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

1. An earth-boring drilling tool, comprising:

a thermal measurement system configured to determine a temperature characteristic associated with a component of the drilling tool during a subterranean drilling operation, the thermal measurement system including:

an ultrasonic transducer coupled with the component, the ultrasonic transducer configured to transmit an acoustic signal into the component and generate a data signal responsive to receiving a returning echo of the acoustic signal; and

a processor operably coupled with the ultrasonic transducer, the processor configured to determine the temperature characteristic associated with the component, based at least in part, on time-of-flight information of the acoustic signal and the returning echo.

2. The earth-boring drilling tool of claim 1 , wherein the component of the drilling tool comprises a cutting element.

3. The earth-boring drilling tool of claim 1 , wherein the temperature characteristic associated with the component includes a temperature distribution of the component.

4. The earth-boring drilling tool of claim 1 , wherein the temperature characteristic associated with the component includes an average temperature of the component.

5. The earth-boring drilling tool of claim 1 , wherein the temperature characteristic associated with the component includes a heat flux experienced by the component.

6. The earth-boring drilling tool of claim 1 , wherein the ultrasonic transducer is time-gated.

7. The earth-boring drilling tool of claim 1 , further comprising a waveguide disposed within a portion of the drilling tool between the ultrasonic transducer and the component, wherein the waveguide couples the ultrasonic transducer and the component.

8. The earth-boring drilling tool of claim 7 , wherein the waveguide is formed from a material that is substantially different than another material surrounding the waveguide.

9. A method for forming a component for an earth-boring drilling tool, the method comprising:

securing a component for a drilling tool to a body of the drilling tool;

coupling an ultrasonic transducer with the component; and

coupling a processor with the ultrasonic transducer, the processor configured to generate a temperature characteristic of the component during a drilling operation based, at least in part, on a time-of-flight measurement between an acoustic signal transmitted into the component and a return echo signal received by the ultrasonic transducer.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising forming a waveguide in the drilling tool between the ultrasonic transducer and the component to couple the ultrasonic transducer and the component.

11. The cutting element of claim 10 , wherein forming the waveguide includes forming the waveguide from a material including at least one of a metal, a ceramic, and a plastic material.

12. The cutting element of claim 10 , wherein forming the waveguide includes forming the waveguide as one of a rod, a coiled foil, and a plurality of concentric tubes.

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

transmitting an acoustic signal from an ultrasonic transducer into a component of an earth-boring drilling tool;

receiving a returning echo of the acoustic signal by the ultrasonic transducer; and

determining a temperature characteristic of the component based, at least in part, on a measured time-of-flight of the acoustic signal and the returning echo during a drilling operation.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein determining a temperature characteristic of the component includes determining a heat flux of the component during the drilling operation.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein determining a temperature characteristic of the component includes determining the heat flux at a cutting surface of a cutting element of the earth-boring drilling tool at an interface with a subterranean formation.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein determining a heat flux of the component includes:

generating an estimate of the heat flux;

generating an estimated time-of-flight of the acoustic signal and the returning echo based, at least in part, on the estimate of the heat flux;

comparing the measured time-of-flight with the estimated time-of-flight;

modifying the estimate of the heat flux and the estimated time-of-flight until a difference between the measured time-of-flight with the estimated time-of-flight is within a tolerance range; and

determining the heat flux to be the estimate of the heat flux when the difference between the measured time-of-flight with the estimated time-of-flight is within the tolerance range.

17. The method of claim 13 , wherein determining a temperature characteristic includes determining an average temperature of the component.

18. The method of claim 13 , wherein determining a temperature characteristic includes determining a temperature distribution of the component.

19. The method of claim 13 , wherein transmitting an acoustic signal includes transmitting the acoustic signal from the ultrasonic transducer that is remote from the component.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein transmitting the acoustic signal from the ultrasonic transducer that is remote from the component includes transmitting the acoustic signal through a waveguide disposed in the drilling tool between the ultrasonic transducer and the component.