Inertially operated piezoelectric energy harvesting electronic circuitry

1. An event detection device responsive to an acceleration pulse event, the device comprising:

a low-voltage event detection circuit (LVEDC), the circuit comprising:

an input configured to receive an input voltage over a duration responsive to one or more acceleration pulse events;

an electrical storage device coupled to the input and configured to accumulate a charge and configured to produce a detection signal at an output in response to the accumulated charge indicating that the one or more acceleration pulse events met predetermined threshold magnitude and/or duration limit(s);

an energy dissipating device coupled to the electrical storage device and configured to dissipate the accumulated charge following the one or more acceleration pulse events and not to substantially dissipate the accumulated charge during the one or more acceleration pulse events; and

a voltage limiting device coupled to the electrical storage device and configured to limit voltage received by the electrical storage device from the input;

wherein the LVEDC comprises a first resistor, wherein the electrical storage device has first and second couplings, and wherein the voltage limiting device is a first Zener diode having a cathode coupled to the first coupling of the electrical storage device through the first resistor and having an anode coupled to the second coupling of the electrical storage device; and

the LVEDC comprises a second resistor, and a second Zener diode, wherein an anode of the second Zener diode is coupled to the cathode of the first Zener diode through the second resistor, and a cathode of the second Zener diode is coupled to the input.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the LVEDC comprises third and fourth resistors coupled in series across the first and second couplings of the electrical storage device, and wherein the output is coupled to a coupling between the third and fourth resistors.

3. The device of claim 2 , wherein the LVEDC comprises a p-MOS transistor and a fifth resistor, wherein the fifth resistor is coupled in series across a source of the p-MOS transistor and the second coupling of the electrical storage device, wherein a drain of the p-MOS transistor is coupled to the input, a gate of the p-MOS transistor is coupled to the coupling between the third and fourth resistors and the output is coupled to the coupling between the third and fourth resistors through the gate and the source of the p-MOS transistor.

4. The device of claim 3 , comprising a current amplifying circuit coupled to the output, wherein the current amplifying circuit is configured, when the detection signal is produced, to amplify current produced as a result of the accumulated charge and the input voltage.

5. The device of claim 3 , comprising a bridge wire and a switch circuit, wherein the switch circuit is coupled to the output and is configured, when the detection signal is produced, to provide current produced due to the input voltage to the bridge wire.

6. The device of claim 3 , wherein the energy dissipating device comprises a diode with a cathode of the diode coupled to the input and an anode of the diode coupled to the first coupling of the electrical storage device, and the diode is configured to have a backward leakage draining the charge when the input voltage drops below a predetermined voltage.

7. The device of claim 6 , comprising a current amplifying circuit coupled to the output, wherein the current amplifying circuit is configured to amplify current produced as a result of the accumulated charge when the detection signal is produced.

8. The device of claim 7 , wherein the current amplifying circuit comprises a pair of transistors coupled in a positive feedback configuration.

9. The device of claim 7 , comprising a piezoelectric device coupled to the input and configured to generate the voltage over the duration responsive to the one or more acceleration pulse events.

10. The device of claim 9 , wherein the device is an electrically initiated inertial igniter, the device further comprising a bridge wire coupled to an output of the current amplifying circuit and configured to receive the amplified current.

11. The device of claim 10 , further comprising pyrotechnic material positioned in proximity to the bridge wire, wherein the bridge wire is configured to ignite the pyrotechnic material in response to the detection signal.

12. The device of claim 1 , comprising a piezoelectric device coupled to the input and configured to generate the voltage over the duration responsive to the one or more acceleration pulse events.

13. An event detection device responsive to an acceleration pulse event, the device comprising:

a low-voltage event detection circuit (LVEDC), the circuit comprising:

an input configured to receive an input voltage over a duration responsive to one or more acceleration pulse events;

an electrical storage device coupled to the input and configured to accumulate a charge and configured to produce a detection signal at an output in response to the accumulated charge indicating that the one or more acceleration pulse events met predetermined threshold magnitude and/or duration limit(s);

an energy dissipating device coupled to the electrical storage device and configured to dissipate the accumulated charge following the one or more acceleration pulse events and not to substantially dissipate the accumulated charge during the one or more acceleration pulse events; and

a voltage limiting device coupled to the electrical storage device and configured to limit voltage received by the electrical storage device from the input; and

a bridge wire and a switch circuit, wherein the switch circuit is coupled to the output and is configured, when the detection signal is produced, to provide current produced by the input voltage to the bridge wire.

