High-efficiency energy harvesting interface and corresponding energy harvesting system
First Claim
1. An electrical-energy harvesting system, comprising:
- a transducer to convert energy from an environmental energy source into a transduced signal;
a harvesting interface to receive the transduced signal on an input terminal and to supply an electrical-energy harvesting signal on an output terminal;
an energy storage element coupled to the output terminal of the harvesting interface to receive the electrical-energy harvesting signal;
a voltage converter coupled to the output terminal to generate a regulated voltage, wherein the harvesting interface is configured to;
sample an open-circuit voltage value of the transduced signal;
couple the output terminal to the input terminal during a tracking operating condition;
generate an optimized voltage value starting from the open-circuit voltage value;
decouple the output terminal from the input terminal during a refresh operating condition of sampling said open-circuit voltage value;
generate an upper threshold voltage based on the optimized voltage value during said refresh operating condition;
generate a lower threshold voltage based on the optimized voltage value during said refresh operating condition; and
control the voltage converter in a switching mode to thereby maintain the electrical-energy harvesting signal between the upper and lower threshold voltages in said tracking operating condition.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An electrical-energy harvesting system envisages a transducer for converting energy from an environmental energy source into a transduced signal, an electrical energy harvesting interface for receiving the transduced signal and for supplying a harvesting signal, and an energy storage element coupled to the electrical energy harvesting interface for receiving the harvesting signal. The electrical-energy harvesting system also includes a voltage converter connected to the electrical energy harvesting interface for generating a regulated voltage. The harvesting interface samples an open-circuit voltage value of the transduced signal, generates an optimized voltage value starting from the open-circuit voltage value, and generates an upper threshold voltage and a lower threshold voltage on the basis of the optimized voltage value. The harvesting interface controls the voltage converter in switching mode so that the harvesting signal has a value between the upper and lower threshold voltages in at least one operating condition.
26 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An electrical-energy harvesting system, comprising:
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a transducer to convert energy from an environmental energy source into a transduced signal; a harvesting interface to receive the transduced signal on an input terminal and to supply an electrical-energy harvesting signal on an output terminal; an energy storage element coupled to the output terminal of the harvesting interface to receive the electrical-energy harvesting signal; a voltage converter coupled to the output terminal to generate a regulated voltage, wherein the harvesting interface is configured to; sample an open-circuit voltage value of the transduced signal; couple the output terminal to the input terminal during a tracking operating condition; generate an optimized voltage value starting from the open-circuit voltage value; decouple the output terminal from the input terminal during a refresh operating condition of sampling said open-circuit voltage value; generate an upper threshold voltage based on the optimized voltage value during said refresh operating condition; generate a lower threshold voltage based on the optimized voltage value during said refresh operating condition; and control the voltage converter in a switching mode to thereby maintain the electrical-energy harvesting signal between the upper and lower threshold voltages in said tracking operating condition. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An electronic device, comprising:
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a transducer to convert energy from an environmental or mechanical energy source into a transduced signal; a harvesting interface to receive the transduced signal on an input terminal and to supply an electrical-energy harvesting signal on an output terminal; an energy storage element coupled to the output terminal of the harvesting interface to receive the electrical-energy harvesting signal; a voltage converter coupled to the output terminal to generate a regulated voltage, wherein the harvesting interface is configured to; sample an open-circuit voltage value of the transduced signal; couple the output terminal to the input terminal during a tracking operating condition; control the voltage converter in a switching mode to thereby maintain the electrical-energy harvesting signal between an upper threshold voltage and a lower threshold voltages in said tracking operating condition; decouple the output terminal from the input terminal during a refresh operating condition of sampling said open-circuit voltage value; generate said upper and lower threshold voltages during said refresh operating condition; and cyclically execute said tracking operating condition following upon each new execution of said refresh operating condition; and an electrical load to receive the regulated voltage. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An electrical-energy harvesting method, comprising:
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by a transducer, converting energy from an environmental energy source into a transduced signal; by a harvesting interface; receiving the transduced signal on an input terminal; supplying an electrical-energy harvesting signal on an output terminal; sampling an open-circuit voltage value of the transduced signal; coupling the output terminal to the input terminal during a tracking operating condition; generating an optimized voltage value starting from the open-circuit voltage value; decoupling the output terminal from the input terminal during a refresh operating condition of sampling said open-circuit voltage value; generating an upper threshold voltage based on the optimized voltage value during said refresh operating condition; generating a lower threshold voltage based on the optimized voltage value during said refresh operating condition; and controlling a voltage converter in a switching mode to maintain the electrical-energy harvesting signal between the upper and lower threshold voltages in said tracking operating condition; by an energy storage element coupled to the output terminal of the harvesting interface, receiving the electrical-energy harvesting signal and storing electrical energy; and by the voltage converter coupled to the output terminal, generating a regulated voltage. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification