Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for thermally managing electronic devices using dynamic optical components

• US 9,052,428 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2011
• Issued: 06/09/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Cameron, Gordon, Garrone, Ryan Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Doak, Jennifer L.
• Application Number:
  US13/046,378
• Publication Number:
  US 20120228392A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,551 Days
• Field of Search: 359/512, 219/219
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/008 with means for compensating for changes in temperature or for controlling the temperature; thermal stabilisation
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20427 having radiation enhancing surface treatment, e.g. black coating

Abstract

Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for thermally managing electronic devices using dynamic optical components are provided. At least one of the reflectance and the transmittance of incident electromagnetic radiation of a dynamic optical component on an electronic device may be adjusted based on a detected variable device characteristic of the device, such as a temperature of a device component. By adjusting the reflectance and/or the transmittance of the dynamic optical component, different portions of the incident electromagnetic radiation may be directed from the dynamic optical component for changing the variable device characteristic.

Claims

1. A method for thermally managing a hand-held electronic device, the method comprising:

by the hand-held electronic device;

detecting a device characteristic variable of the hand-held electronic device using a sensor of the hand-held electronic device;

adjusting, based on the device characteristic variable, at least one of a reflectance and a transmittance of electromagnetic radiation incident upon the hand-held electronic device using a dynamic optical component coupled to a housing of the hand-held electronic device; and

causing a temperature of the hand-held electronic device to change as a result of the adjusting.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the adjusting comprises at least one of the following:

increasing a percentage of a first spectrum band of the electromagnetic radiation that is transmitted through the dynamic optical component; and

decreasing a percentage of a second spectrum band of the electromagnetic radiation that is transmitted through the dynamic optical component.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the electromagnetic radiation includes visible light.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the device characteristic variable is the temperature of a portion of the hand-held electronic device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the portion of the hand-held electronic device is at least one of a power supply of the hand-held electronic device, a memory component of the hand-held electronic device, the dynamic optical component of the hand-held electronic device, and the housing of the hand-held electronic device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the adjusting at least one of the reflectance and the transmittance is performed when the device characteristic variable is above or below a threshold value.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the adjusting comprises one of:

heating the dynamic optical component to a temperature above a first transition temperature; and

cooling the dynamic optical component to a temperature below a second transition temperature.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the adjusting comprises one of:

applying a first electrical charge to the dynamic optical component that is above a first transition charge; and

applying a second electrical charge to the dynamic optical component that is below a second transition charge.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the adjusting comprises:

adjusting at least one of the reflectance and the transmittance of a first spectrum band of the electromagnetic radiation by a first amount; and

adjusting at least one of the reflectance and the transmittance of a second spectrum band of the electromagnetic radiation by a second amount.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising, based on the device characteristic variable, adjusting at least one of the reflectance and the transmittance of incident electromagnetic radiation using a different dynamic optical component of the hand-held electronic device.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising detecting another device characteristic variable of another dynamic optical component of the hand-held electronic device, wherein the adjusting comprises adjusting the at least one of the reflectance and the transmittance based on both the device characteristic variable and the other device characteristic variable.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the detecting comprises detecting the device characteristic variable within a cavity defined by a housing of the hand-held electronic device; and

the incident electromagnetic radiation is from a source external to the cavity.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the electromagnetic radiation is from a source external to a cavity defined by the housing of the hand-held electronic device; and

the adjusting comprises adjusting the at least one of the reflectance and the transmittance based on both the device characteristic variable and an amount of light incident upon at least a portion of the housing.

14. A hand-held electronic device, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory configured to store instructions that when executed by the processor cause the hand-held electronic device to perform steps that include;

detecting a device characteristic variable using a sensor of the hand-held electronic device, and

adjusting an amount of electromagnetic radiation transmitted through a dynamic optical component of the hand-held electronic device based on the detected device characteristic variable in order to change a temperature of the hand-held electronic device.

15. The hand-held electronic device of claim 14 further comprising a housing that comprises at least one wall defining a cavity, wherein the dynamic optical component is a coating on a surface of the at least one wall.

16. The hand-held electronic device of claim 14 further comprising a housing that comprises at least one wall defining a cavity, wherein the dynamic optical component is positioned at least partially within an opening through the at least one wall.

17. The hand-held electronic device of claim 14 further comprising a housing that comprises at least one wall defining a cavity, wherein the electromagnetic radiation is from a source external to the cavity.

18. The hand-held electronic device of claim 17, wherein:

the sensor is configured to detect the device characteristic variable within the cavity; and

the amount of the electromagnetic radiation transmitted through the dynamic optical component is configured to change the device characteristic variable.

