An article over on Engadget (by way of NewScientistTech) examines a patent Intel has submitted to the United States Patent and Trademark Office describing a new sensor system they’re developing to help keep laptops cool.
In the patent, Intel describes how their system will use “light to sense when a computer casing is getting too hot, and automatically throttles back the power” to help keep the system cooler. Since these hot spots occur in various locations along a laptop’s casing, a light sensor system could detect changes on an internal thermochromatic coating and send a signal back to cool the laptop down appropriately.
The full patent application can be found here and should this work, the days of the leg-toasting PowerBook G4s and other too-warm laptops may be a thing of the past.
An article over on Engadget (by way of NewScientistTech) examines a patent Intel has submitted to the United States Patent and Trademark Office describing a new sensor system they’re developing to help keep laptops cool.
In the patent, Intel describes how their system will use “light to sense when a computer casing is getting too hot, and automatically throttles back the power” to help keep the system cooler. Since these hot spots occur in various locations along a laptop’s casing, a light sensor system could detect changes on an internal thermochromatic coating and send a signal back to cool the laptop down appropriately.
The full patent application can be found here and should this work, the days of the leg-toasting PowerBook G4s and other too-warm laptops may be a thing of the past.