METHODS, APPARATUSES, AND SYSTEMS FOR THERMAL MANAGEMENT BETWEEN DEVICES

Abstract

A peripheral electronic device (106) can be equipped with a coupler, which in one embodiment is a thermal transference coupler (136). The thermal transference coupler (136) can include a thermally conductive surface (402) configured to draw heat from a major face (301) of another electronic device disposed within the coupler that abuts the thermally conductive surface (402).

Description

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

This invention relates generally to electronic devices, and more particularly to augmented thermal management for electronic devices.

2. Background Art

Communication technology is constantly evolving. For instance, there was a time when the only way to make a telephone call was across a copper wire with the assistance of a human operator. Today, by contrast, people are able to call others around the world with a variety of communication devices, including cellular telephones, satellite telephones, and network-based communication systems such as voice over Internet protocol phone devices that function with the assistance of a computer or other specialized hardware. In addition to these voice-based channels, people may communicate via electronic mail, text messaging, videoconferences, and multimedia messaging as well.

With the advent of new communication protocols and technologies, device manufacturers are continually designing more features into their handsets. At the same time, consumers are continually demanding smaller and sleeker devices. Additional features require additional space within a device, larger energy supplies, and more powerful processors and control circuits. The desire for smaller devices demands the opposite—less space, smaller energy supplies, and processors and control circuits operating at reduced speed so as to produce less heat.

It would be advantageous to have methods, apparatuses, and systems that enabled enhanced feature sets without excessively increasing the overall size of the devices incorporating those enhanced feature sets.

In recent years, demands are increasing for downsizing, slimming, and enhancing performance of electronic devices such as cellular phones. In response to such demands, high performance integrated circuit (IC) chips have been installed in a variety of electronic devices. At the same time, the power and heat generated by these chips has significantly increased. Excessively hot temperatures in electronic device can cause performance problems, malfunctions, charging problems, circuit overloads, short circuiting, and component failure, as well as heat burns and other injuries to the user.

Computer and cellular (cell) phone processors generate more heat from more powerful processors the longer the processors are used and the more programs and applications (APs) are being used. When cell phones are used for an extended period of time, especially for process-heavy applications, they heat up more than usual. The phone's battery heats up when the phone is in use for a phone call, in navigating with a global positioning system (GPS), or when used for video streaming, video viewing and/or recording. Hot batteries have trouble charging.

A heat sink disperses heat from other parts, components, and structures. Heat sinks are used in computers as well as cellular (cell) phones. A radiator draws heat away from a car's engine, while an internal heat sink draws heat away from a cell phone's central processing unit (CPU). Internal heat sinks can effectively cool some of the heat emitted from cell phone processors, such as from processors that simultaneously run multiple programs. Without a quality heat sink and heat transfer system, a cell phone processor is at risk of overheating and its performance limited by maximum allowable temperature limits.

Heat can be transferred in three different ways: convection, radiation, and conduction. Conduction of heat is transferred in a solid, such as in a heat sink. Conduction occurs when two objects with different temperatures come into contact with one another. At the point where the two objects meet, the faster moving molecules of the warmer object crash into the slower moving molecules of the cooler object. When this happens, the faster moving molecules from the warmer object give energy to the slower moving molecules, which in turn heats the cooler object. This process is known as thermal conductivity, which is how internal heat sinks transfer heat away from the cell phone processor.

The temperature of the surface of a portable electronic device is a function of the temperature of the operational components disposed within the portable electronic device. To provide a satisfactory user experience, the surface temperatures of portable electronic devices should be managed within a certain temperature range, one example of which ensures that the surface of a portable electronic device never exceeds about 38° C. If the surface temperature exceeds this predetermined threshold, the performance of internal components may need to be throttled to stay within certain parameters. The cause of mobile temperature rise is the dissipation within the components in the mobile electronics device. Moreover, in addition to surfaces, other components within the device can also become heated by being located in proximity to the heat generating components. Examples of these heat contact path components include the battery and display.

The functional performance of portable electronic devices, such as mobile computing devices, is limited by the amount of heat that is dissipated due to operating temperature limits of their internal components, such as the main battery, display, and other parts and components of the mobile computing devices. A particularly challenging environment is when a portable electronic device is cradled in a car dock due to the extra heat load and thermal radiation intensity from the sun and/or running a navigation program.

Many conventional cell phones and other electronic devices with high end applications processors (APs), modems, and multiple power amplifiers (PAs) are generating more heat than the cell phone or other electronic device can support by itself without going over the specified surface temperature and component temperature limits. There is a need to remote this heat to facilitate acceptable and even better performance of cell phones, tablets and other electronic devices.

