SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ESTIMATING AMBIENT TEMPERATURE FROM A PORTABLE COMPUTING DEVICE

Various embodiments of methods and systems for estimating environmental ambient temperature of a portable computing device ("PCD") from temperature measurements taken within the PCD are disclosed. In an exemplary embodiment, it may be recognized that the PCD is in an idle state, thus producing little or no thermal energy. Temperature measurements are then taken from temperature sensors within the PCD and used to estimate the environmental ambient temperature to which the PCD is exposed. Certain embodiments may simply render the estimated ambient temperature for the benefit of the user or use the estimated ambient temperature as an input to a program or application running on the PCD. It is envisioned that certain embodiments of the systems and methods may use the estimated ambient temperature to adjust temperature thresholds in the PCD against which thermal management policies govern thermally aggressive processing components.