Energy harvesting in integrated circuit packages
First Claim
1. An energy harvesting integrated circuit (IC) apparatus, comprising:
- a plurality of electrical connectors, each connector comprising a first material and a second material, the first and the second materials having a thermoelectric potential;
a first trace of the first material coupled to the first material of each electrical connector;
a second trace of the second material coupled to the second material of each electrical connector and the first trace, a portion of the second trace extending away from a portion of the first trace; and
a plurality of charge storing elements coupled to at least one of the first and second traces.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An energy harvesting integrated circuit (IC) includes electrical connectors, each having a portion of a first material and a portion of a second material. The first and the second materials have a thermoelectric potential. The IC includes a trace of the first material coupled to the first material of each electrical connector, and a trace of the second material coupled to the second material of each electrical connector and the first trace. A portion of the second trace extends away from a portion of the first trace. The IC has charge storing elements coupled to the first and/or second traces. The first material and the second material are heated to create an electron flow from a thermal gradient between a first zone of the heated first and second materials and a second zone of the first and the second materials away from the first zone.
35 Citations
22 Claims
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1. An energy harvesting integrated circuit (IC) apparatus, comprising:
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a plurality of electrical connectors, each connector comprising a first material and a second material, the first and the second materials having a thermoelectric potential; a first trace of the first material coupled to the first material of each electrical connector; a second trace of the second material coupled to the second material of each electrical connector and the first trace, a portion of the second trace extending away from a portion of the first trace; and a plurality of charge storing elements coupled to at least one of the first and second traces. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. An energy harvesting method, comprising:
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coupling a first material of each electrical connector of a plurality of electrical connectors to a trace of the first material; coupling a second material of each electrical connector of the plurality of electrical connectors to a trace of the second material, the first material and the second material having a thermoelectric potential; extending a portion of the trace of the first material away from a portion of the trace of the second material; and coupling a plurality of charge storing elements to at least one of the traces. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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21. An energy harvesting integrated circuit (IC) apparatus, comprising:
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means for electrically connecting integrated circuit devices, each connecting means comprising a first material and a second material, the first and the second materials having a thermoelectric potential; a first trace of the first material coupled to the first material of each connecting means; a second trace of the second material coupled to the second material of each connecting means and the first trace, a portion of the second trace extending away from a portion of the first trace; and means for storing electric charge coupled to at least one of the first and second traces. - View Dependent Claims (22)
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Specification