embodiment also has the following beneficial effects: fewer modules are required to achieve the energy recovery function, because PCB 409 is generally a module that is present in various common electronic devices; the impact on the processor 402 and its surrounding environment and settings is avoided as much as possible, so that the thermoelectric conversion device 600 can be more easily added to different electronic devices; by reasonably setting the position of the thermoelectric conversion unit 403, the thickness of the thermoelectric conversion device 600 can be kept constant or not significantly increased, which can improve the appearance and user experience in some cases.

[0299] The above embodiments introduced several forms of thermoelectric conversion devices. The following will combine... Figure 7 Another thermoelectric conversion device provided in the embodiments of this application will be described in detail. Figure 7 Schematic diagram of the thermoelectric conversion device provided in the embodiments of this application Figure 4 .

[0300] The thermoelectric conversion device 700 provided in this application embodiment includes seven modules: a power supply unit 401, a processor 402, a thermoelectric conversion unit 403, a screen 406, a backplate 407, a heat-conducting plate 408, and a PCB 409. The thermoelectric conversion unit 403 also has two planes: a first plane 404 and a second plane 405. Compared to the thermoelectric conversion device 600, the thermoelectric conversion device 700 adds a heat-conducting plate 408.

[0301] In the thermoelectric conversion device 700, the relative positions and connections of the seven modules are as follows:

[0302] The power supply unit 401, processor 402, and thermoelectric conversion unit 403 are disposed between the screen 406 and the back panel 407; the PCB 409 is located between the processor 402 and the back panel 407; the heat-conducting sheet 408 is disposed between the screen 406 and the processor 402; the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 is disposed between the heat-conducting sheet 408 and the PCB 409; the power supply unit 401 is connected to the processor 402 and is also connected to the thermoelectric conversion unit 403.

[0303] Because the thermoelectric conversion device 700 provided in this application embodiment and Figure 6 The thermoelectric conversion device 600 shown in the figure is quite similar, including the power supply unit 401, PCB 409, screen 406 and back panel 407, etc., so these parts will not be described in detail below, but only the unique parts of the thermoelectric conversion device 700 will be described in detail.

[0304] In the thermoelectric conversion device 700, a heat-conducting plate 408 is disposed between the processor 402 and the screen 406, and the length of the heat-conducting plate 408 in the first direction is greater than the length of the processor 402. It is understandable that the screen 407, due to its contact with the external space, can transfer heat from inside the thermoelectric conversion device 700 to the outside, and its own temperature is relatively lower than that of other modules inside the thermoelectric conversion device 700. The heat-conducting plate 408 itself has good thermal conductivity, allowing it to transfer heat from its contact point more quickly.

[0305] Based on the above explanation, placing the heat-conducting plate 408 between the screen 406 and the processor 402 can transfer some of the heat generated by the processor 402 at a faster rate. Alternatively, it can be understood as transferring the heat from the processor 402 to the screen 406 more quickly and evenly. This also accelerates the heat dissipation efficiency of the screen 406, allowing the temperature of the screen 406 to be maintained at a relatively low level.

[0306] In summary, by placing the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 between the heat-conducting plate 408 and the PCB 409, the PCB 409 directly receives heat from the processor 402 and is difficult to dissipate quickly, leading to heat accumulation and a temperature increase. The heat transferred through the heat-conducting plate 408 is further transferred through the screen 406, resulting in a lower temperature for the heat-conducting plate 408 compared to the PCB 409, thus creating a temperature difference. With the first plane 404 of the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 close to the heat-conducting plate 408 and the second plane 405 close to the PCB 409, the lower temperature of the first plane 404 compared to the second plane 405 allows for the generation of an electromotive force based on the thermoelectric effect to charge the power supply unit 401, converting thermal energy into electrical energy. Furthermore, the heat-conducting plate 408 also accelerates heat dissipation, thus addressing both heat dissipation and energy recovery requirements.

[0307] The above embodiments introduced several forms of thermoelectric conversion devices. The following will combine... Figure 8 Another thermoelectric conversion device provided in the embodiments of this application will be described in detail. Figure 8 Schematic diagram of the thermoelectric conversion device provided in the embodiments of this application Figure 5.

[0308] The thermoelectric conversion device 800 provided in this embodiment includes seven modules: a power supply unit 401, a processor 402, a thermoelectric conversion unit 403, a screen 406, a backplate 407, a PCB 409, and a graphite sheet 410. The thermoelectric conversion unit 403 also has two planes: a first plane 404 and a second plane 405. Compared to the thermoelectric conversion device 600, the thermoelectric conversion device 800 adds the graphite sheet 410.

[0309] In the thermoelectric conversion device 800, the relative positions and connections of the seven modules are as follows:

[0310] The power supply unit 401, processor 402, and thermoelectric conversion unit 403 are disposed between the screen 406 and the back panel 407; the PCB 409 is located between the processor 402 and the back panel 407; the graphite sheet 410 is disposed between the PCB 409 and the back panel 407; the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 is disposed between the graphite sheet 410 and the PCB 409; the power supply unit 401 is connected to the processor 402 and is also connected to the thermoelectric conversion unit 403.

[0311] Because the thermoelectric conversion device 800 provided in this application embodiment and Figure 6 The thermoelectric conversion device 600 shown in the figure has some similarities, including the power supply unit 401, PCB 409, screen 406 and back panel 407, etc., so these parts will not be described in detail below, but only the unique parts of the thermoelectric conversion device 800 will be described in detail.

[0312] The main feature of the thermoelectric conversion device 800 provided in this application embodiment is that the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 is disposed below the PCB 409, which can also be understood as being between the PCB 409 and the backplate 407. Referring to the description of the PCB 409 in the thermoelectric conversion device 600 above, the PCB 409 can transfer some of the heat generated by the processor 402, thereby increasing the temperature of the PCB 409 itself. Meanwhile, some modules below the PCB 409, such as the backplate 407, are in contact with the external environment and can be made of materials with good thermal conductivity, such as metal, and are not in direct contact with the processor 402, so their temperature is generally lower.

[0313] Furthermore, a graphite sheet 410 can be placed between the backplate 407 and the PCB 409. Since the graphite sheet 410 itself has good thermal conductivity, and there are fewer components on the back of the PCB 409 compared to the front, the graphite sheet 410 can be made larger. Thus, placing the graphite sheet 410 between the backplate 407 and the PCB 409 can achieve better heat conduction and dissipation.

[0314] In some implementations, a cooling system, such as a fan, can be installed between the backplane 407 and the PCB 409 to actively dissipate heat and transfer the heat inside the thermoelectric conversion device 800 more quickly.

[0315] In other words, there are multiple ways to place the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 below or on the back of the PCB 409. For example, the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 can be directly placed between the PCB 409 and the backplate 407, with the first plane 404 of the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 close to the backplate 407 and the second plane 405 close to the PCB 409. Alternatively, a graphite sheet 410 can be placed between the PCB 409 and the backplate, and then the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 can be placed between the PCB 409 and the graphite sheet 410, with the first plane 404 of the PCB 409 close to the graphite sheet 410. Another option is to place an air-cooling system between the PCB 409 and the backplate, and then place the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 between the PCB 409 and the air-cooling system, with the first plane 404 of the PCB 409 close to the air-cooling system. In all the above specific implementation methods, the temperature of the first plane 404 of the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 can be lower than the temperature of the second plane 405 of the thermoelectric conversion unit 403.

[0316] In summary, by placing the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 on the back side of the PCB 409, with the PCB 409 as the relatively warmer side and the backplate 407, graphite sheet 410, or air-cooling system as the cooler side, a temperature difference is created, allowing the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 to convert heat energy into electrical energy, thus achieving energy recovery. Furthermore, placing the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 on the back side of the PCB 409 minimizes the impact and alteration on existing electronic components and circuits, making the thermoelectric conversion device 800 easier to embed into electronic devices requiring energy recovery in practical production applications.

[0317] The above embodiments illustrate various forms of thermoelectric conversion devices. The following will combine... Figure 9 and Figure 10Another thermoelectric conversion device provided in the embodiments of this application will be described in detail. Figure 9 Schematic diagram of the thermoelectric conversion device provided in the embodiments of this application Figure 6 , Figure 10 Temperature diagram of each area of ​​the terminal provided in the embodiments of this application Figure 1 .

[0318] The thermoelectric conversion device 900 provided in this application embodiment includes five modules: a power supply unit 401, a processor 402, a thermoelectric conversion unit 403, a screen 406, and a back panel 407. The thermoelectric conversion unit 403 also has two planes: a first plane 404 and a second plane 405.

[0319] In the thermoelectric conversion device 900, the relative positions and connections of the five modules are as follows:

[0320] The power supply unit 401, the processor 402, and the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 are disposed between the screen 406 and the back panel 407; the area between the screen 406 and the back panel 407 includes a first sub-area and a second sub-area; the processor 402 is disposed in the first sub-area, and the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 is disposed in the second sub-area; the power supply unit 401 is connected to the processor 402 and is also connected to the thermoelectric conversion unit 403.

