Sensing assembly
AssigneeAnalog Devices International Unlimited Company
InventorsJane Cornett, Yi Yuan, Baoxing Chen, Ciaran Curtin
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present disclosure provides a core temperature sensing assembly for measuring a core temperature of an object when positioned on a surface of the object. The sensing assembly uses a heat flux sensor in the form of a thermoelectric generator. The thermoelectric generator is provided as part of an integrated circuit. Alternatively or additionally, the sensing assembly uses the thermoelectric generator to actively heat or cool the object. Alternatively or additionally, the sensing assembly comprises a second heat flux sensor in the form of a thermoelectric generator, the first and second heat flux sensors having different thermal resistances determined by the configuration of the thermocouples.
Claims23
A core temperature sensing assembly to determine a core temperature of an object when positioned on a surface of the object, comprising:
- a first sensor device for placement at a first surface location, the first sensor device comprising:
- a first heat flux sensor configured to measure a heat flux at the first surface location and output a first heat flux signal relating to the measured heat flux;
- and
- a first temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature at the first surface location and output a first temperature signal relating to the measured temperature,
- wherein the first heat flux sensor is a first thermoelectric generator (TEG);
- and
- wherein the core temperature sensing assembly comprises a first integrated circuit comprising the first TEG.
A core temperature sensing system, comprising
- a core temperature sensing assembly comprising:
- a first sensor device for placement at a first surface location, the first sensor device comprising:
- a first heat flux sensor configured to measure a heat flux at the first surface location and output a first heat flux signal relating to the measured heat flux;
- and
- a first temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature at the first surface location and output a first temperature signal relating to the measured temperature,
- wherein the first heat flux sensor is a first thermoelectric generator (TEG);
- and
- wherein the sensing assembly comprises a first integrated circuit comprising the first TEG;
- and
- a controller configured to:
- receive the first heat flux signal from the first heat flux sensor;
- receive the first temperature signal from the first temperature sensor;
- and
- calculate a core temperature based on the measured heat flux from the first heat flux signal and the measured temperature from the first temperature signal.
A method for determining a core temperature of an object, comprising:
- receiving a first heat flux signal from a first heat flux sensor of a first sensor device relating to a measured first heat flux and receiving a first temperature signal from a first temperature sensor of the first sensor device relating to a measured first temperature, the first heat flux sensor being a first thermoelectric generator (TEG) and the first sensor device comprising a first integrated circuit comprising the first TEG;
- calculating a core temperature based on the measured first heat flux from the first heat flux signal and the measured first temperature from the first temperature signal:
- receiving a second heat flux signal from a second heat flux sensor of a second sensor device relating to a measured second heat flux and receiving a second temperature signal from a second temperature sensor of the second sensor device relating to a measured second temperature, the second heat flux sensor being a second TEG and the second sensor device comprising a second integrated circuit comprising the second TEG;
- and
- calculating a core temperature based on the measured first heat flux from the first heat flux signal, the measured first temperature from the first temperature signal, the measured second heat flux from the second heat flux signal and the measured second temperature from the second temperature signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.