SENSOR DEVICE POWERED THROUGH RF HARVESTING

• US 20100253156A1
• Filed: 04/07/2009
• Published: 10/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: EnOcean GmbH
• Original Assignee: EnOcean GmbH
• Inventors: Barnett, Thomas Alan, Iott, Jeffrey
• Application Number:
  US12/419,449
• Publication Number:
  US 20100253156A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/149
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 21/00 Measuring or testing not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/001 Energy harvesting or scavenging
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/20 using microwaves or radio frequency waves
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/40 using two or more transmitting or receiving devices H02J50/50 takes precedence

Abstract

An example sensor device for a wireless system includes a receiver, an energy harvester and a transmitter. The receiver receives a signal and the energy harvester converts the signal into useable energy. The transmitter utilizes the useable energy to actuate a load.

Claims

1. A sensor device for a wireless system, comprising:

a receiver that receives a signal;

an energy harvester that converts said signal into usable energy; and

a transmitter that utilizes said usable energy to selectively actuate a load.

2. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein said sensor device is continuously powered by a dedicated source transmitter located external from said sensor device.

3. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein said sensor device is a component of a lighting system.

4. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein said sensor device is a component of a security system.

5. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein said energy harvester includes a charge boosting device that converts said signal into said usable energy, and an energy storage device that stores said usable energy.

6. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein said receiver includes an antenna that receives said signal.

7. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein said signal includes radio frequency (RF) energy.

8. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein said transmitter transmits a data string to communicate with said load.

9. A wireless system, comprising:

a building structure;

a transmitter located within said building structure;

a sensor device in communication with said transmitter, wherein said sensor device is constantly powered by a signal received from said transmitter; and

an electrically powered device actuated by said sensor device.

10. The system as recited in claim 9, wherein said signal includes RF energy.

11. The system as recited in claim 9, comprising a receiver in wireless communication with said sensor device, and said receiver receives a second signal from said sensor device to actuate said electrically powered device.

12. The system as recited in claim 9, wherein said building structure includes a plurality of floors and said transmitter includes a plurality of transmitters, and each of said plurality of floors includes at least one of said plurality of transmitters.

13. The system as recited in claim 9, wherein said sensor device includes a plurality of sensor devices, and at least one of said plurality of sensor devices is positioned on each of said plurality of floors.

14. The system as recited in claim 9, wherein said electrically powered device includes a plurality of electrically powered devices, and at least one of said plurality of electrically powered devices are positioned on each of said plurality of floors.

15. A method for use with a wireless system having at least one sensor device, comprising the steps of:

a) constantly powering the at least one sensor device with a signal received external from the at least one sensor device.

16. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the wireless system includes a dedicated source transmitter, and comprising the steps of:

b) positioning the dedicated source transmitter within a building structure; and

c) communicating a signal from the dedicated source transmitter to the at least one sensor device to constantly power the at least one sensor device.

17. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the signal includes RF energy.

18. The method as recited in claim 15, comprising the step of:

b) converting the signal received by at least one sensor device into useable energy.

19. The method as recited in claim 18, comprising the step of:

c) storing the usable energy within the at least one sensor device.

20. The method as recited in claim 18, wherein the wireless system includes a receiver and an electrically powered device in electrical communication with the receiver, and comprising the steps of:

c) utilizing the useable energy to communicate a signal to the receiver; and

d) actuating the electrically powered device in response to receiving the signal from the at least one sensor device.