Method of and an apparatus for maintaining constant phone skin temperature with a thermoelectric cooler and increasing allowable power/performance limit for die in a mobile segment

Abstract

A method, an apparatus, and a computer program product for wireless communication are provided. The apparatus determines whether a skin temperature at a skin portion of a mobile device is greater than a threshold temperature. The apparatus provides power to a thermoelectric cooler (TEC) to cool a first side of the TEC while heating a second side of the TEC if the skin temperature is greater than the threshold temperature, wherein the first side of the TEC contacts the skin portion to cool the skin portion and the second side of the TEC faces a core of the mobile device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 determining whether a skin temperature at a skin portion of a mobile device is greater than a threshold temperature; and   providing power to a thermoelectric cooler (TEC) to cool a first side of the TEC while heating a second side of the TEC if the skin temperature is greater than the threshold temperature, wherein the first side of the TEC contacts the skin portion to cool the skin portion and the second side of the TEC faces a core of the mobile device.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 generating power via a temperature difference between the first side and the second side of the TEC if the determined skin temperature is equal to or less than the threshold temperature.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the generated power is stored in a battery of the mobile device or is provided directly to components of the mobile device. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 refraining from providing power to the TEC when the skin temperature is determined to be equal to or less than the threshold temperature.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second side of the TEC contacts a thermal solution to cool heat generated from the second side of the TEC. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the thermal solution comprises at least one of a copper heat spreader, an aluminum heat spreader, a carbon heat spreader, or phase change material (PCM). 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the skin portion of the mobile device at which the skin temperature is measured is at a display side of the mobile device. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the skin portion of the mobile device at which the skin temperature is measured is at a non-display side of the mobile device. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining whether a second skin temperature at a second skin portion of the mobile device is greater than the threshold temperature;   providing power to a second TEC to cool a first side of the second TEC while heating a second side of the second TEC if the second skin temperature is greater than the threshold temperature, wherein the first side of the second TEC contacts the second skin portion to cool the second skin portion and the second side of the second TEC faces the core of the mobile device.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 generating power via a temperature difference between a first side of a second TEC and a second side of the second TEC, the second TEC being located at an opposing side from the TEC.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the first side of the second TEC contacts a second skin portion of the mobile device and the second side of the second TEC faces the core of the mobile device. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the first side of the second TEC faces the core of the mobile device and the second side of the second TEC contacts a second skin portion of the mobile device. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein at least one of the first side and the second side of the second TEC contacts a thermal solution. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the skin temperature is determined based on at least one of a die temperature, a power management integrated circuit (PMIC) power output, or a PMIC temperature. 
     
     
         15 . An apparatus comprising:
 means for determining whether a skin temperature at a skin portion of a mobile device is greater than a threshold temperature; and   means for providing power to a thermoelectric cooler (TEC) to cool a first side of the TEC while heating a second side of the TEC if the skin temperature is greater than the threshold temperature, wherein the first side of the TEC contacts the skin portion to cool the skin portion and the second side of the TEC faces a core of the mobile device.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 means for generating power via a temperature difference between the first side and the second side of the TEC if the determined skin temperature is equal to or less than the threshold temperature.   
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the generated power is stored in a battery of the mobile device or is provided directly to components of the mobile device. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 means for refraining from providing power to the TEC when the skin temperature is determined to be equal to or less than the threshold temperature.   
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the second side of the TEC contacts a thermal solution to cool heat generated from the second side of the TEC. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the thermal solution comprises at least one of a copper heat spreader, an aluminum heat spreader, a carbon heat spreader, or phase change material (PCM). 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the skin portion of the mobile device at which the skin temperature is measured is at a display side of the mobile device. 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the skin portion of the mobile device at which the skin temperature is measured is at a non-display side of the mobile device. 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 means for determining whether a second skin temperature at a second skin portion of the mobile device is greater than the threshold temperature;   means for providing power to a second TEC to cool a first side of the second TEC while heating a second side of the second TEC if the second skin temperature is greater than the threshold temperature, wherein the first side of the second TEC contacts the second skin portion to cool the second skin portion and the second side of the second TEC faces the core of the mobile device.   
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 means for generating power via a temperature difference between a first side of a second TEC and a second side of the second TEC, the second TEC being located at an opposing side from the TEC.   
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein the first side of the second TEC contacts a second skin portion of the mobile device and the second side of the second TEC faces the core of the mobile device. 
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein the first side of the second TEC faces the core of the mobile device and the second side of the second TEC contacts a second skin portion of the mobile device. 
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein at least one of the first side and the second side of the second TEC contacts a thermal solution. 
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the skin temperature is determined based on at least one of a die temperature, a power management integrated circuit (PMIC) power output, or a PMIC temperature. 
     
     
         29 . An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising:
 a processing system configured to:   determine whether a skin temperature at a skin portion of a mobile device is greater than a threshold temperature; and   provide power to a thermoelectric cooler (TEC) to cool a first side of the TEC while heating a second side of the TEC if the skin temperature is greater than the threshold temperature, wherein the first side of the TEC contacts the skin portion to cool the skin portion and the second side of the TEC faces a core of the mobile device.   
     
     
         30 . The apparatus of  claim 29 , wherein the processing system is further configured to:
 generate power via a temperature difference between the first side and the second side of the TEC if the determined skin temperature is equal to or less than the threshold temperature.   
     
