Harmonic harvester for improved RF-to-DC rectifying efficiency

• US 10,063,063 B2
• Filed: 12/12/2014
• Issued: 08/28/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ohio State Innovation Foundation (Ohio State University)
• Original Assignee: Ohio State Innovation Foundation (Ohio State University)
• Inventors: Chen, Chi-Chih
• Primary Examiner(s): Deberadinis, Robert
• Application Number:
  US15/103,557
• Publication Number:
  US 20160315478A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,355 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 5/00 Circuit arrangements for transfer of electric power between ac networks and dc networks H02J3/36 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0048 Circuits or arrangements for reducing losses using snubbers H02M1/34
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/12 Arrangements for reducing harmonics from ac input or output
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/05 Capacitor coupled rectifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/06 using discharge tubes without control electrode or semiconductor devices without control electrode
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/066 particular circuits having a special characteristic
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/10 Technologies improving the efficiency by using switched-mode power supplies [SMPS], i.e. efficient power electronics conversion e.g. power factor correction or reduction of losses in power supplies or efficient standby modes

Abstract

A harmonic harvesting circuit design for harvesting un-rectified AC power contained in the fundamental and harmonic frequencies at the output of conventional rectifying circuits.

Claims

1. An electrical circuit comprising:

A direct-current (DC) blocking circuit in communication with an output of an alternating-current-to-direct-current (AC-to-DC) converter circuit configured to provide DC signals and un-converted AC signals, the DC blocking circuit comprising an input and an output and configured to pass the un-converted AC signals and block the DC signals;

an impedance matching circuit comprising an input and an output and configured to receive the un-converted AC signals, wherein the input of the impedance matching circuit is in communication with the output of the DC blocking circuit;

a rectifying circuit comprising an input and an output, wherein the input of the rectifying circuit is in communication with the output of the impedance matching circuit; and

an AC blocking circuit comprising an input and an output and configured to pass the DC signals and block the un-converted AC signals, wherein the input of the AC blocking circuit is in communication with both the output of the AC-to-DC converter circuit and the input of the DC blocking circuit.

2. The electrical circuit of claim 1, wherein the AC-to-DC converter circuit is a rectifier circuit and wherein the un-converted AC signals are un-rectified AC signals.

3. The electrical circuit of claim 1, wherein the output of the AC blocking circuit is in communication with the output of the rectifying circuit, and wherein the output of the AC blocking circuit and the output of the rectifying circuit form an output of the electrical circuit.

4. The electrical circuit of claim 1, wherein the un-converted AC signals are harmonic signals having frequencies that are multiples of a fundamental frequency.

5. The electrical circuit of claim 1, wherein one of the un-converted AC signals is a radio-frequency (RF) signal leaked to the output of the AC-to-DC converter circuit.

6. The electrical circuit of claim 1, wherein the DC blocking circuit is a capacitor.

7. The electrical circuit of claim 1, wherein the DC blocking circuit is a high-pass filter.

8. The electrical circuit of claim 1, wherein the AC blocking circuit is an inductor.

9. The electrical circuit of claim 1, wherein the AC blocking circuit is a low-pass filter.

10. The electrical circuit of claim 1, wherein the AC-to-DC converter circuit is a rectifier circuit.

11. The electrical circuit of claim 1, wherein the AC blocking circuit is configured to block fundamental and harmonic signals of an unconverted AC signal from being shorted to ground.

12. A circuit comprising a first electronic circuit and a second electrical circuit arranges in series and respectively comprising an electrical circuit of claim 1, wherein the first and second electrical circuits are configured to harvest un-converted alternating-current (AC) signals at an output of an AC-to-direct-current (AC-to-DC) converter circuit.

13. An electrical circuit comprising:

a direct-current (DC) blocking circuit in communication with an output of a first alternating-current-to-direct-current (AC-to-DC) converter circuit configured to provide DC signals and un-converted AC signals, the DC blocking circuit comprising an input and an output and configured to pass the un-converted AC signals and block the DC signals;

an impedance matching circuit comprising an input and an output, wherein the input of the impedance matching circuit is in communication with the output of the DC blocking and is configured to receive the un-converted AC signals circuit;

a second AC-to-DC converter circuit comprising an input and an output, wherein the input of the second AC-to-DC converter circuit is in communication with the output of the impedance matching electrical circuit and is configured to receive the un-converted AC signals; and

an AC blocking circuit comprising an input and an output, wherein the input of the AC blocking circuit is in communication with the output of the first AC-to-DC converter circuit and is configured to pass the DC signals and block the unconverted AC signals.

14. The electrical circuit of claim 13, wherein the first and second AC-to-DC converter circuits are rectifier circuits and wherein the un-converted AC signals are un-rectified AC signals.

15. The electrical circuit of claim 13, wherein the output of the AC blocking circuit is in communication with the output of the second AC-to-DC converter circuit, and wherein the output of the AC blocking circuit and the output of the second AC-to-DC converter circuit form an output of the electrical circuit.

16. The electrical circuit of claim 13, wherein the AC blocking circuit is configured to block fundamental and harmonic signals associated with an unconverted AC signal from being shorted to ground.

17. The electrical circuit of claim 13, further comprising a second electrical circuit configured to harvest the un-converted AC signals in series with the electrical circuit.

18. The electrical circuit of claim 13, wherein the second AC-to-DC converter circuit is configured to convert fundamental and harmonic signals corresponding to the un-converted AC signals to DC signals.

19. The electrical circuit of claim 13, wherein the impedance matching circuit is configured to produce maximum DC output.

20. An electrical circuit comprising:

a direct-current (DC) blocking circuit in communication with an output of a first alternating-current-to-direct-current (AC-to-DC) circuit, the DC blocking circuit comprising an input and an output;

an impedance matching circuit comprising an input and an output, wherein the input of the impedance matching circuit is in communication with the output of the DC blocking circuit;

a second AC-to-DC converter circuit comprising an input and an output, wherein the input of the second AC-to-DC converter circuit is in communication with the output of the impedance matching circuit; and

wherein the output of the second AC-to-DC converter circuit feeds into an input of the first AC-to-DC converter circuit to form a feedback loop.

21. The electrical circuit of claim 20, further comprising:

an AC blocking circuit comprising an input and an output, wherein the input of the AC blocking circuit is in communication with the output of the first AC-to-DC converter circuit.

22. The electrical circuit of claim 20, wherein the first and second AC-to-DC converter circuits are rectifier circuits.

23. The electrical circuit of claim 20, wherein the second AC-to-DC converter circuit is configured to convert fundamental and harmonic signals to DC signals.