Wireless node and method of powering a wireless node employing ambient light to charge an energy store
First Claim
1. A method of powering a wireless node, said wireless node being adapted to transmit wireless messages, said method comprising:
- employing an energy store including a charge;
charging said energy store responsive to ambient light;
determining an incremental charge of said energy store resulting from said ambient light;
employing a charge removed from said energy store to transmit one of said wireless messages;
determining the charge of said energy store; and
adjusting a count of at least one of said wireless messages to be transmitted or a transmission rate of said wireless messages as a function of said incremental charge of said energy store, the charge of said energy store and said charge removed.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A wireless node, such as a sensor node or other suitable node, includes a supercapacitor having a charge and one or more photocells adapted to charge the supercapacitor responsive to ambient light. A microprocessor cooperates with a wireless transceiver to transmit a count of one or more wireless messages. The microprocessor determines the charge of the supercapacitor, determines an incremental charge of the supercapacitor resulting from the ambient light, and adjusts the count of the wireless messages as a function of the charge of the supercapacitor and the incremental charge. A power supply, including a boost regulator and a filter capacitor, powers the microprocessor and the wireless transmitter from the charge of the supercapacitor.
54 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method of powering a wireless node, said wireless node being adapted to transmit wireless messages, said method comprising:
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employing an energy store including a charge; charging said energy store responsive to ambient light; determining an incremental charge of said energy store resulting from said ambient light; employing a charge removed from said energy store to transmit one of said wireless messages; determining the charge of said energy store; and adjusting a count of at least one of said wireless messages to be transmitted or a transmission rate of said wireless messages as a function of said incremental charge of said energy store, the charge of said energy store and said charge removed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A wireless node comprising:
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an energy store including a charge; at least one photocell adapted to charge said energy store responsive to ambient light; a wireless transmitter; a processor cooperating with said wireless transmitter to transmit a count of at least one wireless message, said processor being adapted to determine the charge of said energy store, determine an incremental charge of said energy store resulting from said ambient light, and adjust said count of at least one wireless message as a function of said charge of said energy store and said incremental charge; and a power supply adapted to power said processor and said wireless transmitter from the charge of said energy store. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A wireless node comprising:
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an energy store including a charge; at least one photocell adapted to source a current responsive to ambient light; a current to voltage converter adapted to charge said energy store responsive to said current; a wireless transmitter; a processor cooperating with said wireless transmitter to transmit a count of at least one wireless message, said processor being adapted to determine the charge of said energy store, determine an incremental charge of said energy store resulting from said ambient light, and adjust said count of at least one wireless message as a function of said charge of said energy store and said incremental charge; and a power supply adapted to power said processor and said wireless transmitter from the charge of said energy store.
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14. A method of powering a wireless node, said wireless node being adapted to transmit wireless messages, said method comprising:
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employing an energy store including a charge; charging said energy store responsive to ambient light; determining an incremental charge of said energy store resulting from said ambient light; employing a charge removed from said energy store to transmit one of said wireless messages; determining the charge of said energy store; adjusting a count of at least one of said wireless messages to be transmitted or a transmission rate of said wireless messages as a function of said incremental charge of said energy store, the charge of said energy store and said charge removed; determining said incremental charge added to said energy store during said charging; determining quiescent charge removed from said energy store; determining charge available for transmitting at least one of said wireless messages by said wireless node from said incremental charge plus the charge of said energy store less said quiescent charge; employing a predetermined charge removed as said charge removed; and employing said charge available divided by said predetermined charge removed as said function to determine said count of at least one of said wireless messages to be transmitted over a predetermined time. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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17. A method of powering a wireless node, said wireless node being adapted to transmit wireless messages, said method comprising:
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employing an energy store including a charge; charging said energy store responsive to ambient light; determining an incremental charge of said energy store resulting from said ambient light; employing a charge removed from said energy store to transmit one of said wireless messages; determining the charge of said energy store; adjusting a count of at least one of said wireless messages to be transmitted or a transmission rate of said wireless messages as a function of said incremental charge of said energy store, the charge of said energy store and said charge removed; determining that the charge of said energy store is below a predetermined value; and transmitting one of said wireless messages to another wireless node to turn on a light, in order to provide ambient light to charge said energy store. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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19. A method of powering a wireless node, said wireless node being adapted to transmit wireless messages, said method comprising:
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employing an energy store including a charge; charging said energy store responsive to ambient light; determining an incremental charge of said energy store resulting from said ambient light; employing a charge removed from said energy store to transmit one of said wireless messages; determining the charge of said energy store; adjusting a count of at least one of said wireless messages to be transmitted or a transmission rate of said wireless messages as a function of said incremental charge of said energy store, the charge of said energy store and said charge removed; establishing an inactive charge time and an active transmit time; determining said incremental charge added to said energy store during the inactive charge time; determining quiescent charge removed from said energy store during the active transmit time; determining charge available for transmitting one of said wireless messages from said incremental charge plus the charge of said energy store less said quiescent charge; employing a predetermined charge removed as said charge removed during the active transmit time for transmitting one of said wireless messages; and employing said charge available divided by said predetermined charge removed as said function to adjust said count of at least one of said wireless messages to be transmitted or said transmission rate of said wireless messages. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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Specification