Integrated electronics for perpetual energy harvesting

• US 8,823,210 B1
• Filed: 06/01/2011
• Issued: 09/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Banpil Photonics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Banpil Photonics, Inc.
• Inventors: Olah, Robert Allen, Dutta, Achyut Kumar
• Primary Examiner(s): Deberadinis, Robert L.
• Application Number:
  US13/151,253
• Time in Patent Office: 1,189 Days
• Field of Search: 307/43
• US Class Current: 307/45
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/56 using semiconductor devices in series with the load as final control devices G05F1/461 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/102 being switching converters H02J1/108, H02J1/12 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/106 for load balancing, symmetrisation, or sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/12 Parallel operation of dc generators with converters, e.g. with mercury-arc rectifier
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/40 adapted for charging from various sources, e.g. AC, DC or multivoltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0068 Battery or charger load switching, e.g. concurrent charging and load supply H02J7/0013 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 with light sensitive cells
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/07 using capacitors charged and discharged alternately by semiconductor devices with control electrode , e.g. charge pumps
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/56 Power conversion systems, e.g. maximum power point trackers

Abstract

An apparatus for perpetually harvesting ambient near ultraviolet to far infrared radiation to provide continual power regardless of the environment, incorporating a system for the harvesting electronics governing power management, storage control, and output regulation. The harvesting electronics address issues of efficiently matching the voltage and current characteristics of the different harvested energy levels, low power consumption, and matching the power output demand. The device seeks to harvest the largely overlooked blackbody radiation through use of a thermal harvester, providing a continuous source of power, coupled with a solar harvester to provide increased power output.

Claims

1. A perpetual energy harvester comprising:

a solar harvester;

a photovoltaic thermal harvester attached to the bottom of the solar harvester;

a battery in close proximity to the thermal harvester; and

a harvesting electronics in close proximity to the thermal harvester and individually electrically connected to the solar harvester, the thermal harvester, and the battery, wherein the harvesting electronics receives input in the form of energy from the solar harvester and the thermal harvester, controls the amount of energy stored in the battery, and regulates the output to a load.

2. The perpetual energy harvester in claim 1, wherein said battery is selected from the group consisting of thin film lithium-ion, lithium-ion polymer, polymer, semiconductor, and flexible batteries.

3. The perpetual energy harvester in claim 1, wherein the solar harvester is selected from the group consisting of traditional crystallized silicon solar cells, thin film solar cells, multi-layered solar cells, dye sensitized solar cells, and organic polymer solar cells.

4. The perpetual energy harvester in claim 1,

wherein the photovoltaic thermal harvester is comprised of material selected from the group consisting of HgCdTe, HgZnTe, InSb, InAs, GaSb, GaAs, InP, PbTe, and polymers.

5. A harvester electronics system comprising:

a thermal harvester interface, wherein the thermal harvester interface is electrically connected to and receives input from a thermal harvester;

a solar harvester interface, wherein the solar harvester interface is electrically connected to and receives input from a solar harvester;

a battery manager electrically connected to and receives input from the solar harvester interface and thermal harvester interface, wherein the battery manager is electrically connected to a battery and manages the energy stored in the battery; and

a voltage regulator electrically connected to the battery manager, wherein the voltage regulator receives an input from the battery manager and controls an output voltage to an external load.

6. The voltage regulator in claim 5, further comprising a low drop out regulator.

7. The harvester electronics system in claim 5, further comprising:

a bandgap reference electrically connected to the thermal harvester interface, the solar harvester interface, the battery manager, and the voltage regulator, wherein the bandgap reference outputs a temperature independent voltage reference to the thermal harvester interface, the solar harvester interface, the battery manager, and the voltage regulator.

8. The harvester electronics system in claim 7, wherein said

solar harvester interface comprises:

a Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) input electrically connected to the solar harvester and the battery manager;

a MPPT control electrically connected to the solar harvester, the MPPT input, and the bandgap reference, wherein the MPPT control receives a voltage reference input from the bandgap reference and an input from the solar harvester, determines if the operating voltage has changed, and outputs instructions to the MPPT input which adjusts input impedance to match maximum harvesting input impedance;

a charge pump electrically connected to the MPPT input and the battery manager; and

a charge pump control electrically connected to the charge pump and the bandgap reference, wherein the charge pump control receives input from the bandgap reference and dynamically adjusts oscillation frequency for the charge pump.

9. The harvester electronics system in claim 8, wherein the charge pump comprises one or more stages selected from the group consisting of a capacitive charge pump, a charge transfer switch, a step-up converter, and a boost converter, wherein the charge pump control dynamically adjusts the number of stages used by the charge pump based on the input from the bandgap reference.

