RF energy harvesting by a network node
First Claim
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1. A method for energy harvesting by circuitry of a node in a network, comprising:
- operating in a communication mode comprising;
communicating, via a radio frequency (RF) transceiver, data with another node in the network, wherein the node comprises an energy storage device that provides power for the node; and
in response to occurrence of a time period during which no further data communication is scheduled in the node, switching, via an RF switch in the node, from said communication mode to an energy harvest mode comprising;
receiving RF emissions accessible to the node via an antenna;
providing the received RF emissions to a rectifier;
converting the RF emissions to direct current (DC) energy, wherein said converting is implemented using the rectifier; and
storing the DC energy in the energy storage device.
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Abstract
Disclosed are various embodiments for energy harvesting by circuitry of a node in a network. The node operates in a communication mode that includes communicating, via an RF transceiver, data with another node in the network. The node includes an energy storage device that provides power for the node. The node switches, via an RF switch, from said communication mode to an energy harvest mode. The energy harvest mode includes receiving RF emissions accessible to the node via an antenna. The RF emissions are converted to DC electrical energy, and the DC energy is stored in the energy storage device.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method for energy harvesting by circuitry of a node in a network, comprising:
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operating in a communication mode comprising; communicating, via a radio frequency (RF) transceiver, data with another node in the network, wherein the node comprises an energy storage device that provides power for the node; and in response to occurrence of a time period during which no further data communication is scheduled in the node, switching, via an RF switch in the node, from said communication mode to an energy harvest mode comprising; receiving RF emissions accessible to the node via an antenna; providing the received RF emissions to a rectifier; converting the RF emissions to direct current (DC) energy, wherein said converting is implemented using the rectifier; and storing the DC energy in the energy storage device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A node, comprising:
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a processor; an antenna; a radio frequency (RF) switch for switching connectivity to the antenna; an energy storage device that provides power for the node; a rectifier; an RF transceiver for communicating on a network accessible to the node; and a memory configured by a management application executed in the node, the management application comprising logic causing the node to; operate in an energy harvest mode comprising; receiving RF emissions accessible to the node via the antenna; converting, via the rectifier, the RF emissions to direct current (DC) energy; and storing the DC energy in the energy storage device; and in response to occurrence of a time period during which data communication is scheduled in the node, switch, via the RF switch, from said energy harvest mode to a communication mode comprising; communicating, via the RF transceiver, data with another node in the network, wherein said communicating uses power from the energy storage device. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A non-transitory computer-readable medium embodying a program executable by a processor of a node, comprising:
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code for operating the node in a communication mode comprising; communicating, via a radio frequency (RF) transceiver, data with another node in a network, wherein the node comprises an energy storage device that provides power for the node; code for operating the node in an energy harvest mode comprising; receiving RF emissions accessible to the node via an antenna; providing the received RF emissions to a rectifier; converting the RF emissions to direct current (DC) energy, wherein said converting is implemented using the rectifier; and storing the DC energy in the energy storage device; and code for switching, via an RF switch in the node, between the modes based upon a determination made in the node, wherein the node switches to the energy harvesting mode in response to occurrence of a time period during which no further data communication is scheduled in the node. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification