METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR HIGH EFFICIENCY RECTIFICATION FOR VARIOUS LOADS

• US 20110069516A1
• Filed: 11/22/2010
• Published: 03/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Powercast Corporation
• Original Assignee: Powercast Corporation
• Inventors: Greene, Charles E., Harrist, Daniel W.
• Granted Patent: US 9,000,616 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 363/126
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/10 Parallel operation of dc sources
• 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 7/32 for charging batteries from a charging set comprising a non-electric prime mover rotating at constant speed
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/04 by static converters
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/04 by static converters
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/08 arranged for operation in parallel
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/103 Containing passive elements (capacitively coupled) which are ordered in cascade on one source
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 11/28 Impedance matching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/37 Converter circuits

Abstract

An apparatus for converting power includes at least one impedance matching network which receives an electrical signal. The apparatus includes at least one AC to DC converter in communication with the impedance matching network. Also disclosed is a method for powering a load and an apparatus for converting power and additional embodiments of an apparatus for converting power.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a first AC-to-DC converter configured to receive a signal having a power level within a first power range, the first AC-to-DC converter configured to be operatively coupled to a load;

a second AC-to-DC converter configured to receive a signal having a power level within a second power range, the second AC-to-DC converter configured to be operatively coupled to the load;

a selector operatively coupled to the first AC-to-DC converter and the second AC-to-DC converter and configured to receive an input signal, the selector configured to direct the input signal to the first AC-to-DC converter when the power level of the input signal is within the first power range, the selector configured to direct the input signal to the second AC-to-DC converter when the power level of the input signal is within the second power range.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first AC-to-DC converter is configured to provide a conversion efficiency of the input signal of at least 50% for the first power range when the power level of the input signal is within the first power range.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second AC-to-DC converter receives at least a portion of the input signal when the power level of the input signal is within the first power range.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first AC-to-DC converter defines a first signal path optimized for a first characteristic, the second AC-to-DC converter defines a second signal path optimized for a second characteristic different from the first characteristic.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first AC-to-DC converter defines a first signal path that is matched to a first predetermined impedance value, the second AC-to-DC converter defines a second signal path that is matched to a second predetermined impedance value.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first AC-to-DC converter has an output resistance substantially equal to a first discrete resistance of the load during a first time period, the second AC-to-DC converter has an output resistance substantially equal to a second discrete resistance of the load during a second time period different from the first time period, the second discrete resistance of the load being different from the first discrete resistance of the load.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the selector is at least one of a microstrip line, a transformer or a switch.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first AC-to-DC converter is one of a voltage doubler having one or more stages, a charge pump, a series detector, a shunt detector, or a bridge rectifier.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first AC-to-DC converter, the second AC-to-DC converter, and the selector are connected to a substrate.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first power range is between −

20 dBm and −

3 dBm and the second power range is between −

7 dBm and +10 dBm.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a controller operatively coupled to the selector, the controller configured to select the first AC-to-DC converter or the second AC to DC converter based on the power level of the input signal such that the selector directs the input signal to the first AC-to-DC converter or second AC to DC converter selected by the controller.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a combiner electrically coupled to the first AC-to-DC converter and the second AC-to-DC converter, the combiner configured to combine an output of the first AC-to-DC converter with an output of the second AC-to-DC converter to produce a combined output, the combined output being provided to the load.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

an impedance matching network operatively coupled to the first AC-to-DC converter, the impedance matching network configured to receive the input signal when the power level of the input signal is within the first power range, the first AC-to-DC converter configured to receive an output of the impedance matching network associated with the input signal.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a third AC-to-DC converter configured to receive a signal having a power level within a third power range, the third AC-to-DC converter configured to be operatively coupled to the load,

the selector being operatively coupled to the first AC-to-DC converter, the second AC-to-DC converter, and the third AC-to-DC converter, the selector configured to direct the input signal to the third AC-to-DC converter when the power level of the input signal is within the third power range.