It is, therefore, desirable to provide augmented thermal management for electronic devices which overcomes most, if not all of the preceding disadvantages.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying figures, where like reference numerals refer to identical or functionally similar elements throughout the separate views and which together with the detailed description below are incorporated in and form part of the specification, serve to further illustrate various embodiments and to explain various principles and advantages all in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 1 illustrates one explanatory portable electronic device configured in accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates one example of an operating schema for one explanatory portable electronic device configured in accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention, with this exemplary operating schema illustrating a dual-operating system environment that can require additional processing power in the portable electronic device.

FIG. 3 illustrates a user connecting one explanatory portable electronic device configured in accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention to a peripheral device configured in accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 4 illustrates a user connecting one explanatory portable electronic device configured in accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention to a thermal transference coupler of a peripheral device configured in accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 5 illustrates one explanatory portable electronic device configured in accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention coupled to a peripheral device configured in accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention, with a camera of the explanatory portable electronic device being exposed about an edge of the peripheral device to provide video capture capabilities for the peripheral device.

FIG. 6 illustrates one explanatory portable electronic device configured in accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention coupled to a thermal transference coupler of a peripheral device configured in accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention, with the portable electronic device being exposed about an edge of the peripheral device.

FIG. 7 illustrates a top, plan, cutaway view showing illustrative components of one explanatory portable electronic device configured in accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention seated in a thermal transference coupler of a peripheral device configured in accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention.

FIGS. 8-10 illustrate different explanatory locations where an explanatory portable electronic device can couple to a thermal transference coupler of a peripheral device in accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention.

Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of embodiments of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

Before describing in detail embodiments that are in accordance with the present invention, it should be observed that the embodiments reside primarily in combinations of method steps and apparatus components related to thermal management practices between a portable electronic device and another electronic device, with those practices offering an enhanced overall feature set to a user without requiring increased volume in the portable electronic device. Any process descriptions or blocks in flow charts should be understood as representing modules, segments, or portions of code that include one or more executable instructions for implementing specific logical functions or steps in the process. Alternate implementations are included, and it will be clear that functions may be executed out of order from that shown or discussed, including substantially concurrently or in reverse order, depending on the functionality involved. Accordingly, the apparatus components and method steps have been represented where appropriate by conventional symbols in the drawings, showing only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present invention so as not to obscure the disclosure with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein.

It will be appreciated that embodiments of the invention described herein may be comprised of one or more conventional processors and unique stored program instructions that control the one or more processors to implement, in conjunction with certain non-processor circuits, some, most, or all of the functions of communication and radio frequency functions that occur between electronic devices illustrated herein. The non-processor circuits may include, but are not limited to, a radio receiver, a radio transmitter, signal drivers, clock circuits, power source circuits, and user input devices. As such, these functions may be interpreted as steps of a method to perform feature and radio frequency management activities between two or more devices. Alternatively, some or all functions could be implemented by a state machine that has no stored program instructions, or in one or more application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), in which each function or some combinations of certain of the functions are implemented as custom logic. Of course, a combination of the two approaches could be used. Thus, methods and means for these functions have been described herein. Further, it is expected that one of ordinary skill, notwithstanding possibly significant effort and many design choices motivated by, for example, available time, current technology, and economic considerations, when guided by the concepts and principles disclosed herein will be readily capable of generating such software instructions and programs and ICs with minimal experimentation.

Embodiments of the invention are now described in detail. Referring to the drawings, like numbers indicate like parts throughout the views. As used in the description herein and throughout the claims, the following terms take the meanings explicitly associated herein, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise: the meaning of “a,” “an,” and “the” includes plural reference, the meaning of “in” includes “in” and “on.” Relational terms such as first and second, top and bottom, and the like may be used solely to distinguish one entity or action from another entity or action without necessarily requiring or implying any actual such relationship or order between such entities or actions. Also, reference designators shown herein in parenthesis indicate components shown in a figure other than the one in discussion. For example, talking about a device (10) while discussing figure A would refer to an element, 10, shown in figure other than figure A.

Embodiments of the present invention provide methods, apparatuses, and systems for thermal and feature/performance management between devices when those devices are coupled together. For example, in one embodiment, an electronic device is configured as a “peripheral” device for a portable electronic device. When the two devices are coupled together, the portable electronic device provides primary computational functionality for the system. This allows less functionality to be integrated into the peripheral device, thereby saving cost. The portable electronic device can operate in a first mode when alone. However, when operating in tandem with the peripheral device, additional features and functionality is possible without making the portable electronic device any larger due to the thermal management functionality offered by embodiments of the present invention. In addition to “dual operating environment” applications, which will be explained in more detail below, embodiments of the present invention can be used for any type of system where multiple electronic devices are coupled together to provide a common system application.