[0321] Because the thermoelectric conversion device 900 provided in this application embodiment and Figure 4 The thermoelectric conversion device 400 shown in the figure has some similarities, including the power supply unit 401, screen 406 and back panel 407, etc. Therefore, the same parts will not be described in detail below, but only the unique parts and corresponding contents of the thermoelectric conversion device 900 will be described in detail.

[0322] The main feature of the thermoelectric conversion device 900 provided in this application embodiment is that the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 is placed at a position relatively far from the processor 402, which is the aforementioned second sub-region. For an understanding of the second sub-region, please refer to... Figure 10 The content shown in the document.

[0323] like Figure 10 As shown, an example of a terminal electronic device is used for illustration. This terminal electronic device has a screen on one side and a back panel on the opposite side. In this terminal electronic device, the entire large area is divided into a first sub-region and a second sub-region. The dividing line between the first and second sub-regions is parallel to the short side of the screen and is located at the middle of the long side of the screen. The processor is located in the first sub-region. Figure 10In (a), the area division of the terminal electronic device as viewed from one side of the screen is shown, with the area above the dividing line being the first sub-area of ​​one side of the screen and the area below the dividing line being the second area of ​​one side of the screen. Figure 10 (b) shows the area division of the terminal electronic device as viewed from one side of the back panel. Similarly, there is a corresponding dividing line. Above the dividing line is the first sub-region on one side of the back panel, and below the dividing line is the second sub-region on one side of the back panel.

[0324] Next, let's take... Figure 10 Taking the example shown, we will explain the relative temperature of each sub-region. First, for... Figure 10 In (a), the first sub-region where the processor is located is a high-temperature region because the processor generates heat during operation. Furthermore, the processor not only resides in the first sub-region but also dissipates heat through the screen. Therefore, the first sub-region on one side of the screen is a high-temperature region, referred to here as high-temperature region one. And for... Figure 10 In the second sub-region of (a), since heat is transferred from the screen of the first sub-region to the screen of the second sub-region, the second sub-region on one side of the screen is also a high-temperature region, which is called high-temperature region two. Generally speaking, the temperature of high-temperature region two is lower than that of high-temperature region one.

[0325] Let's look at it again. Figure 10 In (b), the first sub-region on one side of the backplate can be considered a low-temperature region. This is because although the processor is in the first sub-region, it is typically mounted on the PCB board closer to the screen, resulting in relatively less heat being transferred to the backplate. Thus, the first sub-region on one side of the backplate is called low-temperature region one, and the corresponding second sub-region on the same side is called low-temperature region two. In terms of relative temperature, high-temperature region one is higher than low-temperature region one, low-temperature region one is higher than low-temperature region two, and high-temperature region two is higher than low-temperature region two.

[0326] It should be noted that, Figure 10 The example shown is merely one scenario chosen for ease of understanding; in actual production of various electronic devices, it is not necessarily the case that... Figure 10 The settings are configured as shown. For example, in some electronic devices, the processor can be placed on the PCB closer to the back panel, with heat dissipation mainly handled by the back panel to provide a better user experience. In this case, the temperature on the back panel side will be higher than that on the screen side. This application does not limit the different implementation methods in specific electronic devices, as long as the application conditions of the thermoelectric conversion device 900 provided in this application are met.

[0327] In other words, Figure 10A temperature difference is formed between the high-temperature region 2 and the low-temperature region 2 shown, which satisfies the condition for the thermoelectric conversion device 403 to recover energy through the thermoelectric effect. Therefore, it can be understood that the first plane 404 of the thermoelectric conversion device 403 is close to the low-temperature region 2, while the second plane 405 of the thermoelectric conversion device 403 is close to the high-temperature region 2. In this way, the thermoelectric conversion device 403 can generate an electromotive force to charge the power supply unit 401.

[0328] It is understandable that, in addition to using screen 406 to transfer heat to thermoelectric conversion device 403, heat dissipation elements such as VC can also be used to transfer heat to thermoelectric conversion device 403. This application embodiment does not impose specific restrictions on the method of heat transfer.

[0329] In summary, by placing the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 in a second sub-region relatively far from the processor, and transferring heat to the second plane 405 of the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 via the screen 406, and because of its distance from the processor, the second sub-region on the back panel can serve as a low-temperature region corresponding to the first plane 404. This temperature difference allows the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 to generate an electromotive force, thereby charging the power supply unit 401 and improving battery life. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 is located in the second sub-region. Generally, compared to the first sub-region, the second sub-region offers more space for configuring functional modules. This not only avoids impacting other existing functional modules but also, through proper placement, prevents a significant increase in the thickness of the electronic device.

[0330] The above embodiments illustrate various forms of thermoelectric conversion devices. The following will combine... Figures 11-13 Another thermoelectric conversion device provided in the embodiments of this application will be described in detail. Figure 11 Schematic diagram of the thermoelectric conversion device provided in the embodiments of this application Figure 7 , Figure 12 Temperature diagram of each area of ​​the terminal provided in the embodiments of this application Figure 2 , Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the parallel implementation of the thermoelectric conversion device provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0331] The thermoelectric conversion device 1100 provided in this application embodiment includes six modules: a power supply unit 401, a processor 402, a first thermoelectric conversion unit 403, a second thermoelectric conversion unit 413, a screen 406, and a back panel 407. The first thermoelectric conversion unit 403 also has two planes: a first plane 404 and a second plane 405. Similarly, the second thermoelectric conversion unit 413 also has two planes: a first plane 414 and a second plane 415.

[0332] In the thermoelectric conversion device 1100, the relative positions and connections of the six modules are as follows:

[0333] The power supply unit 401, processor 402, first thermoelectric conversion unit 403 and second thermoelectric conversion unit 413 are disposed between screen 406 and back panel 407; the first thermoelectric conversion unit 403 and the second thermoelectric conversion unit 413 are connected in parallel; the power supply unit 401 is connected to processor 402, and is also connected to the first thermoelectric conversion unit 403 and the second thermoelectric conversion unit 413 respectively.

[0334] The following is a detailed description of each module in the thermoelectric conversion device 1100:

[0335] 1. Screen 406 and back panel 407

[0336] The screen 406 and back panel 407 in the thermoelectric conversion device 1100 have the same settings and functions as the screen 406 and back panel 407 in the thermoelectric conversion device 400. Please refer to the corresponding description in the thermoelectric conversion device 400. It will not be repeated here.

[0337] In this embodiment, the difference lies in taking into account the temperature gradient, or temperature change, of the screen 406 or the back panel 407. Combined with... Figure 12 The following explanation is provided: Figure 12 The image illustrates a terminal electronic device where the processor is located at the top. Along the long side (or first direction) of the device, the temperature gradually decreases. This is because heat is transferred gradually; the processor generates heat during operation, acting as a heat source. Areas closer to the processor generally have higher temperatures, while areas farther away generally have lower temperatures. (Reference) Figure 12 In the example, the temperature near the processor area is 80°C, the temperature of the next area is 60°C, and the temperature of the bottommost area is 20°C.

[0338] It should be noted that, Figure 12 This illustration merely presents a specific scenario to facilitate understanding of the solution provided in this application's embodiments. The temperature of a certain area refers to the overall temperature of that area being near a certain temperature, rather than being absolutely equal to the temperature shown in the illustration. The situation may differ for different electronic devices and can be adjusted according to actual circumstances. This application's embodiments do not impose specific limitations in this regard.

[0339] In other words, the screen 406, back panel 407, or other components experience temperature variations in different areas. Generally, the temperature is relatively higher in areas closer to the heat source and relatively lower in areas farther away from the heat source. Furthermore, the temperature between the two areas is usually continuous, meaning the temperature of the intermediate area falls between the two.

[0340] 2. Power Supply Unit 401

[0341] In the embodiments of this application, the power supply unit 401 is connected to the first thermoelectric conversion unit 403 and the second thermoelectric conversion unit 413 respectively, or it can be said that the first thermoelectric conversion unit 403 and the second thermoelectric conversion unit 413 are connected in parallel and then connected to the power supply unit 401.

[0342] The power supply unit 401 in the thermoelectric conversion device 1100 has the same other functions as the power supply unit 401 in the thermoelectric conversion device 400. Please refer to the corresponding description in the thermoelectric conversion device 400. It will not be repeated here.

[0343] 3. Processor 402

[0344] The processor 402 in the thermoelectric conversion device 1100 has the same function as the processor 402 in the thermoelectric conversion device 400. Please refer to the corresponding description in the thermoelectric conversion device 400. It will not be repeated here.