15. An apparatus, comprising:

an energy harvester having a first AC-to-DC converter and a second AC-to-DC converter, the energy harvester configured to be operatively coupled to a load,

the first AC-to-DC converter defining a first signal path optimized to receive an input signal having a power level within a first power range,

the second AC-to-DC converter defining a second signal path optimized to receive an input signal having a power level within a second power range different from the first power range.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the first signal path is optimized to receive an input signal having a power level within the first power range at a predetermined frequency, the second signal path is optimized to receive an input signal having a power level within the second power range at the predetermined frequency.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein at least a portion of the energy harvester is formed on at least one of a printed circuit board (PCB) or a semiconductor.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the first signal path is matched to a first predetermined impedance value, the second signal path is matched to a second predetermined impedance value different from the first predetermined impedance value.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the energy harvester includes a first impedance matching network and a second impedance matching network,

the first impedance matching network being electrically coupled to the first AC-to-DC converter and included in the first signal path,

the second impedance matching network being electrically coupled to the second AC-to-DC converter and included in the second signal path.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the energy harvester is operatively coupled to at least one of an antenna, a piezoelectric element, a solar cell, a generator, a vibration harvester, an acoustic harvester or a wind harvester.

21. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the energy harvester is configured to provide operative power to a microcontroller such that the microcontroller operates in a first mode when the first AC-to-DC converter receives an input signal having a power level within the first power range and operates in a second mode when the second AC-to-DC converter receives an input signal having a power level within the second power range.

22. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the energy harvester is configured to provide a conversion efficiency of an input signal over an input signal power range that includes the first power range and the second power range.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the input signal power range extends at least 20 dB.

24. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the input signal power range is greater than the first power range, the input signal power range is greater than the second power range.

25. An apparatus, comprising:

an energy harvester having a first AC-to-DC converter and a second AC-to-DC converter, the energy harvester configured to be operatively coupled to a load,

the first AC-to-DC converter defining a first signal path optimized to receive an input signal having a voltage level within a first voltage range,

the second AC-to-DC converter defining a second signal path optimized to receive an input signal having a voltage level within a second voltage range different from the first voltage range.

26. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one impedance matching network configured to receive an input signal;

at least one AC-to-DC converter electrically connected to the at least one impedance matching network, the at least one AC-to-DC converter configured to receive an output of the at least one impedance matching network; and

a DC-to-DC converter operatively coupled to the at least one AC-to-DC converter, the DC-to-DC converter configured to regulate an output voltage of the at least one AC-to-DC converter such that the output voltage of the at least one AC-to-DC converter remains within a predetermined voltage range.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the DC-to-DC converter is configured to be operatively coupled to a load, the DC-to-DC converter is configured to provide the output of the at least one AC-to-DC converter to the load to charge the load when the output voltage of the at least one AC-to-DC converter is within the predetermined voltage range.

28. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the DC-to-DC converter is configured to be operatively coupled to a load, the DC-to-DC converter is configured to prevent the output of the at least one AC-to-DC converter from being provided to the load to charge the load when the output voltage of the at least one AC-to-DC converter is outside the predetermined voltage range.

29. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the at least one impedance matching network includes at least one of a discrete element, an intrinsic element, or a parasitic element.

30. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the at least one AC-to-DC converter includes a first AC-to-DC converter and a second AC-to-DC converter, the apparatus further comprising:

a switch electrically connected to the first AC-to-DC converter, the second AC-to-DC converter and the DC-to-DC converter, the switch configured to provide an output of the first AC-to-DC converter to the DC-to-DC converter when the switch selects the first AC-to-DC converter, the switch configured to provide an output of the second AC-to-DC converter to the DC-to-DC converter when the switch selects the second AC-to-DC converter.

