Device for harvesting and managing wireless energy

• US 10,756,573 B2
• Filed: 09/08/2017
• Issued: 08/25/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: National Chiao Tung University (Government of The Republic of China)
• Original Assignee: National Chiao Tung University (Government of The Republic of China)
• Inventors: Liao, Yu-Te, Lin, Shu-Hsuan, Shih, Wei-Chih, Kuo, Chen-Yi
• Primary Examiner(s): Kessie, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Baxter, Brian K
• Application Number:
  US15/699,120
• Publication Number:
  US 20180366981A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,082 Days
• Field of Search: 307 19
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/001 Energy harvesting or scavenging
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/05 using capacitive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/20 using microwaves or radio frequency waves
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/53846 Control circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/40 Automatic matching of load impedance to source impedance

Abstract

A device for harvesting and managing wireless energy includes a wireless receiver, a first rectifier, a first capacitor, a voltage detection circuit, a first electrical switch, a second rectifier and a second capacitor connected to each other. The wireless receiver receives a wireless RF signal and converts it into an AC voltage with an input power. The first rectifier receives the AC voltage, converts it into a first DC voltage and transmits the first DC voltage to a load. The voltage detection circuit has a threshold voltage value and detects the first DC voltage. When the first DC voltage is larger than the threshold voltage value, the voltage detection circuit turns on the first electrical switch and the second rectifier receives the AC voltage through the first electrical switch to share the input power received by the first rectifier, thereby achieving the high energy conversion efficiency.

Claims

1. A device for harvesting and managing wireless energy comprising:

a wireless receiver receiving a wireless radio-frequency (RF) signal and converting said wireless RF signal into an alternating-current (AC) voltage with input power;

a first rectifier, coupled to said wireless receiver, receiving said AC voltage and converting said AC voltage into a first direct-current (DC) voltage;

a first capacitor, coupled to said first rectifier and a load, receiving said first DC voltage and providing said first DC voltage for said load;

a voltage detection circuit having a first voltage value, said voltage detection circuit being coupled to said first capacitor and detecting said first DC voltage;

a first electrical switch coupled to said wireless receiver and said voltage detection circuit, said first electrical switch being initially turned off, wherein said voltage detection circuit turns on said first electrical switch responsive to input signal power of said wireless RF signal received by said wireless receiver when said first DC voltage is larger than said first voltage value;

a second rectifier coupled to said wireless receiver through said first electrical switch, and when said first DC voltage is larger than said first voltage value, said second rectifier selectively receiving said AC voltage through said first electrical switch when said first electrical switch is turned on, and converting said AC voltage into a second DC voltage to share said input power received by said first rectifier;

a third rectifier coupled to said wireless receiver through a second electrical switch for selectively converting said AC voltage into a third DC voltage to share said input power received by said first rectifier and said second rectifier; and

a second capacitor selectively coupled to said second rectifier through a third electrical switch, and said second DC voltage charging said second capacitor;

wherein the energy conversion efficiency of the device for harvesting and managing wireless energy is adaptively optimized for variations in input signal power.

2. A device for harvesting and managing wireless energy comprising:

a wireless receiver receiving a wireless radio-frequency (RF) signal and converting said wireless RF signal into an alternating-current (AC) voltage with input power;

a first rectifier, connected with said wireless receiver, receiving said AC voltage and converting said AC voltage into a first direct-current (DC) voltage;

a first capacitor, connected with said first rectifier and a load, receiving said first DC voltage and providing said first DC voltage for said load;

a voltage detection circuit having a first voltage value, said voltage detection circuit being connected with said first capacitor and detecting said first DC voltage;

a first electrical switch connected with said wireless receiver and said voltage detection circuit, and said first electrical switch being turned off initially, and when said first DC voltage is larger than said first voltage value, said voltage detection circuit turning on said first electrical switch;

a second rectifier connected with said wireless receiver through said first electrical switch, and when said first DC voltage is larger than said first voltage value, said second rectifier receiving said AC voltage through said first electrical switch, and converting said AC voltage into a second DC voltage to share said input power received by said first rectifier;

