Scalable harvesting system and method

• US 10,186,897 B2
• Filed: 09/06/2016
• Issued: 01/22/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Triune Ip, LLC (Semtech Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Triune Ip, LLC (Semtech Corporation)
• Inventors: Teggatz, Ross E., Moore, Ken, Calixto, Edson, Stingu, Emanuel
• Primary Examiner(s): Doan, Nghia
• Application Number:
  US15/257,561
• Publication Number:
  US 20160372967A1
• Time in Patent Office: 868 Days
• Field of Search: 320108
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/001 Energy harvesting or scavenging
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0069 Charging or discharging for charge maintenance, battery initiation or rejuvenation
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 with light sensitive cells
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 20/30 Supporting structures being movable or adjustable, e.g. for angle adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 40/34 comprising specially adapted electrical connection means to be structurally associated with the PV module, e.g. junction boxes
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 40/38 Energy storage means, e.g. batteries, structurally associated with PV modules
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 70/30 Systems combining energy storage with energy generation of non-fossil origin

Abstract

A scalable energy harvesting system comprising at least one charging control device, at least one energy storage device responsive to the charging control device, at least one energy harvesting device operatively coupled to the charging control device, and a plurality of bus based power connectors operatively coupled to the charging control device.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

at least one charging control device;

an inductive resonance coupling operatively coupled to the charging control device and configured to transfer energy from or to the charging control device; and

a plurality of energy harvesting devices inductively coupled to the charging control device, wherein the charging control device directs a plurality of electrical currents from the plurality of energy harvesting devices, wherein the charging control device selectively conducts the plurality of electrical currents in parallel over one or more bus based power connectors to an energy storage device and selectively conducts the plurality of electrical currents in parallel over the one or more bus based power connectors from the energy storage device in accordance with a charge pattern.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the charging control device conducts the plurality of electrical currents serially over one or more bus based power connectors to an energy storage device.

3. The system of claim 1 further comprising at least one wireless charging receiver operatively coupled to the charging control device and configured to operate in accordance with a charge pattern.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein one or more of the energy harvesting devices comprise a solar cell.

5. The system of claim 1 further comprising a magnetic coupling operatively coupled to the charging control device and configured to transfer energy from or to the charging control device.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprising a power supply connection operatively coupled to the charging control device and configured to transfer energy from or to the charging control device and configured to operate in accordance with a charge pattern.

7. The system of claim 1 further comprising an energy storage device operatively coupled to the charging control device and configured to transfer energy from or to the charging control device and to operate in accordance with a charge pattern.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the energy storage device comprises a rechargeable battery.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the charging control device is a portable electric device.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein one or more of the energy harvesting devices comprise a solar cell, a piezoelectric element, a radio frequency receiver, an electrostatic discharge receiver or a Seebeck effect receiver.

11. The system of claim 1 further comprising a charging module housing connected to the energy harvesting device.

12. The system of claim 11 further comprising:

a holster connectable to the charging module housing; and

a set of connection pins connected to the holster, wherein the set of connection pins electrically are connectable to an energy storage device.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein one or more of the energy harvesting devices comprise a vehicle-mounted solar panel.

14. A system, comprising:

at least one charging control device;

at least one energy storage device operatively coupled to the charging control device and configured to provide energy to or receive energy from the charging control device; and

at least one wireless charging receiver inductively coupled to the charging control device and configured to provide energy to and receive energy from the charging control device;

wherein the charging control device selectively conducts a plurality of electrical currents in parallel over one or more bus based power connectors to the energy storage device and selectively conducts the plurality of electrical currents in parallel over the one or more bus based power connectors from the energy storage device in accordance with a charge pattern.

15. The system of claim 14 further comprising a plurality of energy harvesting devices operatively coupled to the charging control device and configured to selectively provide energy to or receive energy from the charging control device in accordance with the charge pattern.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the charging control device directs at least one harvested power input from the energy harvesting device and at least one bus based energy power input from a bus based power connectors to the energy storage device.

17. The system of claim 14 further comprising a plurality of bus based power connectors operatively coupled to the charging control device and configured to provide energy to or receive energy from the charging control device in accordance with the charge pattern.

18. The system of claim 14 further comprising at least one indicator operatively coupled to the charging control device and configured to display one or more system status.

19. A method comprising:

receiving at least one wireless energy power input from at least one wireless charging receiver;

implementing a charge pattern for a storage device as a function of

     1) a power level of an energy storage device,

     2) a harvested power input of an energy harvesting device,

     3) a bus based energy power input of a bus based power connector, and

     4) a wireless energy power input by selectively conducting a plurality of electrical currents in parallel over one or more bus based power connectors from a charging control device to the energy storage device; and

selectively conducting the plurality of electrical currents in parallel over the one or more bus based power connectors from the energy storage device in accordance with the charge pattern.