Energy harvesting and control for sensor node
First Claim
1. A sensor node, comprising:
- a regulator circuit including an input coupleable to an energy harvesting transducer;
a wireless receiver circuit coupled to the regulator circuit and configured to wirelessly receive at least enough operating energy to establish operation of the sensor node without requiring the energy harvesting transducer;
a digital processor circuit coupled to the regulator circuit; and
a power management processor circuit configured to select an energy consumption level of the sensor node based on an input to the regulator circuit;
wherein the digital processor circuit includes a subthreshold operational mode established by the power management processor circuit based on the selected energy consumption level; and
wherein establishing the subthreshold operational mode includes adjusting or selecting a supply voltage provided by the regulator circuit so as to establish subthreshold operation of a field effect transistor (FET) in the digital processor circuit.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An integrated circuit, such as included as a portion of a sensor node, can include a regulator circuit having an input coupleable to an energy harvesting transducer. The integrated circuit can include a wireless receiver circuit coupled to the regulator circuit and configured to wirelessly receive at least enough operating energy to establish operation of the sensor node without requiring the energy harvesting transducer. The integrated circuit can include a digital processor circuit coupled to the regulator circuit and a power management processor circuit. The digital processor circuit or one or more other circuits can include a subthreshold operational mode established by the power management processor circuit based on the selected energy consumption level. For example, establishing the subthreshold operational mode can include adjusting or selecting a supply voltage so as to establish subthreshold operation of a field effect transistor (FET) in the digital processor circuit or other circuits.
29 Citations
33 Claims
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1. A sensor node, comprising:
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a regulator circuit including an input coupleable to an energy harvesting transducer; a wireless receiver circuit coupled to the regulator circuit and configured to wirelessly receive at least enough operating energy to establish operation of the sensor node without requiring the energy harvesting transducer; a digital processor circuit coupled to the regulator circuit; and a power management processor circuit configured to select an energy consumption level of the sensor node based on an input to the regulator circuit; wherein the digital processor circuit includes a subthreshold operational mode established by the power management processor circuit based on the selected energy consumption level; and wherein establishing the subthreshold operational mode includes adjusting or selecting a supply voltage provided by the regulator circuit so as to establish subthreshold operation of a field effect transistor (FET) in the digital processor circuit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of operating a sensor node, comprising:
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wirelessly receiving, at a wireless receiver circuit coupled to a regulator circuit coupleable to an energy harvesting transducer, sufficient operating energy to establish operation of a sensor node without requiring operating energy from the energy harvesting transducer; selecting an energy consumption level of the sensor node based on an input to the regulator circuit; and establishing a subthreshold operational mode of a digital processor circuit based on the selected energy consumption level, including adjusting or selecting a supply voltage provided by the regulator circuit so as to establish subthreshold operation of a field effect transistor (FET) in the digital processor circuit. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A processor-readable medium including instructions that, when executed by at least one processor circuit, cause an apparatus including the at least one processor circuit to perform a method comprising the steps of:
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wirelessly receiving, at a wireless receiver circuit coupled to a regulator circuit coupleable to an energy harvesting transducer, sufficient operating energy to establish operation of a sensor node without requiring operating energy from the energy harvesting transducer; selecting an energy consumption level of the sensor node based on an input to the regulator circuit; and establishing a subthreshold operational mode of a digital processor circuit based on the selected energy consumption level, including adjusting or selecting a supply voltage provided by the regulator circuit so as to establish subthreshold operation of a field effect transistor (FET) in the digital processor circuit.
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Specification