Techniques which involve solar shielding an electronic device

A solar shield to protect an electronic device, the solar shield comprising:

• an attachment portion constructed and arranged to attach to the electronic device;
• and
• a shield portion coupled to the attachment portion, the shield portion being constructed and arranged to prevent direct sunlight from substantially reaching a section of the electronic device;
• the shield portion defining (i) at least a portion of an air intake, (ii) at least a portion of an air exhaust, and (iii) at least a portion of an air passageway which extends from the air intake to the air exhaust, the air passageway overlying the section of the electronic device enabling ambient air adjacent the air intake to form a natural convection airflow into the air intake and out the air exhaust through the air passageway to carry away heat from the section of the electronic device during electronic operation of the electronic device;
• wherein the shield portion defines a dome;
• wherein the shield portion defines, as the air exhaust, a set of exhaust openings proximate to a top of the dome;
• wherein the electronic device includes an antenna connector;
• and
• wherein the set of exhaust openings proximate to the top of the dome is constructed and arranged to extend around a periphery of the antenna connector to provide clearance for an antenna to connect to the antenna connector.

An electronic assembly, comprising:

• an electronic device which is constructed and arranged to perform electronic operations;
• and
• a solar shield coupled to the electronic device, the solar shield including:
• an attachment portion constructed and arranged to attach to the electronic device, and
• a shield portion coupled to the attachment portion, the shield portion being constructed and arranged to prevent direct sunlight from substantially reaching a section of the electronic device,
• the shield portion defining (i) at least a portion of an air intake, (ii) at least a portion of an air exhaust, and (iii) at least a portion of an air passageway which extends from the air intake to the air exhaust, the air passageway overlying the section of the electronic device enabling ambient air adjacent the air intake to form a natural convection airflow into the air intake and out the air exhaust through the air passageway to carry away heat from the section of the electronic device during electronic operation of the electronic device;
• wherein the electronic device includes (i) electronic circuitry which is constructed and arranged to perform the electronic operations and
• (ii) a housing which is constructed and arranged to house the electronic circuitry;
• wherein the housing has (i) a support portion which is constructed and arranged to support the electronic circuitry over a support location and (ii) a heat dissipating portion coupled to the support portion, the heat dissipating portion forming the section of the electronic device and providing thermal coupling between the electronic circuitry and the natural convection airflow formed through the air passageway overlying the section of the electronic device;
• wherein the electronic device includes (i) sensing circuitry which is constructed and arranged to gather surveillance data and (ii) an electronic transmitter which is constructed and arranged to transmit the surveillance data from the sensing circuitry to an external receiver;
• and
• wherein the sensing circuitry includes a set of microphones which is distributed substantially around a periphery of the electronic device.