SYSTEM AND METHOD OF DETERMINING AN ENERGY HARVESTING CAPABILITY OF A LOCATION
First Claim
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1. A method of determining an energy harvesting capability of a location, comprising:
- harvesting energy at a location using an energy harvester;
charging an energy storage device using the harvested energy;
discharging the energy storage device into a test circuit to provide a notification; and
selectively repeating said steps of charging the energy storage device and discharging the energy storage device such that the notification is provided at a rate proportional to an amount of energy being harvested at the location.
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Abstract
A method of determining an energy harvesting capability of a location harvests energy at a location using an energy harvester and charges an energy storage device using the harvested energy. The energy storage device is discharged into a test circuit to provide a notification. The steps of charging the energy storage device and discharging the energy storage device are selectively repeated such that the notification is provided at a rate proportional to an amount of energy being harvested at the location.
38 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of determining an energy harvesting capability of a location, comprising:
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harvesting energy at a location using an energy harvester; charging an energy storage device using the harvested energy; discharging the energy storage device into a test circuit to provide a notification; and selectively repeating said steps of charging the energy storage device and discharging the energy storage device such that the notification is provided at a rate proportional to an amount of energy being harvested at the location. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A circuit for determining an energy harvesting capability of a location, comprising:
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an energy harvester operable to harvest energy from environmental conditions at a location; and a notification device operable to provide a notification at a rate proportional to an amount of energy being harvested by the energy harvester at the location. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of determining an energy harvesting capability of a location, comprising:
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connecting an energy harvester to a first energy storage device in a test mode, a system load not being powered in the test mode; charging the first energy storage device using energy harvested by the energy harvester at a location; comparing a charge of the first energy storage device to a desired charge; providing a notification to indicate the result of the comparison; and disconnecting the first energy storage device from the energy harvester and connecting the energy harvester to a second energy storage device in an operational mode in response to the capacitor charge being greater than or equal to a desired charge, wherein the second energy storage device has a greater energy storage capacity than the first storage device, and wherein in the operational mode the system load is powered by the energy harvester via the second energy storage device. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A circuit for determining an energy harvesting capability of a location, comprising:
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an energy harvester operable to harvest energy from environmental conditions; a first energy storage device being charged by the energy storage device in a test mode; a second energy storage device being charged by the energy storage device in an operational mode, the second energy storage device having an energy storage capacity that is greater than an energy storage capacity of the first energy storage device; at least one notification device operable to provide a notification if a charge of the first energy storage device is greater than or equal to a desired charge; a system load being powered by the energy harvester via the second energy storage device in the operational mode, and not being powered in the test mode; and a switch operable to change between the test mode and the operational mode by connecting or disconnecting the energy storage devices from the energy harvester. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification