The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 01, 2003
Filed:
Nov. 09, 2000
David G Miller, North Andover, MA (US);
Joseph R Fallon, Boxford, MA (US);
Dennis J. Buckley, Nashua, NH (US);
Michael Hoar, Woburn, MA (US);
Daniel Gerard Maier, Methuen, MA (US);
Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V., Eindhoven, NL;
Abstract
A thermal management system for a portable battery powered electronic device, and particularly, a portable battery powered ultrasound device, which controls the temperature of the device such that the external surface temperature satisfies medical safety regulatory requirements, and such that the heat generated by the device does not reduce battery life, reduce component life, decrease reliability of the device, or cause device shutdown because of overheating. A thermal management system monitors the respective temperatures of various system components, and, based on the monitored temperatures, performs control to cool the ultrasound system, maintaining the external surface temperature below the safety regulated temperatures and ensuring reliability of system components. The thermal management system controls the system temperature and external surface temperature by various measures, including controlling operation of a cooling fan; modifying system parameters to change an operating mode of the ultrasound system; controlling clocking of the system circuitry by selectively enabling or disabling circuitry; and modifying a charging profile of the battery.