DISPLAY APPARATUS AND METHODS TO DISPLAY ENERGY OUTPUT

• US 20140018942A1
• Filed: 07/10/2012
• Published: 01/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Stachow, Robert Paul, Rank, Brandon James, Kavanaugh, Trevor Shaun
• Application Number:
  US13/545,862
• Publication Number:
  US 20140018942A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/83
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 2204/18 Remote displaying of utility meter readings
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 2204/30 Remote utility meter reading systems specially adapted for metering the generated energy or power
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/004 Remote reading of utility meters to a fixed location
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 22/10 using digital techniques
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/30 Smart metering, e.g. specially adapted for remote reading

Abstract

A display apparatus is provided. The display apparatus includes a circuit coupled to at least one energy harvester, wherein the circuit is configured to receive at least one signal that is representative of a detected energy output from the energy harvester. The circuit is also configured to generate at least one output representative of a quantification of the detected energy output. A display interface is coupled to the circuit and is configured to display the output generated by the circuit.

Claims

1. A display apparatus comprising:

a circuit coupled to at least one energy harvester, wherein said circuit is configured to receive at least one signal that is representative of an energy output generated from the at least one energy harvester and to generate at least one output representative of a quantification of the energy output; and

a display interface coupled to said circuit, wherein said display interface is configured to display the at least one output generated by said circuit.

2. A display apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said circuit is configured to receive the at least one signal that is representative of the energy output that is generated based on a vibrational energy input.

3. A display apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said circuit is configured to receive the at least one signal that is representative of the energy output that is generated based on a thermal energy input.

4. A display apparatus in accordance with claim 1, further comprising an audio output device coupled to said circuit, wherein said audio output device is configured to generate an audio signal based on the at least one output generated by said circuit, said audio output device is configured to transmit the audio signal to the user.

5. A display apparatus in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a power supply coupled within said main body.

6. A display apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said display interface comprises at least one light-emitting diode.

7. A display apparatus in accordance with claim 6, wherein said at least one light emitting diode comprises a plurality of light-emitting diodes that are configured to indicate a gradient of a plurality of levels of the quantified energy output.

8. An energy harvesting survey system comprising:

an energy source;

at least one energy harvester coupled to said energy source, said at least one energy harvester configured to generate an energy output; and

a display apparatus coupled to said at least one energy harvester, said display apparatus comprising;

a circuit configured to receive at least one signal representative of the energy output from said at least one energy harvester and to generate at least one output representative of a quantification of the energy output; and

a display interface coupled to said circuit, wherein said display interface is configured to display the at least one output generated by said circuit.

9. An energy harvesting survey system in accordance with claim 8, wherein said at least one energy harvester is configured to generate the energy output from a vibrational energy input.

10. An energy harvesting survey system in accordance with claim 8, wherein said at least one energy harvester is configured to generate the energy output from a thermal energy input.

11. An energy harvesting survey system in accordance with claim 8, wherein said display apparatus further comprises an audio output device coupled to said circuit, wherein said audio output device is configured to generate an audio signal based on the at least one output generated by said circuit, said audio output device is configured to transmit the audio signal to the user.

12. An energy harvesting survey system in accordance with claim 8, further comprising a power supply coupled within said main body.

13. An energy harvesting survey system in accordance with claim 8, wherein said display interface comprises at least one light-emitting diode.

14. An energy harvesting survey system in accordance with claim 13, wherein said at least one light emitting diode comprises a plurality of light-emitting diodes that are configured to indicate a gradient of a plurality of levels of the quantified energy output.

15. A method for displaying an energy output, said method comprising:

receiving, via a circuit, at least one signal that is representative of an energy output from at least one energy harvester;

generating, via the circuit, at least one output representative of a quantification of the energy output; and

displaying the at least one output via a display interface.

16. A method in accordance with claim 15, wherein receiving, via a circuit, at least one signal further comprises receiving, via a circuit, at least one signal that is representative of an energy output that is generated based on a vibrational energy input.

17. A method in accordance with claim 15, wherein receiving, via a circuit, at least one signal further comprises receiving, via a circuit, at least one signal that is representative of an energy output that is generated based on a thermal energy input.

18. A method in accordance with claim 15, further comprising receiving, via the at least one energy harvester, waste energy from an energy source.

19. A method in accordance with claim 15, wherein displaying the at least one output further comprises displaying the at least one output via at least one light-emitting diode.

20. A method in accordance with claim 15, wherein displaying the at least one output further comprises displaying the at least one output via a plurality of light-emitting diodes that are configured to indicate a gradient of a plurality of levels of the quantified energy output.