External thermal solution for a mobile computing device

Abstract

A method, system, and apparatus are disclosed. In one embodiment method includes causing a cooling medium to flow through a hollow cable. The cable couples an external cooling station to a heat exchanging unit. The heat exchanging unit is located within a mobile computing device. The method then transfers heat from within the mobile computing device to the cooling medium at the heat exchanging unit. Then the cooling medium contained the transferred heat is expelled out of the mobile computing device.

1 . A method, comprising:
 causing a liquid medium to flow through a hollow cable coupling an external cooling station to a heat exchanging unit, the heat exchanging unit located within a mobile computing device;   transferring heat from within the mobile computing device to the liquid medium at the heat exchanging unit; and   expelling the liquid medium containing the transferred heat out of the mobile computing device.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the liquid medium is pumped through the cable, and wherein the cable comprises two separated parallel channels running the length of the cable to allow the liquid cooling medium to flow in an inbound channel of the two channels from the external cooling station to a thermal plug and allow the liquid medium to flow in an outbound channel of the two channels from the thermal plug to the external cooling station. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 cooling the liquid medium in the external cooling station;   pumping the cooled liquid medium from the external cooling station through the inbound channel to the thermal plug, wherein the thermal plug includes one or more sealed channels to route the liquid medium from an entrance from the inbound channel into the thermal plug to an exit out of the thermal plug to the outbound channel, the thermal plug in contact with a heat exchanging element in the mobile computing device, the heat exchanging element radiating heat from a heat source within the mobile computing device, wherein at least a portion of the radiated heat is transferred from the heat exchanging element to the thermal plug;   allowing the transfer of heat from the thermal plug to the cooled liquid medium flowing through the one or more sealed channels in the thermal plug; and   pumping the heated liquid medium from the thermal plug through the outbound channel to the external cooling station.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 enhancing the transfer of heat through the thermal plug by placing a thermoelectric device within the thermal plug, wherein the cold end of the thermoelectric device is thermally coupled to the male slug and the hot end of the thermoelectric device is thermally coupled to the one or more sealed channels in the plug.   
     
     
         5 . A system, comprising:
 a hollow cable to contain a flow of a liquid medium;   an external cooling station, coupled to a first end of the hollow cable, to
 maintain a predetermined the temperature of the liquid medium; and 
 cause the liquid medium to flow through the hollow cable; and 
   a mobile computing device including a heat exchanging unit, the heat exchanging unit coupled to a second end of the hollow cable,   wherein heat generated from a location within the mobile computing device is transferred to the liquid medium at a heat exchanging element in the heat exchanging unit and subsequently expelled from the mobile computing device.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the liquid medium is pumped through the cable, and wherein the cable comprises two separated parallel channels running the length of the cable to allow the liquid medium to flow in an inbound channel of the two channels from the external cooling station to a thermal plug, the thermal plug in contact with the heat exchanging element, and allow the liquid medium to flow in an outbound channel of the two channels from the thermal plug to the external cooling station. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the external cooling station is further operable to:
 cool the liquid medium; and   pump the cooled liquid medium from the external cooling station through the inbound channel to the thermal plug, wherein the thermal plug includes one or more sealed channels to route the liquid medium from an entrance from the inbound channel into the thermal plug to an exit out of the thermal plug to the outbound channel, wherein the heat exchanging element radiates heat from a heat source within the mobile computing device and at least a portion of the radiated heat is transferred from the heat exchanging element to the thermal plug.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the heat exchanging unit is further operable to:
 allow the transfer of heat from the thermal plug to the cooled liquid medium flowing through the one or more sealed channels in the thermal plug; and   pump the heated liquid medium from the thermal plug through the outbound channel to the external cooling station.   
     
     
         9 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a hollow cable including a separated inbound channel and outbound channel;   a thermal plug coupled to one end of the inbound and outbound channels of the cable, the thermal plug to route a liquid medium received from the inbound channel through one or more internal channels within the thermal plug to the outbound channel;   an external cooling station to
 cool the liquid medium; 
 pump the cooled liquid medium through a sealed channel loop including the inbound channel from the external cooling station to the thermal plug, through the one or more internal channels within the thermal plug, and through the outbound channel returning to the external cooling station, 
   wherein the thermal plug is in contact with a heat exchanging element in a mobile computing device that radiates heat and at least a portion of the radiated heat is transferred from the heat exchanging element to the thermal plug and from the thermal plug to the liquid medium.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the thermal plug further comprises a male slug component that is inserted into a female receptacle within the heat exchanging element to cause a greater surface area of contact for heat transfer from the heat exchanging unit to the thermal plug. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the thermal plug further comprises a thermoelectric device, the cold end of the thermoelectric device is thermally coupled to the male slug and the hot end of the thermoelectric device is thermally coupled to the sealed channel loop.