In one embodiment, an electronic device is configured as a peripheral device for a portable electronic device. The peripheral device is configured with a thermal transference coupler configured to receive the portable electronic device. In one embodiment, the thermal transference coupler is a uniquely configured mechanical interface adapted to conduct and transfer heat from the portable electronic device the thermal transference coupler is configured to receive. In one embodiment, the thermal transference coupler includes one or more thermally conductive surfaces that are configured to physically abut one or more surfaces of the portable electronic device. In one embodiment, the thermally conductive surface is configured to abut at least a major face of the portable electronic device and to draw heat from the portable electronic device to the thermally conductive surface when the portable electronic device is disposed within the thermal transference coupler and is operable (i.e., generating heat). The thermal transference coupler thus provides thermal management for the portable electronic device when disposed within the thermal transference coupler.

As should be noted, there are a multitude of applications or use cases that can include two electronic devices being coupled together to form a system. Any of this multitude of applications is well suited to take advantage of the thermal management offered by the thermal transference coupler, as detailed herein. However, to better illustrate synergistic harmonies that can arise from use of embodiments of the invention, a particular schema will be used for explanatory purposes only. Specifically, in one explanatory embodiment, a portable electronic device configured in accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention includes one or more processors disposed within the device are configured for operation in a “dual-operating system hybrid environment.” A first operating system environment is active during normal operation, such as when the portable device is being operated in a stand-alone mode in a user's hand. However, in certain other use cases, such as when the device is coupled to a peripheral hardware component having a dual-operating system hybrid environment license, the portable electronic device can enter a second operating system environment having enhanced performance capabilities.

In one embodiment used for illustration purposes, the dual-operating system hybrid environment is referred to as a “WebTop” environment, in that the portable electronic device has access to two simultaneous operating system environments. The first operating system environment is a standard mobile operating environment, where the portable electronic device is configured to interact with a wide area network using standard wide area network data rates and usage modes. The second operating system environment gives rise to an enhanced feature set, which can include an enhanced, full, multi-window desktop environment where the device can access a desktop class web browser and web applications similar to those normally found only on a personal computer.

In this second mode of operation, the portable electronic device can optionally also run the first operating system environment, and accordingly present one or more dedicated windows that display the content and results of operational steps in the first environment. These windows can be referred to as the “Mobile View” of the WebTop. A user can start, stop, or interact with the first environment applications inside a Mobile View window. The dual-operating system hybrid environment enables the user to access a full desktop computer web browsing experience with a mobile device, e.g., viewing the full desktop versions of Internet websites that include Adobe Flash™ based websites through the portable electronic device's built-in web browser and web application framework. When entering the second operating system environment, the power requirements of the one or more processors can increase rapidly. The thermal transference coupler can remove heat from the portable electronic device, which allows the processors within the portable electronic device to operate at higher speeds.

By nature of their design, WebTop applications operating in the second operating system environment download orders of magnitude more data than do the mobile applications operating in the first operating system environment. Accordingly, such WebTop applications require an enhanced data usage rate, which requires the circuit components disposed within the portable electronic device to consume far more power and, therefore, generate far more heat. Since a connection to the peripheral device is required in some embodiments for the portable electronic device to enter the WebTop mode, connector systems configured in accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention advantageously allow heat to be drawn from the portable electronic device through the connector system to the docking station. This allows the portable electronic device to deliver high-performance, WebTop applications without the need of integrating a fan or active cooling system into the portable electronic device.

In one embodiment, the temperature of the surface of a portable electronic device is a function of the heat load within and temperature of the operational components disposed within the portable electronic device. To provide a satisfactory user experience, the surface temperatures of the portable electronic devices should be managed within a certain temperature range. For example, in a preferred embodiment, the surface of a portable electronic device operates in a range of about 40 degrees centigrade or less. If the surface temperature exceeds this predetermined threshold, the performance of internal components may need to be throttled to stay within certain envelopes. The cause of mobile temperature rise is the dissipation within the components in the mobile. Moreover, in addition to surfaces, other components within the device can also become heated by being proximately located with the heat generating components. Examples of these “heat contact path” components include the housing, battery and display.

Embodiments detailed herein can leverage uniquely configured internal structures and connector systems, to provide enhanced thermal isolation and dissipation management, thereby offering enhanced performance of the system. For example, in one embodiment, the portable electronic device is configured to dissipate heat along its shortest axis by providing a conduction path configured to remove heat generation from a printed circuit board to an external major face of the portable electronic device. This is achieved in one embodiment by disposing a battery between the printed circuit board and the display of the portable electronic device. While prior art designs sandwich the heat-laden printed circuit board between the display and battery, in one embodiment the present invention instead sandwiches the battery between the printed circuit board and the display. This allows the heat generating components to be disposed near the major face that will abut the thermally conductive surface of the thermal transference coupler, thus providing a path for heat to be dissipated out of the portable electronic device.

Other feature enhancements are possible using embodiments of the invention as well. As noted above, in a basic embodiment a system employing embodiments of the invention includes a thermal transference coupler, disposed in a peripheral device, and that is configured to receive heat from a portable electronic device. The system can also include communication and temperature measurement capability between the peripheral device and the portable electronic device. The temperature monitoring capability then allows the portable electronic device to avail itself of one or more sensors disposed within itself and the peripheral device. The use of the temperature information allows optimization of performance of one or more of the features being run. An auto-detection feature can be incorporated into the connectorization methodology so that it can detect when the portable electronic device is inserted or connected to the peripheral device and accordingly, adjust up or down the performance of the feature capability.

As detailed herein, enhanced thermal management is beneficial when a portable electronic device increases its power consumption when working in a WebTop mode, streaming video and the like. Using this as an explanatory example to illustrate embodiments of the present invention, and turning now to FIG. 1, illustrated therein is one embodiment of an explanatory portable electronic device 100 configured in accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention. The illustrative portable electronic device 100 of FIG. 1 is configured for communication with a wide area network 104. The illustrative portable electronic device 100 of FIG. 1 is shown as a “smart phone” for illustration purposes. However, it will be obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of this disclosure that other portable electronic devices may be substituted for the explanatory smart phone of FIG. 1. For example, the portable electronic device 100 may be configured as a palm-top computer, a tablet computer, a gaming device, a media player, or other device.

The illustrative portable electronic device 100 may include standard components such a user interface 107 and associated modules. The user interface 107 can include various combinations of a display, a keypad, voice control modules, and/or touch sensitive interfaces. The portable electronic device 100 includes a radio-frequency transceiver 110. The radio-frequency transceiver 110 is configured for communication with one or more networks 104,103,120, and can include wireless communication circuitry, one of a receiver, a transmitter, or transceiver, and an antenna 112.

The radio-frequency transceiver 110 can be configured for data communication with at least one wide area network 104. For illustration, the wide area network 104 of FIG. 1 is shown as a cellular network being operated by a service provider 121. Examples of cellular networks include GSM, CDMA, W-CDMA, CDMA-2000, iDEN, TDMA, and other networks. It should be understood that the radio-frequency transceiver 110 could be configured to communicate with multiple wide area networks as well, with one being shown in FIG. 1 for simplicity.

The portable electronic device 100 can optionally be configured to communicate with a local area network 103, such as the WiFi network being supported by a local area network router 113. Local area networks can be connected through communication nodes, e.g., local area network router 113, to other networks, such as the Internet, which is represented by network 120 in FIG. 1. For example, the local area network 103 can provide data communication through a non-IP Multimedia Subsystem (non-IMS) channel.

The portable electronic device 100 includes one or more processors 102, which are responsible for performing the functions of the device. The one or more processors 102 can be a microprocessor, a group of processing components, one or more Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), programmable logic, or other type of processing device. The one or more processors 102 are operable with the user interface 107 and the radio-frequency transceiver 110, as well as various peripheral ports 105 that can be coupled to peripheral hardware devices 106 via interface connections for communication with those peripheral hardware devices 106. The one or more processors 102 process and execute executable software code to perform the various functions of the portable electronic device 100.

A storage device 109, such as a memory module, stores the executable software code used by the one or more processors 102 for device operation. The storage device 109 may also store identification information suitable for identifying the portable electronic device 100 or its user to the service provider 121. In one embodiment, the identification information includes information identifying the user and the type of subscription held by the user for wireless communication services.

The one or more processors 102, in one embodiment, can be configured to host a dual-operating system hybrid environment 111. A first operating system environment 114 can be configured for normal data rate communication 115 with the wide area network 104. This “normal” data rate communication 115 is referred to as “Mobile Communication” and can be used for voice calls, mobile device web browsing, text and multimedia messages, and so forth. Typical normal data rate communication 115 occurs with data being exchanged below one megabit per second.

The second operating system environment 116 is operable to communicate with the wide area network 104 using enhanced data rate communication 117. One example of the second operating system environment 116 is the WebTop environment discussed above, in which enhanced, full, multi-window desktop environments can be used, where the portable electronic device 100 can access a desktop class web browser and web applications, which are similar to those normally found only on a personal computer. “Enhanced” data rates can vary by service provider and technology. In general terms, a particular service provider will offer both a normal throughput in bits per second and a maximum allowed data limit in total bits downloaded and/or uploaded per month. For discussion purposes, one example of an enhanced data rate communication 117 include communication occurring at data rates in excess of one megabit per second, such as the enhanced fourth generation enhanced data transmission speeds that are in excess of two megabits per second. It will be clear to those of ordinary skill in the art that the enhanced data rate can change as technology is developed or across service providers.