[0345] 4. First thermoelectric conversion unit 403 and second thermoelectric conversion unit 413

[0346] The first thermoelectric conversion unit 403 and the second thermoelectric conversion unit 413 are connected in parallel and then connected to the power supply unit 401. The temperature of the first plane 404 of the first thermoelectric conversion unit 403 is higher than or equal to the temperature of the second plane 415 of the second thermoelectric conversion unit 413, and the first plane 404 of the first thermoelectric conversion unit 403 is close to the second plane 415 of the second thermoelectric conversion unit 413.

[0347] It is understandable that the thermoelectric conversion device 1100 may include multiple thermoelectric conversion units in addition to the first thermoelectric conversion unit 403 and the second thermoelectric conversion unit 413; no specific limitation is made here.

[0348] In the embodiments of this application, a parallel thermoelectric conversion unit configuration can be referred to... Figure 13 Examples are provided below. Figure 13 The examples in the document illustrate the solutions of embodiments of this application. For example... Figure 13 As shown, there are three thermoelectric conversion units, which are referred to as Thermoelectric Conversion Unit 1, Thermoelectric Conversion Unit 2, and Thermoelectric Conversion Unit 3 for easy distinction. All three thermoelectric conversion units are connected to the power supply unit, and the first plane of Thermoelectric Conversion Unit 1 is close to the second plane of Thermoelectric Conversion Unit 2, and the first plane of Thermoelectric Conversion Unit 2 is close to the second plane of Thermoelectric Conversion Unit 3. In other words, two adjacent thermoelectric conversion units are connected and integrated through their respective first and second planes.

[0349] From the previous text Figure 12 The examples shown demonstrate that there is generally a gradual temperature change between different areas within a terminal electronic device. Correspondingly, in Figure 13 The temperature gradually decreases from the second plane of thermoelectric conversion unit one above to the second plane of thermoelectric conversion unit three below. For example, the temperature of the second plane of thermoelectric conversion unit one is 80℃, the temperature of the first plane of thermoelectric conversion unit one is 65℃, the temperature of the second plane of thermoelectric conversion unit two is 55℃, and the temperature of the first plane of thermoelectric conversion unit two is 45℃, etc. Figure 13 In this design, temperature differences exist on both planes of the three thermoelectric conversion units, meaning that electromotive force can be generated on each plane to charge the power supply unit. This method maximizes the coverage of areas with temperature differences within the thermoelectric conversion device, converting more thermal energy into electrical energy.

[0350] In some implementations, it is not necessary for the two planes of the first thermoelectric conversion device 403 and the two planes of the second thermoelectric conversion device 413 to be close to each other. That is, multiple thermoelectric conversion devices can be set in different regions of the thermoelectric conversion device 1100, as long as it is sufficient to generate a temperature difference between the two planes of each thermoelectric conversion device, thereby generating an electromotive force.

[0351] Based on the multiple modules included in the thermoelectric conversion device 1100 described above, the function of the thermoelectric conversion device 1100 will be further summarized and explained below.

[0352] The thermoelectric conversion device 1100 primarily charges the power supply unit 401 by connecting multiple thermoelectric conversion units in parallel. This is mainly due to two considerations. Firstly, if multiple thermoelectric conversion units were integrated in series, the charging voltage might become excessive in some cases. Secondly, considering that the area with temperature differences that a single thermoelectric conversion unit can cover is limited, and that the ability of a single thermoelectric conversion unit to convert heat energy into electrical energy is also limited, multiple thermoelectric conversion units can be connected in parallel to charge the power supply unit 401.

[0353] By connecting multiple thermoelectric conversion units in parallel, more areas with temperature differences within the thermoelectric conversion device 1100 can be covered. For example, the temperature of the two planes in the area covered by a single thermoelectric conversion unit may be 80°C and 60°C, while multiple thermoelectric conversion units can cover even more areas. In other covered areas, the temperatures of the two planes may be 60°C and 40°C, 30°C and 20°C, etc. In this way, each thermoelectric conversion unit converts the thermal energy of its corresponding area into electrical energy. Multiple thermoelectric conversion units can convert the thermal energy in areas with temperature differences within the thermoelectric conversion device 1100 into electrical energy as much as possible, achieving not only energy recovery but also a relatively high energy recovery efficiency.

[0354] The above embodiments illustrate various forms of thermoelectric conversion devices. The following will combine... Figure 14 Another thermoelectric conversion device provided in the embodiments of this application will be described in detail. In particular, Figure 14 The device shown in the document can be understood as... Figure 11 Another form of the device shown in the exhibition. Figure 14 Schematic diagram of the thermoelectric conversion device provided in the embodiments of this application Figure 8 .

[0355] The thermoelectric conversion device 1400 provided in this application embodiment includes eight modules, namely a power supply unit 401, a processor 402, a screen 406, a backplate 407, a heat-conducting sheet 408, a PCB 409, a thermoelectric conversion unit 403, and a thermoelectric conversion unit 413. The thermoelectric conversion unit 403 also has two planes, namely a first plane 404 and a second plane 405. Similarly, the thermoelectric conversion unit 413 also has two planes, namely a first plane 414 and a second plane 415.

[0356] In the thermoelectric conversion device 1400, the relative positions and connections of the eight modules are as follows:

[0357] A power supply unit 401, a processor 402, a thermoelectric conversion unit 403, and a thermoelectric conversion unit 413 are disposed between a screen 406 and a back panel 407. A heat-conducting plate 408 is disposed above the processor 402, and a PCB 409 is disposed between the processor 402 and the back panel 407. The thermoelectric conversion unit 403 is disposed between the screen 406 and the heat-conducting plate 408, and the thermoelectric conversion unit 413 is disposed between the back panel 407 and the heat-conducting plate 408. The power supply unit 401 is connected to the processor 402, and is also connected to the thermoelectric conversion units 403 and 413 respectively.

[0358] The thermoelectric conversion device 1400 will now be described in conjunction with the embodiments described above:

[0359] First, the thermoelectric conversion device 1400 adopts Figure 11The parallel structure of multiple thermoelectric conversion devices in the thermoelectric conversion device 1100 shown uses thermoelectric conversion unit 403 and thermoelectric conversion unit 413, which respectively use the electromotive force formed by the temperature difference in different regions to charge the power supply unit 401.

[0360] The locations of the two thermoelectric conversion units in the thermoelectric conversion device 1400 can be found in the previous text. Figure 5 and Figure 7 The thermoelectric conversion device shown in the figure. In thermoelectric conversion device 500, thermoelectric conversion unit 403 is disposed between heat-conducting plate 408 and screen 406; in thermoelectric conversion device 700, thermoelectric conversion unit 403 is disposed between heat-conducting plate 408 and PCB 409.

[0361] The thermoelectric conversion device 1400 provided in this embodiment can be considered as a combination of two thermoelectric conversion units in thermoelectric conversion device 500 and thermoelectric conversion device 700 connected in parallel. For the beneficial effects, please refer to the preceding descriptions of thermoelectric conversion device 500, thermoelectric conversion device 700, and thermoelectric conversion device 1100; further details will not be repeated here.

[0362] The above embodiments illustrate various forms of thermoelectric conversion devices. The following will combine... Figure 15 Another thermoelectric conversion device provided in the embodiments of this application will be described in detail. In particular, Figure 15 The device shown in the document can be understood as... Figure 11 Another form of the device shown in the exhibition. Figure 15 Schematic diagram of the thermoelectric conversion device provided in the embodiments of this application Figure 9 .

[0363] The thermoelectric conversion device 1400 provided in this application embodiment includes nine modules, namely a power supply unit 401, a processor 402, a screen 406, a backplate 407, a graphite sheet 410, a PCB 409, a thermoelectric conversion unit 403, a thermoelectric conversion unit 413, and a thermoelectric conversion unit 423. Each thermoelectric conversion unit 403 also has two planes.

[0364] In the thermoelectric conversion device 1500, the relative positions and connections of the nine modules are as follows:

[0365] A power supply unit 401, a processor 402, and various thermoelectric conversion units are disposed between a screen 406 and a back panel 407; a PCB 409 is disposed between the processor 402 and the back panel 407; a graphite sheet 410 is disposed between the PCB 409 and the back panel 410; a thermoelectric conversion unit 403 is disposed between the screen 406 and the processor 402, a thermoelectric conversion unit 413 is disposed between the PCB 409 and the screen 406, and a thermoelectric conversion unit 423 is disposed between the PCB 409 and the graphite sheet 410; the power supply unit 401 is connected to the processor 402, and is also connected to the thermoelectric conversion units 403, 413, and 423 respectively.

[0366] The thermoelectric conversion device 1500 will now be described in conjunction with the embodiments described above:

[0367] First, the thermoelectric conversion device 1500 adopts... Figure 11 The parallel structure of multiple thermoelectric conversion devices in the thermoelectric conversion device 1100 shown uses thermoelectric conversion units 403, 413 and 423, which respectively use the electromotive force formed by the temperature difference in different regions to charge the power supply unit 401.

