Thermal management system for a portable ultrasound imaging device
US6542846B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 9, 2000 |
| Grant date | Apr 1, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 23, 2021 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01S7/52073
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
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.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.