SYSTEMS AND CAPABLE OF SELF-HARVESTING ENERGY FROM WIRELESS DEVICES AND METHODS OF USING THE SAME

• US 20160134150A1
• Filed: 10/14/2015
• Published: 05/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ohio State Innovation Foundation (Ohio State University)
• Original Assignee: Ohio State Innovation Foundation (Ohio State University)
• Inventors: Tallos, Roland Kyle, Koksal, Can E., Shroff, Ness B., Chen, Chi-Chih
• Granted Patent: US 9,985,461 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 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/34 Parallel operation in networks using both storage and other dc sources, e.g. providing buffering H02J7/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3883 Arrangements for mounting batteries or battery chargers

Abstract

A system and method for self-harvesting energy from a wireless device and supplementing the battery power of the wireless device using the self-harvested energy includes the steps of collecting at least a portion of radio frequency signals transmitted by the wireless device; converting the collected radio frequency signals from radio frequency signals to direct current energy; further converting the direct current energy to energy compatible with charging requirements for a battery electrically connected to the wireless device; and transferring the compatible energy to the battery of the wireless device through a wireless device interface in order to add the compatible energy to the battery.

Claims

1. A system, wherein the system is configured to self-harvest at least a portion of radio frequency signals transmitted by an associated wireless device that is configured to transmit radio frequency signals;

and wherein the system is further configured to convert the collected radio frequency signals from radio frequency signals to a direct current signal compatible with charging requirements of the wireless device in order to supplement an electrical charge of a battery electrically connected to the wireless device.

2. The system claim 1, wherein the system is embedded within or integral with the wireless device.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is removably attached to the wireless device.

4. The system claim 1, wherein the system is permanently attached to the wireless device.

5. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a set of converting circuitry configured to convert at least some of the radio frequency signals transmitted by the wireless device to a direct current signal;

a set of power management circuitry electrically connected to the set of converting circuitry, wherein the set of power management circuitry is configured to produce the direct current power compatible with charging requirements for the battery; and

a wireless device interface electrically connected to the set of power management circuitry, wherein the wireless device interface is configured to transfer the direct current power produced by the set of power management circuitry to the battery of the wireless device.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the system further comprises a first receiving antenna, wherein the first receiving antenna is disposed in close proximity to a first transmitting antenna and is capable of collecting at least a portion of the radio frequency signals transmitted by the first transmitting antenna.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the set of converting circuitry includes a rectifier circuit.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the set of converting circuitry further includes a harmonics harvesting circuit.

9. The system of claim 5, wherein the set of power management circuitry includes a DC to DC converter, an output voltage regulator and control circuit, and a storage device.

10. The wireless device of claim 5, wherein the set of power management circuitry further includes an output voltage level control circuit.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless device is a wireless device manufactured or sold by Apple Inc.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless device is a wireless device manufactured or sold by Samsung.

13. The system of claim 6, wherein the first receiving antenna is configured to receive Wi-Fi signals.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the system further includes a second receiving antenna capable of receiving radio frequency signals, wherein the second receiving antenna is disposed in close proximity to a second transmitting antenna.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the second antenna is configured to receive cellular signals.

16. A method of self-harvesting energy from an associated wireless device and supplementing the battery power of the wireless device using the self-harvested energy, the method comprising:

collecting at least a portion of radio frequency signals transmitted by the associated wireless device;

converting the collected radio frequency signals from radio frequency signals to direct current energy;

further converting the direct current energy to energy compatible with charging requirements for a battery electrically connected to the associated wireless device;

transferring the compatible energy to the battery of the associated wireless device through a wireless device interface in order to add the compatible energy to the battery.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the collection step comprises using a receiving antenna to collect the radio frequency signals transmitted by the associated wireless device.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the first converting step comprises using a rectifier circuit to produce an output of the rectifier circuit and filtering out remaining alternating current signals from the output of the rectifier circuit.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein second converting step comprises changing the power level of the filtered output of the rectifier circuit to the direct current power level compatible with charging requirements for the associated wireless device.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the changing the power level comprises:

charging a storage element;

determining a storage power level of the storage element; and

disconnecting from the battery of the associated wireless device, when the storage power level is less than the direct current power level.

