WIRELESS COMMUNICATION SYSTEM AND METHOD POWERED BY AN ENERGY HARVESTER
Wireless communication system and method powered by an energy harvester. At least some of the example embodiments are methods including: receiving a burst of electrical energy from an energy harvester that produces the burst of electrical energy from mechanical energy, the burst of electrical energy the result of a single actuation of the energy harvester; rectifying the burst of electrical energy to create rectified energy; applying the rectified energy to the transceiver without applying the rectified energy to a switching power converter; and transmitting an electromagnetic switch including a frame of multiple bytes, the transmitting using the rectified energy. Additional embodiments can include a transceiver system including an energy harvester, a rectifier, a capacitor, and a transceiver, where the transceiver is configured to transmit an electromagnetic signal including a frame of a plurality of bytes during each burst of electrical energy.
1 . A method of operating a transceiver comprising:
receiving a burst of electrical energy from an energy harvester that produces the burst of electrical energy from mechanical energy, the burst of electrical energy the result of a single actuation of the energy harvester;
rectifying the burst of electrical energy to create rectified energy;
applying the rectified energy to the transceiver without applying the rectified energy to a switching power converter; and
transmitting an electromagnetic signal comprising a frame of multiple bytes, the transmitting using the rectified energy.
2 . The method of claim 1 wherein receiving the burst of electrical energy further comprises receiving the burst of electrical energy from a mechanical switch configured to produce the burst of electrical energy upon actuation.
3 . The method of claim 1 wherein receiving the burst of electrical energy further comprises receiving the burst of electrical energy from a piezoelectric device configured to produce the burst of electrical energy upon being compressed.
4 . The method of claim 1 wherein receiving the burst of electrical energy further comprises receiving no more than 500 micro-Joules.
5 . The method of claim 4 wherein receiving the burst of electrical energy further comprises receiving the burst of electrical energy within a time window of 10 milliseconds or less, and the burst of electrical energy ceasing thereafter.
6 . The method of claim 1 wherein receiving the burst of electrical energy further comprises receiving the burst of electrical energy within a time window of 10 milliseconds or less, and the burst of electrical energy ceasing thereafter.
7 . The method of claim 1 wherein rectifying the burst of electrical energy further comprises rectifying by way of a full-wave bridge of Schottky diodes having a capacitor coupled across direct current (DC) outputs of the full-wave bridge.
8 . A transceiver system comprising:
an energy harvester configured to produce a burst of electrical energy upon each actuation of the energy harvester, each burst of electrical energy having a duration of 10 milliseconds or less;
a rectifier coupled to the energy harvester, the rectifier defining a direct current (DC) output and a return;
a capacitor coupled across the DC output and the return; and
a transceiver defining a power input coupled directly to the DC output of the rectifier;
the transceiver configured to transmit an electromagnetic signal comprising a frame of a plurality of bytes during each burst of electrical energy.
9 . The transceiver system of claim 8 wherein the energy harvester is a mechanical switch that moves a permanent magnet with each actuation.
10 . The transceiver system of claim 8 wherein the energy harvester is a piezoelectric device configured to produce the burst of electrical energy upon being compressed.
11 . The transceiver system of claim 8 wherein the energy harvester is configured to produce 500 micro-Joules or less of energy with each actuation.
12 . The transceiver system of claim 8 wherein the energy harvester is configured to produce a peak voltage of 3 Volts or greater during each actuation.
13 . The transceiver system of claim 8 wherein the rectifier further comprises a full-wave rectifier comprising four Schotkky diodes.
14 . The transceiver system of claim 8 wherein the transceiver is configured to operate during periods of time when a voltage on the power input is between and including 1.0 and 1.6 volts.
15 . The transceiver system of claim 8 further comprising a printed circuit board, and wherein the energy harvester, the rectifier, the capacitor, and the transceiver are mechanically and electrically coupled to the printed circuit board.
16 . A transceiver module comprising:
a printed circuit board;
a rectifier mechanically coupled to the printed circuit board, the rectifier defining alternating current (AC) inputs, a direct current (DC) output, and a return, the rectifier configured to receive at the AC inputs a burst of electrical energy having a duration of 10 milliseconds or less; and
a transceiver mechanically coupled to the printed circuit board, the transceiver defining a power input coupled directly to the DC output of the rectifier;
the transceiver configured to transmit an electromagnetic signal comprising a frame of a plurality of bytes during the burst of electrical energy.
17 . The transceiver module of claim 16 further comprising a capacitor coupled across the DC output and the return.
18 . The transceiver module of claim 16 wherein the rectifier is further configured to receive the burst of electrical energy of 500 micro-Joules or less.
19 . The transceiver module of claim 16 :
wherein the rectifier is configured to receive the burst of electrical energy of between and including 3 Volts and 7 Volts; and
wherein the transceiver is configured to operate during periods of time when a voltage on the power input is between and including 1.0 and 1.6 volts.
20 . The transceiver system of claim 16 wherein the rectifier further comprises a full-wave rectifier comprising four Schotkky diodes.