MR-DC Connectivity Control for Smartphone Thermal Throttling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing electronic devices face challenges in managing dual connectivity based on temperature, leading to heat generation, power consumption, and performance degradation due to inefficient handling of multiple radio access technologies (RATs) during 5G mobile communication.

Innovation Solution

The electronic device incorporates temperature sensors to monitor internal temperature, adjusts connectivity by releasing connections with higher throughput or more receive paths when the temperature exceeds a threshold, optimizing communication through multi-RAT dual connectivity (MR-DC) by managing throughput, transmit power, and multiplexing schemes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If multi-RAT dual connectivity is used to improve data throughput, then communication performance is improved, but device temperature increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata throughputVSAvoiddevice temperature

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts dual connectivity configuration based on real-time temperature monitoring. When temperature exceeds a threshold, the system releases connections from one RAT to reduce heat generation. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to maintain high throughput when temperature is acceptable while preventing thermal runaway conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements a feedback loop where temperature sensor data continuously monitors device thermal state and feeds back to the connectivity management logic. This feedback mechanism enables automatic adjustment of connection configurations to balance throughput performance with thermal management, resolving the contradiction between maintaining high data rates and controlling temperature.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If multiple receive paths are maintained for dual connectivity, then communication reliability is improved, but power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommunication reliabilityVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system maintains multiple receive paths for improved reliability only when necessary. When temperature or power constraints are detected, the system partially reduces the number of active receive paths while maintaining sufficient connectivity for operational requirements. This partial action approach balances reliability needs with power consumption limits.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Productivity

If dual connectivity connections are maintained to improve data rate, then throughput is improved, but heat generation increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata rateVSAvoidheat generation

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system converts the harmful effect of heat generation into a useful control signal. Temperature, which normally represents wasted energy and reduced efficiency, is monitored and used as feedback to intelligently manage connectivity resources. By releasing connections when thermal thresholds are exceeded, the system transforms thermal conditions into a guiding principle for optimal performance maintenance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

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 approach reduces heat generation, power consumption, and performance degradation by dynamically managing wireless connections based on temperature, improving overall device efficiency and throughput.

Implementation Method 1

at least one sensor circuitry configured to detect a temperature of the electronic device

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectTemperature detection:

Data Source

PatentUS20250351226A1Method and electronic device for temperature-based dual connectivity control

Publication Date: 2025.11.13 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD

AI summary

An electronic device may include at least one antenna, at least one communication circuit, at least one transceiver, at least one sensor circuit, at least one processor and a memory. While performing communication based on multi-RAT dual connectivity (MR-DC) using a first radio access technology (RAT) and a second RAT, the electronic device can release, on the basis of a first throughput associated with the first RAT and a second throughput associated with the second RAT, a connection associated with the first RAT or a connection associated with the second RAT if the temperature of the electronic device exceeds a threshold temperature. If the first throughput is less than the second throughput, the electronic device can release, on the basis of the number of reception paths associated with the first RAT and the number of reception paths associated with the second RAT, the connection associated with the first RAT or the connection associated with the second RAT.