# US 8,770,836 B2 · Wireless temperature profiling system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,770,836 B2 - Document ID: US8770836B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/687,726 - Filed: 2010-01-14 - Published: 2010-09-02 - Granted: 2014-07-08 - Earliest claimed: 2009-01-15 - Assignees: First Solar, Inc. - Applicants: Daniel Burgard - Inventors: Daniel Burgard - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8770836B2 ## CPC - G01K 1/024: for remote indication - G01K 1/026: {arrangements for monitoring a plurality of temperatures, e.g. by multiplexing} - G01K: MEASURING TEMPERATURE; MEASURING QUANTITY OF HEAT; THERMALLY-SENSITIVE ELEMENTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (radiation pyrometry G01J5/00) ## Abstract A wireless temperature profiling system and the methods of making it are disclosed. The wireless temperature profiling system can include a photovoltaic substrate, a transponder, and a reader. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for measuring an environment temperature of a photovoltaic substrate during a photovoltaic module manufacturing process, comprising: a transponder adjacent to the photovoltaic substrate which measures the environment temperature during the photovoltaic module manufacturing process and sends a temperature signal corresponding to the environment temperature; and a reader which sends a sweep signal and picks up the temperature signal from the transponder. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The wireless temperature profiling system of claim 1, further comprising a frame antenna in communication with the reader, wherein the frame antenna receives the temperature signal from the transponder. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The wireless temperature profiling system of claim 1, wherein the reader comprises memory storing data received from the transponder. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The wireless temperature profiling system of claim 1, wherein the reader comprises a data output interface configured to connect the reader with a host system. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The wireless temperature profiling system of claim 1, wherein the reader is connected to a power source. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The wireless temperature profiling system of claim 1, wherein the transponder comprises a passive device, including a temperature sensor. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The wireless temperature profiling system of claim 6, wherein the transponder comprises a transmitter to send a temperature signal from the temperature sensor. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The wireless temperature profiling system of claim 7, wherein the transponder comprises an energy harvester driving the transmitter. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The wireless temperature profiling system of claim 8, wherein the energy harvester comprises a piezoelectric energy harvester. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The wireless temperature profiling system of claim 1, wherein the transponder comprises a radio-frequency powered LC sensor. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The wireless temperature profiling system of claim 10, wherein the transponder comprises a metal spiral inductor as a part of the radio-frequency powered LC sensor. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The wireless temperature profiling system of claim 10, wherein the transponder comprises an inductance temperature dependent material. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The wireless temperature profiling system of claim 10, wherein the transponder comprises an inductance temperature dependent device as a part of the radio-frequency powered LC sensor. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The wireless temperature profiling system of claim 10, wherein the transponder further comprises a capacitance temperature dependent material. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The wireless temperature profiling system of claim 10, wherein the transponder further comprises a capacitance temperature dependent device as a part of the radio-frequency powered LC sensor. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The wireless temperature profiling system of claim 15, wherein the capacitance temperature dependent device comprises a high temperature ceramic material. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The wireless temperature profiling system of claim 15, wherein the capacitance temperature dependent device comprises beryllium oxide, aluminum nitride, alumina, or a machinable glass-ceramic. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The wireless temperature profiling system of claim 15, wherein the machinable glass-ceramic comprises MACOR. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The wireless temperature profiling system of claim 1, wherein the transponder is encapsulated. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The wireless temperature profiling system of claim 1, wherein the working frequency of the system is 30 kHz to 3 GHz. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) The wireless temperature profiling system of claim 1, wherein the working frequency of the system is 30 kHz to 300 kHz. ### Claim 22 (depends on 1) The wireless temperature profiling system of claim 1, wherein the working frequency of the system is 3 MHz to 30 MHz. ### Claim 23 (depends on 1) The wireless temperature profiling system of claim 1, wherein the working frequency of the system is 300 MHz to 3 GHz. ### Claim 24 (depends on 1) The wireless temperature profiling system of claim 1, wherein the transponder is provided on the substrate. ### Claim 25 (depends on 1) The wireless temperature profiling system as in claim 1, wherein the transponder is provided on a carrier which moves the substrate. ### Claim 26 A method of reading an environment temperature of a photovoltaic substrate during a photovoltaic module manufacturing process, the method, comprising: providing a transponder adjacent to the photovoltaic substrate which reads an environment temperature during the photovoltaic module manufacturing process and returns a temperature signal corresponding to the temperature; providing a reader which sends a sweep signal and picks up the temperature signal from the transponder; generating a temperature signal from the transponder; receiving the temperature signal with an antenna connected to the reader; and converting the temperature signal to a corresponding temperature. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The method of claim 26, wherein the transponder comprises a temperature sensor which provides the temperature signal. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The method of claim 27, wherein the transponder further comprises a transmitter to send the temperature signal. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) The method of claim 28, wherein the transponder comprises a piezoelectric energy harvester, a radio-frequency powered LC sensor, and the temperature sensor comprises an inductance temperature dependent material, or a capacitance temperature dependent material. ### Claim 30 A wireless temperature profiling system for communicating with at least one transponder moveable along an interrogation path comprising: a photovoltaic substrate moving along said interrogation path during processing to form a photovoltaic module; a plurality of transponders adjacent to the photovoltaic substrate moving along the interrogation path, wherein each of the transponders simultaneously sends a temperature signal corresponding to an environment temperature; a plurality of readers along the interrogation path, wherein each of the readers simultaneously sends a sweep signal and picks up a signal from a transponder. ### Claim 31 (depends on 30) The wireless temperature profiling system of claim 30, wherein each reader comprises a frame antenna, memory storing data received from a transponder, and a data output interface configured to connect the reader with a host system. ### Claim 32 (depends on 30) The wireless temperature profiling system of claim 30, wherein at least one of the transponders comprise a passive device, including a temperature sensor. ### Claim 33 (depends on 30) The wireless temperature profiling system of claim 30, wherein each transponder comprises a transmitter to send the temperature signal. ### Claim 34 (depends on 33) The wireless temperature profiling system of claim 33, wherein each transponder comprises a piezoelectric energy harvester driving the transmitter. ### Claim 35 (depends on 30) The wireless temperature profiling system of claim 30, wherein each transponder comprises a radio-frequency powered LC sensor. ### Claim 36 (depends on 30) The wireless temperature profiling system of claim 30, wherein each transponder comprises a metal spiral inductor as a part of a radio-frequency powered LC sensor. ### Claim 37 (depends on 30) The wireless temperature profiling system of claim 30, wherein the working frequency of the system is 30 k to 3 GHz. ### Claim 38 (depends on 30) The wireless temperature profiling system of claim 30, wherein each transponder comprises an inductance temperature dependent material. ### Claim 39 (depends on 30) The wireless temperature profiling system of claim 30, wherein each transponder comprises an inductance temperature dependent device as a part of a radio-frequency powered LC sensor. ### Claim 40 (depends on 30) The wireless temperature profiling system of claim 30, wherein each transponder comprises a capacitance temperature dependent material or a high temperature ceramic material. ### Claim 41 (depends on 30) The wireless temperature profiling system of claim 30, wherein each transponder comprises a capacitance temperature dependent device as a part of a radio-frequency powered LC sensor. ### Claim 42 (depends on 30) The wireless temperature profiling system of claim 30, wherein the transponder is provided on the substrate. ### Claim 43 (depends on 30) The wireless temperature profiling system as in claim 30, wherein the transponder is provided on a carrier which moves the substrate.