Patent · US Active

Method and apparatus for energy harvest from ambient sources

US8432071B2 · kind B2 · utility

276Cited by
0References
18Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateAug 5, 2010
Grant dateApr 30, 2013
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 12, 2031

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH02J2207/40
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

An energy harvesting system includes a plurality of transducers. The transducers are configured to generate direct current (DC) voltages from a plurality of ambient energy sources. A sensor control circuit has a plurality of sensors configured to detect the DC signals from the plurality of transducers. A DC-to-DC converter is configured to supply an output voltage. A plurality of switches, each switch coupled between the DC-to-DC converter and a corresponding transducer of the plurality of transducers. The sensor control circuit enables one switch of the plurality of switches and disables the other switches of the plurality of switches based on a priority criterion.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.