Autonomous thermoelectric energy harvesting platform for biomedical sensors
US10355192B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 6, 2015 |
| Grant date | Jul 16, 2019 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 5, 2036 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH10N10/13
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Thermoelectric energy harvesting systems in accordance with embodiments of the invention enable energy harvesting. One embodiment includes a thermoelectric energy harvesting (TEH) system comprising a TEH comprising a thin-film array-based TEH source; start-up mode circuitry comprising: an upper branch comprising: a mode switch configured to allow selection of the upper branch; an inductive-load ring oscillator (ILRO); a charge pump configured to receive an input from the ILRO and output current, where output current is utilized to charge an upper branch capacitor; a lower branch comprising: an inductor; an active diode configured to transfer energy stored in the inductor to an output capacitor; maximum-power-point tracking (MPPT) mode circuitry, where the MPPT loop comprises: a mode control unit; a gate controller; a clock generator configured to generate at least one control signal; an analog-domain MPPT unit configured to receive the at least one generated control signal.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.