Passive over/under voltage control and protection for energy storage devices associated with energy harvesting

• US 20090251099A1
• Filed: 04/02/2009
• Published: 10/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sapurast Research LLC
• Original Assignee: Feenex Inc. (Apple Inc.)
• Inventors: Neudecker, Brend J., Brantner, Paul C., Johnson, Raymond R., Keating, Joseph A., Narayan, Prativadi B., Bradow, Timothy N.
• Granted Patent: US 8,350,519 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/101
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00302 Overcharge protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00306 Overdischarge protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00308 Overvoltage protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0032 disconnection of loads if battery is not under charge, e.g. in vehicle if engine is not running

Abstract

Described herein is, for example, a battery or capacitor over voltage (overcharge) and under-voltage protection circuit, that, for example, is adapted to not draw current from the battery or capacitor to be charged unless charge energy is detected and to not charge an energy storage device when an over-charge condition is sensed. The protection circuit may, for example, not be turned on unless an over voltage condition is present. Incoming energy to the system can be shunted to ground via a shunt load of various types including resistive loads and active components such as a zener diode. In some embodiments, no switching of the inbound power is required. Within limits, no regulation of inbound power is needed. When inbound power is sufficient to charge the battery or capacitor, regulation can occur via the applied shunt regulator if overcharge voltage conditions exist. Either type of charge source, voltage or current, can be used to provide charge energy. Combining said battery or capacitor over voltage (overcharge) and under-voltage protection circuit with electronic loads, such as wireless sensors, may lead to autonomously-powered wireless sensor systems.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

at least one input charge device having a charge potential energy;

at least one blocking circuit comprising an input terminal and an output terminal, said blocking circuit input terminal connected to said at least one input charge device;

at least one energy storage device connected to said output terminal of said at least one blocking circuit, said at least one energy storage device having a voltage and a predetermined safe voltage level;

at least one voltage monitor circuit comprising an input terminal, a reference terminal, and an output terminal, said first voltage monitor circuit input terminal being connected to said blocking circuit input terminal; and

at least one power dissipation circuit adapted to be electrically connected to said at least one energy storage device when charge energy from said at least one input charge device exceeds the voltage in said at least one energy storage device and the voltage of said energy storage device exceeds a predetermined over-charge value.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of input charge devices electrically connected in parallel to said blocking circuit input terminal.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of input charge devices electrically connected in series to said blocking circuit input terminal.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of energy storage devices electrically connected in parallel to said output terminal of said at least one blocking circuit.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of energy storage devices electrically connected in series to said output terminal of said at least one blocking circuit.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one rectification circuit interposed between said at least one input charge device and said blocking circuit input terminal.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one RC filter circuit interposed between said at least one input charge device and said blocking circuit input terminal.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one capacitive DC current block interposed between said at least one input charge device and said blocking circuit input terminal.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one capacitive DC current block interposed between said at least one input charge device plus an associated rectification device and said blocking circuit input terminal.

10. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a voltage boost converter connected to said at least one input charge device.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said at least one input charge device comprises any device selected from the group of:

DC current source, AC current source, rectified AC current source, DC voltage source, AC voltage source, rectified AC voltage source, piezoelectric source, thermoelectric source, fuel cell source, radio-frequency transducer, solar cell, wind turbine, radio isotope to electric source, inductive source, magnetic source, vibration energy scavenger, water movement-to-electric energy converter, rotational movement-to-electric energy converter, temperature variation-to-electric energy converter, magnetostrictive device.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said at least one blocking circuit comprises any device selected from the group of:

diode, Schottky diode, mechanical relay, solid state relay, active semiconductor device, Micro Electro Mechanical Switch, field effect transistor, field effect transistor pair, field effect transistor array.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said at least one voltage monitor circuit is adapted to be electrically connected to said at least one input charge device and said at least one energy storage device only when said charge voltage of said at least one input charge device exceeds said predetermined safe voltage level of said at least one energy storage device.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said at least one voltage monitor circuit is adapted to isolate said at least one power dissipation circuit from said at least one energy storage device until said at least one energy storage device voltage exceeds said predetermined safe voltage level.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said at least one voltage monitor circuit comprises any device selected from the group of:

a single precision low current shunt voltage reference with a high impedance amplifier;

a plurality of precision low current shunt voltage references with at least one high impedance amplifier;

a semiconductor monitoring device.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said at least one power dissipation circuit comprises a power dissipation circuit switching device;

and

a shunt power dissipation circuit electrically connected to said power dissipation circuit switching device.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said power dissipation circuit switching device comprises any device selected from the group of:

field effect transistor, bipolar transistor, relay, MEMS relay, semiconductor circuit.

18. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said shunt power dissipation circuit comprises any circuit selected from the group of:

shunt voltage reference circuit, resistive load circuit, semiconductor circuit, battery, consumer electronic device.

19. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said at least one power dissipation circuit and said at least one voltage monitor circuit are positioned on a single semiconductor chip and powered solely by said at least one input charge device.

20. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said at least one power dissipation circuit, said at least one blocking circuit, and said at least one voltage monitor circuit are positioned on a single semiconductor chip and powered solely by said at least one input charge device.

21. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said at least one input charge device, said at least one blocking circuit, said at least one energy storage device, and said at least one power dissipation circuit are positioned on a flexible substrate.

22. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said at least one input charge device, said at least one blocking circuit, said at least one energy storage device, and said at least one power dissipation circuit are positioned within a flexible substrate.

23. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein said flexible substrate comprises a material selected from the group of:

polyimide-based flexible circuit, polyester-based flexible circuit, polyethylene naphthalate-based flexible circuit, polyetherimide-based flexible circuit, aramid-based flexible circuit, and epoxy-based flexible circuit.

24. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said at least one input charge device, said at least one blocking circuit, said at least one energy storage device, and said at least one power dissipation circuit are positioned on a printed circuit board.

25. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said at least one input charge device comprises any device selected from the group of:

piezoelectric transducer, radio-frequency transducer, solar cell, wind turbine, vibration energy scavenger, water movement-to-electric energy converter, rotational movement-to-electric energy converter, and temperature variation-to-electric energy converter, magnetostrictive energy converter.

26. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said at least one energy storage device comprises any device selected from the group of:

battery, thin-film battery, capacitor, thin-film capacitor, chemical double layer capacitor, magneto-electric element, piezoelectric element, thermal mass container, flywheel, micro-flywheel, micro electromechanical system (MEMS), mechanical spring, hydrogen generator further comprising a hydrogen container, and ozone generator further comprising an ozone container.

27. An apparatus comprising:

a first node;

at least one voltage monitor circuit comprising an input terminal and an output terminal, said at least one voltage monitor circuit input terminal connected to said first node;

at least one blocking circuit comprising an input terminal and an output terminal, said blocking circuit input terminal electrically connected to said first node;

a second node electrically connected to said blocking circuit output terminal;

at least one power dissipation circuit having an input terminal and an output terminal said input terminal of said at least one power dissipation circuit electrically connected to said second node; and

a third node electrically connected to said output terminal of said at least one power dissipation circuit.

28. The apparatus of claim 27 further comprising at least one energy storage device electrically connected to said second node, said at least one energy storage device having a voltage.

29. The apparatus of claim 28 further comprising said at least one power dissipation circuit adapted to allow electrical current to flow from said input terminal of said power dissipation circuit to said output terminal of said power dissipation circuit when said voltage of at least one energy storage device is greater than a predetermined over-charge value.

30. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein said input terminal of said power dissipation circuit is electrically isolated from said output terminal of said power dissipation circuit when the voltage measured by said at least one voltage monitor circuit is less than a predetermined over-charge value.

31. The apparatus of claim 27 further comprising at least one input charge device connected to said first node.

32. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein said at least one input charge device comprises an energy harvesting device.

33. The apparatus of claim 32 wherein said at least one energy-harvesting mechanism comprises any device selected from the group of:

piezoelectric transducer, radio-frequency transducer, solar cell, wind turbine, vibration energy scavenger, water movement-to-electric energy converter, rotational movement-to-electric energy converter, magnetostrictive energy converter, and temperature variation-to-electric energy converter.

34. The apparatus of claim 28 further comprising an energy load, said energy load electrically connected to said first node.

35. The apparatus of claim 28 further comprising an energy load, said energy load electrically connected to said second node.

36. The apparatus of claim 28 further comprising an energy load, said energy load electrically connected to said third node.

37. The apparatus of claim 35 further comprising an under-voltage protection circuit interposed between said energy load and said second node, said under-voltage protection circuit adapted to electrically isolate said energy load from said second node when said voltage of at least one energy storage device is less than a predetermined under-voltage value.

38. The apparatus of claim 31 further comprising at least one energy storage device electrically connected to said second node;

wherein said at least one input charge device, said at least one voltage monitor circuit, said at least one blocking circuit, said at least one energy storage device, and said at least one power dissipation circuit located on a flexible substrate.

39. The apparatus of claim 31 further comprising at least one energy storage device electrically connected to said second node;

wherein said at least one input charge device, said at least one voltage monitor circuit, said at least one blocking circuit, said at least one energy storage device, and said at least one power dissipation circuit located within a flexible substrate.

40. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein said flexible substrate comprises a material selected from the group of:

polyimide-based flexible circuit, polyester-based flexible circuit, polyethylene naphthalate-based flexible circuit, polyetherimide-based flexible circuit, aramid-based flexible circuit, and epoxy-based flexible circuit.

41. The apparatus of claim 31 further comprising said at least one input charge device, said at least one voltage monitor circuit, said at least one blocking circuit, said at least one energy storage device, and said at least one power dissipation circuit positioned on a printed circuit board.

