ENERGY-HARVESTING DEVICE

• US 20160172852A1
• Filed: 07/17/2014
• Published: 06/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: TAMURA, MASAYA, KATSUMURA, HIDENORI
• Application Number:
  US14/909,479
• Publication Number:
  US 20160172852A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/06 Two-wire systems
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 2/181 Circuits; Control arrangements or methods
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/306 Cantilevers

Abstract

An energy-harvesting device includes a power generating element configured to generate electric power, a storage capacitor configured to store the electric power generated by the power generating element, a DC/DC converter configured to convert, into a predetermined voltage, a voltage obtained from the electric power generated by the power generating element and the electric power stored in the storage capacitor, a delay section for delaying a voltage corresponding to a voltage across the storage capacitor, and a controller configured to output an activating signal that activates the DC/DC converter when the delayed voltage is higher than a reference voltage. The energy-harvesting device thus can produce a necessary voltage and power.

Claims

1. An energy-harvesting device comprising:

a power generating element configured to generate electric power;

a storage capacitor configured to store the electric power generated by the power generating element;

a DC/DC converter configured to convert, into a predetermined voltage, a voltage obtained from the electric power generated by the power generating element and the electric power stored in the storage capacitor;

a delay section for delaying a voltage corresponding to a voltage across the storage capacitor; and

a controller configured to output an activating signal that activates the DC/DC converter when the delayed voltage is higher than a reference voltage.

2. The energy-harvesting device according to claim 1, wherein the delay section includes:

a first resistor having a first end connected to the storage capacitor and a second end connected to the controller; and

a delay capacitor connected between the second end of the first resistor and a ground.

3. The energy-harvesting device according to claim 2, wherein the delay section further includes a second resistor connected in parallel to the delay capacitor.

4. The energy-harvesting device according to claim 1, wherein the controller includes a comparator configured to compare the delayed voltage with the reference voltage.

5. The energy-harvesting device according to claim 1, wherein the reference voltage is a predetermined constant voltage.

6. The energy-harvesting device according to claim 1, wherein the controller includes a CMOS inverter configured to receive the delayed voltage and to output the activating signal.