Micro power supply with integrated charging capability

• US 6,765,363 B2
• Filed: 06/05/2002
• Issued: 07/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pritpal Singh
• Original Assignee: U.S. Microbattery, Inc.
• Inventors: LaFollette, Rodney M., Singh, Pritpal
• Primary Examiner(s): Luk, Lawrence
• Application Number:
  US10/164,147
• Publication Number:
  US 20030006737A1
• Time in Patent Office: 776 Days
• Field of Search: 320/107, 320/101, 320/138, 429/99, 429/100, 429/52
• US Class Current: 320/107
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 with light sensitive cells
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/158 including plural semiconductor devices as final control devices for a single load

Abstract

An integrated micro power supply is disclosed. In an exemplary embodiment, the micro power supply includes a microbattery formed within a substrate and an energy gathering device for capturing energy from a local ambient environment. An energy transforming device is also formed within the substrate for converting energy captured by the energy gathering device to electrical charging energy supplied to the microbattery.

Claims

1. A micro power supply, comprising:

a microbattery formed within a substrate;

an energy gathering device for capturing energy from a local ambient environment;

an energy transforming device formed within said substrate for converting energy captured by said energy gathering device to electrical charging energy supplied to said microbattery; and

a charge controlling device formed within said substrate for controlling the flow of charging current and output voltage from said energy transforming device to said microbattery.

2. The micro power supply of claim 1, wherein said energy gathering device is formed within said substrate.

3. The micro power supply of claim 1, wherein said charge controlling device further comprises a fuzzy logic system.

4. The micro power supply of claim 3, wherein said charge controlling device selectively couples said energy transforming device to said microbattery through the application of a control signal to a pulse width modulation circuit.

5. The micro power supply of claim 4, further comprising a MOSFET switch driven by the output of said pulse width modulation circuit.

6. The micro power supply of claim 5, further comprising a MOSFET driver circuit for receiving said output of said pulse width modulation circuit and driving said MOSFET switch.

7. The micro power supply of claim 3, wherein said charge controlling device further comprises a plurality of inputs thereto, said plurality of inputs including a voltage and current output from said energy transforming device, and a voltage input to said microbattery.

8. The micro power supply of claim 7, wherein said plurality of inputs to said charge controlling device further includes said control signal.

9. The micro power supply of claim 1, wherein said energy gathering device and said energy transforming device further comprise a solar cell.

10. An integrated, rechargeable micro power supply for a microelectromechanical system (MEMS), comprising:

a microbattery formed within a semiconductor substrate;

a solar cell, formed within said substrate, for capturing light energy from a local ambient environment, said solar cell converting said light energy into electrical charging energy to be supplied to said microbattery; and

a charge controlling device, formed within said substrate, for selectively coupling said solar cell to said microbattery.

11. The micro power supply of claim 10, wherein said charge controlling device farther comprises:

a buck converter circuit driven by a pulse width modulation (PWM) circuit; and

a charge controller for providing a control signal to said PWM circuit, said charge controller being based upon a fuzzy logic control algorithm.

12. The micro power supply of claim 11, wherein said charge controlling device selectively couples said solar cell to said microbattery through the application of said control signal to said PWM circuit.

13. The micro power supply of claim 12, wherein said charge controller further comprises a plurality of inputs thereto, said plurality of inputs including a voltage and a current output from said solar cell, and a voltage input to said microbattery.

14. The micro power supply of claim 13, wherein said charge controlling device further comprises a MOSFET switch driven by the output of said PWM circuit.

15. The micro power supply of claim 14, wherein said charge controlling device further comprises a MOSFET driver circuit for receiving said output of said PWM circuit and driving said MOSFET switch.

16. The micro power supply of claim 15, wherein said plurality of inputs to said charge controlling device further includes said control signal.

17. The micro power supply of claim 15, wherein said buck converter circuit further comprises:

an inductor in series between said solar cell and said microbattery; and

a PMOS transistor for providing a current conduction path through said inductor when said MOSFET switch is in a non-conductive state.