Highly reliable thermoelectric cooling apparatus and method

A thermoelectric cooling apparatus comprising:

• a source;
• a first thermoelectric cooler coupled to said source, said first thermoelectric cooler having a first state;
• and
• a second thermoelectric cooler coupled to said source, said second thermoelectric cooler having a second state;
• wherein said source is configured to provide a first signal to said first thermoelectric cooler to periodically alter at pre-defined time intervals said first state of said first thermoelectric cooler in response to said first signal;
• wherein said source is configured to provide a second signal to said second thermoelectric cooler to periodically alter at pre-defined time intervals said second state of said second thermoelectric cooler in response to said second signal;
• and
• wherein said pre-defined time intervals are selected such that a mean time between failure for the thermoelectric cooling apparatus is substantially maximized.

A method of operating a thermoelectric cooling apparatus having a source, a thermoelectric cooler coupled to the source, the thermoelectric cooler having an operating state, comprising the steps of:

• providing a signal to the thermoelectric cooler;
• and
• periodically altering at pre-defined time intervals the operating state of the thermoelectric cooler in response to the signal;
• wherein said pre-defined time intervals are selected such that a mean time between failure for the thermoelectric cooling apparatus is substantially maximized.

A method of operating a thermoelectric cooling apparatus having a source, a first thermoelectric cooler coupled to the source, wherein the thermoelectric cooler has a first state, a second thermoelectric cooler coupled to the source, wherein the second thermoelectric cooler has a second state, comprising the steps of:

• providing a first signal to the first thermoelectric cooler;
• periodically altering at pre-defined time intervals the first state of the first thermoelectric cooler in response to the first signal;
• providing a second signal to the second thermoelectric cooler;
• periodically altering at pre-defined time intervals the second state of the second thermoelectric cooler in response to the second signal;
• wherein said pre-defined time intervals are selected such that a mean time between failure for the thermoelectric cooling apparatus is substantially maximized.