Patent ID: 7834263

Claim:
A method for providing power comprising: providing a thermoelectric generator having a first end and a second end; exposing the first end of the thermoelectric generator to thermal energy of a first temperature region; exposing the second end of the thermoelectric generator to thermal energy of a second temperature region; and utilizing a difference between the thermal energy of the first temperature region and the thermal energy of the second temperature region to produce electric power from the thermoelectric generator regardless of whether the first temperature region is warmer or cooler than the second temperature region; wherein the thermoelectric generator comprises a plurality of thermocouples comprising p-type and n-type thin film semiconductor thermoelements formed on a single flexible substrate; wherein each thermocouple comprises at least three thermoelements; and wherein each of the p-type thermoelements and the n-type thermoelements has a length to area ratio of between from about 1,000 cm −1 and to about 10,000 cm −1 .