Apple patents flexible thermopile to estimate user body temperature
Apple describes a system that combines a standard internal temperature sensor with a flexible thermopile to measure temperature differences across a device. By analyzing these gradients, the device can estimate the temperature of a user's skin or the surrounding air without needing a sensor directly on the skin.
In the filing’s own words
Robust estimation of temperatures inside and outside a device can be achieved using one or more absolute temperature sensors optionally in conjunction with thermopile heat flux sensors. Thermopile temperature sensing systems can measure a temperature gradient across two locations within the device, to estimate absolute temperature at locations that are impractical to measure using absolute temperature sensors. Using heat flux models associated with the device, the thermopile temperature sensing system can be used to estimate temperature associated with objects that contact an outer surface of the device, such as a user's skin temperature. Additionally, the thermopile temperature sensing system can be used to estimate ambient air temperature. Within a device, temperature measurements from the thermopile temperature sensors can be used to compensate sensor measurements, such as when the accuracy or reliability of a sensor varies with temperature.
What exactly they claim (claim 1)
1. An electronic device comprising: an absolute temperature sensor configured to estimate a first temperature at a first location within the electronic device; a flexible PCB including a thermopile; sensing circuitry coupled to the thermopile and configured to measure a voltage proportional to a temperature gradient across the thermopile; and processing circuitry coupled to the sensing circuitry and the absolute temperature sensor, the processing circuitry configured for: monitoring one or more first sensors; in accordance with a determination that one or more criteria are satisfied, estimating a body temperature of a user, wherein estimating the body temperature of the user comprises: measuring the first temperature at the first location using the absolute temperature sensor; estimating a temperature differential across the thermopile; and estimating a second temperature at a second location, different from the first location; and in accordance with a determination that the one or more criteria are not satisfied, forgoing estimating the body temperature of a user.
Facts
- Company
- Apple (Apple Inc.)
- Official title
- SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR TEMPERATURE SENSING USING THERMOPILE INTEGRATED WITH FLEXIBLE CIRCUIT
- Publication number
- US20260298732A1
- Application number
- 19702683
- Filed
- Jun 9, 2026
- Published
- Oct 1, 2026
- Inventors
- 2
- Claims
- 20
Classified under
G01K 17/00 Physics & computingG01K 1/026 Physics & computingG01K 7/02 Physics & computingMore from Apple in Health & body
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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.