Radio frequency harvester assembly

• US 10,014,730 B2
• Filed: 07/07/2014
• Issued: 07/03/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: UTC Fire & Security Americas Corporation, Inc. (Carrier Global Corporation)
• Original Assignee: UTC Fire & Security Americas Corporation, Inc. (Carrier Global Corporation)
• Inventors: Nayak, Jagannath
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Jung
• Application Number:
  US14/903,322
• Publication Number:
  US 20160149441A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,457 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/248 provided with an AC/DC converting device, e.g. rectennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/36 Structural form of radiating elements, e.g. cone, spiral, umbrella; Particular materials used therewithH01Q1/08, H01Q1/14 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/38 formed by a conductive layer on an insulating support patch antennas H01Q9/0407; microstrip dipole antennas H01Q9/065; microstrip slot antennas H01Q13/106; transmission line microstrip antennas H01Q13/206; manufacturing reflecting surfaces using insulating material for supporting the reflecting surface H01Q15/142
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/06 Arrays of individually energised antenna units similarly polarised and spaced apart
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/061 Two dimensional planar arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/24 Combinations of antenna units polarised in different directions for transmitting or receiving circularly and elliptically polarised waves or waves linearly polarised in any direction circularly polarised patch antennas H01Q9/0428; circularly polarised horns H01Q13/0241; cross-polarised horns H01Q13/0258; polarisation converters H01Q15/242; cross-polarised rear feeds H01Q19/136; crossed polarisation dual antenna H01Q25/001
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/27 characterised by the type of receiving antennas, e.g. rectennas

Abstract

A device for harvesting radio frequency (RF) energy to generate power includes a first spiral antenna having a first spiral direction, the first spiral antenna having a spiral cross-section shape along a first flat plane. The device includes a second spiral antenna having a second spiral direction opposite the first spiral direction, the second spiral antenna having a spiral cross-section shape along a second plane parallel to the first plane. The device further includes a ground layer between the first and second spiral antennae, the first spiral antenna electrically connected to the second spiral antenna at a center of the first and second spiral antennae by a conductive element passing through the ground layer without contacting the ground layer.

Claims

1. A device for harvesting radio frequency (RF) energy to generate power, comprising:

a first spiral antenna having a first spiral direction, the first spiral antenna having a spiral cross-section shape along a first flat plane;

a second spiral antenna having a second spiral direction opposite the first spiral direction, the second spiral antenna having a spiral cross-section shape along a second plane parallel to the first plane; and

a ground layer between the first and second spiral antennae, the first spiral antenna electrically connected to the second spiral antenna at a center of the first and second spiral antennae by a conductive element passing through the ground layer without contacting a ground plate of the ground layer;

a first dielectric layer surrounding the first spiral antenna along the first flat plane; and

a first flat antenna mounted to the first dielectric layer, the first flat antenna defining a fourth plane parallel to the first flat plane.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the ground layer defines a third plane parallel to the first flat plane and the second plane.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the first dielectric layer has a thickness greater than a thickness of the first spiral antenna, such that the fourth plane does not intersect the first flat plane.

5. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a first balun layer between the first spiral antenna and the ground layer, the first balun layer electrically connected to the first spiral antenna and the ground layer; and

a second balun layer between the second spiral antenna and the ground layer, the second balun layer electrically connected to the second spiral antenna.

6. The device of claim 5, further comprising:

a harvester circuit connected to the outputs of the first and second balun layers, the harvester circuit configured to receive a radio frequency (RF) signal gathered by the first and second spiral antennae and to generate a direct current (DC) signal based on the RF signal.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the first spiral antenna includes a first array of multiple first spiral antennae arranged along the same first flat plane, and

the second spiral antenna includes a second array of multiple second spiral antennae arranged along the same second plane.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the multiple first spiral antennae and the multiple second spiral antennae are arranged in series electrically.

2. A device for harvesting radio frequency (RF) energy to generate power, comprising:

a first spiral antenna having a first spiral direction, the first spiral antenna having a spiral cross-section shape along a first flat plane;

a second spiral antenna having a second spiral direction opposite the first spiral direction, the second spiral antenna having a spiral cross-section shape along a second plane parallel to the first plane; and

a ground layer between the first and second spiral antennae, the first spiral antenna electrically connected to the second spiral antenna at a center of the first and second spiral antennae by a conductive element passing through the ground layer without contacting a ground plate of the ground layer;

wherein the conductive element includes a Schottky diode.