Abstract: In one embodiment, a temperature sensor system includes a sensor assembly with a temperature sensing portion configured to generate a first signal based upon a temperature of body proximate a surface portion of the temperature sensing portion, and a thermoelectric generator portion configured to receive heat flow from the body through the temperature sensing portion and to generate a second signal based upon the heat flow. A control unit is operably connected to the sensor assembly and a memory and configured to execute program instructions stored in the memory to calculate and output a corrected temperature based upon the first signal, the second signal, and at least one correction factor stored in the memory. The at least one correcting factor is determined based upon at least one of a thermal conductivity of the sensor assembly, a size of the sensor assembly, and an aspect ratio of the sensor assembly.

Abstract: In one embodiment a temperature sensor system includes two sensor assemblies with different thermal resistances, each sensor assembly including a temperature sensing portion and a thermoelectric generator portion configured to receive heat flow from a body through the associated temperature sensing portion. A control unit is operably connected to the sensor assemblies and the memory. The control unit is configured to execute program instructions stored in the memory to obtain signals from the temperature sensor portions and the thermoelectric generator portions and to calculate and output a body core temperature (TB) based upon the obtained signals.

Abstract: A thickness analyzer unit for determining a thickness of a layer includes a temperature change device, a temperature sensor, a memory, and a controller. The temperature change device is configured to induce a temperature change of the layer from a first temperature value to a second temperature value. The temperature sensor is configured to generate first temperature data corresponding to the first temperature value and second temperature data corresponding to the second temperature value. The memory is configured to store the first and second temperature values, a thermal conductivity value, a specific thermal capacity value, and a density value. The controller is configured (i) to determine a time constant value of the layer based on the first and second temperature values, and (ii) to determine the thickness of the layer based on the time constant value, the thermal conductivity value, the specific thermal capacity value, and the density value.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a temperature sensor system includes a sensor assembly with a temperature sensing portion configured to generate a first signal based upon a temperature of body proximate a surface portion of the temperature sensing portion, and a thermoelectric generator portion configured to receive heat flow from the body through the temperature sensing portion and to generate a second signal based upon the heat flow. A control unit is operably connected to the sensor assembly and a memory and configured to execute program instructions stored in the memory to calculate and output a corrected temperature based upon the first signal, the second signal, and at least one correction factor stored in the memory. The at least one correcting factor is determined based upon at least one of a thermal conductivity of the sensor assembly, a size of the sensor assembly, and an aspect ratio of the sensor assembly.

Abstract: A thickness analyzer unit for determining a thickness of a layer includes a temperature change device, a temperature sensor, a memory, and a controller. The temperature change device is configured to induce a temperature change of the layer from a first temperature value to a second temperature value. The temperature sensor is configured to generate first temperature data corresponding to the first temperature value and second temperature data corresponding to the second temperature value. The memory is configured to store the first and second temperature values, a thermal conductivity value, a specific thermal capacity value, and a density value. The controller is configured (i) to determine a time constant value of the layer based on the first and second temperature values, and (ii) to determine the thickness of the layer based on the time constant, the thermal conductivity value, the specific thermal capacity value, and the density value.

Abstract: A temperature sensing system includes an insulator having a thermal resistance that is controllable from a first thermal resistance to a second thermal resistance, and at least one temperature sensor operable to sense temperature at first and second sides of the insulator. A processor is configured to control the thermal resistance of the insulator to change from the first thermal resistance to the second thermal resistance.

Abstract: A method for calibrating a thermometer unit for measuring a core temperature of a system, includes determining a first heat transfer coefficient of the system, and calculating core temperature data corresponding to the core temperature of the system based on the first heat transfer coefficient. The method also includes identifying a change in the core temperature data that exceeds a predetermined threshold. The thermometer unit is calibrated by determining a second heat transfer in response to the identified change in the core temperature data. The core temperature data is calculated based on the second heat transfer coefficient.

Abstract: In one embodiment a temperature sensor system includes two sensor assemblies with different thermal resistances, each sensor assembly including a temperature sensing portion and a thermoelectric generator portion configured to receive heat flow from a body through the associated temperature sensing portion. A control unit is operably connected to the sensor assemblies and the memory. The control unit is configured to execute program instructions stored in the memory to obtain signals from the temperature sensor portions and the thermoelectric generator portions and to calculate and output a body core temperature (TB) based upon the obtained signals.