Ambient Temperature Compensation Using Heat Flow Sensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Portable electronic devices with integrated temperature sensors face challenges in accurately measuring ambient temperature due to internal heat sources, which distort measurements and require compensation to provide error-free results.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a heat flow sensor and a compensator that uses a model-based approach to estimate heat flow and compensate for internal heat sources, allowing for more accurate ambient temperature measurement by calculating the heat flow through the device's housing and using a dynamic thermal model to correct sensor readings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a temperature sensor is integrated into the portable electronic device, then the device can measure ambient temperature, but internal heat sources from device components distort the temperature measurement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a heat flow sensor as an intermediary component that measures the heat flow through the housing. This intermediary measurement allows the system to quantify and compensate for the distortion caused by internal heat sources, thereby improving the accuracy of ambient temperature measurements without requiring the temperature sensor to be physically isolated from the heat sources.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the heat flow sensor continuously monitors heat flow through the housing, and this information is fed back to a processor that calculates compensation values. These compensation values are then applied to correct the temperature sensor readings, creating a closed-loop system that actively compensates for internal heat source distortion.
2Measurement precision
If a compensator is added to correct temperature measurements, then measurement accuracy improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the processor serve multiple functions: it processes data from the temperature sensor, processes data from the heat flow sensor, performs thermal model calculations, and generates compensation values. By making the processor multi-functional, the system achieves improved measurement accuracy without adding dedicated compensation hardware, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the temperature sensor and heat flow sensor into an integrated sensing system that shares common processing resources. The thermal model and compensation algorithms are merged into the existing processor architecture, creating a unified system that achieves accurate temperature measurement without the complexity of separate independent compensation systems.
3Measurement precision
If thermal models and compensation algorithms are implemented, then temperature measurement accuracy improves, but processing time and computational requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a thermal model that is pre-configured with the thermal characteristics of the device housing and internal heat sources. This preliminary setup allows the compensation algorithm to quickly calculate corrections based on real-time heat flow measurements without requiring complex iterative computations during actual temperature measurement, thereby reducing processing time.
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 enables faster and more accurate ambient temperature estimation by compensating for internal heat sources, reducing measurement errors and improving the reliability of temperature readings in portable electronic devices.
Implementation Method 1
at least one heat flow sensor to measure the heat flow through the housing to the exterior
Implementation Method 2
Such offsets can be compensated for by modelling the heat sources, heat flows and heat capacities of the device depending on the actual state of the device and the heat generated by the sources
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a portable electronic device with one or more integrated sensors (13) and one or more internal heat sources (12) within a common housing (11, 20) further comprising a heat flux sensor (21, 22, 23) to measure the heat flux originating from the one or more internal heat sources (12) through the exterior (111,112) of the housing (11) and, when required, using the heat flux measurement to change between different compensation modes.