When using an enhanced data rate, the one or more processors 102 can draw more power due to the need to process more data. Drawing more power generates more heat. To provide thermal management for this enhanced performance, in one embodiment a peripheral electronic device 106 can be configured with a thermal transference coupler 136. The thermal transference coupler 136 is configured to receive the portable electronic device 100 so that the portable electronic device 100 and the peripheral electronic device 106 can be connected together.

The thermal transference coupler 136, in one embodiment, includes a thermally conductive surface 135. The thermal transference coupler 136 can be configured to receive the portable electronic device 100 such that a major face 134 of the portable electronic device 100 abuts the thermally conductive surface 135. When the portable electronic device 100 is inserted into the thermal transference coupler 136, the thermally conductive surface 135 is configured to draw heat from the portable electronic device 100 to the thermally conductive surface 135 when the portable electronic device 100 is operable. For example, when operating in the second operating system environment 116, which generates more heat, the major face 134 of the portable electronic device 100, which is abutted against the thermally conductive surface 135, can deliver heat to the thermal transference coupler 136. The thermal transference coupler 136 thus acts as a heat sink for the portable electronic device 100.

In one embodiment, the thermal conductive surface 135 is an internal thermal coupler in the electronic device 100, and comprises at least one of: a copper coupler, copper alloy coupler, aluminum coupler, aluminum alloy coupler, carbon based coupler, carbon fiber coupler, metal coupler, coupler with a thermally conductive surface, coupler with at least one thermally conductive coating thereon, thermal conductor, graphite film coupler, ribbon coupler, sheet coupler, solid coupler, tubular coupler, heat conductive coupler, or combinations of the preceding internal thermal couplers.

In one embodiment, the thermal transference coupler 136 can include a radio-frequency interface 108 that couples to a radio-frequency port 133 of the portable electronic device 100. The radio-frequency interface 108 can include a radio-frequency port 137 that is complementary to the radio-frequency port 133 of the portable electronic device 100, such that the radio-frequency port 133 can couple to the complementary radio-frequency port 137 at a connection point.

In one or more embodiments, the thermally conductive surface 135 can be manufactured with a material having a high thermal conductivity. Examples of such materials include copper, aluminum, and alloys thereof, as well as carbon-based materials. In other embodiments, thermally conducting plastics can be used as the thermally conductive surface 135. The thermally conductive surface 135 can have one or more coatings disposed thereon as well. In one embodiment, a thermal conduit 602, such as a heat pipe, as shown in FIG. 6, can be attached to the thermally conductive surface 135 of the thermal transference coupler 136. This thermal conduit 602 may be coupled to various heat sinking devices (not shown in FIG. 1) in the peripheral electronic device 106. Examples of thermal conduit include heat pipes, thermal conductors, thermally conductive graphite films, fibers, or ribbons. Multiple thermal conductors can also be used. In another embodiment, the thermal conduit comprises thermal conductors made from sheets, ribbons, or films of copper or aluminum or alloys thereof. Other thermal transfer devices configured to transfer heat from one location to another will be obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of this disclosure.

In one or more embodiments, the portable electronic device 100 can also include an interface 131 configured for data communication with a control circuit 132 the peripheral electronic device 106. This interface 131 can be a direct electrical connection with the peripheral electronic device 106, such as via a connector comprising electronic contacts that is configured to connect to an electrical connector 130 of the portable electronic device 100 comprising electrical contacts. Data and power can be drawn through the electrical contacts so that the portable electronic device 100 can optionally communicate with and/or be powered by a peripheral electronic device 106. Alternatively, this interface 131 can be a wireless communication channel, such as via Bluetooth or other near-field wireless protocol.

In one or more embodiments, when the second operating system environment 116 is launched, for a user to use enhanced data rate communication 117, an authentication check is performed to ensure that the subscription plan associated with the user permits enhanced data rate communication 117. To perform the authentication, in one embodiment the one or more processors 102 initially confirm that data communication is possible between the radio-frequency transceiver 110 and the wide area network 104. This will generally be the case when the portable electronic device 100 is within range of the wide area network 104, e.g., is within the communication radius of a tower 118 of the wide area network 104, and where the radio-frequency transceiver 110 is active. Data communication would not be possible in cases where, for example, the portable electronic device was OFF, or where the portable electronic device 100 had been placed in a “airplane mode” or other mode that disables the wide area communication capabilities of the radio-frequency transceiver 110.

The one or more processors 102 then initiate the dual-operating system hybrid environment 111 by making the first operating system environment 114 and the second operating system environment 116 simultaneously operative. In many applications, the first operating system environment 114 will be continually active, while the second operating system environment 116 is selectively activated. For example, in one embodiment the second operating system environment 116 is activated when a peripheral electronic device 106 that includes a dual-operating system license key 119 is coupled to an interface connection in communication with the one or more processors 102. Examples of peripheral hardware devices 106 include external displays, docking stations, peripheral connectors, and so forth, some of which will be shown below.

