Wireless temperature profiling system

• US 8,770,836 B2
• Filed: 01/14/2010
• Issued: 07/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: First Solar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: First Solar Incorporated
• Inventors: Burgard, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, R. A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): COURSON, TANIA C
• Application Number:
  US12/687,726
• Publication Number:
  US 20100220766A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,636 Days
• Field of Search: 374/120, 374/100, 374/121, 374/E7.01, 374/E7.001, 374/141, 374/163, 374183-185, 340/870.01, 340/870.15, 340/870.17, 340/584, 340/10.42, 340/10.1, 3405721-5728
• US Class Current: 374/120
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 1/024 for remote indication
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 1/026 arrangements for monitoring a plurality of temperatures, e.g. by multiplexing

Abstract

A wireless temperature profiling system and the methods of making it are disclosed. The wireless temperature profiling system can include a photovoltaic substrate, a transponder, and a reader.

Claims

1. A system for measuring an environment temperature of a photovoltaic substrate during a photovoltaic module manufacturing process, comprising:

a transponder adjacent to the photovoltaic substrate which measures the environment temperature during the photovoltaic module manufacturing process and sends a temperature signal corresponding to the environment temperature; and

a reader which sends a sweep signal and picks up the temperature signal from the transponder.

2. The wireless temperature profiling system of claim 1, further comprising a frame antenna in communication with the reader, wherein the frame antenna receives the temperature signal from the transponder.

3. The wireless temperature profiling system of claim 1, wherein the reader comprises memory storing data received from the transponder.

4. The wireless temperature profiling system of claim 1, wherein the reader comprises a data output interface configured to connect the reader with a host system.

5. The wireless temperature profiling system of claim 1, wherein the reader is connected to a power source.

6. The wireless temperature profiling system of claim 1, wherein the transponder comprises a passive device, including a temperature sensor.

7. The wireless temperature profiling system of claim 6, wherein the transponder comprises a transmitter to send a temperature signal from the temperature sensor.

8. The wireless temperature profiling system of claim 7, wherein the transponder comprises an energy harvester driving the transmitter.

9. The wireless temperature profiling system of claim 8, wherein the energy harvester comprises a piezoelectric energy harvester.

10. The wireless temperature profiling system of claim 1, wherein the transponder comprises a radio-frequency powered LC sensor.

11. The wireless temperature profiling system of claim 10, wherein the transponder comprises a metal spiral inductor as a part of the radio-frequency powered LC sensor.

12. The wireless temperature profiling system of claim 10, wherein the transponder comprises an inductance temperature dependent material.

13. The wireless temperature profiling system of claim 10, wherein the transponder comprises an inductance temperature dependent device as a part of the radio-frequency powered LC sensor.

14. The wireless temperature profiling system of claim 10, wherein the transponder further comprises a capacitance temperature dependent material.

15. The wireless temperature profiling system of claim 10, wherein the transponder further comprises a capacitance temperature dependent device as a part of the radio-frequency powered LC sensor.

16. The wireless temperature profiling system of claim 15, wherein the capacitance temperature dependent device comprises a high temperature ceramic material.

17. The wireless temperature profiling system of claim 15, wherein the capacitance temperature dependent device comprises beryllium oxide, aluminum nitride, alumina, or a machinable glass-ceramic.

18. The wireless temperature profiling system of claim 15, wherein the machinable glass-ceramic comprises MACOR.

19. The wireless temperature profiling system of claim 1, wherein the transponder is encapsulated.

20. The wireless temperature profiling system of claim 1, wherein the working frequency of the system is 30 kHz to 3 GHz.

21. The wireless temperature profiling system of claim 1, wherein the working frequency of the system is 30 kHz to 300 kHz.

22. The wireless temperature profiling system of claim 1, wherein the working frequency of the system is 3 MHz to 30 MHz.

23. The wireless temperature profiling system of claim 1, wherein the working frequency of the system is 300 MHz to 3 GHz.

24. The wireless temperature profiling system of claim 1, wherein the transponder is provided on the substrate.

25. The wireless temperature profiling system as in claim 1, wherein the transponder is provided on a carrier which moves the substrate.

26. A method of reading an environment temperature of a photovoltaic substrate during a photovoltaic module manufacturing process, the method, comprising:

providing a transponder adjacent to the photovoltaic substrate which reads an environment temperature during the photovoltaic module manufacturing process and returns a temperature signal corresponding to the temperature;

providing a reader which sends a sweep signal and picks up the temperature signal from the transponder;

generating a temperature signal from the transponder;

receiving the temperature signal with an antenna connected to the reader; and

converting the temperature signal to a corresponding temperature.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the transponder comprises a temperature sensor which provides the temperature signal.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the transponder further comprises a transmitter to send the temperature signal.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the transponder comprises a piezoelectric energy harvester, a radio-frequency powered LC sensor, and the temperature sensor comprises an inductance temperature dependent material, or a capacitance temperature dependent material.

30. A wireless temperature profiling system for communicating with at least one transponder moveable along an interrogation path comprising:

a photovoltaic substrate moving along said interrogation path during processing to form a photovoltaic module;

a plurality of transponders adjacent to the photovoltaic substrate moving along the interrogation path, wherein each of the transponders simultaneously sends a temperature signal corresponding to an environment temperature;

a plurality of readers along the interrogation path, wherein each of the readers simultaneously sends a sweep signal and picks up a signal from a transponder.

31. The wireless temperature profiling system of claim 30, wherein each reader comprises a frame antenna, memory storing data received from a transponder, and a data output interface configured to connect the reader with a host system.

32. The wireless temperature profiling system of claim 30, wherein at least one of the transponders comprise a passive device, including a temperature sensor.

33. The wireless temperature profiling system of claim 30, wherein each transponder comprises a transmitter to send the temperature signal.

34. The wireless temperature profiling system of claim 33, wherein each transponder comprises a piezoelectric energy harvester driving the transmitter.

35. The wireless temperature profiling system of claim 30, wherein each transponder comprises a radio-frequency powered LC sensor.

36. The wireless temperature profiling system of claim 30, wherein each transponder comprises a metal spiral inductor as a part of a radio-frequency powered LC sensor.

37. The wireless temperature profiling system of claim 30, wherein the working frequency of the system is 30 k to 3 GHz.

38. The wireless temperature profiling system of claim 30, wherein each transponder comprises an inductance temperature dependent material.

39. The wireless temperature profiling system of claim 30, wherein each transponder comprises an inductance temperature dependent device as a part of a radio-frequency powered LC sensor.

40. The wireless temperature profiling system of claim 30, wherein each transponder comprises a capacitance temperature dependent material or a high temperature ceramic material.

41. The wireless temperature profiling system of claim 30, wherein each transponder comprises a capacitance temperature dependent device as a part of a radio-frequency powered LC sensor.

42. The wireless temperature profiling system of claim 30, wherein the transponder is provided on the substrate.

43. The wireless temperature profiling system as in claim 30, wherein the transponder is provided on a carrier which moves the substrate.