Prevention and detection of overheating from component short circuits

A personal electronic device comprising:

• a main printed circuit board having disposed thereon a power management unit configured to control a power regulator that powers the personal electronic device;
• one or more auxiliary circuits coupled to the main printed circuit board by one or more corresponding flexible printed circuits;
• and
• one or more temperature sensors each disposed on one of the flexible printed circuits;
• wherein the power management unit is configured to monitor the one or more temperature sensors, and to perform a shutdown of at least a portion of the personal electronic device in response to a monitored temperature or a rate of change of a monitored temperature exceeding a second threshold, the shutdown including providing one or more of visual, audible, or haptic feedback indicating an overtemperature shutdown to a user of the personal electronic device.

A method of detecting and mitigating an electrical fault in a component of a personal electronic device, the method performed by a power management unit of the personal electronic device and comprising:

• monitoring a temperature or a rate of change of temperature of at least one temperature sensor disposed on a flexible printed circuit connecting a main printed circuit board of the personal electronic device to an auxiliary circuit of the personal electronic device;
• and
• providing a warning in response to the monitored temperature exceeding a first threshold, providing a warning further comprising:
• providing visual, audible, or haptic feedback to a user of the personal electronic device indicating an overtemperature warning.

A method of detecting and mitigating an electrical fault in a component of a personal electronic device, the method performed by a power management unit of the personal electronic device and comprising:

• monitoring a temperature or a rate of change of temperature of at least one temperature sensor disposed on a flexible printed circuit connecting a main printed circuit board of the personal electronic device to an auxiliary circuit of the personal electronic device;
• and
• causing a shutdown of at least a portion of the personal electronic device in response to the monitored temperature exceeding a second threshold, causing a shutdown further comprising:
• providing visual audible, or haptic feedback to a user of the personal electronic device indicating an overtemperature shutdown.

A personal electronic device comprising:

• a main printed circuit board having disposed thereon a power management unit configured to control a power regulator to power the personal electronic device from a battery;
• one or more auxiliary circuits coupled to the main printed circuit board by one or more corresponding flexible printed circuits;
• and
• one or more temperature sensors disposed on one or more corresponding flexible printed circuits;
• wherein the power management unit is configured to:
• monitor the one or more temperature sensors, provide a warning in response to a monitored temperature or a rate of change of a monitored temperature exceeding a first threshold, or cause a shutdown of at least a portion of the personal electronic device in response to the monitored temperature or the rate of change of the monitored temperature exceeding a second threshold;
• and provide one or more of visual, audible, or haptic feedback to a user relating to the provided warning or caused shutdown.