10. The harvester electronics system in claim 7, wherein said thermal harvester interface comprises:

a Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) input electrically connected to the thermal harvester and the battery manager;

a MPPT control electrically connected to the thermal harvester, the MPPT input, and the bandgap reference, wherein the MPPT control receives a voltage reference input from the bandgap reference and an input from the thermal harvester, determines if the operating voltage has changed, and outputs instructions to the MPPT input which adjusts input impedance to match maximum harvesting input impedance;

a charge pump electrically connected to the MPPT input and the battery manager; and

a charge pump control electrically connected to the charge pump and the bandgap reference, wherein the charge pump control receives input from the bandgap reference and dynamically adjusts oscillation frequency for the charge pump.

11. The harvester electronic system in claim 10, wherein said charge pump comprises one or more stages selected from the group consisting of a capacitive charge pump, a charge transfer switch, a step-up converter, and a boost converter, wherein the charge pump control dynamically adjusts the number of stages used by the charge pump based on the input from the bandgap reference.

12. A harvesting electronics system comprising:

a voltage boost electrically connected to a thermal harvester, wherein the voltage boost receives energy input from the thermal harvester;

a charge control electrically connected to the voltage boost, wherein the charge control receives energy input from the voltage boost;

a first battery electrically connected to the charge control, wherein the charge control regulates the energy storage of the first battery;

a power management block electrically connected to the first battery, wherein the power management block regulates the energy output of the first battery;

a second battery electrically connected to the power management block; and

a solar harvest regulator electrically connected to a solar harvester and the second battery, wherein the solar harvest regulator receives energy input from the solar harvester, regulates the energy storage of the second battery, and regulates the output to a load.

13. The harvesting electronics in claim 12,

wherein the voltage boost comprises one or more stages selected from the group consisting of a capacitive charge pump, a charge transfer switch, a step-up converter, and a boost converter.

14. The harvesting electronics system in claim 12, wherein:

the first battery is selected from the group consisting of thin film lithium-ion, lithium-ion polymer, polymer, semiconductor, and flexible batteries; and

the second battery is selected from the group consisting of thin film lithium-ion, lithium-ion polymer, polymer, semiconductor, and flexible batteries.

15. The harvesting electronics system in claim 12, further comprising:

a zener protection diode between the solar harvester and the solar harvest regulator.

16. The harvesting electronics system in claim 12, wherein the solar harvest regulator comprises a low drop out regulator.

17. The harvesting electronics system in claim 12, further comprising:

a bandgap reference electrically connected to the second battery and the solar harvest regulator, wherein the bandgap reference outputs a temperature independent voltage reference to the solar harvest regulator.

18. The harvesting electronics system in claim 17, comprising:

a first Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) input electrically connected to the solar harvester, wherein the first MPPT input receives an energy input from the solar harvester;

a first MPPT control electrically connected to the solar harvester, the first MMPT input, and the bandgap reference, wherein the first MPPT control receives a voltage reference input from the bandgap reference and an input from the solar harvester, determines if the operating voltage has moved, and outputs instructions to the first MPPT input which adjusts input impedance to match maximum harvesting input impedance; and

a second MPPT input electrically connected to the thermal harvester, wherein the second MPPT input receives an energy input from the thermal harvester; and

a second MPPT control electrically connected to the thermal harvester, the second MMPT input, and the bandgap reference, wherein the second MPPT control receives a voltage reference input from the bandgap reference and an input from the thermal harvester, determines if the operating voltage has moved, and outputs instructions to the second MPPT input which adjusts input impedance to match maximum harvesting input impedance.

19. The harvesting electronics system in claim 12, further comprising:

a first bandgap reference electrically connected to the second battery and the solar harvest regulator, wherein the first bandgap reference outputs a first temperature independent voltage reference to the solar harvest regulator; and

a second bandgap reference electrically connected to the first battery and the charge control, wherein the second bandgap reference outputs a second temperature independent voltage reference.

20. The harvesting electronics system in claim 19, comprising:

a first Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) input electrically connected to the solar harvester, wherein the first MPPT input receives an energy input from the solar harvester;

a first MPPT control electrically connected to the solar harvester, the first MMPT input, and the bandgap reference, wherein the first MPPT control receives the first temperature independent voltage reference input from the bandgap reference and an input from the solar harvester, determines if the operating voltage has moved, and outputs instructions to the first MPPT input which adjusts input impedance to match maximum harvesting input impedance; and

a second MPPT input electrically connected to the thermal harvester, wherein the second MPPT input receives an energy input from the thermal harvester; and

a second MPPT control electrically connected to the thermal harvester, the second MMPT input, and the bandgap reference, wherein the second MPPT control receives the second temperature independent voltage reference input from the bandgap reference and an input from the thermal harvester, determines if the operating voltage has moved, and outputs instructions to the second MPPT input which adjusts input impedance to match maximum harvesting input impedance.