System and method using capacitors to power a camera having a motion sensor

• US 9,423,668 B2
• Filed: 08/07/2013
• Issued: 08/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Battery-Free Outdoors LLC
• Original Assignee: Battery-Free Outdoors LLC
• Inventors: Laceky, William P.
• Primary Examiner(s): WILLIAMS, ARUN C
• Application Number:
  US13/961,157
• Publication Number:
  US 20130322864A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,112 Days
• Field of Search: 396/304
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 7/26 Power supplies; Circuitry or arrangement to switch on the power source; Circuitry to check the power source voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/44 Methods for charging or discharging circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/345 using capacitors as storage or buffering devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 with light sensitive cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A method and apparatus relates to systems powered by energy stored in capacitors. The capacitors may be charged using any desired power source. In one example, a camera system uses a combination of solar panels and a capacitive network to power the camera system with minimal required maintenance.

Claims

1. A method of operating a camera having control circuitry, the method comprising:

providing one or more solar panels;

storing energy from the one or more solar panels in one or more capacitors;

at least partially disabling the charging of the one or more capacitors when the voltage of the one or more capacitors reaches a threshold voltage;

providing control circuitry operatively coupled to the camera and to the one or more capacitors;

using the energy stored in the one or more capacitors to provide power to the camera to capture images, wherein the camera is powered without using power from a non-photovoltaic power source such as a chemical battery; and

configuring the control circuitry to prevent the camera from depleting energy stored in the one or more capacitors below a critical level so that the control circuitry will have enough energy available to sustain full circuit operation, including critical logic operation and timekeeping operation, during time periods when the energy stored in the one or more capacitors is insufficient to maintain operation of both the control circuitry and the camera.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising using a DC-DC converter to step the capacitor voltage up or down to provide a steady voltage level to the camera, even as the capacitor voltages fall.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the camera is powered at one or more predetermined times of day.

4. A system comprising:

a camera configured to capture images;

control circuitry operatively coupled to the camera for controlling the operation of the camera;

one or more solar panels;

a first capacitive network having one or more capacitors for storing energy from the one or more solar panels, wherein energy stored in the one or more capacitors of the first capacitive network is used to provide power to the camera; and

a second capacitive network having one or more capacitors for storing energy from the one or more solar panels, wherein energy stored in the one or more capacitors of the second capacitive network is used to provide power to the control circuitry, and wherein the second capacitive network is configured such that it does not provide power to the camera.

5. The system of claim 4, further comprising a DC to DC converter coupled between the second capacitor network and the control circuitry to step up the voltage of the one or more capacitors as the capacitor voltages drop.

6. A system comprising:

a camera;

one or more solar panels;

control circuitry operatively coupled to the camera for controlling the operation of the camera;

one or more capacitors for storing energy from the one or more solar panels, wherein energy stored in the one or more capacitors is used to provide power to the control circuitry and the camera, wherein the one or more capacitors comprises first and second separate capacitive networks, and wherein the first capacitive network provides power to the control circuitry, and the second capacitive network provides power to the camera; and

a DC to DC converter coupled between the one or more capacitors and the control circuitry to provide a stepped up voltage relative to the voltage of the one or more capacitors as the capacitor voltages drop so as to provide useable voltage to the control circuitry while the voltage of the one or more capacitors drops below the usable voltage levels of the control circuitry.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the camera is activated for a time and duration, wherein the control circuitry controls the time and duration that the camera is activated.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the camera is powered without using power from a chemical battery.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the control circuitry is programmable by a user to activate the camera at predetermined intervals and durations.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein a second DC to DC converter provides a stepped up voltage relative to the voltage of the one or more capacitors as the capacitor voltages drop so as to provide a useable voltage level to the camera, even as the voltage of the one or more capacitors drops below the useable voltage level.

11. The system of claim 6, further comprising a charge control circuit coupled to the one or more capacitors and to the one or more solar panels for protecting the one or more capacitors from damaging voltage levels.

12. The system of claim 6, wherein the DC to DC converter is also coupled between the one or more capacitors and the camera to provide a stepped up voltage relative to the voltage of the one or more capacitors as the capacitor voltages drop so as to provide useable voltage to the camera while the voltage of the one or more capacitors drops below the usable voltage levels of the camera.

13. A method of operating a system having a camera, the method comprising:

providing one or more solar panels;

storing energy from the one or more solar panels in one or more capacitors;

providing control circuitry operatively coupled to the camera and to the one or more capacitors;

using the energy stored in the one or more capacitors to provide power to the camera to capture images, wherein the camera is powered without using power from a non-photovoltaic power source such as a chemical battery;

using a DC-DC converter to step the capacitor voltage up or down to provide a desired steady voltage level to the camera, even as the capacitor voltages fall; and

configuring the control circuitry to prevent the camera from depleting energy stored in the one or more capacitors below a critical level so that the control circuitry will have enough energy available to sustain full circuit operation, including critical logic operation and timekeeping operation, during time periods when the energy stored in the one or more capacitors is insufficient to maintain operation of both the control circuitry and the camera.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising at least partially disabling the charging of the one or more capacitors when the voltage of the one or more capacitors reaches a threshold voltage.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising at least partially disabling the charging of the one or more capacitors when the voltage of the one or more capacitors reaches a threshold value.

16. A method of operating a camera having control circuitry, the method comprising:

providing one or more solar panels;

storing energy from the one or more solar panels in one or more capacitors, said one or more capacitors being operatively coupled to the camera and the control circuitry;

wherein the one or more solar panels and the one or more capacitors generate and store energy sufficient to operate the control circuitry indefinitely;

at least partially disabling the charging of the one or more capacitors when the voltage of the one or more capacitors reaches a threshold voltage;

configuring the charge control circuit to divert energy from the one or more solar panels away from the one or more capacitors to protect the capacitors from damage due to over-voltage, but without shunting energy out of the one or more capacitors;

providing control circuitry operatively coupled to the camera and to the one or more capacitors;

using the energy stored in the one or more capacitors to provide power to the camera; and

configuring the control circuitry to prevent the camera from depleting energy stored in the one or more capacitors below a critical level so that the control circuitry will have enough energy available to sustain operation during time periods when the energy stored in the one or more capacitors is insufficient to maintain operation of both the control circuitry and the camera.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the camera is powered without using power from a non-photovoltaic power source such as a chemical battery.