Device for converting radiofrequency energy into dc current (rectifier antenna) and corresponding sensor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016359378-A1
Application number	US-201515119043-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 12, 2015
Priority date	Feb 14, 2014
Publication date	Dec 8, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A device for converting radio-frequency energy into DC current, receiving at least one radio-frequency signal at input and generating at output a DC current capable of powering at least one load. The device has at least two conversion stages, each including: a radio-frequency filtering module, connected to a first input node of the conversion stage, configured to filter the radio-frequency signal; a voltage shift module, connected between a second input node of the conversion stage, the radio-frequency filtering module and an intermediate node of the conversion stage, configured to shift a voltage present at the first input node to the intermediate node; a voltage rectifier module, connected between the intermediate note, the second input node and an output node of the conversion stage, configured to rectify the voltage of the intermediate node and deliver a rectified voltage on the output node.

First claim

1 . A conversion device for converting radio-frequency energy into DC current, the conversion device comprising:
an input for receiving at least one radio-frequency signal; an output generating a DC current capable of powering at least one load; and at least two conversion stages each comprising: a radio-frequency filtering module, connected to a first input node of said conversion stage, configured to filter one of said at least one radio-frequency signal; a voltage shift module, connected between a second input node of said conversion stage, said radio-frequency filtering module and an intermediate node of said conversion stage, configured to shift a voltage present at said first input node to said intermediate node; a voltage rectifier module, connected between said intermediate note, said second input node and an output node of said conversion stage, configured to rectify the voltage of said intermediate node and deliver a rectified voltage on said output node, wherein, for a first of the at least two conversion stages, said second input node is connected to a reference voltage and, for a higher one of the at least two conversion stages, said second input node is connected to the output node of a lower conversion stage, and the DC current is generated on the output node of a last of the at least two conversion stages.

2 . The conversion device according to claim 1 , wherein said voltage shift module implements a first capacitor, connected between said filtering module and said intermediate node, and a first diode, forwardly connected between said second input node and said intermediate node, and said voltage rectifier module implements a second capacitor connected between said second input node and said output node, and a second diode, forwardly connected between said intermediate node and said output node.

3 . The conversion device according to claim 2 , wherein said first and second diodes and said first and second capacitors are surface-mounted components.

4 . The conversion device according to claim 2 , wherein said first and second diodes have approximately identical values.

5 . The conversion device according to claim 2 , wherein said first and second diodes are Schottky diodes.

6 . The conversion device according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one reception antenna for receiving said at least one radio-frequency signal.

7 . The conversion device according to claim 6 , wherein said reception antenna is a wide-band antenna.

8 . The conversion device according to claim 1 , wherein said radio-frequency filtering module comprises a radio-frequency filter belonging to the group consisting of:
a bandpass filter centered on the 900 MHz frequency; a bandpass filter centered on the 1800 MHz frequency; a bandpass filter centered on the 2.1 GHz frequency; a bandpass filter centered on the 2.4 GHz frequency.

9 . The conversion device according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one radio-frequency signal is received via a wired link.

10 . A sensor comprising:
a data collector; a data renderer, which renders data collected by the data collector; and a conversion device for converting radio-frequency energy into DC current the conversion device comprising: an input for receiving at least one radio-frequency signal; an output generating a DC current capable, which powers the sensor; and at least two conversion stages each comprising: a radio-frequency filtering module, connected to a first input node of said conversion stage, configured to filter one of said at least one radio-frequency signal; a voltage shift module, connected between a second input node of said conversion stage, said radio-frequency filtering module and an intermediate node of said conversion stage, configured to shift a voltage present at said first input node to said intermediate node; a voltage rectifier module, connected between said intermediate note, said second input node and an output node of said conversion stage, configured to rectify the voltage of said intermediate node and deliver a rectified voltage on said output node, wherein, for a first of the at least two conversion stages, said second input node is connected to a reference voltage and, for a higher one of the at least two conversion stages, said second input node is connected to the output node of a lower conversion stage, and the DC current is generated on the output node of a last of the at least two conversion stages.

Assignees

• Inst Mines Telecom

Inventors

• Kuhn Veronique
• Seguin Fabrice
• Lahuec Cyril
• Person Christian

Classifications

• H02M1/126

  using passive filters · CPC title

• H02M7/10

  arranged for operation in series, e.g. for multiplication of voltage · CPC title

• G01D11/00

  Component parts of measuring arrangements not specially adapted for a specific variable (G01D13/00, G01D15/00 take precedence) · CPC title

• H02J50/27 Primary

  characterised by the type of receiving antennas, e.g. rectennas · CPC title

• H02J50/001 Primary

  Energy harvesting or scavenging · CPC title