20240019318.Electronic Devices With Ultrasonic Temperature Sensors simplified abstract (apple inc.)

Electronic Devices With Ultrasonic Temperature Sensors

Organization Name

apple inc.

Inventor(s)

Krishna Prasad Vummidi Murali of Sunnyvale CA (US)

Patrick R. Gill of Victoria (CA)

Chaitanya Mudivarthi of Sunnyvale CA (US)

Roberto M Ribeiro of Sunnyvale CA (US)

Mohammad Waleed Shinwari of Oceanside CA (US)

Flavius Pop of Sunnyvale CA (US)

Michael A Lehr of Saratoga CA (US)

Electronic Devices With Ultrasonic Temperature Sensors - A simplified explanation of the abstract

This abstract first appeared for US patent application 20240019318 titled 'Electronic Devices With Ultrasonic Temperature Sensors

Simplified Explanation

The abstract describes an electronic device with ultrasonic temperature sensors that can calculate the temperature of ambient air by measuring the speed of sound.

• Ultrasonic temperature sensors are integrated into openings or cavities in the device's housing.
• The sensors consist of ultrasonic transmitters and receivers that transmit and receive signals at different frequencies.
• Phase differences between received signals are used to determine the speed of sound in the air, allowing for temperature calculation.
• The transmitters and receivers utilize piezoelectric micromachined ultrasound transducers (PMUTs) and may include arrays of PMUTs for receiving signals of various frequencies.
• The PMUTs are formed on complementary metal-oxide semiconductors (CMOS).

Potential Applications

The technology could be used in various electronic devices to monitor and regulate ambient temperature.

Problems Solved

This innovation provides a non-invasive and accurate method for measuring ambient temperature in electronic devices.

Benefits

The ultrasonic temperature sensors offer a reliable and efficient way to monitor temperature without physical contact with the environment.

Potential Commercial Applications

The technology could be applied in smartphones, laptops, and other electronic devices to enhance thermal management systems.

Possible Prior Art

Prior art may include traditional temperature sensors or other methods of measuring ambient temperature in electronic devices.

Unanswered Questions

How does the accuracy of the temperature measurement compare to traditional sensors?

The abstract does not provide information on the accuracy of the temperature measurements compared to existing sensor technologies.

Are there any limitations to the use of ultrasonic temperature sensors in certain environments?

The abstract does not address any potential limitations or challenges that may arise when using ultrasonic temperature sensors in specific conditions.

Original Abstract Submitted

an electronic device may include one or more ultrasonic temperature sensors. the ultrasonic temperature sensors may be formed in openings or cavities in a housing of the electronic device. the ultrasonic temperature sensors may include ultrasonic transmitters that transmit signals at different ultrasonic frequencies and ultrasonic receivers that receive the transmitted signals. phase differences between the received ultrasonic signals may be used to determine the speed of sound of ambient air and therefore calculate the temperature of the ambient air. the ultrasonic transmitters and receivers may include piezoelectric micromachined ultrasound transducers (pmuts). each transmitter and receiver may be a dedicated transmitter or receiver, or may transmit and receive ultrasonic signals. each receiver may include an array of pmuts that receive ultrasonic signals of different frequencies. the pmuts may be formed on complementary metal-oxide semiconductors (cmos).