14. An event detection device responsive to an acceleration pulse event, the device comprising:

a low-voltage event detection circuit (LVEDC), the circuit comprising:

an input configured to receive an input voltage over a duration responsive to one or more acceleration pulse events;

an electrical storage device coupled to the input and configured to accumulate a charge and configured to produce a detection signal at an output in response to the accumulated charge indicating that the one or more acceleration pulse events met predetermined threshold magnitude and/or duration limit(s);

an energy dissipating device coupled to the electrical storage device and configured to dissipate the accumulated charge following the one or more acceleration pulse events and not to substantially dissipate the accumulated charge during the one or more acceleration pulse events; and

a voltage limiting device coupled to the electrical storage device and configured to limit voltage received by the electrical storage device from the input;

wherein the energy dissipating device comprises a diode with a cathode of the diode coupled to the input and an anode of the diode coupled to the electrical storage device, wherein the diode is configured to have a backward leakage draining the charge in the absence of the acceleration pulse events and in the absence of the one or more acceleration pulse events meeting the predetermined threshold magnitude and/or duration limit(s).

15. An event detection device responsive to an acceleration pulse event, the device comprising:

a low-voltage event detection circuit (LVEDC), the circuit comprising:

an input configured to receive an input voltage over a duration responsive to one or more acceleration pulse events;

an electrical storage device coupled to the input and configured to accumulate a charge and configured to produce a detection signal at an output in response to the accumulated charge indicating that the one or more acceleration pulse events met predetermined threshold magnitude and/or duration limit(s);

an energy dissipating device coupled to the electrical storage device and configured to dissipate the accumulated charge following the one or more acceleration pulse events and not to substantially dissipate the accumulated charge during the one or more acceleration pulse events; and

a voltage limiting device coupled to the electrical storage device and configured to limit voltage received by the electrical storage device from the input;

a piezoelectric device coupled to the input and configured to generate the voltage over the duration responsive to the one or more acceleration pulse events; and

a voltage divider circuit, wherein the input is configured to receive a portion of the voltage generated by the piezoelectric device through the voltage divider circuit.

16. An event detection device responsive to an acceleration pulse event, the device comprising:

a low-voltage event detection circuit (LVEDC), the circuit comprising:

an input configured to receive an input voltage over a duration responsive to one or more acceleration pulse events;

an electrical storage device coupled to the input and configured to accumulate a charge and configured to produce a detection signal at an output in response to the accumulated charge indicating that the one or more acceleration pulse events met predetermined threshold magnitude and/or duration limit(s);

an energy dissipating device coupled to the electrical storage device and configured to dissipate the accumulated charge following the one or more acceleration pulse events and not to substantially dissipate the accumulated charge during the one or more acceleration pulse events; and

a voltage limiting device coupled to the electrical storage device and configured to limit voltage received by the electrical storage device from the input; and

a current amplifying circuit that amplifies current produced as a result of the accumulated charge when the detection signal is produced.

17. An event detection device responsive to an acceleration pulse event, the device comprising:

a piezoelectric device coupled configured to generate an input voltage over the duration responsive to the one or more acceleration pulse events; and

a low-voltage event detection circuit (LVEDC), the circuit comprising:

an electrical storage device coupled to the piezoelectric device and configured to accumulate a charge due to the input voltage and configured to produce a detection signal at an output in response to the accumulated charge indicating that the one or more acceleration pulse events met predetermined threshold magnitude and/or duration limit(s);

an energy dissipating device coupled to the electrical storage device and configured to dissipate the accumulated charge following the one or more acceleration pulse events and not to substantially dissipate the accumulated charge during the one or more acceleration pulse events; and

a voltage limiting device coupled to the electrical storage device and configured to limit voltage received by the electrical storage device from the piezoelectric device; and

a voltage divider circuit, wherein the electrical storage device is configured to receive a portion of the voltage generated by the piezoelectric device through the voltage divider circuit.

18. The device of claim 17 , wherein the device is an electrically initiated inertial igniter, the device comprising a bridge wire and a switch circuit, wherein the switch circuit is coupled to the output and is configured, in response to the detection signal being produced, to provide current produced as a result of the input voltage to the bridge wire.