Apparatus and method for using ambient RF power in a portable terminal

• US 7,606,540 B2
• Filed: 01/19/2006
• Issued: 10/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Yoon, Seong-Ho
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, THUAN T
• Application Number:
  US11/335,446
• Publication Number:
  US 20060160517A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,370 Days
• Field of Search: 455/127.1, 455/343.1, 455/344, 455/454, 455128-129, 455572-574, 455/575.1, 455/550.1, 455/127.5, 455/333, 455/343.5, 320/101, 320/124, 320/127, 343/720
• US Class Current: 455/127.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/1607 Supply circuits converters H02M; filters therefor H02M1/14; voltage stabilisers G05F1/46

Abstract

An apparatus and method for using ambient RF power in a portable terminal are provided. In the charging apparatus, an antenna array receives RF signals left derelict in the air, a rectifier rectifies the RF signals to DC voltages, and a power storage stores the DC voltages as power.

Claims

1. An apparatus for using ambient radio frequency (RF) power in a portable terminal, the apparatus comprising:

a plurality of rectifiers for rectifying the RF signals to direct current (DC) voltage;

a power storage device for storing the DC voltages from the rectifiers as power; and

an antenna array having a plurality of narrow-band antennas, each of the narrow-band antennas being coupled to one of the rectifiers, for receiving signals at channel frequencies in a communications use frequency band and signals frequencies adjacent to the communications use frequency band,

wherein, when the portable terminal is powered off, all of the narrow-band antennas are activated, and, during communications, a narrow-band antenna corresponding to a channel frequency in use is deactivated and the other narrow-band antennas are activated.

2. the apparatus claim 1, wherein the antenna array further comprises:

a plurality of broad-band antennas for receiving signals at frequencies far from the use frequency band.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, the broad-band antennas are always kept on.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of switches between the narrow-band antennas and the rectifiers, for selectively activating the narrow-band antennas.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the rectifiers rectify RF signals using one of a diode and a resistance-capacitance (RC) filter.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an antenna for receiving a signal at a frequency set for wireless power supply to a household.

7. A method of using ambient radio frequency (RF) power in a portable terminal, the method comprising:

determining whether the portable terminal is in communication;

deactivating a narrow-band antenna corresponding to a channel frequency in use and activating other narrow-band antennas during communications;

receiving ambient RF signals through the activated narrow-band antennas;

rectifying the RF signals to direct current (DC) voltages using a plurality of rectifiers coupled to the narrow-band antenna; and

storing the DC voltages as power from the rectifiers.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising receiving a signal at a frequency set for wireless power supply to a household.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of activating all of the narrow-band antennas when the terminal is powered off.