System and method for cooling an electronic device

An electronic device having a cooling system, said electronic device comprising:

• a heat-generating component;
• a passive cooling device having a cooling ability designed to expire after a predetermined amount of heat is absorbed from the heat-generating component;
• an active cooling device configured to dissipate heat generated by the heat-generating component and cool the passive cooling device, when the active cooling device is activated;
• and
• a controller configured to activate the active cooling device after a determination that a predetermined threshold condition has occurred, wherein the predetermined threshold condition is selected to occur after the passive cooling device cooling ability has substantially expired, to thereby substantially minimize power consumption of the active cooling device in cooling the heat-generating component.

A method for cooling a heat-generating component in an electronic device with a cooling system having a passive cooling device and an active cooling device, said method comprising:

• cooling the heat-generating component with the passive cooling device until a cooling ability of the passive cooling device to cool the heat-generating component has substantially expired;
• determining that a predetermined threshold condition has occurred when the passive cooling device cooling ability has substantially expired;
• and
• activating the active cooling device in response to a determination that the predetermined threshold condition has occurred, to thereby substantially minimize power consumption of the active cooling device in cooling the heat-generating component.