Patent ID: 10712791

Abstract:
Techniques disclosed herein relate to exploiting photovoltaic effects to improve the thermal management capabilities for wearable electronic devices. In an exemplary embodiment, a wearable electronic device includes photovoltaic cells disposed over a housing assembly that encloses heat-emitting electronic components. The photovoltaic cells block solar radiation from reaching an exterior surface of the housing assembly—thereby reducing the solar gain thereof. Electrical energy that is generated by the photovoltaic cells is utilized in some manner that is determined to be currently appropriate based on various current-state factors of the wearable electronic device. For example, the wearable electronic device may include a thermal management engine that modulates the flow of current from the photovoltaic cells based on a current power demand of the wearable electronic device, a current charge level of a battery of the wearable electronic device, and/or a current temperature at one or more sensors of the wearable electronic device.