Turning to FIG. 2, a user 200 is holding the portable electronic device 100 of FIG. 1. The portable electronic device is operating in the first operating system environment (114). Since the portable electronic device 100 must remain relatively cool so as to be capable of being held, the operation of the internal components is generally thermally limited while operating in this first operating system environment (114). In this illustrative example, the first operating system environment (114) is a smart cellular telephone mode. The first operating system environment (114) has associated therewith various applications capable of operating at normal data rate communication (115). Examples of such applications include a cellular telephone application 201, a mobile web browser application 202, and a mail application 203, each being configured for operation at data rates under 1.5 megabits per second. Other applications can include an Internet shopping application 204, a camera application 205, an Internet search application 206, and a social media application 207. These applications are illustrative only, as others will be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of this disclosure. Each of the applications has a common element, however, in that it is operable at reduced performance or speed, be it data rates or graphics or response, for example.

Turning now to FIGS. 3 and 4, illustrated therein is the user 200 inserting the portable electronic device 100 into a thermal transference coupler 136 of a peripheral electronic device 106 in accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention. The peripheral electronic device 106 is shown in perspective view in FIG. 3, and in rear elevation view in FIG. 4. In this illustrative embodiment, the portable electronic device 100 includes a display 401 that defines a first major face disposed opposite a second major face 301 of the portable electronic device 100. When inserted into the thermal transference coupler 136, the second major face 301 is configured to abut the thermally conductive surface 402, which is shown in FIG. 4. As also shown in FIG. 4, the thermal transference coupler 136 can comprise the radio-frequency interface 108, which is formed in this illustrative embodiment by providing the complementary radio-frequency port 137 that is configured to couple to a radio-frequency port (133) of the portable electronic device 100. The interface 331 configured for data communication between a control circuit of the peripheral electronic device 106 and the one or more processors (102) of the portable electronic device 100 is also shown in FIG. 4. The interface 331 is shown for illustration purposes as a physical connector. However, as noted above, the interface 331 could be wireless. In this illustrative embodiment, the interface 331 is disposed within the thermal transference coupler 136. However, the connection could be disposed in other locations with cables or pigtails routing the appropriate connector to its respective port.

As shown in FIG. 3, the peripheral electronic device 106 is shown as a “lap dock,” which is a device having a primary display 302, a keyboard 303, and a cursor manipulation device 304. The lap dock can be configured with minimal electronic circuitry, because the one or more processors (102) of the portable electronic device 100 can be used as the central processing unit of the overall system. This allows the lap dock to be less expensive. In one embodiment, the peripheral electronic device 106 can include a dual-operating system license key (119) stored in an on-board memory device. The one or more processors (102) of the portable electronic device 100 can be configured to retrieve the dual-operating system license key (119) and then launch the second operating system environment (116). Accordingly, when inserted into the thermal transference coupler 136, the portable electronic device 100 can be configured to enter the second operating system environment (116) to provide the user with a world-class desktop user experience.

Where this is the case, coupling the portable electronic device 100 to the peripheral electronic device 106 will cause additional heat to be generated within the portable electronic device 100, as the portable electronic device 100 will enter an enhanced performance mode. Said differently, launching the second operating system environment (116) causes the power drawn by the one or more processors (102) to significantly increase, which in turn generates more heat. Embodiments detailed herein are adapted to draw this additional heat through the thermally conductive surface 402 so that it can be dissipated by the peripheral electronic device 106.

In one embodiment, the display 401 of the portable electronic device 100 can be visible when the portable electronic device 100 is seated within the thermal transference coupler 136. In such a configuration, the display 401 can be activated to provide a secondary display for the overall system. Said differently, when the portable electronic device 100 is seated within the thermal transference coupler, the display 401 of the portable electronic device 100 can be activated to provide a secondary display function for the system formed by the portable electronic device 100 and peripheral electronic device 106 working in tandem.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, in one embodiment, the thermal transference coupler 136 can be configured such that when the portable electronic device 100 is inserted therein, a portion 501 of the portable electronic device 100 is exposed about an edge 502 of the peripheral electronic device 106. In this illustrative embodiment, the portable electronic device 100 includes a camera 503. The camera 503 is disposed on the major face 301 that abuts the thermally conductive surface (402) of the thermal transference coupler 136. As shown in FIG. 5, the camera 503 is disposed on the portion 501 of the portable electronic device 100 that is exposed about the edge 502 of the peripheral electronic device 106. Accordingly, the camera 503 can be used as an image capture device for the system. The camera 503 can capture video images and deliver them to the display 302 of the peripheral device through the interface (131). This enables the system to work as a video conferencing unit without the need of incorporating a camera into the peripheral electronic device 106. Where the portable electronic device 100 includes a microphone and/or speaker 504, this can be disposed along the portion 501 of the major face 301 that is exposed about the edge 502 as well. For example, when the peripheral electronic device 106 includes a control circuit 505, the one or more processors (102) of the portable electronic device 100 can be configured to communicate with the control circuit 505 via the interface (131). The one or more processors (102) can accordingly be configured to deliver video captured by the camera 503 to the control circuit 505 via the interface (131) for presentation on the display 302. Optionally, the one or more processors (102) can also deliver the video to the radio-frequency interface (108) of the peripheral electronic device 106 for transmission to a network through one or more antennas (138) disposed within the peripheral electronic device 106. In FIG. 6, the thermal conductive surface 135 is shown, and the coupler 136 securely holds a portion 501 of the portable electronic device 100 to the peripheral electronic device 106. In one embodiment, a thermal conduit 602 is thermally connected to the thermal conductive surface 135 and thermally connected to a spreader 604. The thermal conduit may be vertical and the spreader may be horizontal, as shown in FIG. 6. This construction, can be varied, as should be understood.

