Electrostatic power harvesting

• US 8,519,677 B2
• Filed: 08/27/2010
• Issued: 08/27/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Asteism, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Asteism, Inc.
• Inventors: Post, Ernest Rehmatulla, Waal, Courtney Elaine
• Primary Examiner(s): WILLIAMS, ARUN C
• Application Number:
  US12/870,274
• Publication Number:
  US 20110050181A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,096 Days
• Field of Search: 320/166
• US Class Current: 320/166
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 1/04 Friction generators

Abstract

An apparatus for supplying power includes an input port; a charge storage device for storing charge received through the input port; control circuitry configured to transfer charge from the charge storage device and to maintain a bias voltage at the input port; and an output port for delivering power from the control circuitry to a device.

Claims

1. An apparatus for supplying power, comprising:

a garment including two types of fabric;

a capacitor for storing charge generated by the garment;

circuitry coupling each of the types of fabric to the capacitor;

a threshold device connected to the capacitor and configured to accept charge stored on the capacitor when a voltage between the two pieces of fabric exceeds a threshold voltage of the threshold device; and

an output port for delivering power from the threshold device to an electronic device.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus further comprises the electronic device configured to be powered via the output port.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the electronic device includes a microcontroller.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the electronic device includes a radio.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electronic device includes a light emitting diode.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the fabric comprises a triboactive material.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the garment includes an array of electrodes disposed on each piece of fabric.

8. A method for powering an electronic device comprising:

maintaining a bias voltage across two terminals coupled to triboactive materials;

accepting mechanically generated charge from the triboactive materials when a voltage across the terminals exceeds a threshold voltage greater than the bias voltage;

storing the accepted charge in a charge storage device;

converting charge in the charge storage device to a voltage suitable for powering the electronic device; and

passing current at the converted voltage to the electronic device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein accepting mechanically generated charge comprises accepting mechanically generated static charge.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising matching an impedance of the two terminals coupled to the triboactive materials with an impedance of circuitry for accepting the mechanically generated charge.