Wearable Thermal Control With Companion Offloading

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Wearable devices generate excessive heat due to increased functionality, leading to user discomfort and potential harm, and existing thermal management systems are inadequate.

Innovation Solution

A wearable device with integrated temperature sensors and a thermal controller communicates with a companion device to adjust subsystem operations and offload processing, reducing power consumption and heat production through thermal mitigation schemes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If more powerful processors and integrated circuits are used to provide more functions at high speeds, then the functionality and processing speed of wearable devices are improved, but the heat generated by the device increases causing user discomfort and potential harm

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprocessing speedVSAvoidheat generation

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic thermal management by continuously monitoring skin temperature and processor temperature, then dynamically adjusting processor performance levels and operational modes based on real-time thermal conditions. The system transitions between different performance states (high performance, balanced, power-saving) to maintain skin temperature within safe thresholds while maximizing productivity when conditions permit

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes operational parameters of the processor and subsystems based on thermal conditions. When skin temperature approaches thresholds, the system reduces processor frequency, adjusts voltage levels, and modifies subsystem operation modes to decrease heat generation while maintaining acceptable functionality

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Object-affected harmful factors

If thermal management is implemented to reduce heat generation, then user comfort and safety are improved, but the processing speed and functionality of the device may be reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser comfortVSAvoidprocessing speed

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a feedback-based thermal control system that continuously monitors skin temperature, processor temperature, and power consumption, then adjusts operational parameters in real-time. The feedback loop enables the system to maintain optimal performance within thermal constraints by making incremental adjustments rather than abrupt reductions, preserving productivity while ensuring user comfort

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system applies partial thermal mitigation by selectively reducing power consumption of specific subsystems rather than uniformly throttling all operations. The processor maintains high performance for critical functions while reducing power for non-essential subsystems, achieving thermal management with minimal impact on overall productivity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Adaptability or versatility

If multiple subsystems operate at high performance levels to provide comprehensive functionality, then the versatility of the device is improved, but the overall heat generation and power consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovefunctionalityVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the device into multiple independent subsystems (camera, display, processor, sensors, communication modules) that can be individually controlled and optimized. The thermal management system selectively adjusts the operation of each subsystem based on its power consumption characteristics and thermal impact, allowing comprehensive functionality to be maintained while minimizing overall power loss through targeted optimization

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS20260004684A1Thermal management in wearable devices

Publication Date: 2026.01.01 QUALCOMM INC

AI summary

In one aspect, a wearable device a set of one or more temperature sensors configured to generate a first set of one or more temperature signals indicative of one or more skin temperatures of a user; a thermal controller configured to generate a signal indicative of a thermal mitigation level based on the set of one or more temperature signals; a set of one or more subsystems configured to perform one or more operations based on the thermal mitigation level signal, respectively; and a communication interface configured to send the thermal mitigation level signal to a companion device. In another aspect, a companion device configured to assist the wearable device in thermal management by offloading processes from the wearable device, and providing reduced data to the wearable device.