Circuit and method to improve energy harvesting efficiency in piezoelectric harvesters
An energy harvester circuit is provided. The energy harvester circuit includes a harvesting module for extracting energy from an ambient source. A bias flip module manages the manner in which voltage across the harvesting module transitions when input current from the harvesting module changes direction so as to allow a majority of the charge available from the harvesting module to be extracted. A voltage transitioning module is shared amongst one or more DC-DC converters for efficient energy management.
1. An energy harvester circuit comprising:
a harvesting module for extracting energy from an ambient source;
a bias flip module for managing the manner in which voltage across said harvesting module transitions when input current to said harvesting module changes direction so as to allow a majority of the charge available from the harvesting module to be extracted; and
a voltage transitioning module that is shared amongst one or more DC-DC converters for efficient energy management, said voltage transitioning module comprises an inductor mechanism being shared amongst said main DC-DC converter and said one or more secondary DC-DC converters.
2. The energy harvester circuit of claim 1 , wherein said one or more DC-DC converters comprising a main DC-DC converter coupled to one or more of secondary DC-DC converters.
3. The energy harvester circuit of claim 1 , wherein said inductor mechanism utilizes an arbiter to share inductance with said main DC-DC converter and said one or more secondary DC-DC converters.
4. The energy harvester circuit of claim 1 , wherein said voltage transitioning module comprises one or more switches.
5. The energy harvester circuit of claim 1 , wherein said bias flip module is coupled to a capacitance at its output.
6. The energy harvester circuit of claim 1 , wherein said bias flip module comprises a plurality of diodes.
7. The energy harvester circuit of claim 3 , wherein said arbiter receives input signals from said bias flip module and said one or more DC-DC converters as to determining sharing of inductance.
8. The energy harvester circuit of claim 1 , wherein said harvesting module comprises a piezoelectric harvester.
9. A method of performing energy harvesting comprising:
providing a harvesting module for extracting energy from an ambient source;
implementing a bias flip module for managing the manner in which voltage across said harvesting module transitions when input current to said harvesting module changes direction so as to allow a majority of the charge available from the harvesting module to be extracted; and
implementing a voltage transitioning module that is shared amongst one or more DC-DC converters for efficient energy management, said voltage transitioning module comprises an inductor mechanism being shared amongst said main DC-DC converter and said one or more secondary DC-DC converters.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein said one or more DC-DC converters comprising a main DC-DC converter coupled to one or more of secondary DC-DC converters.
11. The method of claim 9 , wherein said inductor mechanism utilizes an arbiter to share inductance with said main DC-DC converter and said one or more secondary DC-DC converters.
12. The method of claim 9 , wherein said voltage transitioning module comprises one or more switches.
13. The method of claim 9 , wherein said bias flip module is coupled to a capacitance at its output.
14. The method of claim 9 , wherein said bias flip module comprises a plurality of diodes.
15. The method of claim 11 , wherein said arbiter receives input signals from said bias flip module and said one or more DC-DC converters as to determining sharing of inductance.
16. The method of claim 9 , wherein said harvesting module comprises a piezoelectric harvester.