Microwire-controlled autoclave and method

A method of measuring the temperature of an object using a temperature sensor operably coupled with said object, said sensor including a plurality of magnetically susceptible microwire temperature sensing elements each having a temperature-sensitive re-magnetization response under the influence of an applied magnetic field, wherein each re-magnetization response is defined by at least one short, detectible pulse of magnetic field perturbation of defined duration which is correlated with the temperature of said object and is different below and above at least one set point temperature below about 400° C., at least certain of the sensing elements having a different set point temperature than other of the sensing elements, and wherein said detectible pulses change in detectible properties through a range of temperatures below the respective Curie Temperatures of said sensing elements, said method comprising the steps of:

• generating an alternating magnetic field in the region of the temperature sensor;
• detecting a first re-magnetization response of a first sensing element from said plurality of sensing elements as a first voltage pulse, and detecting a second re-magnetization response of a second sensing element from said plurality of sensing elements, as a second voltage pulse, and integrating the first and second voltage pulses over the elapsed time thereof to generate first and second detected values, and
• determining the temperature of said object by using said first and second detected values.