Self-starting AC harvester

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10938327-B2
Application number	US-201715721548-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 29, 2017
Priority date	Sep 29, 2017
Publication date	Mar 2, 2021
Grant date	Mar 2, 2021

Abstract

An embodiment of a harvester apparatus comprising two or more charge pump stages may include at least a first charge pump stage to receive an alternating current source, and a second charge pump stage coupled to the first charge pump stage.

First claim

We claim:

1. An electronic system, comprising:
a voltage regulator;
an alternating current source; and
a multi-stage harvester coupled to the voltage regulator and the alternating current source, wherein the multi-stage harvester includes:
a first charge pump stage coupled to the alternating current source,
a second charge pump stage coupled to the first charge pump stage,
a third charge pump stage coupled to the second charge pump stage, and
a fourth charge pump stage coupled to the third charge pump stage,

wherein the voltage regulator comprises:
a first voltage regulator coupled to the second charge pump stage, wherein the first voltage regulator is to provide a first voltage; and
a second voltage regulator coupled to the fourth charge pump stage, wherein the second voltage regulator is to provide a second voltage different from the first voltage.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the alternating current source includes a piezo-electric component to convert mechanical energy to an alternating current.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first charge pump stage comprises:
a first diode having a cathode and an anode, with the anode of the first diode coupled to ground; and
a first capacitor having a first terminal and a second terminal, with the first terminal of the first capacitor coupled to the cathode of the first diode and the second terminal of the first capacitor coupled to the alternating current source.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the second charge pump stage comprises:
a second diode having a cathode and an anode, with the anode of the second diode coupled to the cathode of the first diode; and
a second capacitor having a first terminal and a second terminal, with the first terminal of the second capacitor coupled to the cathode of the second diode and the second terminal of the second capacitor coupled to ground.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein:
the first voltage regulator is to be a first linear regulator coupled to the cathode of the second diode; and
the second voltage regulator is to be a second liner regulator coupled to the fourth charge pump stage.

6. The system of claim 3 , wherein the first diode and the second diode each comprise a hot carrier diode.

7. A harvester apparatus, comprising:
two or more charge pump stages including at least:
a first charge pump stage to receive an alternating current source;
a second charge pump stage coupled to the first charge pump stage;
a third charge pump stage coupled to the second charge pump stage; and
a fourth charge pump stage coupled to the third charge pump stage; and

a voltage regulator comprising:
a first voltage regulator coupled to the second charge pump stage, wherein the first voltage regulator is to provide a first voltage; and
a second voltage regulator coupled to the fourth charge pump stage, wherein the second voltage regulator is to provide a second voltage different from the first voltage.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the first charge pump stage comprises a first diode and a first capacitor coupled in series between the alternating current source and ground.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the first diode includes a cathode and an anode, with the anode of the first diode coupled to ground, and wherein the first capacitor includes a first terminal and a second terminal, with the first terminal of the first capacitor coupled to the cathode of the first diode and the second terminal of the first capacitor coupled to the alternating current source.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the second charge pump stage comprises a second diode and a second capacitor coupled in series between ground and a junction of the first diode and the first capacitor.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the second diode includes a cathode and an anode, with the anode of the second diode coupled to the cathode of the first diode, and wherein the second capacitor includes a first terminal and a second terminal, with the first terminal of the second capacitor coupled to the cathode of the second diode and the second terminal of the second capacitor coupled to ground.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein:
the first voltage regulator is to be a first linear voltage regulator coupled to a junction of the second diode and the second capacitor; and
the second voltage regulator is to be a second linear voltage regulator coupled to the fourth charge pump stage.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the third charge pump stage comprises a third diode and a third capacitor coupled in series between the alternating current source and a junction of the second diode and the second capacitor.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the fourth charge pump stage comprises a fourth diode and a fourth capacitor coupled in series between ground and a junction of the third diode and the third capacitor.

15. The apparatus of claim 7 , further comprising:
a piezo-electric component to convert mechanical energy to electrical energy to provide the alternating current source.

16. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein one or more of the charge pump stages comprise a hot carrier diode.

17. A method of harvesting energy, comprising:
providing an alternating current source;
charge pumping, with a first charge pump stage, the alternating current source to provide a first charge pumped output;
charge pumping, with a second charge pump stage, the first charge pumped output to provide a second charge pumped output;
regulating, with a first voltage regulator, the second charge pumped output to provide a first voltage;
charge pumping, with a third charge pump stage, the second charge pumped output to provide a third charge pumped output;
charge pumping, with a fourth charge pump stage, the third charge pumped output to provide a fourth charge pumped output; and
regulating, with a second voltage regulator, the fourth charge pumped output to provide a second voltage, wherein the second voltage is different from the first voltage.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
cascading one or more additional charge pump stages; and
accumulating sufficient energy from the charge pump stages to provide a supply voltage.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising:
regulating an output of a charge pump stage to provide the supply voltage.

20. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
converting mechanical energy to electrical energy to provide the alternating current source.

21. The method of claim 20 , further comprising:
supplementing another power source with the converted electrical energy.

Assignees

• Intel Corp

Inventors

• Kim Suhwan
• Vaidya Vaibhav
• Schaef Christopher

Classifications

• H02M3/073

  Charge pumps of the Schenkel-type · CPC title

• H02M3/04

  by static converters · CPC title

• H02N2/181 Primary

  Circuits; Control arrangements or methods · CPC title

• H02N2/145

  Large signal circuits, e.g. final stages · CPC title