Apparatuses and methods for determining temperature data of a component of an earth-boring drilling tool

1. A cutting element for an earth-boring drilling tool, the cutting element comprising:

a cutting element body having a cutting surface thereon;

an ultrasonic transducer coupled with the cutting element body, and configured to transmit an acoustic signal through the cutting element body and transmit a data signal to a data acquisition unit in response to receiving a returning echo of the acoustic signal; and

a waveguide coupled between the ultrasonic transducer and the cutting element body.

2. The cutting element of claim 1 , wherein the waveguide is an at least substantially solid material.

3. The cutting element of claim 2 , wherein the at least substantially solid material is selected from the group consisting of a metal, a ceramic, and a plastic material.

4. The cutting element of claim 2 , wherein the at least substantially solid material is formed as one of a rod, a coiled foil, and a plurality of concentric tubes.

5. The cutting element of claim 1 , wherein the acoustic signal comprises at least one ultrasonic pulse.

6. The cutting element of claim 1 , further comprising a diamond table coupled with the cutting element body, the diamond table having the cutting surface thereon.

7. A method for forming an element for an earth-boring drilling tool, the method comprising:

forming a cutting element having a cutting element body and a cutting surface;

coupling an ultrasonic transducer with the cutting element body opposite the cutting surface; and

forming a waveguide located between the ultrasonic transducer and the cutting element body.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising forming an earth-boring drill bit having the cutting element disposed in a blade of the earth-boring drill bit.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein forming a waveguide located between the ultrasonic transducer and the cutting element body includes:

positioning a tube extending to the cutting element body;

forming a bit body around the tube; and

inserting the waveguide into the tube.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein forming the waveguide comprises forming a rod and embedding the rod within a particle-matrix crown of the earth-boring drill bit.

11. A method for measuring a temperature of a component of an earth-boring drilling tool, the method comprising:

transmitting at least one acoustic signal through a component of an earth-boring drill bit;

receiving at least one returning echo of the at least one acoustic signal through the component; and

determining a temperature distribution of the component based, at least in part, on a time-of-flight of the at least one acoustic signal and the at least one returning echo.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising determining a heat flux at an interface of the component of the earth-boring drill bit and a subterranean formation.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the component is a cutting element of the earth-boring drill bit.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein transmitting at least one acoustic signal through a component of the earth-boring drill bit includes transmitting the at least one acoustic signal through a waveguide prior to the cutting element.

15. An earth-boring drilling tool, comprising:

a bit body including a plurality of components;

an ultrasonic transducer configured to generate and transmit acoustic signals through a component of the plurality and generate a data signal in response to receiving returning echoes of the acoustic signals; and

a data acquisition unit operably coupled with the ultrasonic transducer, the data acquisition unit configured to receive the data signal and determine a temperature distribution of the component based, at least in part, on a time-of-flight of the acoustic signals and the returning echoes.

16. The earth-boring drilling tool of claim 15 , wherein the component is a cutting element of the bit body.

17. The earth-boring drilling tool of claim 16 , wherein the cutting element includes a cutting element body having a cutting surface thereon.

18. The earth-boring drilling tool of claim 17 , wherein the ultrasonic transducer is coupled directly with a back side of the cutting element body.

19. The earth-boring drilling tool of claim 17 , further comprising a waveguide within the bit body between the ultrasonic transducer and the cutting element body.

20. The earth-boring drilling tool of claim 19 , wherein the waveguide extends through at least one blade of the bit body.

21. The earth-boring drilling tool of claim 19 , wherein the waveguide extends through at least a portion of a shank attached to the bit body.

22. The earth-boring drilling tool of claim 19 , further comprising a tube surrounding the waveguide.

23. The earth-boring drilling tool of claim 19 , wherein the ultrasonic sensor is positioned in a cut out location in one of a depression and a cut-out portion of the bit body that is capped and sealed to protect the ultrasonic sensor.

24. The earth-boring drilling tool of claim 16 , wherein the cutting element is a polycrystalline diamond compact cutting element.

25. The earth-boring drilling tool of claim 16 , wherein the bit body is attached to a drill string.