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Energy harvesting nodes in a mesh network

  • US 10,637,673 B2
  • Filed: 12/11/2017
  • Issued: 04/28/2020
  • Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2016
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A system, comprising:

  • a radio frequency (RF) wireless energy-harvesting device comprising an energy-harvesting mechanism, a message generation facility, and a transmission facility; and

    an RF wireless mesh network comprising a plurality of RF mesh network nodes, wherein at least a first of the plurality of RF mesh network nodes is at least intermittently communicatively coupled to the RF wireless energy-harvesting device;

    wherein the RF wireless energy-harvesting device is configured to;

    generate electrical energy from a harvesting action of the energy-harvesting mechanism;

    generate a broadcast message through the message generation facility; and

    transmit the broadcast message through the transmission facility;

    wherein the first of the plurality of RF mesh network nodes is configured to receive the broadcast message and transmit the broadcast message as a network message to at least a second of the plurality of RF mesh network nodes;

    wherein the energy-harvesting device is further configured to;

    set a device timer for a period of time;

    transition to a low-power mode until the device timer reaches the end of the period of time; and

    transition from the low-power mode to an operational mode and monitor for reception of a reply message from one of the plurality of RF mesh network nodes; and

    wherein the energy-harvesting device is further configured to embed a time value into the broadcast message that corresponds to the period of time set in the device timer.

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