Sensorless Thermal Management in Wireless Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Portable computing devices without thermal sensors or with malfunctioning sensors face challenges in detecting excessive heat generation, as they cannot identify the primary heat-producing elements, leading to potential damage from overheating.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for thermal mitigation in portable computing devices that monitor signals associated with electronic elements, determine thermal conditions based on these signals, and perform actions to mitigate heat production, such as reducing power or shifting processing loads, without relying on thermal sensors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If thermal sensors are used to monitor temperature, then thermal detection accuracy is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces physical thermal sensors with a software-based thermal modeling system that uses electrical signal measurements to infer thermal conditions. The processor analyzes electrical characteristics of power amplifier signals to determine power dissipation and generate thermal models, eliminating the need for separate thermal sensing hardware.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the existing power amplifier and processor to serve dual functions: both signal processing and thermal monitoring. The power amplifier's electrical signals are repurposed to provide thermal information, and the processor simultaneously manages communication functions and thermal analysis, reducing overall system complexity.
2Ease of operation
If thermal sensors are installed near electronic circuitry, then thermal monitoring capability is improved, but reliability decreases due to sensor malfunction or failure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates vulnerable physical thermal sensors and replaces them with a computational approach using electrical signal analysis. This software-based thermal monitoring inherits the reliability of the existing power amplifier and processor without adding fragile sensing components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces electrical signal measurements as an intermediary to indirectly measure thermal conditions. Instead of directly sensing temperature with potentially failing sensors, the system measures electrical parameters (power, voltage, current) that correlate with thermal generation, providing a more reliable indirect measurement method.
3Measurement precision
If multiple thermal sensors are deployed to identify specific heat-generating elements, then thermal identification accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the thermal analysis by creating separate thermal models for different power-generating elements (power amplifier, processor, etc.). Each element's electrical signals are independently analyzed to generate specific thermal models, allowing identification of individual heat sources without physically segmenting the device with multiple sensors.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces the need for multiple physical thermal sensors with computational segmentation of electrical signal analysis. By analyzing electrical characteristics from different circuit components, the system can identify which specific element is generating excessive heat without requiring physical sensors at each location.
4Ease of operation
If thermal sensors are used to detect excessive heat, then thermal detection capability is improved, but loss of information occurs when sensors malfunction or become inoperable
Solution Approach 1:
The existing power amplifier and processor continuously generate electrical signals that contain thermal information. By harvesting this existing signal data for thermal analysis, the system ensures thermal information is always available as long as the device is operating, without relying on separate sensing components that could fail.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses electrical signal measurements as a redundant intermediary for thermal information. Even if direct thermal sensing were attempted, the electrical signals provide an alternative pathway to obtain thermal data, ensuring information continuity through multiple measurement approaches.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and system for thermal mitigation in a personal computing device is disclosed. A signal associated with an electronic element in the portable computing device is monitored. A thermal condition indicating excessive heat production is determined in response to the monitored signal. An action to mitigate heat production in the portable computing device may be performed in response to the thermal condition.