Temperature measurement in electronic devices

• US 20090322472A1
• Filed: 06/30/2008
• Published: 12/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: MacDonald, Mark, Tinsley, Keith R., Skinner, Harry G.
• Granted Patent: US 9,151,679 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 1/024 for remote indication
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 7/32 using change of resonant frequency of a crystal
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0717 the sensor being capable of sensing environmental conditions such as temperature history or pressure
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/77 for interrogation

Abstract

In one embodiment, a system comprises a portable computing device comprises a housing, at least one temperature sensitive radio frequency signal source proximate the housing and at least one radio frequency interface to receive a radio signal generated by the at least one temperature sensitive radio frequency signal source.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one radio frequency interface; and

at least one temperature sensitive radio frequency signal source on the electronic device.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one radio frequency interface comprises a radio receiver to receive signals within a specific frequency range of the electromagnetic spectrum; and

the at least one temperature sensitive radio frequency signal source comprises a radio frequency filter to filter at least one frequency within the specific frequency range of the electromagnetic spectrum.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one radio frequency interface comprises a radio receiver to receive signals within a specific frequency range of the electromagnetic spectrum; and

the at least one temperature sensitive radio frequency signal source comprises a radio frequency modulator to modulate at least one frequency within the specific frequency range of the electromagnetic spectrum.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one radio frequency interface comprises a radio receiver to receive signals within a specific frequency range of the electromagnetic spectrum; and

the at least one temperature sensitive radio frequency signal source comprises a radio frequency signal generator to generate an electromagnetic signal at least one frequency within the specific frequency range of the electromagnetic spectrum.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one radio frequency interface comprises a radio receiver to receive signals within a specific frequency range of the electromagnetic spectrum; and

the at least one temperature sensitive radio frequency signal source comprises a radio frequency signal transmitter to transmit an electromagnetic signal at least one frequency within the specific frequency range of the electromagnetic spectrum.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one temperature sensitive radio frequency signal source on the electronic device comprises a temperature detector coupled to a radio frequency signal source.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one radio frequency interface comprises a thermal signal detector module to detect a radio signal from at least one radio frequency signal source on the electronic device.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:

a temperature detection processing module coupled to the at least one radio frequency interface; and

a thermal management module coupled to the temperature detection processing module.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the electronic device comprises a housing; and

the at least one temperature sensitive radio frequency signal source is located proximate the housing.

10. A system, comprising:

a portable computing device comprising a housing; and

at least one temperature sensitive radio frequency signal source proximate the housing; and

at least one radio frequency interface to receive a radio signal generated by the at least one temperature sensitive radio frequency signal source.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein:

the at least one temperature sensitive radio frequency signal source comprises a radio frequency filter to filter at least one frequency within a specific frequency range of the electromagnetic spectrum; and

the at least one radio frequency interface comprises a radio receiver to receive signals within the specific frequency range of the electromagnetic spectrum.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein:

the at least one temperature sensitive radio frequency signal source comprises a radio frequency modulator to modulate at least one frequency within a specific frequency range of the electromagnetic spectrum; and

the at least one radio frequency interface comprises a radio receiver to receive signals within the specific frequency range of the electromagnetic spectrum.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein:

the at least one temperature sensitive radio frequency signal source comprises a radio frequency signal generator to generate an electromagnetic signal at least one frequency within a specific frequency range of the electromagnetic spectrum; and

the at least one radio frequency interface comprises a radio receiver to receive signals within the specific frequency range of the electromagnetic spectrum.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein:

the at least one temperature sensitive radio frequency signal source comprises a radio frequency signal transmitter to transmit an electromagnetic signal at least one frequency within a specific frequency range of the electromagnetic spectrum; and

the at least one radio frequency interface comprises a radio receiver which to receive signals within the specific frequency range of the electromagnetic spectrum.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one temperature sensitive radio frequency signal source comprises a temperature detector coupled to the radio frequency signal source.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one radio frequency interface comprises a thermal signal detector module to detect a radio signal from a radio frequency signal source.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

a temperature detection processing module coupled to the at least one radio frequency interface; and

a thermal management module coupled to the temperature detection processing module.

18. A method to monitor a temperature in an electronic device, comprising:

generating at least one temperature sensitive radio frequency signal in the electronic device; and

receiving the at least one temperature sensitive radio frequency signal in a radio frequency interface in the electronic device; and

processing the at least one temperature sensitive radio frequency signal to determine a temperature proximate the at least one temperature sensitive radio frequency signal source.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein generating at least one temperature sensitive radio frequency signal in the electronic device comprises at least one of:

filtering at least one frequency within a specific frequency range of the electromagnetic spectrum;

modulating at least one frequency within the specific frequency range of the electromagnetic spectrum;

generating an electromagnetic signal at least one frequency within the specific frequency range of the electromagnetic spectrum; and

transmitting an electromagnetic signal at least one frequency within the specific frequency range of the electromagnetic spectrum.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising managing operations of the electronic device in response to a temperature measurement in at least one sensor in the electronic device.