Active heat flow control with thermoelectric layers

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses for controlling heat flow in a mobile system. The method includes determining a temperature value for each of at least one temperature sensors. The method determines a delta value of a current temperature threshold at each of the plurality of locations. The method maps each delta value to a thermal module. The method calculates a heat flow direction signal to minimize positive delta values using at least one of the following: a system level model and an IC level thermal model. The method transmits the heat flow direction signal to at least one thermoelectric module, wherein the thermoelectric module is associated with more than one temperature sensor.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for controlling heat flow in a mobile system, the method comprising:
 determining a temperature value for each of at least one temperature sensors;   determining a delta value of the temperature value and a temperature threshold at each of a plurality of locations;   mapping each delta value to a thermoelectric module;   calculating a heat flow direction signal to minimize positive delta values using at least one of the following: a system level model and an IC level thermal model; and   transmitting the heat flow direction signal to at least one thermoelectric module, wherein the thermoelectric module is associated with more than one temperature sensor.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the heat flow direction signal transmits one of four states: off, light cooling, strong cooling, and reverse cooling. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the heat flow direction signal is a pulse-width modulation signal to control intensity and direction of the state of at least one of the four states. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the heat flow direction signal transmits a first state of the four states to a first of the at least one thermoelectric module and a second state of the four states to a second of the at least one thermoelectric module. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein, at a given time, one of the temperature thresholds for each of the plurality of locations differs from another temperature threshold. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method for controlling heat flow is performed using real-time data. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one thermoelectric module is positioned to an outer portion of a thermoelectric device. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one thermoelectric module is a thermoelectric cooler. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a first thermoelectric device, which comprises the at least one thermoelectric module, has at least one of a different location and a pattern than a second thermoelectric device. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a shape of a thermoelectric device, which comprises the at least one thermoelectric module, can be non-rectangular. 
     
     
         11 . A heat flow control apparatus, the apparatus comprising:
 a memory, the memory comprising:
 a temperature data module for determining a temperature value for each of at least one temperature sensors, 
 a comparing module for determining a delta value of the temperature value and a temperature threshold at each of a plurality of locations, 
 a mapping module for mapping each delta value to a thermoelectric module, and 
 a heat flow direction module for calculating a heat flow direction signal to minimize positive delta values using at least one of the following: a system level model and an IC level thermal model; and 
   a processor for transmitting the heat flow direction signal to at least one thermoelectric module, wherein the thermoelectric module is associated with more than one temperature sensor.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the heat flow direction signal transmits one of four states: off, light cooling, strong cooling, and reverse cooling. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the heat flow direction signal is a pulse-width modulation signal to control intensity and direction of the state of at least one of the four states. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the heat flow direction signal transmits a first state of the four states to a first of the at least one thermoelectric module and a second state of the four states to a second of the at least one thermoelectric module. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein, at a given time, one of the temperature thresholds for each of the plurality of locations differs from another temperature threshold. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the apparatus performs using real-time data. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one thermoelectric module is positioned to an outer portion of a thermoelectric device. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one thermoelectric module is a thermoelectric cooler. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein a first thermoelectric device, which is comprised of the at least one thermoelectric module, has at least one of a different location and a pattern than a second thermoelectric device. 
     
     
         20 . A heat flow control apparatus, the apparatus comprising:
 means for determining a temperature value for each of at least one temperature sensors,   means for determining a delta value of the temperature value and a temperature threshold at each of a plurality of locations,   means for mapping each delta value to a thermoelectric module,   means for calculating a heat flow direction signal to minimize positive delta values using at least one of the following: a system level model and an IC level thermal model; and   means for transmitting the heat flow direction signal to at least one thermoelectric module, wherein the thermoelectric module is associated with more than one temperature sensor.