Device with dual power sources

• US 8,742,623 B1
• Filed: 09/16/2013
• Issued: 06/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verily Life Sciences LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Pletcher, Nathan, Biederman, William James, Nelson, Andrew, Yeager, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): KAPLAN, HAL IRA
• Application Number:
  US14/028,196
• Time in Patent Office: 260 Days
• Field of Search: 307/80, 600/319, 600/345
• US Class Current: 307/80
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0214 of power generation or supply
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6821 Eye
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0118 comprising devices for improving the contrast of the display / brillance control visibility
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/014 comprising information/image processing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/04 Contact lenses for the eyes disinfection or sterilisation of contact lenses A61L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/10 Parallel operation of dc sources

Abstract

A wearable device includes a sensor, auxiliary electronics, a primary power supply configured to harvest radio frequency (RF) radiation received from an external reader and use the harvested RF radiation to power the sensor, and an auxiliary power supply configured to harvest energy other than that received from the external reader and use the harvested energy to supply power to the sensor and/or the auxiliary electronics. The external reader may supply less power in response to operation of the auxiliary power supply. Additionally or alternatively, in response to a determination that the auxiliary power supply is unable to supply power, the wearable device may disable all auxiliary electronics but for the sensor. In response to a determination that the primary power supply is unable to supply power but the auxiliary power supply is able to supply power, the wearable device may retain operating parameters in the memory storage unit using the auxiliary power supply.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

at a wearable device that includes;

at least one sensor,

a primary power supply configured to harvest radio frequency (RF) radiation received from an external reader and use the harvested RF radiation to power the at least one sensor, and

an auxiliary power supply configured to harvest energy other than that received from the external reader and use the harvested energy to supply power to the at least one sensor,

receiving a signal indicative of an availability of the auxiliary power supply to provide power to the wearable device;

responsive to receiving the signal, the wearable device enabling the auxiliary power supply; and

the wearable device operating the auxiliary power supply to supply power to the at least one sensor.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary power supply comprises a photovoltaic cell, the method further comprising:

based on the received signal, the wearable device determining that there is a threshold level of ambient light incident upon the photovoltaic cell, the threshold level of ambient light causing the photovoltaic cell to produce a voltage level sufficient to operate an auxiliary device associated with the wearable device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary power supply comprises a charge storage device, the method further comprising:

based on the received signal, the wearable device determining that there is a threshold level of electric charge stored in the charge storage device, the threshold level of electric charge being sufficient to operate an auxiliary device associated with the wearable device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor is an electrochemical sensor with a working electrode, a reference electrode, and a reagent that selectively reacts with an analyte.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the auxiliary power supply comprises a biofuel cell configured to generate electrical energy in response to a reaction between two catalysts present in tear fluid, the method further comprising:

based on the received signal, the wearable device determining that the bio fuel cell is generating a threshold level of electrical energy, the threshold level being sufficient to operate an auxiliary device associated with the wearable device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the signal is further indicative of an intention of the wearable device to operate an auxiliary device associated with the wearable device, the auxiliary device including one or more of a radio transmitter, an array of one or more light emitters, and a memory storage device, the method further comprising:

the wearable device operating the auxiliary power supply to supply power to the auxiliary device.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising, responsive to receiving the signal, the wearable device causing the external reader to reduce an amount of RF radiation transmitted to the wearable device.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the wearable device supplying power from the primary power supply to an auxiliary device associated with the wearable device; and

responsive to receiving the signal, the wearable device supplying additional power to the auxiliary device, the auxiliary device thereby receiving power from the primary power supply and the auxiliary power supply.

9. A wearable device comprising:

a sensor;

an antenna;

auxiliary electronics, including a memory storage unit;

a first power supply configured to harvest radio frequency (RF) radiation received at the antenna from an external reader and use the harvested RF radiation to supply power to the sensor and the auxiliary electronics;

a second power supply configured to harvest energy other than that received from the external reader and use the harvested energy to supply power to the sensor and the auxiliary electronics; and

a controller electrically connected to the first power supply and the second power supply, the controller being configured to;

enable the second power supply in response to a determination that the second power supply is able to supply power,

disable all auxiliary electronics but for the sensor in response to a determination that the second power supply is unable to supply power, and

retain operating parameters in the memory storage unit using the second power supply in response to a determination that the first power supply is unable to supply power but the second power supply is able to supply power.