[0368] The locations of the three thermoelectric conversion units in the thermoelectric conversion device 1500 can be found in the previous text. Figure 4 , Figure 6 and Figure 8 The thermoelectric conversion device is shown in the figure. In thermoelectric conversion device 400, thermoelectric conversion unit 403 is disposed between screen 406 and processor 402; in thermoelectric conversion device 600, thermoelectric conversion unit 403 is disposed between PCB 409 and screen 406; in thermoelectric conversion device 800, thermoelectric conversion unit 403 is disposed between PCB 409 and graphite sheet 410.

[0369] The thermoelectric conversion device 1500 provided in this embodiment can be considered as a combination of three thermoelectric conversion units from thermoelectric conversion devices 400, 600, and 800 connected in parallel. For the beneficial effects, please refer to the preceding descriptions of thermoelectric conversion devices 400, 600, 800, and 1100; further details will not be repeated here.

[0370] Furthermore, it is understood that multiple thermoelectric conversion units can be set in the thermoelectric conversion device according to actual needs, and the location or area of ​​these thermoelectric conversion units can be determined with reference to the descriptions in the above embodiments. In other words, the solutions described in the above embodiments can be combined or further adjusted to meet actual needs or to be optimized for specific scenarios.

[0371] Based on the above embodiments, the following will combine... Figure 16 The thermoelectric conversion device 1600 provided in the embodiments of this application will be further described in detail. Exemplarily, Figure 16 The device shown in the document can be understood as... Figure 4 Further forms of the device shown in the image. Figure 16 Schematic diagram of the thermoelectric conversion device provided in the embodiments of this application Figure 10 .

[0372] The thermoelectric conversion device 1600 provided in this application embodiment includes eight modules: a battery 4011, a management unit 4012, a first voltage conversion unit 4013, a second voltage conversion unit 4014, a processor 402, a thermoelectric conversion unit 403, a screen 406, and a back panel 407. The thermoelectric conversion unit 403 further includes two planes: a first plane 404 and a second plane 405. Compared to the thermoelectric conversion device 400, the thermoelectric conversion device 1600 further refines the power supply unit 401.

[0373] In the thermoelectric conversion device 1600, the relative positions and connections of the eight modules are as follows:

[0374] Battery 4011, management unit 4012, first voltage conversion unit 4013, second voltage conversion unit 4014, processor 402, and thermoelectric conversion unit 403 are disposed between screen 406 and back panel 407; thermoelectric conversion unit 403 is disposed between screen 406 and processor 402; battery 4011 is connected to management unit 4012, management unit 4012 is connected to first voltage conversion unit 4013 and second voltage conversion unit 4014 respectively, first voltage conversion unit 4013 is connected to thermoelectric conversion unit 403, and second voltage conversion unit 4014 is connected to processor 402.

[0375] Compared with thermoelectric conversion device 400, thermoelectric conversion device 1600 subdivides the power supply unit 401 of the original thermoelectric conversion device 400 into battery 4011, management unit 4012, first voltage conversion unit 4013 and second voltage conversion unit 4014. The above modules will be described in detail below, while other common modules of thermoelectric conversion devices in the two embodiments will not be described in detail.

[0376] It should be noted that the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 is positioned between the processor 402 and the screen 406 in this embodiment as an example. Referring to the embodiments described above, the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 can also be positioned in other locations, and this is not a limitation.

[0377] 1. Battery 4011

[0378] In this embodiment, battery 4011 can be one of the common batteries in the prior art, whose main functions include storing electrical energy, supplying power to other modules in the device, and charging. For example, lithium-ion batteries are commonly used in mobile phones. Lithium-ion batteries have many characteristics, including high energy density, no memory effect, low self-discharge rate, and long lifespan. However, lithium-ion batteries also have some disadvantages, including relatively high cost, temperature sensitivity, and the need for protection circuits to prevent overcharging or over-discharging. In addition, if not handled properly, lithium-ion batteries may experience thermal runaway, leading to fire or explosion.

[0379] In some implementations, the battery 4011 can be controlled by the processor 402 through power management services and related power drivers. For example, the processor 402 can send relevant instructions to the battery 4011 to control whether the battery 4011 supplies power to a certain module in the electronic device, and at what voltage and for what duration.

[0380] 2. Management Unit 4012

[0381] In this embodiment, the management unit 4012 acts as a bridge-like unit for the power supply unit 401, connecting to the battery 4011 on one side and to the first voltage conversion unit 4013 and the second voltage conversion unit 4014 on the other side.

[0382] In some implementations, the management unit 4012 can be a battery management system (BMS). The main functions of a BMS include:

[0383] Current monitoring: Controls charging and discharging current to prevent excessive current from impacting battery life.

[0384] Short circuit protection: When a short circuit occurs between the positive and negative terminals of the battery, the BMS can quickly cut off the circuit to prevent the battery from overheating or exploding.

[0385] Temperature monitoring: The BMS monitors the battery temperature to ensure that the battery operates within a suitable temperature range, limiting both overheating and overcooling.

[0386] Battery Status Report: Reports the battery's state of charge and health to the processor. This information is used to display the battery percentage and estimate battery life.

[0387] Balancing Management: For electronic devices using multiple batteries, the BMS can implement a simple balancing strategy to ensure that all cells have approximately the same state of charge.

[0388] In other words, the management unit 4012 can mainly protect and manage the battery 4011, and monitor and report the various states of the battery 4011 to the processor 402.

[0389] 3. First voltage conversion unit 4013 and second voltage conversion unit 4014

[0390] The first voltage conversion unit 4013 is connected to the management unit 4012 and the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 respectively; the second voltage conversion unit 4014 is connected to the management unit 4012 and the processor 402 respectively.

[0391] In some implementations, the first voltage conversion unit 4013 and the second voltage conversion unit 4014 can be a DC / DC converter, that is, by using the corresponding existing technology, the voltage of the DC current passing through the DC converter is adjusted, including boosting or bucking, so that the voltage of the current passing through the DC converter can meet the needs of the corresponding power module.

[0392] For the second voltage conversion unit 4014, since one end of it is connected to the processor 402, which is a simple power-consuming module, current generally needs to flow from the battery 4011 through the management unit 4012, and then through the voltage regulation of the second voltage conversion unit 4014 to supply power to the processor 402. For example, in a mobile phone, since the processor 402 requires a relatively small voltage, the second voltage conversion unit 4014 generally needs to step down the current.

[0393] For the first voltage conversion unit 4013, one end is connected to the thermoelectric conversion unit 403, which is not simply a power-consuming or power-supplying module. In the embodiments described above, it is certain that the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 can supply power to the battery 4011. On the one hand, the voltage of the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 is related to the temperature difference between its two corresponding planes and is unstable. On the other hand, the voltage required for the battery 4011 to receive charging from the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 must also meet a certain range. Therefore, the first voltage conversion unit 4013 needs to adjust the voltage used by the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 to charge the battery 4011, which may involve boosting or bucking the voltage, depending on the actual situation. Furthermore, in some scenarios, the battery 4011 needs to supply power to the thermoelectric conversion unit 403. In this case, the first voltage conversion unit 4013 also needs to adjust the voltage. More related details will be explained in subsequent embodiments and will not be repeated here.

[0394] In summary, the specific components and connection structure of the power supply unit 401 in the thermoelectric conversion device 1600 are further demonstrated. The battery 4011 can supply power to other modules and can also charge itself; the management unit 4012 can monitor the status of the battery 4011 and perform related protection and management; the first voltage conversion unit 4013 and the second voltage conversion unit 4014 boost or buck the current passing through them. The first voltage conversion unit 4013 can regulate both the voltage of the current flowing from the battery 4011 to the thermoelectric management unit 403 and the voltage of the current flowing from the thermoelectric management unit 403 to the battery 4011.

[0395] Based on the above description of the thermoelectric conversion device 1600, in the process of realizing the energy recovery function of the thermoelectric conversion device 1600, the first voltage conversion unit 4013 can adjust the current passing through it in accordance with the magnitude of the voltage formed by the thermoelectric management unit 403 based on the thermoelectric effect and the voltage range of the battery 4011 during charging, so as to ensure that the battery 4011 can be charged normally.

[0396] The above embodiments illustrate various forms of thermoelectric conversion devices. The following will combine... Figure 17 Another thermoelectric conversion device provided in the embodiments of this application will be described in detail. Figure 17 Schematic diagram of the thermoelectric conversion device provided in the embodiments of this application Figure 10 one.

[0397] The thermoelectric conversion device 1700 provided in this application embodiment includes eight modules, the same as those in the thermoelectric conversion device 1600, namely a battery 4011, a management unit 4012, a first voltage conversion unit 4013, a second voltage conversion unit 4014, a processor 402, a thermoelectric conversion unit 403, a screen 406, and a back panel 407. The thermoelectric conversion unit 403 also has two planes, namely a third plane 416 and a fourth plane 417.