     
         31 . The apparatus of  claim 30 , wherein the generated power is stored in a battery of the mobile device or is provided directly to components of the mobile device. 
     
     
         32 . The apparatus of  claim 29 , wherein the processing system is further configured to:
 refrain from providing power to the TEC when the skin temperature is determined to be equal to or less than the threshold temperature.   
     
     
         33 . The apparatus of  claim 29 , wherein the second side of the TEC contacts a thermal solution to cool heat generated from the second side of the TEC. 
     
     
         34 . The apparatus of  claim 33 , wherein the thermal solution comprises at least one of a copper heat spreader, an aluminum heat spreader, a carbon heat spreader, or phase change material (PCM). 
     
     
         35 . The apparatus of  claim 29 , wherein the skin portion of the mobile device at which the skin temperature is measured is at a display side of the mobile device. 
     
     
         36 . The apparatus of  claim 29 , wherein the skin portion of the mobile device at which the skin temperature is measured is at a non-display side of the mobile device. 
     
     
         37 . The apparatus of  claim 29 , wherein the processing system is further configured to:
 determine whether a second skin temperature at a second skin portion of the mobile device is greater than the threshold temperature;   provide power to a second TEC to cool a first side of the second TEC while heating a second side of the second TEC if the second skin temperature is greater than the threshold temperature, wherein the first side of the second TEC contacts the second skin portion to cool the second skin portion and the second side of the second TEC faces the core of the mobile device.   
     
     
         38 . The apparatus of  claim 29 , wherein the processing system is further configured to:
 generate power via a temperature difference between a first side of a second TEC and a second side of the second TEC, the second TEC being located at an opposing side from the TEC.   
     
     
         39 . The apparatus of  claim 38 , wherein the first side of the second TEC contacts a second skin portion of the mobile device and the second side of the second TEC faces the core of the mobile device. 
     
     
         40 . The apparatus of  claim 38 , wherein the first side of the second TEC faces the core of the mobile device and the second side of the second TEC contacts a second skin portion of the mobile device. 
     
     
         41 . The apparatus of  claim 38 , wherein at least one of the first side and the second side of the second TEC contacts a thermal solution. 
     
     
         42 . The apparatus of  claim 29 , wherein the skin temperature is determined based on at least one of a die temperature, a power management integrated circuit (PMIC) power output, or a PMIC temperature. 
     
     
         43 . A computer program product, comprising:
 a computer-readable medium comprising code for:   determining whether a skin temperature at a skin portion of a mobile device is greater than a threshold temperature; and   providing power to a thermoelectric cooler (TEC) to cool a first side of the TEC while heating a second side of the TEC if the skin temperature is greater than the threshold temperature, wherein the first side of the TEC contacts the skin portion to cool the skin portion and the second side of the TEC faces a core of the mobile device.   
     
     
         44 . The computer program product of  claim 43 , wherein the computer-readable medium further comprises code for:
 generating power via a temperature difference between the first side and the second side of the TEC if the determined skin temperature is equal to or less than the threshold temperature.   
     
     
         45 . The computer program product of  claim 44 , wherein the generated power is stored in a battery of the mobile device or is provided directly to components of the mobile device. 
     
     
         46 . The computer program product of  claim 43 , wherein the computer-readable medium further comprises code for:
 refraining from providing power to the TEC when the skin temperature is determined to be equal to or less than the threshold temperature.   
     
     
         47 . The computer program product of  claim 43 , wherein the second side of the TEC contacts a thermal solution to cool heat generated from the second side of the TEC. 
     
     
         48 . The computer program product of  claim 47 , wherein the thermal solution comprises at least one of a copper heat spreader, an aluminum heat spreader, a carbon heat spreader, or phase change material (PCM). 
     
     
         49 . The computer program product of  claim 43 , wherein the skin portion of the mobile device at which the skin temperature is measured is at a display side of the mobile device. 
     
     
         50 . The computer program product of  claim 43 , wherein the skin portion of the mobile device at which the skin temperature is measured is at a non-display side of the mobile device. 
     
     
         51 . The computer program product of  claim 43 , wherein the computer-readable medium further comprises code for:
 determining whether a second skin temperature at a second skin portion of the mobile device is greater than the threshold temperature;   providing power to a second TEC to cool a first side of the second TEC while heating a second side of the second TEC if the second skin temperature is greater than the threshold temperature, wherein the first side of the second TEC contacts the second skin portion to cool the second skin portion and the second side of the second TEC faces the core of the mobile device.   
     
     
         52 . The computer program product of  claim 43 , wherein the computer-readable medium further comprises code for:
 generating power via a temperature difference between a first side of a second TEC and a second side of the second TEC, the second TEC being located at an opposing side from the TEC.   
     
     
         53 . The computer program product of  claim 52 , wherein the first side of the second TEC contacts a second skin portion of the mobile device and the second side of the second TEC faces the core of the mobile device. 
     
     
         54 . The computer program product of  claim 52 , wherein the first side of the second TEC faces the core of the mobile device and the second side of the second TEC contacts a second skin portion of the mobile device. 
     
     
         55 . The computer program product of  claim 52 , wherein at least one of the first side and the second side of the second TEC contacts a thermal solution. 
     
     
         56 . The computer program product of  claim 43 , wherein the skin temperature is determined based on at least one of a die temperature, a power management integrated circuit (PMIC) power output, or a PMIC temperature.