Temperature measurement in electronic devices

• US 9,151,679 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2008
• Issued: 10/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: MacDonald, Mark, Tinsley, Keith R., Skinner, Harry G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehmood, Jennifer
• Assistant Examiner(s): POINT, RUFUS C
• Application Number:
  US12/215,909
• Publication Number:
  US 20090322472A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,654 Days
• Field of Search: 340/870.17, 340/10.1, 340/10.2, 361/679.47, 361/93.8
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 electronic device, comprising:

at least one heat generating component;

a radio frequency (RF) signal generator to generate at least a first RF signal at one or more frequencies, wherein the RF signal generator is to generate the first RF signal at a first frequency when the temperature sensor senses a first temperature and the RF signal generator is to generate the first RF signal at a second frequency when the temperature sensor senses a second temperature;

an RF filter calibrated to filter out a specific frequency of the first RF signal as a function of a temperature proximate the RF signal generator;

an RF signal transmitter to transmit at least the first RF signal,

a radio frequency (RF) signal receiver to receive at least a second RF signal from an RF signal source device, the RF signal source device, including;

a second RF signal generator to generate the second RF signal; and

a second RF signal transmitter to transmit the second RF signal; and

a thermal management module to manage one or more operations of the at least one heat generating component as a function of the temperature proximate the RF signal generator.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a power converter to convert the second RF signal into energy used to operate at least one of the RF signal generator and the RF signal transmitter.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the RF filter comprises a notch filter.

4. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one antenna, the RF signal receiver to receive at least the second RF signal through the at least one antenna.

5. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a power source to provide power to at least one of the RF signal receiver and the RF signal transmitter for operation.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein the filter is a notch filter calibrated to filter out a specific frequency as a function of temperature.

7. A method to manage components of an electronic device, comprising:

generating a first RF signal at a first frequency when a temperature sensor senses a first temperature and generating the first RF signal at a second frequency when the temperature sensor senses a second temperature;

filtering out a specific frequency of the first RF signal as a function of a temperature proximate the RF signal generator;

transmitting, from a first RF signal transmitter, the first RF signal;

receiving, at a radio frequency (RF) signal receiver, at least a second RF signal from an RF signal source device;

generating, at a second RF signal generator, the second RF signal; and

transmitting, from a second RF signal transmitter, the second RF signal; and

managing one or more operations of the at least one heat generating component as a function of the temperature proximate the RF signal generator.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

the second RF signal causing at least the generating of the first RF signal.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

converting the second RF signal into a form of energy to power a device generating at least the first RF signal.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

the second RF signal causing at least the measuring of the first temperature.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

converting the second RF signal into a form of energy to power a device measuring at least the first temperature.

12. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

the second RF signal causing at least the transmitting of the first RF signal.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

converting the second RF signal into a form of energy to power a device transmitting the first RF signal.

14. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

generating the first RF signal at the first frequency at least in part by filtering out one or more other RF signal frequencies as a function of a temperature proximate the filter.

15. A system comprising:

a remote temperature sensing device, including;

a temperature sensor;

a first radio frequency (RF) signal generator to generate at least a first RF signal at one or more frequencies, each generated frequency associated with a given temperature sensed by the temperature sensor, wherein the RF signal generator is to generate the first RF signal at a first frequency when the temperature sensor senses a first temperature and the RF signal generator is to generate the first RF signal at a second frequency when the temperature sensor senses a second temperature;

a first RF signal transmitter to transmit the first RF signal; and

a radio frequency (RF) signal receiver to receive at least a second RF signal from an RF signal source device; and

the RF signal source device, including;

a second RF signal generator to generate the second RF signal; and

a second RF signal transmitter to transmit the second RF signal; and

a thermal management module to manage one or more operations of the at least one heat generating component as a function of the temperature proximate the RF signal generator.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the remote temperature sensing device operates passively, the remote temperature sensor device further includes:

a power converter to convert RF signals received from the RF signal receiver into energy used to operate at least one of the RF signal generator and the RF signal transmitter.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the remote temperature sensing device further includes:

an RF filter, the RF filter to cause the first RF signal generator to generate the first RF signal at the first frequency at least in part by filtering out one or more other RF signal frequencies as a function of a temperature proximate the filter.

18. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

at least one antenna, the RF signal receiver to receive the one or more RF signals through the at least one antenna.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the filter is a notch filter calibrated to filter out a specific frequency as a function of temperature.