System and method using capacitors to power a camera having a motion sensor

• US 8,525,469 B1
• Filed: 12/19/2008
• Issued: 09/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Battery-Free Outdoors LLC
• Original Assignee: Battery-Free Outdoors LLC
• Inventors: Laceky, William P.
• Primary Examiner(s): WILLIAMS, ARUN C
• Application Number:
  US12/339,224
• Time in Patent Office: 1,719 Days
• Field of Search: 320/101, 320/166, 348/152, 348/154, 348/155
• US Class Current: 320/101
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 7/26 Power supplies; Circuitry or arrangement to switch on the power source; Circuitry to check the power source voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/44 Methods for charging or discharging circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/345 using capacitors as storage or buffering devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 with light sensitive cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A method and apparatus relates to systems powered by energy stored in capacitors. The capacitors may be charged using any desired power source. In one example, a camera system uses a combination of solar panels and a capacitive network to power the camera system with minimal required maintenance.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a camera;

one or more solar panels;

control circuitry operatively coupled to the camera for controlling the operation of the camera;

one or more capacitors for storing energy from the one or more solar panels, wherein energy stored in the one or more capacitors is used to provide power to the control circuitry and the camera, and wherein the control circuitry is configured to prevent the camera from depleting energy stored in the one or more capacitors below a critical level so that the control circuitry will have enough energy available to sustain full circuit operation during time periods when the energy stored in the one or more capacitors is insufficient to maintain operation of both the control circuitry and the camera;

a charge control circuit coupled to the one or more capacitors and to the one or more solar panels for protecting the one or more capacitors from damaging voltage levels; and

a DC to DC converter coupled between the one or more capacitors and the control circuitry to provide a useable voltage relative to the voltage of the one or more capacitors as the capacitor voltages drop.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is programmable by a user to activate the camera at predetermined intervals and durations.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein a second DC to DC converter provides a stepped up voltage relative to the voltage of the one or more capacitors as the capacitor voltages drop so as to provide a useable voltage level to the camera, even as the voltage of the one or more capacitors drops below the useable voltage level.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the camera is activated for a time and duration, wherein the control circuitry controls the time and duration that the camera is activated.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the camera is powered without using power from a chemical battery.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the DC to DC converter is also coupled between the one or more capacitors and the camera to provide a stepped up voltage relative to the voltage of the one or more capacitors as the capacitor voltages drop so as to provide useable voltage to the camera while the voltage of the one or more capacitors drops below the usable voltage levels of the camera.