An apparatus and a method for monitoring a breakdown of a battery system component are provided to more accurately determine whether a cooling fan for cooling a battery of an environment-friendly vehicle or a part related to the cooling fan fails. The method for monitoring a breakdown of a battery system component compulsorily driving, by a controller, the cooling fan and measuring the current temperature of the battery when the battery management system fails to receive a pulse width modulation PWM signal that represents an operation state of the cooling fan and a feedback signal (PFM) of the cooling fan from a cooling fan controller.

A method of obtaining symmetric temperature change, comprising the following steps of preparing a temperature sensing device; measuring and collecting temperature change: placing the temperature sensing device (1) on a predetermined position of a participant to measure and collect the participant's body temperature change data; extracting data; removing the temperature sensing device from the participant's body when running out of the battery and then connecting a reading device to extract the body temperature change data out of the temperature sensing device in order to apply the body temperature change data in precision medicine; the body temperature change data is used as the key marker without affecting the participant's daily activity, preventing the participant from inaccuracy of the body temperature change data caused by psychological and/or physiological factors, so the body temperature change data can be applied in the symmetry precision medicine.

Provided is a method of estimating a state of deterioration of a battery with higher accuracy. The method includes: calculating a difference between a temperature T.sub.1 when temperature begins to drop, and a temperature T.sub.2 when the temperature begins to rise and defining the difference as a temperature difference ΔT.sub.12 if the following are satisfied concerning a battery having current collector foil and an outer casing: the temperature of the battery drops; and the rate at which the temperature changes, the range in which the temperature drops, and the range of the temperature are each a predetermined value; accumulating the number of times when a condition of the temperature belongs to any of classifications of the T.sub.1 and the ΔT.sub.12; and estimating damage to the current collector foil based on respective relationships between the classifications and damage to the current collector foil.

Provided is a method of estimating a state of deterioration of a battery with higher accuracy. The method includes: calculating a difference between a temperature T.sub.1 when temperature begins to drop, and a temperature T.sub.2 when the temperature begins to rise and defining the difference as a temperature difference ΔT.sub.12 if the following are satisfied concerning a battery having current collector foil and an outer casing: the temperature of the battery drops; and the rate at which the temperature changes, the range in which the temperature drops, and the range of the temperature are each a predetermined value; accumulating the number of times when a condition of the temperature belongs to any of classifications of the T.sub.1 and the ΔT.sub.12; and estimating damage to the current collector foil based on respective relationships between the classifications and damage to the current collector foil.

A quality management system for products including a multiplicity of barcoded quality indicators, a barcode indicator reader and a product type responsive indication interpreter, each of the barcoded quality indicators including a first barcode including at least one first colorable area, the first barcode being machine-readable before exceedance of the at least one time and temperature threshold, at least a second barcode including at least one second colorable area, the second barcode not being machine-readable before exceedance of the at least one time and temperature threshold, a coloring agent located at a first location on the indicator and a coloring agent pathway operative to allow the coloring agent to move, from the first location to the first and second colorable areas simultaneously thereby causing the first barcode to become unreadable and at the same time causing the second barcode to become machine-readable.

A quality management system for products including a multiplicity of barcoded quality indicators, a barcode indicator reader and a product type responsive indication interpreter, each of the barcoded quality indicators including a first barcode including at least one first colorable area, the first barcode being machine-readable before exceedance of the at least one time and temperature threshold, at least a second barcode including at least one second colorable area, the second barcode not being machine-readable before exceedance of the at least one time and temperature threshold, a coloring agent located at a first location on the indicator and a coloring agent pathway operative to allow the coloring agent to move, from the first location to the first and second colorable areas simultaneously thereby causing the first barcode to become unreadable and at the same time causing the second barcode to become machine-readable.

An infant warming system includes a body temperature probe, a peripheral temperature probe, and at least two identical input jacks, each input jack configured to receive either one of the first connector or the second connector. The body temperature probe has a body temperature sensor removably fixable to an infant's torso to measure a body temperature of the infant, and a first connector configured to connect to an input jack to transmit the body temperature measurement. The peripheral temperature probe includes a peripheral temperature sensor removably fixable to the infant's extremity to measure a peripheral temperature of the infant, and a second connector configured to connect to an input jack to transmit the peripheral temperature measurement. The system further includes a probe detection module to automatically detect whether each input jack is connected to the peripheral temperature probe or the body temperature probe.

An infant warming system includes a body temperature probe, a peripheral temperature probe, and at least two identical input jacks, each input jack configured to receive either one of the first connector or the second connector. The body temperature probe has a body temperature sensor removably fixable to an infant's torso to measure a body temperature of the infant, and a first connector configured to connect to an input jack to transmit the body temperature measurement. The peripheral temperature probe includes a peripheral temperature sensor removably fixable to the infant's extremity to measure a peripheral temperature of the infant, and a second connector configured to connect to an input jack to transmit the peripheral temperature measurement. The system further includes a probe detection module to automatically detect whether each input jack is connected to the peripheral temperature probe or the body temperature probe.

A method of determining a thermal state or a thermal state transition of a substance based on how much liquid phase is available is disclosed. The method includes: (a) determining a current thermal state of the substance when the internal combustion engine is switched on based on a tank temperature and on a time interval during which the engine is switched off; and (b) calculating a percentage of the liquid phase in case the thermal state is a mixture of solid phase and liquid phase based on a total mass of the substance in the tank, a heat amount supplied to the tank, a heat exchange of the tank with an external environment; and (c) detecting the thermal state transitions based on said tank temperature and its time derivative and on said percentage of the liquid phase.

A method of determining a thermal state or a thermal state transition of a substance based on how much liquid phase is available is disclosed. The method includes: (a) determining a current thermal state of the substance when the internal combustion engine is switched on based on a tank temperature and on a time interval during which the engine is switched off; and (b) calculating a percentage of the liquid phase in case the thermal state is a mixture of solid phase and liquid phase based on a total mass of the substance in the tank, a heat amount supplied to the tank, a heat exchange of the tank with an external environment; and (c) detecting the thermal state transitions based on said tank temperature and its time derivative and on said percentage of the liquid phase.