Energy harvesting methods for providing autonomous electrical power to mobile devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12358270-B2
Application number	US-202318097449-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 16, 2023
Priority date	Jan 26, 2017
Publication date	Jul 15, 2025
Grant date	Jul 15, 2025

Abstract

A method is provided that integrates an autonomous energy harvesting capacity in a mobile device in an aesthetically neutral manner. A unique set of structural features combine to implement a hidden energy harvesting system on a surface of the mobile device body structure or casing to provide electrical power to the mobile device, and/or to individually electrically-powered components in the mobile device. Color-matched, image-matched and/or texture-matched optical layers are formed over energy harvesting components, including photovoltaic energy collecting components. Optical layers are tuned to scatter selectable wavelengths of electromagnetic energy back in an incident direction while allowing remaining wavelengths of electromagnetic energy to pass through the layers to the energy collecting components below. The layers appear opaque when observed from a light incident side, while allowing at least 50%, and as much as 80+%, of the energy impinging on the energy or incident side to pass through the layer.

First claim

We claim:

1. A method for integrating an energy harvesting system in a mobile device, comprising:
arranging an energy harvesting element of the energy harvesting system on a surface of a mobile device body structure; and
arranging an energy transmissive layer over the energy harvesting element on the surface of the one of the mobile device body structure, the energy transmissive layer having a body-facing side facing the surface of the one of the mobile device body structure, and an energy-incident side opposite the body-facing side;
forming the energy transmissive layer of a material composition comprising a plurality of substantially-transparent particles and a substantially-transparent matrix material that fixes the plurality of substantially-transparent particles in a layer arrangement, wherein the substantially-transparent particles are fixed in the substantially-transparent matrix material in a manner that causes the energy-incident side to reflect substantially all of one or more selectable wavelengths of the impinging light energy in all directions on the energy-incident side to present a consistent opaque appearance at said one or more selectable wavelengths when viewed from any angle, wherein each of the plurality substantially-transparent particles comprise a spherical core formed of a first transparent dielectric material, the spherical core having a value of a physical diameter equal to a half wavelength of a first selected color of light component to be reflected by the particle modified by a refractive index of the first transparent dielectric material;
radially outwardly disposing a plurality of material layers from the spherical core, each of the plurality of material layers being formed of at least a second transparent dielectric material,
and having a value of a physical thickness equal to a quarter wavelength of at least a second selected color of light component to be reflected by the particle modified by a refractive index of the at least the second transparent dielectric material; and
forming an outer coating from another transparent dielectric material having a selected index of refraction of 2 or less, and a thickness configured to eliminate reflective interference between the colors reflected by adjacent particles when in contact with other transparent dielectric material.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the energy transmissive layer is configured to pass 50% or more of the light energy impinging on the energy transmissive layer through the energy transmissive later to activate the energy harvesting element.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the energy harvesting element comprising a photovoltaic element.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the photovoltaic element being a photovoltaic film (PVF) material.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising applying the PVF material to one or more first discrete portions of the surface of the one of the mobile device body structure.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising applying a layer of adhesive to the one or more first discrete portions of the surface of the one of the mobile device body structure before applying the PVF material to the one or more first discrete portions, the layer of adhesive affixing the PVF material to the surface of the one of the mobile device body structure in the one or more first discrete portions.

7. The method of claim 5 , further comprising applying a surface treatment to at least second portions of the surface of the one of the mobile device body structure, the second portions of the surface of the one of the mobile device body structure being different portions than the first portions, and the surface treatment rendering an optical reflectance of the second portions substantially equal to an optical reflectance of the PVF material in the first portions.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising establishing an electrical connection from the energy harvesting element to at least one of an electrical energy power source, an electrical energy storage device and an electrically powered component device in the mobile device for transmitting electrical energy generated by the electrical harvesting element.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the electrical connection comprising at least one of an electrical energy converting circuit or an electrical energy conditioning circuit.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising arranging a substantially transparent protective coating over the energy transmissive layer.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising arranging the energy transmissive layer to pass 80% or more of light energy impinging on the energy transmissive layer through the energy transmissive layer to activate the energy harvesting element.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising arranging the energy harvesting element on a surface of the one of the mobile device body structure by being at least partially accommodated in a cavity in the surface of the one of the mobile device body structure.

Assignees

• Face Int Corp

Inventors

• Boyd Clark D
• Face Bradbury R
• Shepard Jeffrey D

Classifications

• G02B5/206

  comprising particles embedded in a solid matrix · CPC title

• Y02E10/50

  Photovoltaic [PV] energy · CPC title

• G02B5/26

  Reflecting filters (G02B5/28 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B32B2307/418

  Refractive · CPC title

• B32B2255/00

  Coating on the layer surface · CPC title