21. A radio frequency energy harvesting system comprising:

a first receiving antenna capable of receiving radio frequency signals, wherein the first receiving antenna is disposed in close proximity to a first transmitting antenna;

an impedance matching circuit electrically connected to the first receiving antenna;

a set of converting circuitry electrically connected to the impedance matching circuit, wherein the set of converting circuitry is configured to convert at least some of the radio frequency signals received by the first antenna to a direct current signal;

a set of power management circuitry electrically connected to the set of converting circuitry, wherein the set of power management circuitry comprises a DC to DC converter and an output voltage regulator and control circuit and is configured to produce direct current power capable of supplementing the battery power of a wireless device battery from the direct current signal; and

a wireless device interface electrically connected to the set of power management circuitry, wherein the wireless device interface configured to transfer the direct current power produced by the set of power management circuitry to a wireless device.

22. The energy harvesting system of claim 21, wherein the set of converting circuitry includes a rectifier circuit.

23. The energy harvesting system of claim 22, wherein the set of converting circuitry further includes a harmonics harvesting circuit.

24. The energy harvesting system of claim 21, wherein the set of power management circuitry further includes a storage device.

25. The energy harvesting system of claim 21, wherein the set of power management circuitry further includes an output voltage level control circuit.

26. The energy harvesting system of claim 21, wherein the first receiving antenna is configured to receive Wi-Fi signals.

27. The energy harvesting system of claim 26, wherein the system further includes a second receiving antenna capable of receiving radio frequency signals, wherein the second receiving antenna is disposed in close proximity to a second transmitting antenna.

28. The energy harvesting system of claim 27, wherein the second antenna is configured to receive cellular signals.

29. The energy harvesting system of claim 28, wherein the system is configured to combine an output of the first antenna and an output of the second antenna before a combined antenna output is transmitted to the impedance matching circuit.

30. The energy harvesting system of claim 29, wherein the system is configured to combine an output of the first antenna and an output of the second antenna before a combined antenna output is transmitted to the wireless device interface.

31. The energy harvesting system of claim 30, wherein the system further comprises:

a second impedance matching circuit;

a second set of converting circuitry electrically connected to the second impedance matching circuit, wherein the second set of converting circuitry is configured to convert at least some of the radio frequency signals received by the second antenna to a second direct current signal;

a second set of power management circuitry electrically connected to the second impedance matching circuit, wherein the second set of power management circuitry comprises a second DC to DC converter and a second output voltage regulator and control circuit and is configured to produce direct current power capable of supplementing the battery life of a wireless device battery from the second direct current signal.

32. The energy harvesting system of claim 21, wherein the system is embedded within the wireless device.

33. A case for use with a wireless device, wherein the case includes an energy harvesting system comprising:

a first receiving antenna capable of receiving radio frequency signals, wherein the first receiving antenna is disposed in close proximity to a first transmitting antenna;

an impedance matching circuit electrically connected to the first receiving antenna;

a set of converting circuitry electrically connected to the impedance matching circuit, wherein the set of converting circuitry is configured to convert at least some of the radio frequency signals received by the first antenna to a direct current signal;

a set of power management circuitry electrically connected to the set of converting circuitry, wherein the set of power management circuitry comprises a DC to DC converter and an output voltage regulator and control circuit and is configured to produce direct current power capable of supplementing the battery power of a wireless device battery from the direct current signal; and

a wireless device interface electrically connected to the set of power management circuitry, wherein the wireless device interface is configured to transfer the direct current power produced by the set of power management circuitry to a wireless device.

34. The case of claim 33, wherein the energy harvesting system is embedded within the case.

35. The case of claim 33, wherein the energy harvesting system is removably attached to the case.

36. The case of claim 33, wherein the energy harvesting system is fixedly attached to the case.

37. A method of supplementing the battery power of a wireless device comprising:

providing the wireless device having a battery;

connecting, electrically, the battery of the wireless device to an energy harvesting system, the system comprising;

a first receiving antenna capable of receiving radio frequency signals, wherein the first receiving antenna is disposed in close proximity to a first transmitting antenna;

an impedance matching circuit electrically connected to the first receiving antenna;

a set of converting circuitry electrically connected to the impedance matching circuit, wherein the set of converting circuitry is configured to convert at least some of the radio frequency signals received by the first antenna to a direct current signal;

a set of power management circuitry electrically connected to the impedance matching circuit, wherein the set of power management circuitry comprises a DC to DC converter and an output voltage regulator and control circuit and is configured to produce direct current power capable of supplementing the battery life of a wireless device battery from the direct current signal; and

a wireless device interface electrically connected to the set of power management circuitry, wherein the wireless device interface is configured to transfer the direct current power produced by the set of power management circuitry to a wireless device.