a second capacitor connected with said second rectifier, said second DC voltage charging said second capacitor;

a second electrical switch connected with said wireless receiver and said voltage detection circuit, wherein said second electrical switch is turned off initially, said voltage detection circuit has a second voltage value, and said first voltage value is less than said second voltage value, and when said first DC voltage is larger than said second voltage value, said voltage detection circuit turns on said second electrical switch; and

a third rectifier connected with said wireless receiver through said second electrical switch and connected with said second capacitor, wherein when said first DC voltage is larger than said second voltage value, said third rectifier receives said AC voltage through said second electrical switch and converts said AC voltage into a third DC voltage to share said input power received by said first rectifier and said second rectifier, and said third DC voltage charges said second capacitor.

3. The device for harvesting and managing wireless energy according to claim 2, further comprising:

a third electrical switch connected between said second capacitor and said second rectifier, and connected with said voltage detection circuit, wherein said third electrical switch is turned off initially, and when said first DC voltage is larger than said first voltage value, said voltage detection circuit turns on said third electrical switch, and said second DC voltage charges said second capacitor through said third electrical switch; and

a fourth electrical switch connected between said second capacitor and said third rectifier, and connected with said voltage detection circuit, wherein said fourth electrical switch is turned off initially, and when said first DC voltage is larger than said second voltage value, said voltage detection circuit turns on said fourth electrical switch, and said third DC voltage charges said second capacitor through said fourth electrical switch.

4. The device for harvesting and managing wireless energy according to claim 3, further comprising an operation switch connected between said load and said first capacitor, and connected with said voltage detection circuit, wherein said voltage detection circuit has an operation voltage value, said first voltage value is larger than said operation voltage value, and when said first DC voltage is larger than said operation voltage value, said voltage detection circuit turns on said operation switch, and said first capacitor provides said first DC voltage for said load through said operation switch.

5. The device for harvesting and managing wireless energy according to claim 4, wherein said voltage detection circuit further includes:

a fifth electrical switch initially turned off;

a first voltage detector having said operation voltage value, wherein said first voltage detector is connected with said operation switch and said first capacitor, said first voltage detector detects said first DC voltage, and when said first DC voltage is larger than said operation voltage value, and said first voltage detector turns on said operation switch;

a second voltage detector having said first voltage value, wherein said second voltage detector is connected with said first electrical switch, said third electrical switch, said fifth electrical switch and said first capacitor, said second voltage detector detects said first DC voltage, and when said first DC voltage is larger than said first voltage value, said second voltage detector turns on said first electrical switch, said third electrical switch and said fifth electrical switch; and

a third voltage detector having said second voltage value, wherein said third voltage detector is connected with said first capacitor through said fifth electrical switch, and connected with said second electrical switch and said fourth electrical switch, and when said first DC voltage is larger than said first voltage value, said third voltage detector detects said first DC voltage through said fifth electrical switch, and when said first DC voltage is larger than said second voltage value, said third voltage detector turns on said second electrical switch and said fourth electrical switch.

6. The device for harvesting and managing wireless energy according to claim 4, further comprising:

a logic assembly, connected with said voltage detection circuit, receiving a high-level digital signal, a low-level digital signal, a first clock signal and a second clock signal, wherein a duty cycle of said first clock signal is equal to a duty cycle of said second clock signal, and when said second clock signal is a low-level voltage, said first clock signal is a low-level voltage or a high-level voltage, and when said second clock signal is a high-level voltage, said first clock signal is a low-level voltage, and when said first DC voltage is larger than said operation voltage value, said voltage detection circuit drives said logic assembly to perform a logic operation on said high-level digital signal, said low-level digital signal, said first clock signal and said second clock signal to generate a plurality of first control digital signals, and when said first DC voltage is larger than said first voltage value, said voltage detection circuit drives said logic assembly to perform a logic operation on said high-level digital signal, said low-level digital signal, said first clock signal and said second clock signal to generate a plurality of second control digital signals, and when said first DC voltage is larger than said second voltage value, said voltage detection circuit drives said logic assembly to perform a logic operation on said high-level digital signal, said low-level digital signal, said first clock signal and said second clock signal to generate a plurality of third control digital signals;

