Systems and methods for identifying a location of a thermal event detected by a temperature sensing tape

A temperature sensing tape comprising:

• an insulating support structure;
• a plurality of temperature sensing elements electrically connected in series and disposed on the insulating support structure;
• and
• a flexible conductor disposed on the insulating support structure and arranged in series with the plurality of temperature sensing elements to form a conductive circuit,
• wherein a triggering event detected by one of the plurality of temperature sensing elements causes a change in impedance of the one of the plurality of temperature sensing elements and an incident pulse signal injected into the conductive circuit to be reflected by the one of the plurality of temperature sensing elements as a reflected pulse signal.

A method comprising:

• detecting a triggering event by one of a plurality of temperature sensing elements of a conductive circuit electrically connected in series with a flexible conductor and disposed on an insulating support structure of a temperature sensing tape;
• changing an impedance of the one of the plurality of temperature sensing elements responsive to detecting the triggering event to create an open circuit in the plurality of temperature sensing elements downstream of the one of the plurality of temperature sensing elements;
• and
• outputting an output signal from the conductive circuit,
• wherein the output signal is indicative of which of the plurality of temperature sensing elements detected the triggering event.