CIRCUIT TOPOLOGY FOR PULSED POWER ENERGY HARVESTING
First Claim
1. A circuit comprising:
- a. an energy storage element;
b. an energy source;
c. a storage capacitor coupled to the energy source and configured to store energy output from the energy source;
d. a power converter circuit coupled between the storage capacitor and the energy storage element, wherein the power converter circuit converts a storage capacitor voltage stored by the storage capacitor to a voltage to charge the energy storage element; and
e. an enabling circuit coupled between the energy source and the power converter circuit, wherein the enabling circuit pulse modulates the power converter circuit to enable burst energy transfer from the storage capacitor to the energy storage element whenever the storage capacitor voltage reaches a reference voltage, further wherein the enabling circuit is powered by the energy source.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An energy harvesting circuit harvests energy from a voltage source and charges a storage element with the harvested energy. The energy harvesting circuit includes an energy source, a storage capacitor to store energy output from the energy source, a power converter circuit, an energy storage element, and an enabling circuit. The enabling circuit turns the boost converter circuit on and off according to a monitored capacitance voltage of the storage capacitor. When the boost converter circuit is turned off, the storage capacitor accumulates energy output from the energy source until a reference voltage is reached, whereupon the boost converter circuit is turned on, enabling current flow from the storage capacitor to the storage element. When the storage capacitor discharges to a minimum voltage level, the boost converter circuit is turned off. The enabling circuit and a reference voltage supply are powered by the energy source.
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Citations
37 Claims
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1. A circuit comprising:
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a. an energy storage element; b. an energy source; c. a storage capacitor coupled to the energy source and configured to store energy output from the energy source; d. a power converter circuit coupled between the storage capacitor and the energy storage element, wherein the power converter circuit converts a storage capacitor voltage stored by the storage capacitor to a voltage to charge the energy storage element; and e. an enabling circuit coupled between the energy source and the power converter circuit, wherein the enabling circuit pulse modulates the power converter circuit to enable burst energy transfer from the storage capacitor to the energy storage element whenever the storage capacitor voltage reaches a reference voltage, further wherein the enabling circuit is powered by the energy source. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A circuit comprising:
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a. an energy storage element; b. an energy source; c. a storage capacitor coupled to the energy source and configured to store energy output from the energy source; d. a power converter circuit coupled between the storage capacitor and the energy storage element, wherein the power converter enables energy transfer from the storage capacitor to the energy storage element when turned on by an enabling signal and disables energy transfer when turned off by a disabling signal; and e. an enabling circuit coupled between the energy source and the power converter circuit, wherein the enabling circuit is powered by the energy source, further wherein the enabling circuit compares a storage capacitor voltage to a reference voltage and outputs the enabling signal to the power converter circuit if the capacitor voltage is greater than or equal to the reference voltage and outputs the disabling signal to the power converter circuit if the capacitor voltage is less than the reference voltage. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A circuit comprising:
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a. an energy storage element; b. an energy source; c. a storage capacitor coupled to the energy source and configured to store energy output from the energy source; d. a power converter circuit coupled between the storage capacitor and the energy storage element, wherein the power converter enables energy transfer from the storage capacitor to the energy storage element when turned on by an enabling signal and disables energy transfer when turned off by a disabling signal; e. an enabling circuit coupled between the energy source and the power converter circuit, wherein the enabling circuit is powered by the energy source, further wherein the enabling circuit compares a storage capacitor voltage to a reference voltage and outputs the enabling signal to the power converter circuit if the capacitor voltage is greater than or equal to the reference voltage; and f. a disabling circuit coupled between the energy source and the power converter circuit, wherein the disabling circuit is powered by the energy storage element only when the power converter circuit is enabled, further wherein the disabling circuit compares the storage capacitor voltage to the reference voltage and outputs the disabling signal to the power converter circuit if the capacitor voltage is less than the reference voltage.
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Specification