Self-powered devices and methods

• US 8,850,242 B2
• Filed: 07/19/2013
• Issued: 09/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Invent.ly LLC
• Original Assignee: Invent.ly LLC
• Inventors: Jessup, Holden D., Meade, Daylyn M., Flood, Timothy P., Hallatt, Clive A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bahta, Kidest
• Application Number:
  US13/946,414
• Publication Number:
  US 20140149765A1
• Time in Patent Office: 438 Days
• Field of Search: 700/297, 700/291, 700/86, 700/295, 700/286, 713/312, 713/300, 713/320, 713/302, 713/303, 345/212, 718/102, 709/224, 136/249, 136/253
• US Class Current: 713/300
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/66 Regulating electric power
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3206 Monitoring of events, devices or parameters that trigger a change in power modality
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3234 Power saving characterised by the action undertaken
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/329 by task scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/12 Arrangements for remote connection or disconnection of substations or of equipment thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40039 Details regarding the setting of the power status of a node according to activity on the bus
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/50 in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate

Abstract

The self-powered device is configured to be powered by energy collected from a surrounding environment. The self-powered device includes an energy collector, and a memory having instructions for selecting one of a plurality of modes of operation. The energy collector is configured to collect energy to power the self-powered device from a surrounding environment in which the self-powered device is located. The plurality of modes of operation include: (i) a low-power mode of operation in which the self-powered device consumes less than a pre-determined or adaptively-determined amount of power and the self-powered device uses less than its full capabilities, and (ii) and a high-power mode of operation in which self-powered device consumes more than the pre-determined or adaptively-determined amount of power and the self-powered device uses its full capabilities. The instructions for selecting one of a plurality of modes of are configured to (a) select the low-power mode of operation when available energy becomes insufficient to fully power the self-powered device, and (b) select the high-power mode of operation when sufficient energy again becomes available to fully power the self-powered device.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

an energy collector;

a processor; and

a memory having a plurality of instructions configured to (A) analyze a performance of said energy collector to adaptively-determine a variable level of power generated by said energy collector, (B) select one of a plurality of modes of operation, wherein said modes of operation include;

(i) a low-power mode in which the device consumes less than said variable level and the device has less than full functionality, and (ii) a high-power mode in which the device consumes more than said variable level and the device has more functionality than in said low-power mode, and (C) transition said device from said high-power mode to said low-power mode to conserve said power.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein said energy collector is configured to collect energy from an environment about said device to generate said power.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein said device is self-powered from said energy collector.

4. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a storage unit charged with said power generated by said energy collector.

5. The device according to claim 4, wherein said device is powered at least in part from said storage unit while said energy collector generates less than a given amount of said power.

6. The device according to claim 4, wherein said transition from said high-power mode to said low-power mode is in response to said storage unit reaching a low voltage threshold.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein said instructions are further configured to adjust a current draw from said energy collector to maximize said power generated by said energy collector.

8. The device according to claim 7, wherein said instructions are further configured to:

change said current draw from said energy collector;

measure a voltage generated by said energy collector after said current draw has changed; and

calculate said power generated by said energy collector based on said current draw and said voltage.

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein said instructions are further configured to iterate said change, said measure and said calculate until said power is maximized.

10. A method for controlling power in a device, comprising the steps of:

(A) analyzing a performance of an energy collector of said device to adaptively-determine a variable level of power generated by said energy collector;

(B) selecting one of a plurality of modes of operation, wherein said modes of operation include;

(i) a low-power mode in which said device consumes less than said variable level and said device has less than full functionality, and (ii) a high-power mode in which said device consumes more than said variable level and said device has more of said functionality than in said low-power mode; and

(C) transitioning said device from said high-power mode to said low-power mode to conserve said power in response to execution of a plurality of instructions by said device.

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising the step of:

collecting energy from an environment about said device to generated said power.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein said device is self-powered from said energy collector.

13. The method according to claim 10, further comprising the step of:

charging a storage unit of said device with said power generated by said energy collector.

14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising the step of:

powering said device at least in part from said storage unit while said energy collector generates less than a given amount of said power.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein said transition from said high-power mode to said low-power mode is in response to said storage unit reaching a low voltage threshold.

16. The method according to claim 10, further comprising the step of:

adjusting a current draw from said energy collector in response to an execution of said instructions to maximize said power generated by said energy collector.

17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising the steps of:

changing said current draw from said energy collector;

measuring a voltage generated by said energy collector after said current draw has changed; and

calculating said power generated by said energy collector based on said current draw and said voltage.

18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising the step of:

iterating said changing, said measuring and said calculating until said power is maximized.