As shown in FIG. 6, heat is drawn and dissipated downwardly and outwardly as shown by arrows “H”. This can provide enhanced heat dissipation from the electronic device 100 to the thermal conduit 602 and spreader 604, in a passive arrangement. In an active embodiment, a blower 608 can provide cooling and heat dissipation (upper arrows, shown as “C” pointing to the left In FIG. 6), when appropriate. In one embodiment, the blower 608 is located adjacent to the portable electronic device 100 in the coupler 136 shown as compartment 610.

In one embodiment, the spreader 604 is a thermal spreader and can include at least one of: a thermally conductive graphite film; copper; aluminum; and a high conductivity metal or alloy. The spreader 604 is shown being horizontally orientated. As should be understood, the spreader can be aligned vertically, horizontally or in an angled fashion, based on space considerations and design requirements.

Turning now to FIG. 7, illustrated therein is a sectional, plan view of the portable electronic device 100 seated within the thermal transference coupler 136 of the peripheral electronic device 106. FIG. 7 illustrates one configuration of internal components of each device that assists in facilitating thermal transfer along a minor axis 701 of the portable electronic device 100.

While prior art devices sandwich the printed circuit board of a portable electronic device between a battery and display, an embodiment employs a unique configuration to optimize heat transfer along the minor axis 701. As shown in FIG. 7, this illustrative portable electronic device 100 includes a printed circuit board 702, a battery 703, and a display 704. Rather than sandwiching the printed circuit board 702 between the battery 703 and the display 704 as in prior art designs, this embodiment proximally disposes the printed circuit board 702 with the major face 301 of the portable electronic device 100. Accordingly, the battery 703 is disposed between the printed circuit board 702 and the display 704. As the one or more processors (102) and other heat generating components are disposed along the printed circuit board 702, this configuration helps to ensure that these heat generating components are disposed relatively adjacent to the major face 301, which allows heat generated therefrom to be transferred to the thermally conductive surface 402 of the thermal transference coupler 136.

In this illustrative embodiment, the peripheral electronic device 106 also comprises a display 302 as noted above with reference to FIG. 3. In some embodiments, the display 302 of the peripheral electronic device 106 may be sensitive to heat. In such an embodiment, the display 302 may be insulated from the thermal transference coupler 136 to prevent excessive amounts of heat from interfering with the display's performance. In such embodiments, the rear surface 705 of the peripheral electronic device 106 can be configured as a heat sink in thermally conductive contact with the thermal transference coupler 136. Accordingly, heat can be “wicked” away from the thermal transference coupler 136 and dissipated into the air by the rear surface 705.

However, in other embodiments, the display 704 may not be thermally sensitive. In fact, many devices used as the display 704 can be used to provide heat-sinking capabilities for the thermal transference coupler 136. Accordingly, in one or more embodiments, the display 704 or a corresponding display module can be thermally coupled with the thermally conductive surface 402. In such an embodiment, the display 704 or display module can be operable as a heat sink for the thermally conductive surface 402 of the thermal transference coupler 136.

Also shown in FIG. 7, are temperature sensors 710 and 712 on peripheral electronic device 106 and temperature sensor 714 on electronic device 100. These sensors can be utilized to monitor and/or provide information to a controller, to actively control heat dissipation, by for example, use of a blower. Also magnets 716 can be used for enhanced and secure holding of the electronic device 100 to the peripheral electronic device 106.

Turning now to FIGS. 8-10, illustrated therein are a few examples of locations for the thermal transference coupler 136 along a rear surface 705 of a peripheral electronic device 106. It will be clear to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of this disclosure that these locations are merely illustrative of any number of locations that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of this disclosure.