[0398] In thermoelectric conversion device 1700, the relative positions and connections between the eight modules are the same as those in thermoelectric conversion device 1600, and will not be described again here.

[0399] It should be noted that the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 is positioned between the processor 402 and the screen 406 in this embodiment as an example. Referring to the embodiments described above, the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 can also be positioned in other locations, and this is not a limitation.

[0400] The main difference between thermoelectric conversion device 1700 and thermoelectric conversion device 1600 lies in the operating mode of thermoelectric conversion unit 403: In thermoelectric conversion device 1600, thermoelectric conversion unit 403 is used to convert the heat energy generated during the operation of processor 402 into electrical energy, which can be referred to as the first operating mode; while in thermoelectric conversion device 1700, the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 is used to control the temperature difference between the third plane 416 and the fourth plane 417 of thermoelectric conversion unit 403 based on the power supply of power unit 401 or battery 4011, which can be referred to as the second operating mode.

[0401] In this embodiment, the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 utilizes another thermoelectric effect, also known as the Peltier effect, that is, by actively supplying power to the thermoelectric conversion unit 403, a temperature difference is generated on both sides. Figure 17 In the thermoelectric conversion device 1700 shown, the third plane 416 of the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 is close to the processor 402, while the fourth plane 417 of the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 is close to the screen 406. Furthermore, the temperature of the third plane 416 is lower than the temperature of the fourth plane 417, thus enabling rapid heat dissipation of the processor 402 using the lower temperature of the third plane 416, while the heat from the fourth plane 417 can be transferred away through the screen 406.

[0402] In other words, the first working mode of the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 can be used for energy recovery, converting thermal energy into electrical energy to charge the battery 4011; while the second working mode of the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 can be used for heat dissipation, realizing rapid cooling of the processor 402.

[0403] The following section explains how the thermoelectric conversion device 1700 performs heat dissipation, using multiple modules within the device as examples.

[0404] First, the processor 402 needs to determine when to activate the second operating mode of the thermoelectric conversion unit 403, i.e., to perform heat dissipation. After the processor determines that the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 needs to activate the second operating mode, it sends a corresponding instruction to the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 to switch it to the second operating mode.

[0405] In some implementations, after the application starts, the processor 402 sends an instruction to the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 to switch to the second operating mode. Understandably, the temperature rise of the processor 402 is due to its higher load, which typically occurs when an application starts, causing the processor 402's temperature to rise rapidly.

[0406] In some implementations, the processor 402 can continuously monitor its own temperature and set a temperature threshold. When the temperature of the processor 402 is higher than the temperature threshold, it sends an instruction to the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 to switch to the second working mode.

[0407] After the processor 402 sends an instruction to the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 to switch to the second operating mode, it also needs to send an instruction to the power supply unit 401, or the battery 4011, to supply power to the thermoelectric conversion unit 403. This instruction may also include information related to power supply parameters such as supply voltage and supply duration. Understandably, unlike the first operating mode, the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 in the second operating mode requires power from the battery 4011 to form a low-temperature region on the third plane 416.

[0408] Next, the battery 4011 executes the power supply command of the processor 402 to supply power. The current flows to the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 after passing through the management unit 4012 and the voltage regulation processing of the first voltage conversion unit 4013.

[0409] After receiving power, the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 generates a temperature difference on both sides based on the thermoelectric effect, and the relatively cooler third plane 416 is located between the processor 402 and the thermoelectric conversion unit 403. Unlike traditional uniform heat dissipation technology, this embodiment of the application actively sets a low-temperature region near the processor 402, which can quickly absorb the heat generated by the processor 402 during operation, thereby achieving rapid cooling and significantly shortening the heat dissipation time.

[0410] Based on the descriptions of the various thermoelectric conversion devices in the preceding embodiments, it can be understood that not only thermoelectric conversion device 1700 can actively dissipate heat to processor 402 when thermoelectric conversion unit 403 is in the second operating mode, but the various thermoelectric conversion devices mentioned above can also switch thermoelectric conversion unit 403 to the second operating mode and supply power to thermoelectric conversion unit 403 via power supply unit 401 to achieve heat dissipation. Specifically, in the thermoelectric conversion device, the closer the thermoelectric conversion unit 403, or the third plane 416 of thermoelectric conversion unit 403, is to processor 402, the better the heat dissipation effect generally will be.

[0411] Furthermore, in combination Figure 11 The parallel connection of multiple thermoelectric conversion units shown, as well as the second working mode that can perform heat dissipation in the embodiments of this application, can also be used by some strategies to enable the processor 402 to control the multiple thermoelectric conversion units in the thermoelectric conversion device to perform different tasks.

[0412] For example, in a thermoelectric conversion device, there are two thermoelectric conversion units connected in parallel. For ease of explanation, they will be referred to as the first thermoelectric conversion unit and the second thermoelectric conversion unit, respectively.

[0413] For example, in some cases, when the processor is performing a large amount of computation and is under high load, the processor can control the first thermoelectric conversion unit and the second thermoelectric conversion unit to start a second working mode, that is, both of them perform heat dissipation on the processor.

[0414] For example, in some cases, the processor temperature is high, and it is also desirable to improve the battery life of electronic devices. In this case, the processor can control the second thermoelectric conversion unit to start the second working mode to dissipate heat from the processor, while the processor controls the first thermoelectric conversion unit to start the first working mode to recover energy to charge the battery.

[0415] For example, in some cases, the processor has already completed a high-load task and the battery power is low, making it desirable to replenish the battery power. In this case, the processor can control the first thermoelectric conversion unit and the second thermoelectric conversion unit to start a first operating mode, i.e., both perform energy recovery.

[0416] Furthermore, the thermoelectric conversion device 1700 provided in this application embodiment can also heat the battery. It is understood that when the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 is in the second operating mode, its fourth plane 417 is a high-temperature region and is close to the screen 406. At this time, plane 406 can transfer a portion of the heat from the fourth plane 417 to the battery 4011, causing the temperature of the battery 4011 to rise further, thus achieving the battery heating function.

[0417] In summary, the thermoelectric conversion device 1700 demonstrates a second operating mode of the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 based on the Peltier effect, namely, powering the thermoelectric conversion unit 403 through the battery 4011, thereby creating a temperature difference on both sides of the thermoelectric conversion unit 403, and using the low-temperature third plane 416 to rapidly cool the processor 402, so that the processor 402 can always be kept within a suitable temperature range and ensure transient performance.

[0418] Furthermore, by combining the thermoelectric conversion device provided in the embodiments above, the same thermoelectric conversion device architecture can achieve different functions in different operating modes by switching the operating mode of the thermoelectric conversion unit 403, including energy recovery and heat dissipation. Moreover, in the case of multiple thermoelectric conversion units, they can be controlled to operate in either the first or second operating mode according to actual needs, so as to simultaneously achieve energy recovery, heat dissipation of the processor 402, and heating of the battery 4011.

[0419] Based on the device description provided in this embodiment above, the following will further combine... Figure 18 The energy recovery method provided in the embodiments of this application will be described. This energy recovery method is a specific form of thermoelectric conversion method. Figure 18 This is a schematic flowchart of the energy recovery method provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0420] Figure 18 The energy recovery method shown includes the following steps: S1801 and S1802, and all of the above steps can be implemented by the thermoelectric conversion device provided in the previous embodiment.

[0421] S1801, the processor receives power from the power supply unit.

[0422] Understandably, the normal operation of a processor requires a continuous power supply from the power supply unit. At the same time, the processor will also continuously generate heat during operation, which is converted from a portion of the electrical energy provided by the power supply unit.

[0423] S1802, The processor sends a first instruction to the thermoelectric conversion unit to control the thermoelectric conversion unit to start the first working mode, so that the thermoelectric conversion unit converts the heat energy generated during the operation of the processor into electrical energy and provides the converted electrical energy to the power supply unit.

[0424] The first instruction is used to instruct the thermoelectric conversion unit to switch to the first operating mode.

[0425] This application does not impose specific restrictions on the conditions or timing for the processor to send the first instruction.

[0426] In some implementations, the power level of the power supply unit, or the remaining battery power in the power supply unit, can be used as the condition for sending the first instruction. For example, a remaining power percentage threshold of 70% can be set. When the remaining battery power percentage is below 70%, it is determined that energy recovery is needed, converting some of the wasted heat energy into electrical energy, and the processor sends the first instruction to the thermoelectric conversion unit.

[0427] In some implementations, the conditions for the processor to send the first instruction can be determined based on daily usage habits. For example, users typically use electronic devices containing thermoelectric conversion devices during the day, meaning that the processor's load is relatively higher, power consumption is relatively greater, and correspondingly, more heat is generated during the day. Therefore, a time range can be set, such as 8 AM to 9 PM, during which energy recovery methods are implemented. Correspondingly, at 8 AM, the processor sends the first instruction to the thermoelectric conversion unit. Similarly, at 9 PM, the processor can send a fourth instruction to the thermoelectric conversion unit, instructing it to end its current operating mode.

