MULTIPLE POWER PATH MANAGEMENT WITH MICRO-ENERGY HARVESTING
First Claim
1. A power converter circuit comprising:
- an output port configured for electrical coupling to a variable circuit load;
a first input port configured for electrically coupling to an energy harvest source;
an input/output port configured for electrically coupling to a second energy source;
a first circuit path from the energy harvest source to the second energy source at the input/output port and to the variable load at the output port;
a second circuit path from the second energy source to the output port;
a cold start circuit configured to produce a first voltage level at the output port by charging a capacitor at the output port using energy of the energy harvest source; and
a main converter circuit configured to produce a second regulated voltage level at the input/output port using energy of the energy harvest source when the voltage at the output port capacitor is above a specified voltage value and to use the energy of the capacitor at the output port during startup of the main converter circuit.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus comprises an output port for a circuit load, a first input port for an energy harvest source, an input/output port a second energy source, a first circuit path from the energy harvest source to the second energy source at the input/output port and to the variable load at the output port, a second circuit path from the second energy source to the output port, a cold start circuit that produces a first voltage level at the output port by charging a capacitor at the output port using energy of the energy harvest source, and a main converter circuit that produces a second regulated voltage level at the input/output port using energy of the energy harvest source when the voltage at the output port capacitor is above a specified voltage value and uses the energy of the capacitor at the output port during startup of the main converter circuit.
21 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A power converter circuit comprising:
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an output port configured for electrical coupling to a variable circuit load; a first input port configured for electrically coupling to an energy harvest source; an input/output port configured for electrically coupling to a second energy source; a first circuit path from the energy harvest source to the second energy source at the input/output port and to the variable load at the output port; a second circuit path from the second energy source to the output port; a cold start circuit configured to produce a first voltage level at the output port by charging a capacitor at the output port using energy of the energy harvest source; and a main converter circuit configured to produce a second regulated voltage level at the input/output port using energy of the energy harvest source when the voltage at the output port capacitor is above a specified voltage value and to use the energy of the capacitor at the output port during startup of the main converter circuit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An energy harvest system comprising:
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a variable system load; an energy harvest source, wherein the energy harvest source has an energy density insufficient to meet a peak energy requirement of the system load; a rechargeable energy source; and a power converter circuit, the power convert circuit including; an output port configured for electrical coupling to the system load; a first input port configured for electrically coupling to the energy harvest source; an input/output port configured for electrically coupling to the rechargeable energy source; a first circuit path from the energy harvest source to the rechargeable energy source at the input/output port and to the variable load at the output port; a second circuit path from the rechargeable energy source to the output port; a cold start circuit configured to produce a first voltage level at the output port by charging a capacitor at the output port using energy of the energy harvest source; and a main converter circuit configured to produce a regulated voltage level at the input/output port using energy of the energy harvest source when the voltage at the output port capacitor is above a specified voltage value. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of operating an energy harvest system, the method comprising:
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generating a cold start voltage level at an output port of the energy harvest system by charging a capacitor at the output port using energy of an energy harvest source electrically coupled to a first input port of the energy harvest system, wherein the output port is electrically coupled to a variable circuit load of the energy harvest system; producing, with a power converter circuit, a regulated voltage level at an input/output port using energy of the energy harvest source when the voltage at the output port capacitor meets or exceeds a specified voltage value, wherein the input/output port is electrically coupled to a second energy source; and starting up the power converter circuit using energy of the capacitor at the output port. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification