Systems and Methods for Receiving and Managing Power in Wireless Devices
First Claim
1. A system for collecting radio frequency (“
- RF”
) power, comprising;
a power source comprising at least a first antenna element and a second antenna element, wherein each of said first and second antenna elements are coupled to at least one rectifier to form at least two rectenna elements, said power source converting the RF power into a direct current (“
DC”
) power source output power;
a DC combining circuit associated with said power source, wherein said DC combining circuit is configured to dynamically combine said at least two rectenna elements in one of a plurality of series/parallel configurations;
a controlled impedance power controller comprising;
a power converter having a power converter input and configured to receive said DC power source output power at said power converter input, wherein said DC power source output power comprises current and voltage characteristics which may drift over time,wherein said power converter is configured to present a positive equivalent resistive load to said power source over a range of input power levels; and
wherein said controlled impedance power controller is further configured to control said DC combining circuit such that said DC power source output power approaches a desired overall power output from said at least two rectenna elements; and
an energy storage device configured to store said DC power source output power.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Exemplary systems and methods are provided for collecting/harvesting direct current (DC) power received from a power source(s). The system comprises a controlled impedance power controller comprises a power converter configured to present a positive equivalent resistive load to the at least one power source over a range of input power levels. Exemplary systems and methods are provided for collecting radio frequency (RF) power. An exemplary system comprises at least two rectenna elements, a power controller, and a DC combining circuit. The DC combining circuit is associated with the at least two rectenna elements and the DC combining circuit is configured to dynamically combine the at least two rectenna elements in one of a plurality of series/parallel configurations. The power controller is configured to control the DC combining circuit to achieve a desired overall power output from the at least two rectenna elements.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A system for collecting radio frequency (“
- RF”
) power, comprising;a power source comprising at least a first antenna element and a second antenna element, wherein each of said first and second antenna elements are coupled to at least one rectifier to form at least two rectenna elements, said power source converting the RF power into a direct current (“
DC”
) power source output power;a DC combining circuit associated with said power source, wherein said DC combining circuit is configured to dynamically combine said at least two rectenna elements in one of a plurality of series/parallel configurations; a controlled impedance power controller comprising; a power converter having a power converter input and configured to receive said DC power source output power at said power converter input, wherein said DC power source output power comprises current and voltage characteristics which may drift over time, wherein said power converter is configured to present a positive equivalent resistive load to said power source over a range of input power levels; and wherein said controlled impedance power controller is further configured to control said DC combining circuit such that said DC power source output power approaches a desired overall power output from said at least two rectenna elements; and an energy storage device configured to store said DC power source output power. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
- RF”
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7. A system for converting direct current (DC) power received from at least one power source, the system comprising:
a controlled impedance power controller, said controlled impedance power controller comprising; a power converter having a power converter input and configured to receive DC power at said power converter input, wherein said DC power comprises current and voltage characteristics which may drift over time, wherein said power converter is configured to present a positive equivalent resistive load to the at least one power source over a range of input power levels; and a storage device for storing converted power from the at least one power source. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of storing low power direct current (DC) power received from at least one power source, comprising the steps of:
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sensing current and voltage characteristics of the low power DC power; selecting, based upon the sensed characteristics, a DC-to-DC converter module and operating mode; selecting parameters, based upon the sensed characteristics, such that a positive equivalent resistive load is presented to the at least one power source at the input of said DC-to-DC converter module over a range of input power levels; and storing converted power, from said DC-to-DC converter module, in an energy storage device.
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16. A device for collecting radio frequency (RF) power comprising:
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at least two rectenna elements, wherein said at least two rectenna elements comprises one of;
(a) a first antenna integrated with a first rectifier and a second antenna integrated with a second rectifier, and (b) a first antenna integrated with a first rectifier and a second rectifier where each is configured for a different polarization;a power controller; and a direct current (“
DC”
) combining circuit associated with said at least two rectenna elements, wherein said DC combining circuit is configured to dynamically combine said at least two rectenna elements in one of a plurality of series/parallel configurations; andwherein said power controller is configured to control said DC combining circuit to achieve a desired overall power output from said at least two rectenna elements. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A method of collecting radio frequency (RF) power using a device comprising at least two rectenna elements, a power controller and a DC combining circuit, the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving RF waves at each of said at least two rectenna elements; determining which one of a plurality of series/parallel electrical configurations of said at least two rectenna elements will result in a desired overall power output from said at least two rectenna elements; controlling at least one switch in the DC combining circuit to cause it to dynamically reconfigure the connectivity of said at least two rectenna elements in one of a plurality of series/parallel configurations; storing the overall power output from said at least two rectenna elements in a storage device.
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Specification