[0428] In some implementations, the decision to send the first instruction can be based on the processor's temperature. It's understandable that the thermoelectric conversion unit requires a certain temperature difference between its two planes to achieve energy recovery, and the magnitude of the electromotive force generated by the thermoelectric conversion unit is positively correlated with the size of the temperature difference. Therefore, a processor temperature threshold can be set, and sending the first instruction is triggered when the processor's temperature reaches or exceeds this threshold during operation. Similarly, a fourth instruction can be sent when the processor's temperature falls below the threshold again. This fourth instruction instructs the thermoelectric conversion unit to terminate its current operating mode.

[0429] Based on the various thermoelectric conversion devices provided in the preceding embodiments, it can be understood that the processor continuously generates heat during operation, raising the temperature of the processor itself and its surroundings, or causing the corresponding areas to heat up after heat transfer through other modules. Simultaneously, various low-temperature areas also exist within the thermoelectric conversion devices, such as the screen or back panel. It should be noted that high-temperature and low-temperature areas are generally relative and require comparison under specific circumstances to determine their relative temperature. For example, area A may be a high-temperature area compared to area B, but area A may be a low-temperature area compared to area C.

[0430] In summary, by finding one or more pairs of low-temperature and high-temperature regions and rationally setting up the thermoelectric conversion unit so that its two planes correspond to the low-temperature and high-temperature regions respectively, a temperature difference can be formed. Then, an electromotive force can be generated based on the thermoelectric effect to realize the conversion of heat energy into electrical energy.

[0431] Furthermore, thermoelectric conversion units can achieve different functions based on different thermoelectric effects, but generally, multiple different thermoelectric effects cannot be used simultaneously to achieve multiple different functions. Therefore, it is necessary to distinguish the operating modes according to the different functions to be achieved. The first operating mode in the embodiments of this application corresponds to the Seebeck effect in thermoelectric effects. When there is a temperature difference on both sides of the thermoelectric conversion unit, an electromotive force can be generated, thereby generating a current in the circuit. It is understood that the thermoelectric conversion unit may also have other operating modes, which will be described in more embodiments later.

[0432] The thermoelectric conversion unit is connected to the power supply unit, and the thermoelectric conversion unit provides converted electrical energy to the power supply unit. In some implementations, the power supply unit may include a battery, a management unit, and a voltage conversion unit, and current can flow from the thermoelectric conversion unit through the voltage conversion unit and the management unit to the battery.

[0433] In the above introduction Figure 18 Based on the energy recovery method and process included in the above embodiments, the implementation methods described above will be further summarized and explained below.

[0434] Under certain conditions, the processor sends a first instruction to the thermoelectric conversion unit, causing the thermoelectric conversion unit to switch to a first operating mode. The thermoelectric conversion unit converts the heat energy generated by the processor during operation into electrical energy, which is then used to charge the power supply unit. This achieves energy recovery and enhances the battery life of the electronic device. Furthermore, the energy recovery method provided in this application embodiment can coexist with some existing methods for enhancing the battery life of electronic devices, further improving the battery life of the electronic device. In addition, the energy recovery method provided in this application embodiment also improves energy utilization efficiency and saves energy consumption.

[0435] This application also provides a heat dissipation method, which is a specific form of thermoelectric conversion method. The following describes the method in conjunction with... Figure 19 To explain, Figure 19 This is a schematic flowchart of the heat dissipation method provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0436] Figure 19 The heat dissipation method shown includes the following steps: S1901, S1902 and S1903, and all of the above steps can be implemented by the thermoelectric conversion device provided in the previous embodiment.

[0437] S1901, the processor receives power from the power supply unit.

[0438] For details on this step, please refer to S1801; it will not be repeated here.

[0439] S1902, The processor sends a second instruction to the thermoelectric conversion unit to control the thermoelectric conversion unit to start the second working mode.

[0440] The second instruction is used to instruct the thermoelectric conversion unit to switch to the second operating mode.

[0441] It is understood that the heat dissipation method provided in this embodiment is an active heat dissipation method. Compared with passive heat dissipation methods, active heat dissipation methods can select when to perform heat dissipation according to needs. This embodiment does not impose specific restrictions on the conditions or timing for the processor to send the second instruction.

[0442] In some implementations, the processor's temperature can be used to determine whether to send a second instruction. Understandably, when the processor temperature is low, there's no need to activate active cooling, while when the processor temperature is high, methods such as active frequency reduction might be used, limiting the performance of the processor or electronic device; therefore, cooling is necessary. Specifically, a processor temperature threshold can be set to determine whether to send a second instruction. For example, 80°C could be set as the temperature threshold; when the processor temperature exceeds 80°C, the processor sends a second instruction to the thermoelectric conversion unit.

[0443] In some implementations, the processor can be configured to send a second instruction to the thermoelectric conversion unit when an application in the electronic device starts. Understandably, applications generally require a high processor load upon startup, and this high load causes the processor temperature to rise rapidly; therefore, sending a second instruction upon application startup is appropriate. Furthermore, the processor load can be continuously monitored, and when the processor load is high, a second instruction can be sent to the thermoelectric conversion unit for active cooling.

[0444] Furthermore, in conjunction with the description of the energy recovery method embodiments above, in addition to determining whether and when to send instructions to the thermoelectric conversion unit, the processor also needs to set priorities for different instructions. Different priorities can be set for the first and second instructions mentioned above, depending on requirements.

[0445] For example, in some scenarios where battery life is considered more important, i.e., energy recovery is more important, then sending the first command and the first operating mode have higher priority. For instance, if the conditions for sending both the first and second commands are met simultaneously, then the first command is sent. For example, if the thermoelectric conversion unit is already in the first operating mode, even if the conditions for sending the second command are met at this time, the second command is not sent, but the unit waits for the first operating mode of the thermoelectric conversion unit to end; if the conditions for sending the first command are met when the thermoelectric conversion unit is already in the second operating mode, then the first command is sent.

[0446] For example, in some scenarios where heat dissipation is considered more important, the priority of sending the second command and the second operating mode is higher. Corresponding to the above example, the second command is sent first when the conditions for sending the command are met, and the thermoelectric conversion device 403 prioritizes maintaining the second operating mode or prioritizes switching to the second operating mode.

[0447] In the embodiments of this application, the thermoelectric conversion unit can be regarded as an active cooling unit in the second working mode. For relevant details, please refer to the description of the thermoelectric conversion device 1700 above, which will not be repeated here.

[0448] S1903, The processor sends a first power supply command to the power supply unit to control the power supply unit to provide power to the thermoelectric conversion unit, so that the third plane and the fourth plane of the thermoelectric conversion unit generate a temperature difference and perform heat dissipation on the processor.

[0449] Since the thermoelectric conversion unit requires power from the power supply unit to perform its heat dissipation function, the processor needs to send a first power supply command to the power supply unit in addition to sending a second command to the thermoelectric conversion unit.

[0450] The first power supply instruction may include information related to power supply parameters, such as the voltage and duration of the power supply from the power supply unit to the thermoelectric conversion unit, for example, a power supply voltage of 10V and a power supply duration of 30 seconds. In some implementations, if the first power supply instruction includes a power supply duration, it can be considered that the task is completed when the power supply from the power supply unit to the thermoelectric conversion unit reaches the duration specified in the first power supply instruction, and the second operating mode should end accordingly. At this point, the processor can also send a fourth instruction to the thermoelectric conversion unit to end its current operating mode.

[0451] The power supply unit supplies power to the thermoelectric conversion unit according to the information in the first power supply command received. For more details, please refer to the description of the thermoelectric conversion device 1700 above, which will not be repeated here.

[0452] After receiving power from the power supply unit, the thermoelectric conversion unit can generate a low-temperature region on the third plane. For more details, please refer to the description of the thermoelectric conversion device 1700 above. It will not be repeated here.

[0453] In this embodiment, the thermoelectric conversion unit can be regarded as a unit for active cooling in the second working mode. It can be understood that the low-temperature third plane of the thermoelectric conversion unit is close to the processor, so as to achieve cooling and heat dissipation of the processor.

[0454] In the above introduction Figure 19Based on the energy recovery method and process included in the above embodiments, the implementation methods described above will be further summarized and explained below.

[0455] Under certain conditions, the processor sends a second instruction to the thermoelectric conversion unit, causing the thermoelectric conversion unit to start a second operating mode. The processor also sends a first power supply instruction containing power supply parameter information to the power supply unit, which then supplies power to the thermoelectric conversion unit according to the information in the first power supply instruction. After receiving power in the second operating mode, a low-temperature region can be formed on the third plane of the thermoelectric conversion unit. Bringing this low-temperature region close to the processor can cool the processor.

