Energy harvesting from a mobile device

• US 10,389,146 B2
• Filed: 08/28/2017
• Issued: 08/20/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Original Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Inventors: Haseltine, Eric C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zhou, Zixuan
• Application Number:
  US15/688,650
• Publication Number:
  US 20190067963A1
• Time in Patent Office: 722 Days
• Field of Search: 320108, 307104
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/20 Charging or discharging characterised by the power electronics converter
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/001 Energy harvesting or scavenging
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/15 using ultrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/20 using microwaves or radio frequency waves
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/30 using light, e.g. lasers
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0048 Detection of remaining charge capacity or state of charge [SOC]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/34 Parallel operation in networks using both storage and other dc sources, e.g. providing buffering H02J7/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 with light sensitive cells

Abstract

According to one implementation, a system for harvesting energy from a mobile device includes a housing having a receptacle for receiving the mobile device, a battery situated within the housing, an energy collection interface including at least one transducer coupled to the battery by a power bus, and one or more auxiliary electronic components coupled to the battery by the power bus. The system is configured to receive, via the receptacle, the mobile device, and to receive, via the energy collection interface, an energy emitted by the mobile device. The system is also configured to generate, by the one or more transducers, a current, using the energy received from the mobile device, and to feed, via the power bus, the current to at least one of the battery and the at least one auxiliary electronic component.

Claims

1. A system configured to harvest energy from a mobile computing device having a display, the system comprising:

a housing including a receptacle for attaching to and detaching from the mobile computing device;

a battery situated within the housing;

an energy collection interface including at least one transducer coupled to the battery by a power bus; and

a holographic viewer coupled to the battery by the power bus;

the system configured to;

receive, via the receptacle, the mobile computing device;

receive, via the energy collection interface, an energy emitted by the mobile computing device;

generate, by the at least one transducer, a current, using the energy received from the mobile computing device;

feed, via the power bus, the current to the battery coupled to the holographic viewer; and

provide, using the holographic viewer powered by the battery, imaging optics to create an illusion of a floating three-dimensional (3D) image from objects rendered on the display of the mobile computing device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one transducer comprises a plurality of transducers each configured to convert a different type of energy to the current.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one transducer is configured to convert light emitted by the mobile computing device to the current.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one transducer is configured to convert a radio frequency (RF) signal emitted by the mobile computing device to the current.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one transducer is configured to convert heat generated by the mobile computing device to the current.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one transducer is configured to convert sound emitted by the mobile computing device to the current.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the mobile computing device includes a hardware processor and a memory storing an energy transfer application.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the system is further configured to, before receiving the energy emitted by the mobile computing device via the energy collection interface:

detect, by the mobile computing device and using the energy transfer application, the at least one transducer of the energy collection interface; and

emit, by the mobile computing device and using the energy transfer application, the energy as a type of energy convertible by the transducer to the current.

9. A method for use by a system configured to harvest energy from a mobile computing device having a display, the system comprising a housing including a receptacle for attaching to and detaching from the mobile computing device, a battery situated within the housing, an energy collection interface including at least one transducer coupled to the battery by a power bus, and a holographic viewer coupled to the battery by the power bus, the method comprising:

receiving, via the receptacle, the mobile computing device;

receiving, via the energy collection interface, an energy emitted by the mobile computing device;

generating, by the at least one transducer, a current, using the energy received from the mobile computing device;

feeding, via the power bus, the current to the battery coupled to the holographic viewer; and

providing, using the holographic viewer powered by the battery, imaging optics to create an illusion of a floating three-dimensional (3D) image from objects rendered on the display of the mobile computing device.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the at least one transducer comprises a plurality of transducers each configured to convert a different type of energy to the current.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the at least one transducer is configured to convert light emitted by the mobile computing device to the current.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the at least one transducer is configured to convert a radio frequency (RF) signal emitted by the mobile computing device to the current.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the at least one transducer is configured to convert heat generated by the mobile computing device to the current.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the at least one transducer is configured to convert sound emitted by the mobile computing device to the current.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the mobile computing device includes a hardware processor and a memory storing an energy transfer application.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises, before receiving the energy emitted by the mobile computing device via the energy collection interface:

detecting, by the mobile computing device and using the energy transfer application, the at least one transducer of the energy collection interface; and

emitting, by the mobile computing device and using the energy transfer application, the energy as a type of energy convertible by the transducer to the current.