Sensor and electronic device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023126853-A1
Application number	US-202117799209-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 17, 2021
Priority date	Feb 19, 2020
Publication date	Apr 27, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

In a sensor used in an energy harvesting system, electric power generated by a solar cell module is more efficiently utilized. In a sensor (100), a resistor (3) is connected in parallel with one of a first solar cell module (1a) and a second solar cell module (1b) that have mutually different current-voltage characteristics in the same illuminance environment and in series with the other one of the first solar cell module (1a) and the second solar cell module (1b). A first voltmeter (4a) measures a voltage (V1) across the first solar cell module (1a), and a second voltmeter (4b) measures a voltage (V2) across the second solar cell module (1b). A load (6) is fed with the electric power generated by the first solar cell module (1a) and the second solar cell module (1b).

First claim

1 . A sensor for use in an energy harvesting system, the sensor comprising:
a first solar cell module; a second solar cell module connected to the first solar cell module; and a resistor connected in parallel with one of the first solar cell module and the second solar cell module and in series with another one of the first solar cell module and the second solar cell module, wherein the first solar cell module and the second solar cell module have mutually different current-voltage characteristics in a same illuminance environment, and the sensor further comprising: a first voltmeter configured to measure a first voltage that is a voltage across the first solar cell module; a second voltmeter configured to measure a second voltage that is a voltage across the second solar cell module; and a load to which an electric power generated by the first solar cell module and the second solar cell module is supplied.

2 . The sensor according to claim 1 , wherein
the load includes a memory unit, and the memory unit records time-series data of the first voltage measured by the first voltmeter and time-series data of the second voltage measured by the second voltmeter.

3 . The sensor according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein
P 1 max>P 2 max under an illuminance of 200 1×, where P 1 max denotes a maximum output electric power of the first solar cell module and P 2 max denotes a maximum output electric power of the second solar cell module, and
the resistor is connected in parallel with the first solar cell module and in series with the second solar cell module.

4 . The sensor according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein
the first voltmeter measures the first voltage at every first time interval, and
the second voltmeter measures the second voltage at every second time interval.

5 . The sensor according to claim 4 , wherein the first time interval is equal to the second time interval.

6 . The sensor according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , further comprising an acceleration sensor, wherein
the first voltmeter measures the first voltage, and the second voltmeter measures the second voltage, both upon the acceleration sensor having detected in acceleration a change that is greater than or equal to a prescribed amount.

7 . The sensor according to any one of claims 1 to 6 , wherein 0.1 μA<|Ip 1 max−Ip 2 max|<500 μA under an illuminance of 200 1×, where Ip 1 max denotes a current in the first solar cell module when the first solar cell module produces a maximum output electric power, and Ip 2 max denotes a current in the second solar cell module when the second solar cell module produces a maximum output electric power.

8 . The sensor according to any one of claims 1 to 7 , wherein 0.01 V<|Vp 1 max−Vp 2 max|<3 V under an illuminance of 200 1×, where Vp 1 max denotes the first voltage when the first solar cell module produces a maximum output electric power, and Vp 2 max denotes the second voltage when the second solar cell module produces a maximum output electric power.

9 . The sensor according to any one of claims 1 to 8 , wherein 50 μW<P 1 max<500 μW, and 50 μW<P 2 max<500 μW, both under an illuminance of 200 1×, where P 1 max denotes a maximum output electric power of the first solar cell module, and P 2 max denotes a maximum output electric power of the second solar cell module.

10 . The sensor according to any one of claims 1 to 9 , wherein P 1 max>P 2 max under an illuminance of 200 1× and under an illuminance of 500 1×, where P 1 max denotes a maximum output electric power of the first solar cell module, and P 2 max denotes a maximum output electric power of the second solar cell module.

11 . The sensor according to claim 10 , wherein P 1 max>P 2 max under any illuminance of from 200 1× to 500 1×, both inclusive.

12 . An electronic device comprising the sensor according to any one of claims 1 to 11 .

13 . The electronic device according to claim 12 , the electronic device analyzing the first voltage measured by the first voltmeter and the second voltage measured by the second voltmeter for geolocation of the electronic device.

Assignees

• Sharp Kk
• National Univ Corporation Nara Institute Of Science And Technology
• Univ Kyushu Nat Univ Corp

Inventors

• Fukui Atsushi
• Shimizu Satoshi
• Kyoda Yuki
• Yoshie Tomohisa
• Sugata Yuito
• Arakawa Yutaka
• Toyoshima Daisuke

Classifications

• H10F19/00

  Integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, comprising at least one photovoltaic cell covered by group H10F10/00, e.g. photovoltaic modules · CPC title

• H10F77/00

  Constructional details of devices covered by this subclass (constructional details of integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, comprising at least one element in which radiation controls the flow of current H10F39/00) · CPC title

• H02S50/00 Primary

  Monitoring or testing of PV systems, e.g. load balancing or fault identification · CPC title

• G01R19/0084 Primary

  Measuring voltage only · CPC title

• H02S50/10

  Testing of PV devices, e.g. of PV modules or single PV cells (testing of semiconductor devices during manufacturing {H10P74/00}) · CPC title