System to extend battery power in remote tracking devices
An RF asset-tracking device that has an extended operational life, thus increasing the duration between battery replacement or maintenance. The asset-tracking device is provided with an electro-mechanical energy-harvesting device to supplement the battery. The energy-harvesting device provides additional power to augment the battery on a temporary basis, when the battery level is low, until the battery can be replaced. In one particular embodiment, the tracking device has a power management system, a battery power source and a battery monitor, and an electro-mechanical energy-harvesting device and a high capacity supercapacitor operably connected to the power management system.
1. A wireless RF tag comprising:
an RF communication module; and
a multiple-source power source comprising a power management system, a battery power source and a battery monitor, and an electro-mechanical energy-harvesting device operably connected to the power management system.
2. The wireless RF tag of claim 1 , the power source further comprising a high energy supercapacitor operably connected to the energy-harvesting device and to the power management system.
3. The wireless RF tag of claim 2 , wherein the energy-harvesting device comprises a plurality of cantilevers.
4. The wireless RF tag of claim 2 , wherein the energy-harvesting device is multimodal.
5. The wireless RF tag of claim 1 further comprising a motion sensor.
6. The wireless RF tag of claim 1 further comprising a GPS positioning element.
7. The wireless RF tag of claim 1 , wherein the RF communication module conforms to a IEEE 802.15.4 protocol standard.
8. A wireless RF tag comprising a multiple-source power source comprising:
a power management system;
a battery power source and a battery monitor, the battery power source operably connected to the power management system; and
a multimodal electro-mechanical energy-harvesting device and a high capacity supercapacitor operably connected to the power management system.
9. The wireless RF tag of claim 8 , wherein the electro-mechanical energy-harvesting device and the high capacity supercapacitor provide current to the power management system to augment the battery power source.
10. The wireless RF tag of claim 8 , wherein the electro-mechanical energy-harvesting device and the high capacity supercapacitor provide power to recharge the battery power source.
11. The wireless RF tag of claim 10 , wherein the electro-mechanical energy-harvesting device and the high capacity supercapacitor additionally provide current to the power management system.
12. The wireless RF tag of claim 8 further comprising a motion sensor.
13. The wireless RF tag of claim 8 , wherein the electro-mechanical energy-harvesting device is a broadband vibration energy-harvesting device.