Patent ID: 8438862

Claim:
Vehicular thermal-protection apparatus for a user-provided consumer electronic device, comprising: a housing enveloping a chamber in which the consumer electronic device is received, the housing including an outer jacket of thermally-insulative material, an inner jacket of thermally-conductive material lining said chamber, and a removable panel enabling user-access to the chamber for insertion and removal of the consumer electronic device; a thermoelectric module mounted in a sidewall of said housing, said thermoelectric module being thermally coupled to said inner jacket and including an external heatsink thermally coupled to ambient air surrounding said housing; a sensor disposed in said chamber for sensing a temperature in said chamber; an electrical cable passing through said housing, and electrically coupled to said thermoelectric module, said sensor, and said consumer electronic device; and a remote electronic controller and power source coupled to said electrical cable for activating said thermoelectric module with said power source in a manner to prevent a temperature in said chamber from exceeding a prescribed maximum operating temperature of the consumer electronic device or falling below a prescribed minimum operating temperature of the consumer electronic device.