SMART RECEIVER AND METHOD

• US 20080290738A1
• Filed: 05/22/2008
• Published: 11/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Powercast Corporation
• Original Assignee: Powercast Corporation
• Inventors: Greene, Charles E., McElhinny, Michael Thomas, Maruschock, G. Randolph
• Application Number:
  US12/125,532
• Publication Number:
  US 20080290738A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/145
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/20 using microwaves or radio frequency waves
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/40 using two or more transmitting or receiving devices H02J50/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/3725 Switched mode power supply [SMPS]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A method and an apparatus according to an embodiment include a converter, a power storage module, and a processing module. The converter is configured to convert an energy associated with an electromagnetic wave into a DC power. The power storage module is configured to store the DC power. The processing module is configured to receive information associated with the received power to determine a parameter to operate a device, such as a light-emitting device, for example. The information can include voltage levels associated with the received power at one or more predetermined time instances. The power storage module is configured to send the stored DC power to the device to operate the device in accordance with the parameter determined by the processing module. The processing module is configured to determine the parameter to operate the device, such as periods of activity or inactivity, when a predetermined event is detected.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a converter, a power storage module, and a processing module, the converter configured to convert a received power associated with an electromagnetic wave into a DC power, the power storage module configured to store the DC power, the processing module configured to receive information associated with the received power, the processing module configured to determine a parameter to operate a device based on the information associated with the received power, the power storage module configured to send the stored DC power to the device to operate the device.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the parameter to operate the device is at least one of a time interval during which the device is active or a time interval during which the device is inactive.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the device is a light-emitting device.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a data storage module configured to store the information associated with the received power.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the information associated with the received power includes at least one of an amplitude of an AC power associated with the received power, an amplitude of DC power output by the converter at one or more predetermined time instances or a voltage level associated with the DC power stored in the power storage module.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing module is configured to determine the parameter to operate the device when a predetermined event is detected.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing module is configured to determine the parameter to operate the device when at least one of a predetermined illumination level threshold, a timer expiration, or a control signal associated with the time interval is detected.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a sensor configured to detect an illumination level, the processing module configured to determine the parameter to operate the device when the illumination level is below a predetermined illumination level threshold.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing module is configured to receive a measurement of a voltage level associated with the DC power stored in the power storage module, the processing module configured to determine the parameter to operate the device based on the measurement of the voltage level and a predetermined power-storage-module voltage level threshold.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a driver configured to adjust the DC power sent to the device from the power storage module, the processing module configured to control the driver based information associated with the received power.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the receiver is configured to disable operation of the device when a time interval associated with the parameter to operate the device expires.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing module is configured to receive a measurement of a voltage level associated with the DC power stored in the power storage module, the processing module configured to determine the parameter to operate the device based on the measurement of the voltage level.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing module is configured to receive a measurement of a voltage level associated with the DC power stored in the power storage module, the processing module configured to determine at least one of a duration or a start time associated with the parameter to operate the device based on the measurement of the voltage level.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the receiver includes a voltage protector configured to disconnect an output of the converter from the power storage module when a voltage level associated with the DC power in the power storage module is above a predetermined power-storage-module voltage level threshold.

15. An apparatus, comprising:

a receiver configured to convert a received power associated with an electromagnetic wave into a DC power; and

a power storage module configured to store the DC power,

the receiver configured to measure information associated with the received power, the receiver configured to determine a parameter to operate a device based on the information associated with the received power, and the receiver configured to send the DC power stored in the power storage module to the device to operate the device.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the parameter to operate the device is at least one of a time interval during which the device is active or a time interval during which the device is inactive.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the receiver is configured to operate in a first mode and a second mode, the first mode associated with the storage of the DC power in the power storage module, the second mode associated with sending the DC power stored in the power storage module to the device.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the receiver is configured to operate in a first mode and a second mode, the first mode associated with the storage of the DC power in the power storage module, the second mode associated with sending the DC power stored in the power storage module to the device, the receiver configured to transition from the first mode to the second mode when a predetermined event is detected.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the receiver is configured to operate in a first mode and a second mode, the first mode associated with the storage of the DC power in the power storage module, the second mode associated with sending the DC power stored in the power storage module to the device, the receiver configured to transition from the first mode to the second mode in response to a user action or when at least one of a predetermined illumination level threshold, a timer expiration, or an control signal associated with the time interval is detected.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the receiver is configured to operate in a first mode and a second mode, the first mode associated with the storage of the DC power in the power storage module, the second mode associated with sending the DC power stored in the power storage module to the device, the receiver configured to transition from the first mode to the second mode after the parameter to operate the device is determined.

21. A system, comprising:

a transmitter configured to generate an electromagnetic wave; and

a receiver configured to convert a received power associated with the electromagnetic wave into a DC power, the receiver configured to store the DC power in a power storage module, the receiver configured to measure information associated with the received power, the receiver configured to determine a parameter to operate a device based on the information associated with the received power, the receiver configured to send the DC power stored in the power storage module to the device to operate the device.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the parameter to operate the device is at least one of a time interval during which the device is active or a time interval during which the device is inactive.

23. The system in claim 21, wherein the receiver includes the power storage module.

24. The system in claim 21, wherein the receiver is configured to be connectable to an elongate member.

25. The system in claim 21, wherein the receiver is a first receiver, the power storage module is a first power storage module, the device is a first device, the DC power is a first DC power, the received power is a first received power, the parameter is a first parameter, the system further comprising:

a second receiver configured to convert a second received power associated with the electromagnetic wave into a second DC power, the second receiver configured to store the second DC power in a second power storage module configure, the second receiver configured to measure information associated with the second received power, the second receiver configured to determine a second parameter to operate a second device based on the information associated with the second received power, the second receiver configured to send the second DC power stored in the second power storage module to the second device to operate the second device.

26. A method, comprising:

converting a received power associated with an electromagnetic wave into a DC power;

storing the DC power;

measuring information associated with the received power at one or more predetermined time instances;

determining a parameter to operate a device based on the information associated with the received power; and

sending the stored DC power to the device to operate the device.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the parameter to operate the device is at least one of a time interval during which the device is active or a time interval during which the device is inactive.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the measuring includes monitoring a voltage level associated with the stored DC power, the method further comprising:

modifying a duration associated with the parameter to operate the device based on the voltage level.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein the measuring includes monitoring a voltage level associated with the stored DC power, the method further comprising:

modifying a start time associated with the parameter to operate the device based on the voltage level.

30. The method of claim 26, further comprising detecting a predetermined event, the determining being based on the predetermined event.

31. The method of claim 26, further comprising detecting a predetermined event including at least one of a predetermined illumination level threshold, a timer expiration, or a control signal associated with the time interval, the determining being based on the predetermined event.

32. The method of claim 26, wherein the measuring includes monitoring a voltage level associated with the stored DC power, the method further comprising:

disabling the sending of the DC power to the device; and

sending the DC power to the device after the voltage level associated with the stored DC power is above a predetermined voltage level threshold.