Methods and apparatus for wireless power delivery and remote sensing using self-capacitances
A self-capacitance based remote power delivery device includes a power source, an energy harvesting device, and a substrate. The power source and the energy harvesting device are configured to be capacitively coupled to a self-capacitive body. The substrate is configured to be capacitively coupled to a portion of the self-capacitive body in contact with the substrate.
1. A self-capacitance based remote power delivery device comprising:
a power source electrically configured to be capacitively coupled to a self-capacitive body;
an energy harvesting device, the energy harvesting device configured to be capacitively coupled to the self-capacitive body, wherein the energy harvesting device comprises a rectifying diode bridge connected to a load resistance; and
a substrate, wherein the substrate is configured to be capacitively coupled to a portion of the self-capacitive body in contact with the substrate.
2. The self-capacitance based remote power delivery device of claim 1 , wherein the power source is electrically coupled to the substrate.
3. The self-capacitance based remote power delivery device of claim 1 , wherein the energy harvesting device is coupled to the substrate.
4. The self-capacitance based remote power delivery device of claim 1 , wherein the substrate is configured to be capacitively coupled to a portion of the self-capacitive body in direct contact with the substrate.
5. The self-capacitance based remote power delivery device of claim 1 , wherein the substrate is a grounded substrate.
6. The self-capacitance based remote power delivery device of claim 1 , wherein the power source comprises a modulating power source.
7. A self-capacitance based method of remotely delivering power, the method comprising:
capacitively coupling a power source and an energy harvesting device to a self-capacitive body, wherein the energy harvesting device comprises a rectifying diode bridge connected to a load resistance;
capacitively coupling a substrate to a portion of the self-capacitive body in contact with the substrate; and
operating the power source to deliver power to the energy harvesting device via the self-capacitive body.
8. The self-capacitance based method of claim 7 , further comprising capacitively coupling the power source to the substrate.
9. The self-capacitance based method of claim 7 , further comprising capacitively coupling the energy harvesting device to the substrate.
10. The self-capacitance based method of claim 7 , wherein capacitively coupling the substrate to a portion of the self-capacitive body in contact with the substrate comprises capacitively coupling the substrate to a portion of the self-capacitive body in direct contact with the substrate.
11. The self-capacitance based method of claim 7 , further comprising connecting the substrate to ground.
12. The self-capacitance based method of claim 7 , wherein the power source comprises a modulating power source, and operating the power source to deliver power to the energy harvesting device via the self-capacitive body comprises operating the modulating power source at an operating frequency to deliver power to the energy harvesting device via the self-capacitive body.
13. A self-capacitance based biotelemetry system comprising:
a power source;
a substrate comprising an insulating layer and a conductive layer, wherein the conductive layer is coupled to the power source, and the substrate is configured to be capacitively coupled to a portion of a self-capacitive body in contact with the substrate;
a transmitter antenna;
a receiver antenna; and
a biotelemetry interface device capacitively coupled to the self-capacitive body, the biotelemetry interface device comprising:
an antenna, and
an oscillator coupled to the antenna and configured to switch an impedance of the antenna.
14. The self-capacitance based biotelemetry system of claim 13 , wherein the biotelemetry interface device further comprises:
a resistor;
a rectifying diode bridge; and
a floating electrode coupled to a reference terminal.
15. The self-capacitance based biotelemetry system of claim 13 , wherein the substrate comprises a grounded substrate.
16. The self-capacitance based biotelemetry system of claim 13 , wherein the oscillator comprises a low-power oscillator.
17. The self-capacitance based biotelemetry system of claim 13 , wherein the biotelemetry interface device's antenna comprises a radio frequency antenna.
18. The self-capacitance based biotelemetry system of claim 13 , wherein the power source comprises a modulating power source.