[0456] Compared to traditional uniform heat dissipation methods, the heat dissipation method provided in this application is an active heat dissipation method. Uniform heat dissipation methods generally transfer heat generated by a heat source gradually to other, relatively cooler parts of the electronic device. The efficiency of this transfer is limited not only by the performance of the thermally conductive material but also by the accumulation of heat inside the electronic device due to continuous heat dissipation, leading to an overall increase in the temperature of the electronic device. In this case, the efficiency of uniform heat dissipation becomes relatively low. However, the heat dissipation method provided in this application, by placing a low-temperature area directly near the processor, can efficiently transfer the processor's heat, thereby achieving rapid cooling and significantly shortening the heat dissipation time.

[0457] This application also provides a battery heating method, which is a specific form of thermoelectric conversion method, as described below. Figure 20 Please provide an explanation. Figure 20 This is a schematic flowchart of a battery heating method provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0458] Figure 20 The battery heating method shown includes the following steps: S2001, S2002 and S2003, and the above steps can be implemented by the thermoelectric conversion device provided in some of the embodiments described above.

[0459] S2001, the processor receives power from the power supply unit.

[0460] For details on this step, please refer to S1801; it will not be repeated here.

[0461] S2002, The processor sends a third instruction to the thermoelectric conversion unit to control the thermoelectric conversion unit to start the second working mode.

[0462] The third instruction is used to instruct the thermoelectric conversion unit to switch to the second operating mode.

[0463] For example, current mobile phones generally use lithium batteries. Lithium batteries may experience performance degradation in low-temperature environments. Factors causing this performance degradation may include:

[0464] Increased electrolyte viscosity: At low temperatures, the electrolyte in the battery becomes more viscous, which hinders the migration of lithium ions between the positive and negative electrodes, thereby reducing the battery's conductivity and power output capability.

[0465] Reduced electrochemical reaction rate: Low temperatures slow down the rate of electrochemical reactions inside the battery, which leads to a decrease in the battery's charging and discharging rates.

[0466] Increased internal resistance: Low temperatures increase the battery's internal resistance, which means that more energy is lost as heat during discharge, thus reducing the available electrical energy.

[0467] To address or optimize the potential performance degradation of batteries in low-temperature environments, a primary approach is to insulate or heat the battery. However, for some terminal electronic devices, such as mobile phones, traditional heating methods are impractical because they increase energy consumption, occupy valuable internal space, and may introduce additional safety hazards. Therefore, electronic devices like mobile phones typically rely on external heat sources for heating or natural warming during charging.

[0468] The battery heating method provided in this embodiment is similar to... Figure 19 The common feature of the heat dissipation methods provided in the corresponding embodiments is that the power supply unit actively supplies power to the thermoelectric conversion unit, causing it to generate a temperature difference on both sides based on the Peltier effect in thermoelectricity. One side of the thermoelectric conversion unit has a lower temperature, which can be used for cooling, while the other side has a higher temperature, which can be used for heating. Whether using the thermoelectric conversion unit for cooling or heating, it operates in the same mode, namely the second operating mode. However, for the processor, whether it needs to heat the battery or dissipate heat is a different task, therefore the sent instructions and the conditions for sending those instructions differ.

[0469] In some implementations, the processor can send a third instruction to the thermoelectric conversion unit to execute a battery heating method shortly after the electronic device starts up. This is understandable, as electronic devices are generally cooler at startup compared to their subsequent operating phases. If the power supply unit, especially the battery, is at a low temperature, it may be unable to supply power at its rated capacity, causing the electronic device to malfunction for a period of time. Therefore, sending a third instruction at startup is reasonable.

[0470] In some implementations, the temperature of the power supply unit, particularly the battery, can be monitored, and a temperature threshold can be set. When the battery temperature falls below this threshold, the processor sends a third instruction to the thermoelectric conversion unit. For example, the battery temperature threshold can be set to 10°C; if the battery temperature is detected to be below 10°C, the third instruction is sent.

[0471] Similarly, referring to the above description of the embodiments of the energy recovery method and heat dissipation method, in addition to determining whether and when to send instructions to the thermoelectric conversion unit, the processor also needs to set the priority for different instructions. For the first, second, and third instructions mentioned above, different priorities can be set according to requirements. This priority includes which instruction to send first when the sending conditions of two or more instructions are met simultaneously, and whether to send an instruction if it would cause a change in the operating mode when the thermoelectric conversion unit is in a certain operating mode, based on the priority. Related content can be found in section S1902 above, and will not be repeated here.

[0472] In the embodiments of this application, the thermoelectric conversion unit can be regarded as an active heating unit in the second working mode. For relevant details, please refer to the description of the thermoelectric conversion device 1700 above, which will not be repeated here.

[0473] S2003, The processor sends a second power supply command to the power supply unit to control the power supply unit to provide power to the thermoelectric conversion unit, so that the third plane and the fourth plane of the thermoelectric conversion unit generate a temperature difference and heat the power supply unit.

[0474] Since the thermoelectric conversion unit requires power from the power supply unit to perform the battery heating function, the processor needs to send a second power supply command to the power supply unit in addition to sending a third command to the thermoelectric conversion unit.

[0475] Similar to the first power supply command, the second power supply command may also include information related to power supply parameters. For example, it may include the voltage and duration of the power supply from the power unit to the thermoelectric conversion unit, such as a power supply voltage of 20V and a power supply duration of 60 seconds. However, considering that the power unit, especially the battery itself, cannot supply power at its rated power or rated voltage at lower temperatures, it is not necessary for the power unit to supply power according to the power supply information in the second power supply command. Furthermore, since the battery's supply voltage is relatively low at lower temperatures, in some implementations, after the battery's power supply duration to the thermoelectric conversion unit reaches the duration specified in the second power supply command, power can continue for a period of time to ensure that the battery temperature reaches the normal range.

[0476] The power supply unit supplies power to the thermoelectric conversion unit according to the information in the second power supply command received. For more details, please refer to the description of the thermoelectric conversion device 1700 above, which will not be repeated here.

[0477] After receiving power from the power supply unit, the thermoelectric conversion unit can generate a high-temperature region on the fourth plane. For more details, please refer to the description of the thermoelectric conversion device 1700 above, which will not be repeated here.

[0478] In this embodiment of the application, the thermoelectric conversion unit can be regarded as a unit for active heating in the second working mode. It can be understood that the heat of the high temperature fourth plane of the thermoelectric conversion unit is transferred to the power supply unit, thereby realizing the heating treatment of the power supply unit.

[0479] In some implementations, the fourth plane of the thermoelectric conversion unit transfers heat to the power supply unit via a thermally conductive material. For example, if both the fourth plane of the thermoelectric conversion unit and the power supply unit are close to the screen or back panel of the electronic device, heat can be transferred from the fourth plane of the thermoelectric conversion unit to the power supply unit through the screen or back panel, raising its temperature. Alternatively, a heat-conducting sheet can be placed between the fourth plane of the thermoelectric conversion unit and the power supply unit for the same purpose of heat transfer.

[0480] In some implementations, the fourth plane of the thermoelectric conversion unit can also be close to the voltage unit 401, so that the thermoelectric conversion unit can transfer heat directly from the fourth plane of the thermoelectric conversion unit to the voltage unit 401 without relying on other heat-conducting materials, causing its temperature to rise rapidly.

[0481] In the above introduction Figure 20 Based on the battery heating method process included in the above embodiments, the implementation methods described above will be further summarized and explained below.

[0482] When the battery temperature drops to a level that affects its power supply efficiency, the processor sends a third instruction to the thermoelectric conversion unit, causing it to activate its second operating mode. Simultaneously, the processor also sends a second power supply instruction to the power supply unit, which then supplies power to the thermoelectric conversion unit. In this second operating mode, the thermoelectric conversion unit is powered, and a high-temperature region can be formed at its fourth plane. By using thermally conductive materials to transfer heat from the fourth plane to the battery, the battery can be heated.

[0483] Many existing electronic devices lack battery heating functionality. This is generally because battery heating is only truly useful in cold or low-temperature environments, and adding extra hardware and software for less common scenarios would increase research and development costs. The battery heating method provided in this application, in addition to heating the battery, also enables energy recovery and heat dissipation by switching the operating mode of the thermoelectric conversion device 403, using the same device.

[0484] In this way, by actively heating the battery, this method not only solves the problem of the battery being unable to supply power normally at low temperatures, but also can be perfectly adapted to other functions. It can be used as a sub-function in a device architecture, effectively reducing the cost of research and development and production, while also improving the user experience for some users.

[0485] It should be noted that the module names involved in the embodiments of this application can all be defined as other names, as long as they can achieve the function of each module, and no specific restrictions are placed on the module names.

[0486] It should be noted that the user information (including but not limited to user device information, user personal information, etc.) and data (including but not limited to data used for analysis, stored data, displayed data, etc.) involved in the embodiments of this application are all information and data authorized by the user or fully authorized by all parties. Furthermore, the collection, use and processing of related data must comply with the relevant laws, regulations and standards of the relevant countries and regions, and corresponding operation entry points are provided for users to choose to authorize or refuse.