31. An apparatus, comprising:

a microchip;

at least one impedance matching network configured to receive an input signal;

at least one AC-to-DC converter formed on the microchip and electrically connected to the at least one impedance matching network, the at least one AC-to-DC converter configured to receive an output of the at least one impedance matching network; and

a DC-to-DC converter formed on the microchip and operatively coupled to the at least one AC-to-DC converter, the DC-to-DC converter configured to regulate an output voltage of the at least one AC-to-DC converter such that the at least one AC-to-DC converter maintains an output voltage within a predetermined voltage range.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the at least one impedance matching network is connected to the microchip.

33. An apparatus, comprising:

a substrate;

a first AC-to-DC converter circuit at least a portion of which is deposited on the substrate;

a second AC-to-DC converter circuit at least a portion of which is deposited on the substrate;

a first impedance matching circuit formed from at least one of a discrete element, an intrinsic element or a parasitic element, the first impedance matching circuit connected to the substrate and configured to match a source impedance associated with a first input signal to an impedance of the first AC-to-DC converter circuit; and

a second impedance matching circuit formed from at least one of a discrete element, an intrinsic element or a parasitic element, the second impedance matching circuit connected to the substrate and configured to match a source impedance associated with a second input signal to an impedance of the second AC-to-DC converter circuit.

34. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the first AC-to-DC converter circuit is associated with a first input power range, the second AC-to-DC converter circuit is associated with a second input power range.

35. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the first AC-to-DC converter circuit is one of a voltage doubler having one or more stages, a charge pump, a series detector, a shunt detector, a bridge rectifier, a full wave rectifier, or a half wave rectifier.

36. The apparatus of claim 33, further comprising:

a third impedance matching circuit connected to the first impedance matching circuit and the second impedance matching circuit, the third impedance matching circuit configured to match a source impedance associated with a third input signal to an impedance of the apparatus.

37. The apparatus of claim 33, further comprising:

a DC-to-DC converter deposited on the substrate and operatively coupled to at least one of the first AC-to-DC converter circuit or the second AC-to-DC converter circuit.

38. An apparatus, comprising:

a first impedance matching network configured to receive an electrical signal and to produce an output associated with the electrical signal of the first impedance matching network;

a second impedance matching network configured to receive an electrical signal and to produce an output associated with the electrical signal of the second impedance matching network;

a switch electrically connected to the first impedance matching network and the second impedance matching network; and

an AC-to-DC converter operatively coupled to the first impedance matching network and the second impedance matching network via the switch, the AC-to-DC converter configured to receive the output of the first impedance matching network when the switch selects the first impedance matching network, the AC-to-DC converter configured to receive the output of the second impedance matching network when the switch selects the second impedance matching network.

39. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the AC-to-DC converter is configured to be operatively coupled to a load such that an output of the AC-to-DC converter is provided to the load to charge the load when the AC to DC converter is operatively coupled to the load.

40. The apparatus of claim 39, wherein the load is fixed substantially at an optimal resistance value.

41. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the first electrical signal has a power level within a power range associated with the first impedance matching network, the second electrical signal has a power level within a power range associated with the second impedance matching network.

42. The apparatus of claim 41, further comprising:

a selector electrically coupled to the first impedance matching network and the second impedance matching network, the selector configured to receive the electrical signal of the first impedance matching network and direct the electrical signal of the first impedance matching network to the first impedance matching network, the selector configured to receive the electrical signal of the second impedance matching network and direct the electrical signal of the second impedance matching network to the second impedance matching network.

43. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein the AC-to-DC converter provides a first conversion efficiency associated with the electrical signal of the first impedance matching network and a second conversion efficiency associated with the electrical signal of the second impedance matching network, the first conversion efficiency being substantially similar to the second conversion efficiency.

44. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the switch includes at least one of a transistor, a pin diode or a relay.

45. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the switch is operatively coupled to a controller configured to select the first impedance matching network or the second impedance matching network based on an input signal to produce an output, the switch configured to select the first impedance matching network or the second impedance matching network based on the output of the controller.

46. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the first impedance matching network, the second impedance matching network, the switch, and the AC-to-DC converter are connected to a semiconductor.