42. The apparatus of claim 31 further comprising said at least one input charge device, said at least one voltage monitor circuit, said at least one blocking circuit, said at least one energy storage device, and said at least one power dissipation circuit positioned within a printed circuit board.

43. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein said at least one energy storage device comprises any device selected from the group of:

battery, thin-film battery, capacitor, thin-film capacitor, chemical double layer capacitor, magneto-electric element, piezoelectric element, thermal mass container, flywheel, micro-flywheel, micro electromechanical system (MEMS), mechanical spring, hydrogen generator further comprising a hydrogen container, and ozone generator further comprising an ozone container.

44. An ambient energy powered system comprising:

at least one input charge device electrically connected to a first node, said input charge device comprising an energy harvesting device;

a passive power management unit comprising a first terminal, a second terminal, a third terminal, said first terminal electrically connected to said first node, said passive power management unit comprising;

at least one voltage monitor circuit, said at least one voltage monitor circuit comprising a first terminal and a second terminal, said first terminal of said voltage monitor circuit electrically connected to said first terminal of said passive power management unit;

at least one blocking circuit, said at least one blocking circuit comprising a first terminal and a second terminal, said first terminal of said at least one blocking circuit electrically connected to said first terminal of said passive power management unit and said second terminal of said at least one blocking circuit electrically connected to said second terminal of said passive power management unit;

at least one power dissipation circuit comprising an input terminal, an output terminal, and a signal terminal, said power dissipation circuit input terminal electrically connected to said second terminal of said passive power management unit and said power dissipation circuit output terminal electrically connected to said third terminal of said passive power management unit; and

at least one energy storage device electrically connected to said second terminal of said passive power management unit;

wherein said at least one power dissipation circuit is adapted to electrically connect said second terminal of said passive power management unit to said third terminal of said passive power management unit when the voltage level of said at least one energy storage device exceeds a predetermined over-charge value.

45. The ambient energy powered system of claim 44 further comprising said power dissipation circuit powered solely by said at least one input charge device.

46. The ambient energy powered system of claim 44 wherein said at least one energy storage device comprises any device selected from the group of:

battery, capacitor.

47. The ambient energy powered system of claim 44 further comprising said at least one input charge device electrically disconnected from said at least one energy storage device when the voltage level of said at least one energy storage device is greater than a preset over-charge value.

48. The ambient energy powered system of claim 44 wherein said at least one power dissipation circuit is adapted to isolate said at least one energy storage device electrically from said third terminal of said at least one power dissipation circuit when said voltage of at least one energy storage device is less than a predetermined over-charge value.

49. The ambient energy powered system of claim 44 further comprising said output terminal of said power dissipation circuit connected to any device selected from the group of:

shunt voltage reference circuit, resistive load circuit, semiconductor circuit, additional energy storage device, consumer electronic device.

50. An autonomously-powered energy system comprising:

at least one input charge device electrically connected to a first node, said input charge device comprising an energy harvesting device;

a passive power management unit comprising a first terminal, a second terminal, and a third terminal, said first terminal electrically connected to said first node, said passive power management unit comprising;

at least one voltage monitor circuit, said at least one voltage monitor circuit comprising a first terminal and a second terminal, said first terminal of said voltage monitor circuit electrically connected to said first terminal of said passive power management unit;

at least one blocking circuit, said at least one blocking circuit comprising a first terminal and a second terminal, said first terminal of said at least one blocking circuit electrically connected to said first terminal of said passive power management unit and said second terminal of said at least one blocking circuit electrically connected to said second terminal of said passive power management unit;

at least one power dissipation circuit comprising an input terminal, an output terminal, and a signal terminal, said power dissipation circuit input terminal electrically connected to said second terminal of said passive power management unit and said power dissipation circuit output terminal electrically connected to said third terminal of said passive power management unit;

at least one energy storage device electrically connected to said second terminal of said passive power management unit, said energy storage device comprising a thin film battery;

at least one wireless system connected to said energy storage device, said wireless system comprising at least one wireless sensor; and

wherein said at least one power dissipation circuit is adapted to electrically connect said second terminal of said passive power management unit to said third terminal of said passive power management unit when the voltage level of said at least one energy storage device exceeds a predetermined over-charge value.

51. The autonomously-powered energy system of claim 50 wherein said at least one power dissipation circuit is adapted to electrically isolate said at least one energy storage device from said output terminal of said at least one power dissipation circuit when the voltage level of said at least one energy storage device is less than a predetermined over-voltage value.

52. An apparatus comprising:

at least one input charge device having a charge voltage;

at least one blocking circuit comprising an input terminal and an output terminal, said blocking circuit input terminal connected to said at least one input charge device;

at least one energy storage device connected to said output terminal of said at least one blocking circuit, said at least one energy storage device having a voltage and a predetermined safe voltage level;

at least one voltage monitor circuit comprising an input terminal, a reference terminal, and an output terminal, said first voltage monitor circuit input terminal being connected to said blocking circuit input terminal; and

at least one power dissipation circuit connected in parallel to said at least one energy storage device.