Antenna Battery Heating for Cold ESR Reduction
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Portable electronic devices powered by internal batteries, such as mobile wireless communications devices, experience a shorter useful life in cold environments due to the inverse relationship between battery temperature and equivalent series resistance (ESR), leading to premature shutdowns in critical situations.
Innovation Solution
The integration of an antenna with the battery assembly, which functions as a heater to elevate the battery temperature and reduce ESR, thereby extending the battery's useful life by actively sending current through the antenna when the device is in a cold environment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the device is used in a cold environment, then the battery temperature is low, but the useful life of the battery is shortened due to increased ESR
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful effect of cold temperature (increased ESR, reduced battery life) into a beneficial effect by using the antenna as a heating element. The antenna, when transmitting or receiving signals, generates heat that warms the battery, thereby reducing ESR and extending useful life. This transforms the problem of cold environment operation into an opportunity to use the antenna's inherent heating capability to improve battery performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes the antenna serve dual functions: its primary function for wireless communication and a secondary function as a heating element to warm the battery in cold environments. By enabling the antenna to perform multiple roles, the patent eliminates the need for separate heating components, thereby extending battery life without adding device complexity.
2Duration of action of moving object
If the battery temperature is increased to reduce ESR, then the useful life is extended, but additional heating components increase device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the antenna serve dual functions: its primary function for wireless communication and a secondary function as a heating element to warm the battery in cold environments. By enabling the antenna to perform multiple roles, the patent eliminates the need for separate heating components, thereby extending battery life without adding device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The antenna uses its own operational characteristics (electromagnetic signal transmission) to generate heat that warms the battery. The system essentially heats itself through normal operation, eliminating the need for external heating components or additional power consumption dedicated to heating.
3Duration of action of moving object
If current is sent through the antenna to heat the battery, then the battery temperature rises and useful life is extended, but energy is consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The antenna uses its own operational characteristics (electromagnetic signal transmission) to generate heat that warms the battery. The system essentially heats itself through normal operation, eliminating the need for external heating components or additional power consumption dedicated to heating.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the harmful effect of cold temperature (increased ESR, reduced battery life) into a beneficial effect by using the antenna's inherent heating capability during normal operation. The energy already being consumed for communication purposes is partially converted into useful heating, turning a communication function into a dual-purpose solution.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution effectively prolongs the battery life of portable electronic devices in cold conditions, allowing for continued use of critical functions like making calls or sending messages before the device would typically shut down, thereby enhancing user experience and availability in emergency situations.
Implementation Method 1
actively sending current through the antenna when the device is in a cold environment
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
A method of internally heating a power supply of an electronic device in reduced temperatures is provided. The method comprises positioning an antenna of the electronic device proximate to the power supply and receiving a "temperature" signal that is a function of a temperature of the power supply. When it is determined that the temperature is within a reduced operating-temperature range, the temperature is elevated and the equivalent series resistance (ESR) of the power supply is correspondingly reduced by actively sending current through the antenna. The "current sending" operation is reduced when the temperature of the portable electronic device is outside the reduced operating-temperature range.