SUPPLY ENERGY ARRANGEMENT AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING A SUPPLY ENERGY

• US 20120235495A1
• Filed: 12/22/2011
• Published: 09/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: EnOcean GmbH
• Original Assignee: EnOcean GmbH
• Inventors: Eggert, Holger Alfons
• Granted Patent: US 9,502,924 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/80
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/345 using capacitors as storage or buffering devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 with light sensitive cells

Abstract

Supply energy arrangement comprising an input (E) to which an energy source (Q) is coupled, an output (A) for connection of a load (V), a first energy storage device (E1) that is coupled to the input (E) and the output (A), a second energy storage device (E2) that is coupled to the output (A) and, via a switching means (S), to the input (E), and a control circuit (C) that controls the switching means (S) in such a manner that the switching means (S) connects/disconnects the second energy storage device (E2) to/from the input (E) according to the energy level of the first energy storage device (E1).

Claims

1. A supply energy apparatus, comprising

an input to which an energy source is coupled,

an output for connection of a load,

a first energy storage device that is coupled to the input and the output,

a second energy storage device that is coupled to the output and, via a switch, to the input, and

a control circuit that controls the switch such that

the switch disconnects the second energy storage device from the input while the first energy storage device is being charged by the energy source to at least a second predetermined energy level and the second energy storage device has an energy level that lies below a first predetermined energy level, and

the switch connects the second energy storage device to the input if the energy source has charged the first energy storage device to at least a second predetermined energy level and the energy level of the first energy storage device does not fall below a first predetermined energy level.

2. A supply energy apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that

the first energy storage device is coupled via a nonreturn device to the second energy storage device in such a manner that energy can flow only from the second energy storage device to the first energy storage device.

3. A supply energy apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that

the control circuit comprises a third energy storage device that is coupled to the input and supplies the control circuit with energy, wherein the energy level of the third energy storage device replaces the energy level of the first energy storage device for the purpose of controlling the switch.

4. A supply energy apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that the first energy storage device and the second energy storage device are coupled via a respective nonreturn device to the input, the nonreturn devices preventing an energy flow from the respective energy storage device to the input.

5. A supply energy apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the second energy storage device has an energy storage capacity that is at least ten times greater than the energy storage capacity of the first energy storage device.

6. A supply energy apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that the second energy storage device has an energy storage capacity that is at least one hundred times greater than the energy storage capacity of the first energy storage device.

7. A supply energy apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the control circuit has an energy level comparator that compares the energy level of the first or the third energy storage device to the first and the second predetermined energy levels.

8. A supply energy apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that an energy level limiter is provided that limits the energy level in the supply energy arrangement to a maximum value.

9. A supply energy apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the energy storage devices are capacitors and the energy levels are voltages.

10. A supply energy apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that the nonreturn devices are diodes.

11. A supply energy apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the energy source is an environmental energy converter.

12. A supply energy apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that the apparatus is configured as an integrated circuit.

13. A method for providing a supply energy, characterized in that

a first energy storage device is first charged from an energy source to increase its energy level, and

if the first energy storage device has reached a second predetermined energy level, a second energy storage device is also charged from the energy source, wherein, in case the first energy storage device has discharged to a first predetermined energy level, the second energy storage device is disconnected from the energy source the period of time required to charge the first energy storage device back up to the second predetermined energy level.

14. A method according to claim 13, characterized in that the first energy storage device has an energy storage capacity that is at least ten times less than the energy storage capacity of the second energy storage device.

15. A method according to claim 14, characterized in that the first energy storage device has an energy storage capacity that is at least one hundred times less than the energy storage capacity of the second energy storage device.

16. A method according to claim 15, characterized in that if the energy source cannot deliver the supply energy that is to be provided, the lacking supply energy is first withdrawn from the first energy storage device and then, if required, from the second energy storage device as well.

17. Method according to claim 16, characterized in that the energy level of a third energy storage device, instead of the energy level of the first energy storage device, is used to determine whether the second energy storage device will be charged, the third energy storage device being coupled to the energy source and not serving to provide supply energy.

18. A method according to claim 17, characterized in that an energy flow from the first, second and third energy storage device to the energy source, and from the first energy storage device to the second energy storage device, is prevented.

19. A method comprising:

implementing the method of claim 13 using an energy supply apparatus to operate a sensor or actuator that comprises a radio module thr communication;

wherein the energy storage apparatus comprises.

an input to which an energy source is coupled,

an output for connection of a load

a first energy storage device that is coupled to the input and the output

a second energy storage device that is coupled to the output and, via a switch, to the input, and

a control circuit that controls the switch such that

the switch disconnects the second energy storage device from the input while the first energy storage device is being charged by the energy source to at least a second predetermined energy level and the second energy storage device has an energy level that lies below a first predetermined energy level and

the switch connects the second energy storage device to the input if the energy source has charged the first energy storage device to at least a second predetermined energy level and the energy level of the first energy storage device does not fall below a first predetermined energy level.