[0487] The thermoelectric conversion method of this application has been described above. The apparatus for performing the above method provided in the embodiments of this application is described below. Those skilled in the art will understand that the methods and apparatus can be combined with and referenced by each other, and the related apparatus provided in the embodiments of this application can perform the steps in the above thermoelectric conversion method.

[0488] The thermoelectric conversion method provided in this application can be applied to electronic devices equipped with processors. Electronic devices include terminal devices, and the specific device form of the terminal device can be referred to the above-described related information, which will not be repeated here.

[0489] In one implementation, this application provides an electronic device. Figure 21 This is a schematic diagram of the hardware structure of the electronic device provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0490] like Figure 21As shown, the electronic device 210 includes: a processor 2101 and a memory 2102; the memory 2102 stores computer execution instructions; the processor 2101 executes the computer execution instructions stored in the memory 2102, causing the electronic device 210 to perform the above-described method.

[0491] When the memory 2102 is set up independently, the electronic device also includes a bus 2103 for connecting the memory 2102 and the processor 2101.

[0492] This application provides a chip. The chip includes a processor, which is used to call a computer program in memory to execute the technical solutions in the above embodiments. Its implementation principle and technical effects are similar to those in the related embodiments described above, and will not be repeated here.

[0493] This application also provides a computer-readable storage medium. The computer-readable storage medium stores a computer program. When the computer program is executed by a processor, it implements the methods described above. The methods described in the above embodiments can be implemented wholly or partially by software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof. If implemented in software, the functionality can be stored as one or more instructions or code on or transmitted over the computer-readable medium. The computer-readable medium can include computer storage media and communication media, and can also include any medium that can transfer a computer program from one place to another. The storage medium can be any target medium accessible by a computer.

[0494] In one possible implementation, a computer-readable medium may include RAM, ROM, compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM) or other optical disc storage, disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium targeted to carry or to store the required program code in the form of instructions or data structures, and accessible by a computer. Furthermore, any connection is appropriately referred to as a computer-readable medium. For example, if software is transmitted from a website, server, or other remote source using coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair, DSL, or wireless technologies such as infrared, radio, and microwave, then coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair, DSL, or wireless technologies such as infrared, radio, and microwave are included in the definition of medium. As used herein, disks and optical discs include optical discs, laser discs, optical discs, digital versatile discs (DVDs), floppy disks, and Blu-ray discs, where disks typically reproduce data magnetically, while optical discs optically reproduce data using lasers. Combinations of the above should also be included within the scope of computer-readable media.

[0495] This application provides a computer program product, which includes a computer program that, when run, causes a computer to perform the above-described method.

[0496] This application describes embodiments of methods, apparatus (systems), and computer program products according to embodiments of this application with reference to flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams. It should be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions can be provided to a processing unit of a general-purpose computer, special-purpose computer, embedded processor, or other programmable device to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processing unit of the computer or other programmable data processing device, generate instructions for implementing the flowchart illustrations. Figure 1 One or more processes and / or boxes Figure 1 A device that provides the functions specified in one or more boxes.

[0497] The above specific embodiments further illustrate the purpose, technical solution, and beneficial effects of the present invention. It should be understood that the above are merely specific embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made on the basis of the technical solution of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A thermoelectric conversion device, characterized in that, include: Screen, back panel, thermoelectric conversion unit, processor, and power supply unit; The thermoelectric conversion unit, the processor, and the power supply unit are disposed between the screen and the back panel; The power supply unit is connected to the processor and is used to supply power to the processor; The thermoelectric conversion unit is used to convert the heat energy generated during the operation of the processor into electrical energy. The thermoelectric conversion unit is also connected to the power supply unit to provide the converted electrical energy to the power supply unit.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, During the operation of the processor, the temperature of the first plane of the thermoelectric conversion unit is lower than the temperature of the second plane of the thermoelectric conversion unit; The thermoelectric conversion unit is used to convert electrical energy based on the temperature difference between the first plane and the second plane.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that, The thermoelectric conversion unit is disposed between the screen and the processor; The first plane of the thermoelectric conversion unit is close to the screen, and the second plane of the thermoelectric conversion unit is close to the processor.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, A heat-conducting sheet is also provided between the processor and the screen. The length of the heat-conducting sheet in a first direction is greater than the length of the processor in the first direction, which is parallel to the long side of the screen.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that, The thermoelectric conversion unit is disposed between the screen and the heat-conducting sheet; The first plane of the thermoelectric conversion unit is close to the screen, and the second plane of the thermoelectric conversion unit is close to the heat-conducting sheet.

6. The apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that, The thermoelectric conversion device further includes a PCB, which is located between the processor and the backplate, and the length of the PCB in a first direction is greater than the length of the processor in the first direction.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that, The thermoelectric conversion unit is disposed between the heat-conducting sheet and the PCB; The first plane of the thermoelectric conversion unit is close to the heat-conducting sheet, and the second plane of the thermoelectric conversion unit is close to the PCB.

8. The apparatus according to any one of claims 2-7, characterized in that, The thermoelectric conversion device further includes a PCB, and the thermoelectric conversion unit is disposed between the screen and the PCB; The first plane of the thermoelectric conversion unit is close to the screen, and the second plane of the thermoelectric conversion unit is close to the PCB.

9. The apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that, The thermoelectric conversion device also includes a PCB, and a graphite sheet is disposed between the PCB and the back plate. The thermoelectric conversion unit is disposed between the PCB and the graphite sheet. The first plane of the thermoelectric conversion unit is close to the graphite sheet, and the second plane of the thermoelectric conversion unit is close to the PCB.

10. The apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that, In the thermoelectric conversion device, the area between the screen and the back panel includes a first sub-region and a second sub-region. The boundary line between the first sub-region and the second sub-region is parallel to the short side of the screen and is located at the middle position of the long side of the screen. The processor is located in the first sub-region, the thermoelectric conversion unit is located in the second sub-region, and the second plane of the thermoelectric conversion unit is close to the screen.

11. The apparatus according to any one of claims 2-10, characterized in that, The thermoelectric conversion device includes multiple thermoelectric conversion units connected in parallel; Multiple thermoelectric conversion units connected in parallel are collectively connected to the power supply unit.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, characterized in that, The plurality of parallel thermoelectric conversion units include a first thermoelectric conversion unit and a second thermoelectric conversion unit; The temperature of the first plane of the first thermoelectric conversion unit is higher than or equal to the temperature of the second plane of the second thermoelectric conversion unit, and the first plane of the first thermoelectric conversion unit is close to the second plane of the second thermoelectric conversion unit.

13. The apparatus according to any one of claims 2-12, characterized in that, When the thermoelectric conversion unit is in the first working mode, the thermoelectric conversion unit is used to convert the heat energy generated during the operation of the processor into electrical energy; When the thermoelectric conversion unit is in the second working mode, the thermoelectric conversion unit is used to control the generation of a temperature difference between the third plane and the fourth plane of the thermoelectric conversion unit based on the power supply of the power supply unit; The third plane and the fourth plane are located on different sides of the thermoelectric conversion unit, and the temperature of the third plane is lower than the temperature of the fourth plane.

14. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1-13, characterized in that, The power supply unit includes a battery, a management unit, a first voltage conversion unit, and a second voltage conversion unit; The battery is connected to the thermoelectric conversion unit via the management unit and the first voltage conversion unit connected in sequence; The battery is connected to the processor via the management unit and the second voltage conversion unit connected in sequence to supply power to the processor.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14, characterized in that, The battery and the thermoelectric conversion unit are arranged side by side between the screen and the back panel.

16. An electronic device, characterized in that, The electronic device includes the thermoelectric conversion device as described in any one of claims 1-15.

17. A thermoelectric conversion method, characterized in that, Applied to the thermoelectric conversion device according to any one of claims 1-15, the method comprises: The power supply unit supplies power to the processor; The thermoelectric conversion unit responds to a first instruction to start a first working mode. In the first working mode, the thermoelectric conversion unit converts the heat energy generated during the operation of the processor into electrical energy and provides the converted electrical energy to the power supply unit.

18. An electronic device, characterized in that, The electronic device includes: one or more processors and memory; The memory is coupled to the one or more processors, the memory being used to store computer program code, the computer program code including computer instructions, the one or more processors invoking the computer instructions to cause the electronic device to perform the method as described in claim 17.

19. A chip system, characterized in that, The chip system is applied to an electronic device, the chip system including one or more processors, the one or more processors being used to invoke computer instructions to cause the electronic device to perform the method as described in claim 17.

20. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The computer-readable storage medium includes computer instructions that, when executed on an electronic device, cause the electronic device to perform the method of claim 17.

21. A computer program product, characterized in that, The computer program product includes computer program code that, when run on an electronic device, causes the electronic device to perform the method as described in claim 17.

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