System and method for controlling temperature in mobile device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9232135-B2
Application number	US-201213658258-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 23, 2012
Priority date	Nov 10, 2011
Publication date	Jan 5, 2016
Grant date	Jan 5, 2016

Abstract

A temperature control system of a mobile device is provided. The system includes a memory for storing a set temperature value and a release temperature value, a temperature sensor for sensing an internal temperature of the mobile device; at least one module that emits heat, and a controller. The controller compares the output of the temperature sensor with the set temperature value in a normal mode in order to determine whether the mobile device is overheated, and controls, if the mobile device is overheated, the at least one module to operate in a heat generation suppressing mode, compares the output of the temperature sensor with the release temperature value in the heat generation suppressing mode in order to determine whether to release the heat generation suppressing mode, and executes the normal mode if the heat generation suppressing mode is released according to the comparison result.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A mobile device, the device comprising:
a memory configured to store at least one set temperature value and a release temperature value;
a temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of the mobile device;
at least one module comprising a display unit that emits heat; and
a controller,
wherein the controller is configured:
to compare the detected temperature of the temperature sensor with the at least one set temperature value in a normal mode of the at least one module,
to change, if the detected temperature is greater than the at least one set temperature value, a mode of the at least one module from the normal mode to a heat generation suppressing mode,
to compare the detected temperature of the temperature sensor with the release temperature value in the heat generation suppressing mode of the at least one module, and
to change, if the detected temperature is lower than the release temperature value, the mode of the at least one module from the heat generation suppressing mode to the normal mode,

wherein a maximum brightness of the display unit is set to a first maximum brightness in the normal mode, and the maximum brightness of the display unit is set to a second maximum brightness in the heat generation suppressing mode,
wherein the second maximum brightness is lower than the first maximum brightness, and
wherein the at least one set temperature value is higher than the release temperature value.

2. The device of claim 1 ,
wherein the at least one module further comprises a camera, and
wherein the controller reduces a video frame rate and a resolution of the camera to preset values in the heat generation suppressing mode.

3. The device of claim 1 ,
wherein the display unit comprises a Liquid Crystal Display or a Light Emitting Diode Display, and
wherein the controller reduces a frame rate of screen display data transmitted to the display unit in the heat generation suppressing mode.

4. The device of claim 1 ,
wherein the at least one module further comprises the controller, and
wherein the controller reduces a clock rate of the controller to a preset clock rate in the heat generation suppressing mode.

5. The device of claim 4 ,
wherein the at least one module further comprises a charging unit, and
wherein the controller controls the charging unit to reduce an amount of charging current in a charging mode in the heat generation suppressing mode.

6. The device of claim 4 , wherein a transfer rate of screen data transmitted to the display unit is reduced by half in the heat generation suppressing mode.

7. The device of claim 1 ,
wherein the memory stores a first set temperature value and a second set temperature value, the second set temperature value being less than the first set temperature value, and a retention time for maintaining the second set temperature value, and
wherein the controller changes to the heat generation suppressing mode if the detected temperature is greater than the first set temperature value in the normal mode, and changes to, if the detected temperature is greater than the second set temperature value, the heat generation suppressing mode during the retention time.

8. The device of claim 7 ,
wherein the at least one module further comprises at least one of a camera, a charging unit, and the controller, and
wherein the controller reduces at least one of a video frame rate and a resolution of the camera to preset values in the heat generation suppressing mode, a level of brightness for screen data transmitted to the display unit in the heat generation suppressing mode, an amount of charging current of the charging unit in the heat generation suppressing mode, and a clock rate of the controller in the heat generation suppressing mode.

9. The device of claim 8 , wherein the controller reduces a frame rate of screen data transmitted to the display unit from 60 Hz to 30 Hz in the heat generation suppressing mode.

10. The device of claim 9 ,
wherein the video frame rate and the resolution of the camera are reduced by half in the heat generation suppressing mode, and
wherein a transfer rate of screen data transmitted to the display unit is reduced by half in the heat generation suppressing mode.

11. A method for controlling temperature in a mobile device that includes a memory configured to store at least one set temperature value and a release temperature value, a temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of the mobile device, and at least one module comprising a display unit that emits heat, the method comprising:
detecting, by the temperature sensor, the temperature of the mobile device in a normal mode of the at least one module;
comparing the detected temperature with the at least one set temperature value;
changing, if the detected temperature is greater than the at least one set temperature value, a mode of the at least one module from the normal mode to a heat generation suppressing mode;
comparing the detected temperature of the temperature sensor with the release temperature value in the heat generation suppressing mode of the at least one module; and
changing, if the detected temperature is lower than the release temperature value, the mode of the at least one module from the heat generation suppressing mode to the normal mode,
wherein a maximum brightness of the display unit is set to a first maximum brightness in the normal mode, and the maximum brightness of the display unit is set to a second maximum brightness in the heat generation suppressing mode,
wherein the second maximum brightness is lower than the first maximum brightness, and
wherein the at least one set temperature value is higher than the release temperature value.

12. The method of claim 11 ,
wherein the at least one module further comprises a camera, a charging unit, and a controller, and
further comprising at least one of:
reducing a video frame rate and a resolution of the camera to preset values in the heat generation suppressing mode;
reducing a charging current of the charging unit in the heat generation suppressing mode; and
reducing a clock rate of the controller in the heat generation suppressing mode.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
reducing a frame rate of screen display data transmitted to the display unit in the heat generation suppressing mode.

14. The method of claim 13 ,
wherein the memory stores a first set temperature value and a second set temperature value, the second set temperature value being less than the first set temperature value, and a retention time for maintaining the second set temperature value,
wherein changing to the heat generation suppressing mode if the detected temperature is greater than the first set temperature value in the normal mode; and
wherein changing to the heat generation suppressing mode if the detected temperature is greater than the second set temperature value during the retention time.

15. A device for controlling temperature in a mobile device, the device comprising:
a memory configured to store at least one set temperature value and a release temperature value;
at least one module that emits heat comprising a display unit;
at least one temperature sensor installed near the at least one module; and
a controller,
wherein the controller is configured:
to compare an output of the at least one temperature sensor with the at least one set temperature value in order to change a mode of the at least one module from a normal mode to a heat generation suppressing mode, and
to set a maximum brightness of the display unit in the heat

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd
• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kim Minsu
• Kim Kuntak
• Park Kiyeon
• Yun Chuleun
• Lee Jubeam
• Jang Seyoung
• Cho Hyojae
• Chun Bongsu
• Ha Younghee

Classifications

• G09G2330/045

  Protection against panel overheating · CPC title

• H04M2250/52

  including functional features of a camera · CPC title

• G09G2320/041

  Temperature compensation · CPC title

• G09G2340/0435

  Change or adaptation of the frame rate of the video stream · CPC title

• G09G2320/0626

  for control of overall brightness · CPC title