DC-DC BOOST CONVERTER

• US 20150256082A1
• Filed: 12/18/2014
• Published: 09/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jonathan J. Hull, Joshua Ensworth, Kenneth Gudan, Matthew S. Reynolds
• Original Assignee: Jonathan J. Hull, Joshua Ensworth, Kenneth Gudan, Matthew S. Reynolds
• Inventors: Gudan, Kenneth, Hull, Jonathan J., Reynolds, Matthew S., Ensworth, Joshua
• Granted Patent: US 10,298,071 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 7/00302 Overcharge protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00304 Overcurrent protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00308 Overvoltage protection

Abstract

A DC-DC boost converter and apparatus including the same are disclosed. In one embodiment, the DC-DC converter comprises an input for receiving a first voltage at a first level, where the first voltage is negative; a transformer coupled to the input to convert the first voltage to a second voltage at a second level, where the second level is higher than the first level and the second voltage is positive; and an output connected to the transformer to output the second voltage.

Claims

1. A DC/DC converter comprising:

an input for receiving a first voltage at a first level, the first voltage being negative;

a transformer coupled to the input to convert the first voltage to a second voltage at a second level, the second level being higher than the first level, and wherein the second voltage is positive; and

an output connected to the transformer to output the second voltage.

2. The converter defined in claim 1 wherein the input is to receive a rectified input.

3. The converter defined in claim 1 further comprising:

a first capacitor connected to the input; and

a second capacitor connected to the output, wherein capacitance ratio of the first capacitor to the second capacitor is 1000;

1.

4. The converter defined in claim 1 further comprising:

a first capacitance connected to the input; and

a second capacitor connected to the output, wherein capacitance ratio of the first capacitor to the second capacitor is 6000;

1.

5. The converter defined in claim 1 further comprising a transistor connected to the transformer to switch current through the transformer in order to convert the first voltage to the second voltage.

6. The converter defined in claim 1 wherein the transistor comprises a p-channel transistor.

7. The converter defined in claim 1 further comprising:

a first capacitor connected to the input; and

a switch to couple the input and the first capacitor to the transformer, wherein the switch is closed to connect the input to the transformer after voltage builds up to a predetermined level.

8. The converter defined in claim 1 further comprising:

a first capacitor connected to the input;

a second capacitor connected to the output, wherein capacitance ratio of the first capacitor to the second capacitor is 1000;

1; and

a p-channel transistor connected to the transformer to switch current through the transformer in order to convert the first voltage to the second voltage.

9. The converter defined in claim 8 further comprising a switch to couple the input and the first capacitor to the transformer, wherein the switch is closed to connect the input to the transformer after voltage builds up to a predetermined level.

10. A device comprising:

an antenna;

a load; and

an energy harvester coupled to the antenna and the load, wherein the energy harvester comprises

an RF rectifier to output a first voltage determined by rectified RF energy in response to received RF energy;

a DC/DC converter coupled to the RF rectifier to convert the first voltage to a second voltage, wherein the DC/DC converter comprises

an input for receiving a first voltage at a first level, the first voltage being negative;

a transformer coupled to the input to convert the first voltage to the second voltage at a second level, the second level being higher than the first level, and wherein the second voltage is positive; and

an output connected to the transformer to output the second voltage;

an energy storage reservoir coupled to the output of the DC/DC converter to store energy at the second voltage.

11. The device defined in claim 10 wherein the DC/DC converter further comprises:

a first capacitor connected to the input; and

a second capacitor connected to the output, wherein capacitance ratio of the first capacitor to the second capacitor is 1000;

1.

12. The converter defined in claim 10 further comprising:

a capacitance connected to the input; and

a second capacitor connected to the output, wherein capacitance ratio of the first capacitor to the second capacitor is 6000;

1.

13. The device defined in claim 10 wherein the DC/DC converter further comprises a transistor connected to the transformer to switch current through the transformer in order to convert the first voltage to the second voltage.

14. The device defined in claim 13 wherein the transistor comprises a p-channel transistor.

15. The device defined in claim 10 wherein the DC/DC converter further comprises:

a first capacitor connected to the input; and

a switch to couple the input and the first capacitor to the transformer, wherein the switch is closed to connect the input to the transformer after voltage builds up to a predetermined level.

16. The device defined in claim 10 wherein the DC/DC converter further comprises:

a first capacitor connected to the input;

a second capacitor connected to the output, wherein capacitance ratio of the first capacitor to the second capacitor is 1000;

1; and

a p-channel transistor connected to the transformer to switch current through the transformer in order to convert the first voltage to the second voltage.

17. The device defined in claim 16 wherein the DC/DC converter further comprises a switch to couple the input and the first capacitor to the transformer, wherein the switch is closed to connect the input to the transformer after voltage builds up to a predetermined level.

18. The device defined in claim 10 further comprising a third reservoir coupled to the second reservoir to receive energy transferred from the second reservoir periodically.

19. A sensor device comprising:

an antenna;

an RF communication unit;

a sensor;

a controller; and

an ambient RF energy harvester coupled to the antenna, the RF communication unit, the sensor and the controller to harvest ambient RF power to run the RF communication unit, the sensor and the controller, wherein the RF energy harvester includes a DC/DC converter having

an input for receiving a first voltage at a first level, the first voltage being negative,

a transformer coupled to the input to convert the first voltage to a second voltage at a second level, the second level being higher than the first level, and wherein the second voltage is positive, and

an output connected to the transformer to output the second voltage.

20. The sensor device defined in claim 19 wherein the DC/DC converter further comprises:

a first capacitor connected to the input;

a second capacitor connected to the output, wherein capacitance ratio of the first capacitor to the second capacitor is 1000;

1; and

a p-channel transistor connected to the transformer to switch current through the transformer in order to convert the first voltage to the second voltage.