10. The wearable device of claim 9,

wherein the second power supply comprises a photovoltaic cell, and

wherein the determination that the second power supply is able to supply power comprises a determination that there is a threshold level of ambient light incident upon the photovoltaic cell, the threshold level of ambient light causing the photovoltaic cell to produce a voltage level sufficient to operate the auxiliary electronics.

11. The wearable device of claim 9,

wherein the second power supply comprises a charge storage device, and

wherein the determination that the second power supply is able to supply power comprises a determination that there is a threshold level of electric charge stored in the charge storage device, the threshold level of electric charge being sufficient to operate the auxiliary electronics.

12. The wearable device of claim 9, further comprising a transparent polymeric material having a concave surface and a convex surface,

wherein the concave surface is configured to be removably mounted over a corneal surface and the convex surface is configured to be compatible with eyelid motion when the concave surface is so mounted,

wherein the sensor is an electrochemical sensor with a working electrode, a reference electrode, and a reagent that selectively reacts with an analyte, and

wherein the electrochemical sensor, the antenna, the first power supply, the second power supply, and the controller are disposed within the transparent polymeric material.

13. The wearable device of claim 12,

wherein the second power supply comprises a biofuel cell configured to generate electrical energy in response to a reaction between two catalysts present in tear fluid, and

wherein the determination that the second power supply is able to supply power comprises a determination that the biofuel cell is generating a threshold level of electrical energy, the threshold level being sufficient to operate the auxiliary electronics.

14. The wearable device of claim 12, further comprising measurement electronics disposed within the transparent polymeric material that, when activated, are configured to apply a measurement voltage between the working electrode and the reference electrode, obtain a sensor measurement while the wearable device is exposed to a fluid, and use the antenna to transmit the sensor measurement.

15. The wearable device of claim 9, wherein the controller is further configured to cause the external reader to reduce an amount of RF radiation transmitted to the wearable device in response to the determination that the second power supply is able to supply power.

16. A non-transitory computer readable medium (CRM) having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by one or more processors associated with a wearable device, cause the wearable device to perform operations, the operations comprising:

receiving a signal indicative of an availability of an auxiliary power supply to provide power to the wearable device, the wearable device including;

at least one sensor,

a primary power supply configured to harvest radio frequency (RF) radiation received from an external reader and use the harvested RF radiation to power the at least one sensor, and

an auxiliary power supply configured to harvest energy other than that received from the external reader and use the harvested energy to supply power to the at least one sensor;

responsive to receiving the signal, enabling the auxiliary power supply; and

operating the auxiliary power supply to supply power to the at least one sensor.

17. The CRM of claim 16, wherein the auxiliary power supply comprises a photovoltaic cell, the operations further comprising:

based on the received signal, determining that there is a threshold level of ambient light incident upon the photovoltaic cell, the threshold level of ambient light causing the photovoltaic cell to produce a voltage level sufficient to operate an auxiliary device associated with the wearable device.

18. The CRM of claim 16, wherein the auxiliary power supply comprises a charge storage device, the operations further comprising:

based on the received signal, determining that there is a threshold level of electric charge stored in the charge storage device, the threshold level of electric charge being sufficient to operate an auxiliary device associated with the wearable device.

19. The CRM of claim 16, wherein the at least one sensor is an electrochemical sensor with a working electrode, a reference electrode, and a reagent that selectively reacts with an analyte.

20. The CRM of claim 19, wherein the auxiliary power supply comprises a biofuel cell configured to generate electrical energy in response to a reaction between two catalysts present in tear fluid, the operations further comprising:

based on the received signal, determining that the bio fuel cell is generating a threshold level of electrical energy, the threshold level being sufficient to operate an auxiliary device associated with the wearable device.

21. The CRM of claim 16, wherein the signal is further indicative of an intention of the wearable device to operate an auxiliary device associated with the wearable device, the auxiliary device including one or more of a radio transmitter, an array of one or more light emitters, and a memory storage device, the operations further comprising:

operating the auxiliary power supply to supply power to the auxiliary device.

22. The CRM of claim 16, wherein the operations further comprise:

responsive to receiving the signal, the wearable device causing the external reader to reduce an amount of RF radiation transmitted to the wearable device.

23. The CRM of claim 16, wherein the operations further comprise:

supplying power from the primary power supply to an auxiliary device associated with the wearable device; and

responsive to receiving the signal, supplying additional power to the auxiliary device, the auxiliary device thereby receiving power from the primary power supply and the auxiliary power supply.