Powering devices using RF energy harvesting
Disclosed is an apparatus for an application including a core device for the application. The apparatus includes a power (preferably RF energy) harvester connected to the core device to power the core device. Also disclosed is a method for an application. The method includes the steps of converting RF energy into usable energy. There is the step of powering the core device with the usable energy.
1. An apparatus, comprising:
a first antenna configured to wirelessly receive energy from a source that is remote from the apparatus;
a power harvester electrically coupled to the first antenna and configured to convert the energy received at the first antenna to a DC voltage to produce a first power associated with the DC voltage;
a regulator coupled to the power harvester and configured to regulate the first power associated with the DC voltage to produce a regulated power; and
a first power storage component configured to store the regulated power and to produce a second power, the first power storage component configured to be electrically coupled to a wireless device that includes an integrated circuit, a second power storage component configured to store the second power, and a second antenna configured for wireless communication, the first power storage component configured to provide the second power to the wireless device such that the integrated circuit of the wireless device can operate based, at least in part, on the second power received from the first power storage component.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first power storage component is a rechargeable battery.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second power storage component is a rechargeable battery.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the wireless device is a game controller.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the wireless device is a cell phone.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the wireless device includes an accelerometer.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first antenna is configured to wirelessly receive energy from the source that is located in a far-field region of the first antenna.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first power storage component is configured to supply the second power to the wireless device such that the second power has at least one of a voltage or a current associated with a voltage characteristic or a current characteristic of the wireless device.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the power harvester is configured to produce the first power at a first time and the first power storage component is configured to produce the second power at a second time after the first time.
10. An apparatus, comprising:
an antenna configured to wirelessly receive energy from a source that is remote from the apparatus;
a power harvester electrically coupled to the antenna and including a rectifier configured to convert the energy received at the antenna to a DC voltage such that the power harvester is configured to produce a first power associated with the DC voltage; and
a power storage component electrically coupleable to the power harvester and configured to produce a second power, the power storage component configured to be electrically coupled to a wireless device that includes a rechargeable battery and an integrated circuit, the power storage component configured to provide a first portion of the second power to the rechargeable battery such that the rechargeable battery can provide operating power to the integrated circuit and to provide a second portion of the second power to the rechargeable battery of the wireless device.
11. The apparatus of claim 10 , further comprising:
a regulator electrically coupled to the power harvester and the power storage component, and configured to regulate the first power from the power harvester to produce a regulated power, the power storage component configured to store the regulated power received from the regulator.
12. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the rechargeable battery is a first rechargeable battery, the power storage component being a second rechargeable battery.
13. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the antenna is configured to wirelessly receive energy from the source that is located in a far-field region of the antenna.
14. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the antenna is a first antenna and the wireless device includes a second antenna configured for wireless communication.
15. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the wireless device is a game controller.
16. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the wireless device is a cell phone.
17. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the power harvester is configured to produce the first power at a first time and the power storage component is configured to produce the second power at a second time after the first time.
18. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the first power storage component is configured to store the regulated power in a first configuration of the apparatus in which the first power storage component is not coupled to the second power storage component,
the first power storage component is configured to produce the second power to charge the second power storage component in a second configuration of the apparatus in which the first power storage component is coupled to the second power storage component, and
the second power storage component configured to provide operational power to the integrated circuit in both the first configuration and the second configuration of the apparatus.