Wireless temperature-measurement system
A wireless temperature-measurement system comprising (a) one or more temperature probes each including one or more energy-storage capacitors which supply the electrical energy for operation of the probe(s) and (b) a probe-charging station having circuitry configured to supply electric charge to the energy-storage capacitors prior to the temperature probes being positioned to measure temperature.
1. A wireless temperature-measurement system comprising (a) one or more temperature probes each including one or more energy-storage capacitors which supply the electrical energy for operation of the one or more probes, at least a portion of the energy-storage capacitors being hermetically-sealed double-layer capacitors each having a ceramic base and a metal top, and (b) a probe-charging station having circuitry configured to supply electric charge to the energy-storage capacitors prior to the temperature probes being positioned to measure temperature, whereby each of the temperature probes does not outgas when exposed to temperatures of up to 316° C. (600° F.).
2. The wireless temperature-measurement system of claim 1 wherein the energy-storage capacitors are of one or more types of capacitors.
3. The wireless temperature-measurement system of claim 2 wherein at least a portion of the energy-storage capacitors are ceramic capacitors.
4. The wireless temperature-measurement system of claim 1 wherein:
each probe further includes circuitry to periodically measure temperature values and transmit the temperature values; and
the system further includes a reader to receive the temperature values.
5. The wireless temperature-measurement system of claim 4 wherein the reader is a programmable computer-based device.
6. The wireless temperature-measurement system of claim 4 wherein the reader is configured to store the temperature values.
7. The wireless temperature-measurement system of claim 4 wherein the probe-charging station is configured to send operational parameters to at least one of the probes during charging.
8. The wireless temperature-measurement system of claim 7 wherein the operational parameters include probe sleep times between periodic measurements of temperature values.
9. The wireless temperature-measurement system of claim 7 wherein the operational parameters include temperature-value-dependent probe sleep times.
10. The wireless temperature-measurement system of claim 7 wherein the reader is programmed to determine the operational parameters.
11. The wireless temperature-measurement system of claim 10 wherein the reader sends the operational parameters to the one or more probes during charging.
12. The wireless temperature-measurement system of claim 4 wherein the probe-charging station is configured to charge multiple probes simultaneously and to communicate to the reader a probe ID for each of the probes.
13. The wireless temperature-measurement system of claim 4 wherein the reader is configured to transmit a probe ID and temperature values to a cloud-hosted server or a local server to create an electronic record.
14. The wireless temperature-measurement system of claim 4 wherein the reader is a gauge/reader and the wireless temperature-measurement system has a fan which controls airflow to a grill.
15. The wireless temperature-measurement system of claim 14 wherein grill temperature is set using a smartphone.
16. The wireless temperature-measurement system of claim 1 wherein each probe is configured to detect when it is connected to the probe-charging station and to create a wireless communication link between itself and the probe-charging station.
17. The wireless temperature-measurement system of claim 1 wherein the probe-charging station charges the energy-storage capacitors wirelessly.
18. The wireless temperature-measurement system of claim 17 wherein the probe-charging station receives a probe ID from each of the probes and retransmits the probe ID to a reader.
19. The wireless temperature-measurement system of claim 1 wherein the probe-charging station charges the energy-storage capacitors through direct electrical connections.
20. The wireless temperature-measurement system of claim 19 wherein the probe-charging station receives a probe ID from each of the probes and retransmits the probe ID to a reader.
21. The wireless temperature-measurement system of claim 1 wherein the probe-charging station is configured to send operational parameters to the one or more probes during charging.
22. The wireless temperature-measurement system of claim 21 wherein the operational parameters include probe sleep times between periodic measurements of temperature values.
23. The wireless temperature-measurement system of claim 21 wherein the operational parameters include temperature-value-dependent probe sleep times.
24. The wireless temperature-measurement system of claim 1 wherein each of the temperature probes includes a step-up power supply, thereby substantially preventing the energy-storage capacitors from discharging while disconnected from the charger.
25. The wireless temperature-measurement system of claim 24 wherein each of the temperature probes includes a step-down power supply.
26. The wireless temperature-measurement system of claim 1 wherein each of the probes includes a sheath portion to accommodate internal electronic components.
27. The wireless temperature-measurement system of claim 26 wherein the sheath portion has an elliptical cross-sectional shape.
28. The wireless temperature-measurement system of claim 26 wherein the sheath portion has a circular cross-sectional shape.