19. The hand-held electronic device of claim 14, wherein the amount of the electromagnetic radiation transmitted through the dynamic optical component is configured to change the device characteristic variable.

20. The hand-held electronic device of claim 14, further comprising a power supply configured to:

receive at least some of the electromagnetic radiation transmitted through the dynamic optical component;

convert the received electromagnetic radiation into power; and

store the power.

21. The hand-held electronic device of claim 20, wherein the dynamic optical component is configured to adjust the amount of the electromagnetic radiation transmitted through the dynamic optical component based on the detected device characteristic variable and based on a power supply characteristic.

22. The hand-held electronic device of claim 21, wherein:

the device characteristic variable is an operating temperature of a first component of the power supply; and

the power supply characteristic is one of;

an effectiveness with which the power supply converts different portions of the received electromagnetic radiation into power;

an amount of power being converted by the power supply;

the amount of power stored by the power supply; and

the amount of power being drawn from the power supply.

23. The hand-held electronic device of claim 14, wherein the device characteristic variable is the temperature of a portion of the hand-held electronic device.

24. The hand-held electronic device of claim 23, wherein the dynamic optical component is configured to decrease the amount of the electromagnetic radiation transmitted through the dynamic optical component when the detected device characteristic variable is above a first threshold.

25. The hand-held electronic device of claim 23, wherein the dynamic optical component is configured to increase the amount of the electromagnetic radiation transmitted through the dynamic optical component when the detected device characteristic variable is below a first threshold.

26. The hand-held electronic device of claim 14, wherein:

the device characteristic variable is a temperature of a first component of the hand-held electronic device;

an operating temperature range of the first component is below a first threshold and above a second threshold; and

the dynamic optical component is configured to;

decrease the amount of the electromagnetic radiation transmitted through the dynamic optical component when the detected device characteristic variable is above the first threshold; and

increase the amount of the electromagnetic radiation transmitted through the dynamic optical component when the detected device characteristic variable is below the second threshold.

27. A method for thermally managing a hand-held electronic device, the method comprising:

by the hand-held electronic device;

determining a temperature of a dynamic optical component of the hand-held electronic device when a temperature of a device component of the hand-held electronic device is within a temperature threshold; and

configuring the dynamic optical component to be in;

a first optical state when the temperature of the dynamic optical component becomes less than the determined temperature; and

a second optical state when the temperature of the dynamic optical component becomes greater than the determined temperature.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the device component is a power supply.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the dynamic optical component is a thermochromic system.

30. The method of claim 27, wherein:

when the dynamic optical component is in the first optical state, the dynamic optical component is configured to transmit a first percentage of electromagnetic radiation; and

when the dynamic optical component is in the second optical state, the dynamic optical component is configured to transmit a second percentage of the electromagnetic radiation.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the first percentage is greater than the second percentage.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein a heat contribution of the first percentage is greater than a heat contribution of the second percentage.

33. A hand-held electronic device, comprising:

a housing at least partially enveloping a processor and a memory, and including at least one wall defining a cavity;

a temperature sensor for detecting an internal temperature within the cavity; and

a dynamic optical component for modifying the internal temperature of the cavity by limiting an amount of incident electromagnetic radiation that can enter the cavity, the dynamic optical component configured to be in;

a first optical state when the internal temperature is detected to be below a temperature threshold, and

a second optical state when the internal temperature is detected to be above the temperature threshold.

34. The hand-held electronic device of claim 33, wherein the dynamic optical component receives incident electromagnetic radiation from a source external to the cavity.

35. The hand-held electronic device of claim 33, wherein a reflectance of the dynamic optical component in the first optical state is lower than a reflectance of the dynamic optical component in the second optical state.

36. The hand-held electronic device of claim 33, wherein a heat component of incident electromagnetic radiation transmitted by the dynamic optical component in the first optical state is higher than the heat component of the incident electromagnetic radiation transmitted by the dynamic optical component in the second optical state.

37. The hand-held electronic device of claim 33, wherein the dynamic optical component is configured to lower the internal temperature when the dynamic optical component is in the second optical state.

38. The hand-held electronic device of claim 33, wherein the dynamic optical component is configured to raise the internal temperature when the dynamic optical component is in the first optical state.

39. A machine-readable non-transitory storage medium configured to store instructions that, when executed by a processor included in a hand-held electronic device, cause the hand-held electronic device to carry out steps that include:

detecting a temperature of the hand-held electronic device using a sensor of the hand-held electronic device;

determining that the temperature is at or above a threshold value;

adjusting, based on the temperature at least one of a reflectance and a transmittance of electromagnetic radiation incident upon the hand-held electronic device using a dynamic optical component coupled to a housing of the hand-held electronic device; and

causing the temperature to change based on the adjusting.