Environmentally-powered wireless sensor module
First Claim
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1. An apparatus comprising:
- a substrate having a first side surface and a second side surface;
an energy harvesting module on the second side surface of said substrate;
an energy storage device on the first side of said substrate opposite to the energy harvesting module on the second side surface of the substrate and connected to said energy-harvesting module through said substrate between the first and second side surfaces; and
a microprocessor located on the second side of said substrate opposite to the energy storage device on the first side surface of the substrate and connected to said energy storage device through said substrate between the first and second side surfaces,wherein said first and second side surfaces oppose each other.
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Abstract
A system that powers a wireless sensor mechanism from ambient sources without the need to replace a battery is disclosed. The present invention uses an energy harvesting mechanism built onto, for example, a substrate to recharge a rechargeable energy storage mechanism that is built on the same substrate. The energy storage mechanism provides power to a transmission/receiving mechanism and microprocessor that may also be arranged on said substrate. The energy-harvesting mechanism may be combined with a power management unit to enable efficient use and regulation of the harvested energy.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. An apparatus comprising:
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a substrate having a first side surface and a second side surface; an energy harvesting module on the second side surface of said substrate; an energy storage device on the first side of said substrate opposite to the energy harvesting module on the second side surface of the substrate and connected to said energy-harvesting module through said substrate between the first and second side surfaces; and a microprocessor located on the second side of said substrate opposite to the energy storage device on the first side surface of the substrate and connected to said energy storage device through said substrate between the first and second side surfaces, wherein said first and second side surfaces oppose each other. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method for communicating information comprising:
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converting energy into a useful form on a second side surface of a substrate; storing said useful form of energy on a first side surface of the substrate by a connection through said substrate between the first and second side surfaces; powering a processing unit on the second side surface of said substrate opposite to the energy storage device on the first side surface of the substrate with said stored energy on said first side surface of said substrate; monitoring at least one parameter with at least one sensor on said second side surface of the substrate; communicating the monitored parameter to said processing unit powered with said stored energy; and processing said monitored parameter into user data, wherein said first and second side surfaces oppose each other. - View Dependent Claims (23)
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24. An apparatus comprising:
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an energy storage device; a substrate having a first side surface positioned on the energy storage device; an energy harvesting mechanism on a second side surface of said substrate and connected through said substrate between said first and second side surfaces to said energy storage device; and a microprocessor located on said second surface of said substrate opposite to the energy storage device on the first side surface of the substrate and connected through said substrate between said first and second side surfaces to said energy storage device, wherein said first and second side surfaces oppose each other.
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Specification