Method and apparatus for temperature control
AssigneeBookham Technology PLC
InventorQi Pan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A two-stage circuit configured to control the temperature of a device, having: a first stage connected to the device for controlling the temperature of the device; and a second stage having a temperature sensor and a heat source associated with the first stage for controlling the temperature of the first stage. An apparatus and method for controlling the temperature of an optical, electrical, or electronic device, or other analogous device provides a greater degree of control, i.e. control within a narrower band than is currently possible, by utilising a second stage of control associated with the first stage of control.
Claims38
A two-stage circuit configured to control a temperature of a device, comprising:
- a first stage connected to a device, the first stage including a temperature control circuit, a first temperature sensor, and a first heat source for controlling the temperature of the device;
- and
- a second stage comprising a second temperature sensor and a second heat source for controlling a temperature of the first stage temperature control circuit.
A method of controlling a temperature of a device which requires temperature control in a predetermined temperature range, comprising:
- utilizing a first temperature control stage, including a temperature control circuit, a temperature control sensor and a heat source to control a first temperature of the device to be within a first range;
- and
- utilizing a second temperature control stage, including a temperature sensor and a heat source to control a second temperature of the temperature control circuit of the first temperature control stage within a second range.
A two-stage circuit configured to control a first temperature of a device, comprising:
- a first stage comprising a first heat transfer element that is thermally coupled to said device, a first temperature sensor for determining said first temperature of said device, and a first temperature control circuit that controls the first temperature of the device utilizing at least a signal from said first temperature sensor and said first heat transfer element;
- and
- a second stage comprising a second heat transfer element that is thermally coupled to said first temperature control circuit, a second temperature sensor for determining a second temperature of said first temperature control circuit, and a second temperature control circuit that controls said second temperature of said first temperature control circuit utilizing at least a signal from said second temperature sensor and said second heat transfer element.
A method of controlling a first temperature of a device, comprising:
- transferring heat associated with said device via a first heat transfer element;
- generating a first temperature signal that is representative of the first temperature by a first temperature sensor;
- operating a first temperature control circuit utilizing at least said first temperature signal to drive said first heat transfer element;
- transferring heat associated with said first temperature control circuit via a second heat transfer element;
- generating a second temperature signal that is representative of a second temperature of said first temperature control circuit by a second temperature sensor;
- and
- operating a second temperature control circuit utilizing at least said second temperature signal to drive said second heat transfer element.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.