Apparatus for measuring temperature and a method of producing same

Claim 1

Apparatus for measuring temperature within a predetermined range for medical applications and the like comprising: first and second temperature measuring sensors, each of said sensors exhibiting at least one corresponding measurable electrical characteristic which varies as a function of temperature, each of said sensors having a measured value for said electrical characteristic at a selected temperature within said predetermined range and said measured value for said electrical characteristic for each sensor at said selected temperature corresponding to a determined value and a selected deviation from said determined value so that the composite value of said selected deviations at a single selected temperature is such that said selective deviations substantially cancel each other out; means for electrically interconnecting said first and second sensor means; and conductor means connected to said first and second temperature measuring sensors for providing an output corresponding to the resultant value of said corresponding, measurable electrical characteristics of said interconnected first and second temperature measuring sensors, said measured value of said electrical characteristic at said selected temperature for aid first and second temperature measuring sensors yielding a resultant value for said electrical characteristics of said first and second temperature measuring sensors at said selected temperature and throughout said predetermined range which corresponds to a resultant value obtained by interconnection of first and second temperature measuring sensors having electrical characteristics substantially equal to said determined value at said selected temperature and varying in accordance therewith throughout said predetermined range.

Claim 9

A method of making a device for measuring temperature within a predetermined range, said device employing at least first and second temperature measuring sensors, each of said temperature measuring sensors exhibiting a measurable electrical characteristic which varies as a function of temperature, said method comprising the steps of: measuring said electrical characteristic of a plurality of temperature measuring sensors at a single selected temperature within said predetermined range, said measured value for said electrical characteristics for each sensor at said selected temperature within said predetermined range corresponding to a determined value and a deviation from said determined value; sorting said plurality of temperature measuring sensors into a plurality of finite batches of said temperature measuring sensors on the basis of the magnitude and direction of said deviation of each sensor from said determined value; randomly selected first and second temperature measuring sensors from a predetermined pair of said plurality of said batches of said sorted temperature measuring sensors for interconnection in said device, said first and second temperature measuring sensors being selected to yield when interconnected in said device a resulting value for said electrical characteristics exhibited thereby at said selected temperature and throughout said predetermined range corresponding to a resulting value obtained by an interconnection of first and second temperature measuring sensors having electrical characteristics equal to said determined value at said selected temperature and varying in accordance therewith throughout said predetermined range; and interconnecting said selected first and second temperature measuring sensors in said device to measure temperature.

Claim 10

A method of making a device for measuring temperature within a predetermined range, said device employing at least first and second temperature measuring sensors, each of said temperature measuring sensors exhibiting a measurable electrical characteristic which varies as a function of temperature, said method comprising the steps of: measuring said electrical characteristic of a plurality of temperature measuring sensors at a single selected temperature within said predetermined range, said measured value for said electrical characteristics for each sensor at said selected temperature within said predetermined range corresponding to a determined value and a deviation from said determined value; sorting said plurality of temperature measuring sensors into a plurality of finite batches of said temperature measuring sensors on the basis of the magnitude and direction of said deviation of each sensor from said determined value; randomly selected first and second temperature measuring sensors from a predetermined pair of said plurality of said batches of said sorted temperature measuring sensors for interconnection in said device, said first and second temperature measuring sensors being selected to yield when interconnected in said device a resulting value for said electrical characteristics exhibited thereby at said selected temperature and throughout said predetermined range corresponding to a resulting value obtained by an interconnection of first and second temperature measuring sensors having electrical characteristics equal to said determined value at said selected temperature and varying in accordance therewith throughout said predetermined range; and interconnecting said selected first and second temperature measuring sensors in said device to measure temperature.