The location shown in FIG. 8 is similar to that of FIG. 6 but with the portable electronic device 100 being oriented in a portrait orientation rather than landscape. Such an orientation can be useful when the portable electronic device 100 has communication antennas disposed at its end 801. Allowing the end 801 of the portable electronic device 100 to extend beyond the edge 502 of the peripheral electronic device 106 reduces loading on the antennas.

FIG. 9 illustrates the portable electronic device 100 extends beyond a side edge 902 of the peripheral electronic device 106. This configuration can be useful where the portable electronic device 100 includes antennas, camera devices, microphones, or speakers disposed along a side edge 901 of the portable electronic device 100.

FIG. 10 illustrates the portable electronic device 100 being located along a central portion of the rear side 701 of the peripheral electronic device. While any of the embodiments of FIGS. 8-10 could cause loading of antennas disposed within the portable electronic device 100, the embodiment of FIG. 10 can be particularly loading due to the fact that the rear side 701 of the peripheral electronic device 106 extends across the major face (301) of the portable electronic device 100 and in all directions therefrom. This means that the ground plane of any printed circuit board disposed within the peripheral electronic device 106 can load the antennas disposed within the portable electronic device 100.

As described above, an electronic device can include thermal transference coupler. The thermal transference coupler can include a thermally conductive surface. The thermal transference coupler can be configured to receive another electronic device, like a portable electronic device, such that a major face of the electronic device abuts the thermally conductive surface. The thermally conductive surface will then draw heat from the electronic device to the thermally conductive surface when the electronic device is disposed within the thermal transference coupler and is operable.

In one embodiment, the electronic device disposed within the thermal transference coupler can be uniquely configured to facilitate more optimal thermal transfer along a minor axis. Specifically, the electronic device can include a printed circuit board, a battery, and a display. The printed circuit board can be disposed adjacent to the major face of the device, while the battery is disposed between the printed circuit board and the display.

In the foregoing specification, specific embodiments of the present invention have been described. However, one of ordinary skill in the art appreciates that various modifications and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention as set forth in the claims below. Thus, while preferred embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it is clear that the invention is not so limited. Numerous modifications, changes, variations, substitutions, and equivalents will occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the following claims. Accordingly, the specification and figures are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of present invention. The benefits, advantages, solutions to problems, and any element(s) that may cause any benefit, advantage, or solution to occur or become more pronounced are not to be construed as a critical, required, or essential features or elements of any or all the claims.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

an electronic device including a thermal transference coupler comprising a thermally conductive surface, the thermal transference coupler configured to: receive another electronic device such that a major face of the another electronic device abuts the thermally conductive surface; and

draw heat from the another electronic device to the thermally conductive surface when the another electronic device is disposed within the thermal transference coupler and is operable.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, the electronic device further comprising an interface configured for data communication with a control circuit of the another electronic device.

3. The electronic device of claim 2, wherein the interface is wireless.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the electronic device comprises a display module thermally coupled with the thermally conductive surface, the display module being operable as a heat sink for the thermally conductive surface.

5. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the another electronic device comprises: a printed circuit board; a battery; and a display, wherein the printed circuit board is proximally disposed with the major face.

6. The electronic device of claim 5, wherein the battery is disposed between the printed circuit board and the display.

7. The electronic device of claim 5, wherein the display is operable when the electronic device is disposed within the thermal transference coupler to provide a secondary display function.

8. The electronic device of claim 5, wherein:

the another electronic device comprises one or more processors; and

the electronic device comprises an interface configured for data communication with the another electronic device when disposed within the thermal transference coupler.

9. An electronic device, comprising:

an electronic device and an another electronic device; and

the electronic device including a thermal transference coupler comprising a thermally conductive surface, the thermal transference coupler configured to: receive the another electronic device such that a major face of the another electronic device abuts the thermally conductive surface; and draw heat from the another electronic device to the thermally conductive surface when the another electronic device is disposed within the thermal transference coupler and is operable.

10. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the another electronic device comprises: a printed circuit board; a battery; and a display, wherein the printed circuit board is proximally disposed with the major face.

11. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the battery is disposed between the printed circuit board and the display.

12. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the display is operable when the electronic device is disposed within the thermal transference coupler to provide a secondary display function.

13. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the thermally conductive surface is connected to a heat pipe.

14. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the thermally conductive surface is thermally connected to a heat pipe and a heat spreader.

15. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the thermal transference coupler includes a blower.

16. The electronic device of claim 9, the electronic device includes a controller, heat sensor and blower.

17. An electronic device, comprising:

an electronic device;

a coupler configured to receive another electronic device; and

an interface configured for data communication with the another electronic device when disposed within the coupler.

18. The electronic system of claim 9, wherein:

the coupler comprises a thermal transference coupler having a thermally conductive surface; and

a major face of the first electronic device is configured to abut the thermally conductive surface and sink heat from the first electronic device to the thermally conductive surface when the first electronic device is disposed within the thermal transference coupler.