a reconfigurable DC to DC converter connected with said logic assembly and said first capacitor, receiving said first DC voltage, wherein said reconfigurable DC to DC converter receives said plurality of first control digital signals, said plurality of second control digital signals or said plurality of third control digital signals and uses them to convert said first DC voltage into a fourth DC voltage; and

a low dropout (LDO) linear regulator, connected with said reconfigurable DC to DC converter and said load, receiving said fourth DC voltage and stepping down said fourth DC voltage to generate an output DC voltage, wherein said LDO linear regulator transfers said output DC voltage to said load.

7. The device for harvesting and managing wireless energy according to claim 6, wherein said fourth DC voltage is equal to, ⅔

of, or ½

of said first DC voltage in value.

8. The device for harvesting and managing wireless energy according to claim 6, further comprising a dynamic impedance matching circuit connected with said first rectifier, said first electrical switch, said second electrical switch and said wireless receiver, wherein said dynamic impedance matching circuit includes a variable capacitance circuit connected between said first rectifier and said wireless receiver and connected with said first electrical switch and said second electrical switch, and said dynamic impedance matching circuit has said operation voltage value and detects said first DC voltage, and said first rectifier receives said AC voltage through said variable capacitance circuit, and said first rectifier has an internal capacitor and a discharging switch connected in parallel and connected with said dynamic impedance matching circuit, and said discharging switch is turned off initially, and said first DC voltage applies a sensing voltage to said internal capacitor, and when said first DC voltage is larger than said operation voltage value, said dynamic impedance matching circuit turns on said discharging switch a plurality of times during a fixed period to thereby calculate respective time durations where said sensing voltage rises from a low voltage to a high voltage, and said dynamic impedance matching circuit chooses a shortest one of said time durations and responsively adjusts a capacitive impedance value of said variable capacitance circuit to match input impedance of said first rectifier.

9. The device for harvesting and managing wireless energy according to claim 8, wherein said dynamic impedance matching circuit further includes:

an operation voltage detector, having said operation voltage value, connected with said first rectifier, and detecting said first DC voltage, wherein when said first DC voltage is larger than said operation voltage value, said operation voltage detector generates an operation digital signal;

an AND gate, connected with said operation voltage detector, receiving said operation digital signal and a third clock signal and responsively generating an enable signal for said fixed period; and

a controller, connected with said AND gate, said discharging switch, said internal capacitor and said variable capacitance circuit, receiving said enable signal, said high voltage, said low voltage, said sensing voltage and a fourth clock signal, wherein said controller based on said enable signal and said fourth clock signal calculates said time durations where said sensing voltage rises from said low voltage to said high voltage, and when said sensing voltage is larger than said high voltage, said controller instantaneously turns on said discharging switch to discharge said internal capacitor, and said controller chooses said shortest one of said time durations and responsively adjusts said capacitive impedance value of said variable capacitance circuit.

10. The device for harvesting and managing wireless energy according to claim 2, further comprising:

a P-channel metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistor (PMOSFET) with a drain thereof connected with said second capacitor, wherein a body and a source of said PMOSFET are connected; and

an N-channel metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistor (NMOSFET) with a drain thereof connected with said first capacitor, wherein a body and a source of said NMOSFET are connected, and said sources of said PMOSFET and said NMOSFET are connected, and gates of said PMOSFET and said NMOSFET are respectively connected with said first capacitor and said second capacitor, and said PMOSFET and said NMOSFET prevent current flow from said first capacitor to said second capacitor, and when a voltage of said second capacitor is larger than said first DC voltage, said second capacitor provides electric energy for said first capacitor and said load through said PMOSFET and said NMOSFET.