Core Temperature Estimation via Multi-Sensor Thermal Resistor Modeling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current core temperature measurement devices face challenges in accurately determining the core temperature of an object without requiring a heat-balancing heating element, especially in portable or wearable systems, and struggle with maintaining stable thermal contact resistance.
Innovation Solution
A device with multiple sensor modules, each comprising a thermal resistor with known resistance, is used to measure surface and ambient temperatures, employing a multi-parameter model to calculate core temperature by relating surface contact resistance to geometric position and using the conservation of thermal energy principles to determine unknowns.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a heating element is used to balance heat energy for core temperature measurement, then measurement accuracy is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the heating element from the core temperature measurement system. Instead of using active heating to balance thermal energy, the invention uses passive thermal measurement with multiple sensors and mathematical modeling to determine core temperature without requiring external heat input, thereby eliminating the energy consumption associated with heating elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the object's own thermal properties and natural heat flow to perform measurement. By placing multiple sensors at different positions and using the object's inherent thermal conductivity and heat distribution, the system determines core temperature through passive observation and computational analysis rather than active thermal manipulation.
2Device complexity
If thermal contact resistance is assumed constant for simplified calculation, then device complexity is reduced, but measurement precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the thermal measurement system into multiple independent measurement paths with sensors positioned at different locations. Each sensor measures local thermal conditions, and the system uses these segmented measurements to calculate thermal contact resistance for each path separately, then combines them through mathematical modeling to determine core temperature with higher accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically determines thermal contact resistance parameters based on actual measurements rather than assuming constant values. By using multiple sensors and solving a system of thermal equations, the invention calculates the actual thermal contact resistance at each measurement point, adapting to varying contact conditions and improving measurement accuracy.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method allows for precise core temperature determination without additional electrical energy consumption and maintains accuracy by accounting for varying thermal contact resistances through geometric modeling and force-dependent resistance adjustments.
Implementation Method 1
a piece of material 7, here forth called 'thermal resistor', with the precisely known thermal resistance value R, placed on the object's surface, which separates object 1 from its ambient thermal environment 2
Implementation Method 2
a temperature difference ΔT between the two sides of a thermal resistance R causes the transport of the heat energy E during the time t, given by E=ΔT×t/R
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments pertain to a core temperature measurement device for determining an object's core temperature, comprising: at least three sensor modules, each sensor module configured as a thermal resistor, wherein a sensor module comprises: a surface thermometer contact configured to produce a surface temperature signal relating to a sensed surface temperature; and an ambient thermometer contact configured to produce an ambient temperature signal relating to a sensed ambient temperature; wherein the surface thermometer contact and the ambient thermometer contact are thermally insulated from each other, a memory configured to store software code instructions; and a processor configured to execute software instructions stored in the memory to perform the following, when the at least three sensor modules are operably engaged with a surface portion of an object to cause elastic deformation of the surface region: determining a core temperature of a region below the surface region of the object.