Photovoltaic cell arrangements

• US 9,209,324 B2
• Filed: 04/28/2010
• Issued: 12/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Markku, Rouvala
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso, Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): Boateng, Alexis A
• Application Number:
  US13/642,797
• Publication Number:
  US 20130038268A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,050 Days
• Field of Search: 320/101, 320/108, 320/107, 320/115, 320/103, 320/114, 320/116, 320/138, 455/572, 455/573, 455/566, 455/575.1, 455/414.1, 455/574, 455/575.3
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/022433 Particular geometry of the grid contacts
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/248 provided with an AC/DC converting device, e.g. rectennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/36 Structural form of radiating elements, e.g. cone, spiral, umbrella; Particular materials used therewithH01Q1/08, H01Q1/14 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/44 using equipment having another main function to serve additionally as an antenna , e.g. means for giving an antenna an aesthetic aspectH01Q1/27 - H01Q1/34 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/27 Spiral antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/001 Energy harvesting or scavenging
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/30 using light, e.g. lasers
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 with light sensitive cells
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 10/40 Mobile PV generator systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/56 Power conversion systems, e.g. maximum power point trackers

Abstract

Apparatus comprise a photovoltaic cell arrangement having a front surface and a rear surface, and first and second conductor patterns formed on different ones of the front and rear surfaces. The first conductor pattern comprises at least one loop, and the apparatus comprises at least a first terminal connected to the second conductor pattern, and second and third terminals connected to different ends of the at least one loop of the first conductor pattern. A transducer arrangement comprises a transducer body having a front surface and a rear surface, and first and second conductor patterns formed on different ones of the front and rear surfaces. The first conductor pattern comprises at least one loop. The transducer arrangement comprises at least a first terminal connected to the second conductor pattern, and second and third terminals connected to different ends of the at least one spiral loop of the first conductor pattern. The transducer body and the first and second conductor patterns together form a photovoltaic transducer arrangement and the second conductor pattern constitutes an induction transducer.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a photovoltaic cell arrangement having;

a front surface and a rear surface, and

first and second conductor patterns formed on different ones of the front and rear surfaces,

wherein the first conductor pattern comprises at least one spiral loop having a first end and a second end,

and wherein the apparatus comprises at least a first terminal connected to the second conductor pattern, and second and third terminals connected to different ends of the at least one spiral loop of the first conductor pattern.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, comprising a power management module configured to power at least one electronic circuit with electrical power provided at the second and third terminals.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, comprising a power management module configured to power at least one electronic circuit with electrical power provided at the second and third terminals in response to a determination that electrical power provided at the second and third terminals is sufficient to power the at least one electronic circuit.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, comprising a power management module configured to power a core, comprising at least one of a microcontroller unit and a digital signal processor, with electrical power provided at the second and third terminals in response to a determination that the core is in a standby mode.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the power management module is configured to power the core with electrical power provided at the second and third terminals in response to a determination both that the core is in standby mode and that the electrical power provided at the second and third terminals exceeds a predetermined threshold.

6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 4, comprising a supercapacitor connected between an output of the power management module at which power is provided to power the core and a reference potential.

7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein a power management module is configured to power at least one electronic circuit with electrical power provided at the first and second terminals in response to a determination that electrical power provided at the first and second terminals is sufficient to power the at least one electronic circuit.

8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the power management module is configured to connect the second terminal directly to the third terminal in response to the determination that electrical power provided at the first and second terminals is sufficient to power the at least one electronic circuit.

9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first conductor pattern comprises plural loops each having respective first and second ends, wherein the second terminal is commonly connected to the first ends of the plural loops and wherein the third terminal is commonly connected to the second ends of the plural loops.

10. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and second conductor patterns constitute different ones of first and second electrodes of the photovoltaic cell arrangement.

11. An apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the apparatus is configured in a photovoltaic charging mode to short-circuit the second and third terminals and to provide power from the first and second terminals to a battery charging apparatus.

12. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the photovoltaic cell arrangement comprises a back-junction type cell with the first conductor pattern being formed on the front surface of the semiconductor substrate and with the second conductor pattern and a third conductor pattern being formed on the rear surface of the semiconductor substrate, the second and third conductor patterns forming base and emitter electrodes respectively of the photovoltaic cell arrangement.

13. An apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the first conductor pattern is formed of optically transparent material.

14. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the loop is in the form of a square or rectangular shaped spiral.

15. A device comprising an apparatus as claimed in claim 1.

18. The device of claim 15, wherein the device is a mobile telephone.

20. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the spiral loop is in the form of a spiral pattern that progresses from being relatively narrow at the first end of the spiral loop to wider at a central portion of the spiral loop and then becoming narrower again at the second end of the spiral loop.

16. A transducer arrangement comprising:

a transducer body having;

a front surface and a rear surface, and

first and second conductor patterns formed on different ones of the front and rear surfaces,

wherein the first conductor pattern comprises at least one spiral loop having a first end and a second end,

wherein the transducer arrangement comprises at least a first terminal connected to the second conductor pattern, and second and third terminals connected to different ends of the at least one spiral loop of the first conductor pattern, wherein the transducer body and the first and second conductor patterns together form a photovoltaic transducer arrangement and wherein the second conductor pattern constitutes an induction transducer.

17. A device comprising a transducer arrangement as claimed in claim 16.

19. The device of claim 17, wherein the device is a mobile telephone.