MX2008005017A - Method and apparatus for high efficiency rectification for various loads - Google Patents

Abstract

An apparatus for converting power includes at least one impedance matching network which receives an electrical signal. The apparatus includes at least one AC to DC converter in communication with the impedance matching network. Also disclosed is a method for powering a load and an apparatus for converting power and additional embodiments of an apparatus for converting power.

Description

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR HIGH EFFICIENCY RECTIFICATION FOR DIFFERENT LOADS CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED REQUESTS This application claims the benefit of the provisional patent application of the US. Serial No. 60 / 729,792, filed October 24, 2005. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for converting energy. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for converting energy with an AC to DC converter. Description of Related Art The prior art has shown that it is possible to provide power to remote devices using radio frequency electromagnetic waves (RF = Radio-Frequency). The wireless power transfer has been described in more detail by. C. Brown in U.S. Pat. No. 3114517, "Microwave Operated Space Vehicles", here incorporated by reference, and within numerous other articles by said author. The wireless energy transfer is also used to provide power to labels of Identification of Radio Frequency (RFID = Radio-Frequency Identification). The transmitted RF energy is captured by an antenna and rectified using a number of circuits described to provide Direct Current (DC) to a load. The patent of the U.S.A. No. 3434678, "Microwave to DC Converter", incorporated herein by reference, discloses an apparatus for converting microwave energy to CD using the bridge rectifier circuit shown in Figure 1. More recent patents such as U.S. Pat. No. 6140924, "Rectifying Antenna Circuit", and U.S. Pat. No. 6615074, "Apparatus for Energizing a Remote Station and Related Method", both incorporated herein by reference, discloses RF to CD converters that are implemented using voltage doubling rectifier configurations as shown in Figure 2. The function of These circuits are acceptable when the power fed and the load impedance are constant. However, variations in either the power supply or load impedance degrade the total conversion efficiency of the circuit. The conversion efficiency is defined as the rectified output DC power divided by the Alternating Current (AC) energy fed to the rectifier. Examples of how changes in load resistance (or equivalent resistance) and power supply affect conversion efficiency are illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, respectively. Changes in the efficiency of rectifier conversion for power supply and variable output load were described in the U.S. patent. No. 6212431, "Power Transfer Circuit for Implanted Devices", incorporated herein by reference, which illustrates in Column 1 lines 55-62 that when inductive energy is transferred from an external coil to an implanted device that "unfortunately, neither the The load associated with the implant device and the separation distance between the external coil and the implant coil are constant, each of these parameters in practice being values that can vary, for example from 3 to 15 mm for the distance of separation and 20 to 300 ohms for the load.As a result, the optimal energy transfer between the external device and the implant device is rarely achieved.Thus, there is a condition less than optimal energy transfer ... "In this appointment, the separation distance is analogous to changing the power supply to the implanted device The solution proposed in US patent No. 6212431 is to vary a matching parameter in the external transmission coil for optimizing the transfer of energy from the external transmission coil to the implanted receiving coil The invention described in US Patent No. 6212431 implements the solution in the transmitter, which limits the system to a receiver because the transmitter must vary its output, based on a single receiver. Also, the US patent. No. 6212431 mentions a rectifier circuit and the effect this can have on the method and apparatus presented. Additionally, the US patent. No. 6212431 is based on inductive coupling, which allows the impedance of the implanted device to be seen by the transmitter coil in a similar way to reflect the impedance on the secondary side of a transformer to the primary side. The invention described herein is not based only on inductive or near field energy transfer, if not more it includes operation in the far field where it is not possible to reflect the load received on the transmitting side. Variable loading impedances are also discussed in US Pat. No. 6794951, incorporated herein by reference, which describes a transmission circuit for ionizing gas to create a plasma. The problem presented is that the load seen by the transmitter changes depending on the state of the plasma in the camera. When there is no plasma present, the transmitter sees a certain impedance value. However, when there is plasma present in the chamber, a different impedance value is seen by the transmitter. To combat this aspect, the patent of the US. No. 6794951 proposes a dual impedance coupling circuit, which is controlled by a switching selection system. During the start mode, the first impedance coupling circuit is used to couple when there is no plasma present in the chamber. During the operation mode, the second impedance coupling circuit is used to couple the system with plasma in the chamber. The solution presents a way to direct discrete charge values in an RF transmitter. This solution is limited to the transmission side, you must know the discrete impedance values seen during the multiple modes in order to design the impedance coupling networks, must have active switching to control the switching network, and is designed to give an RF output. BRIEF COMPENDI OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an apparatus for converting energy. The apparatus comprises at least one impedance matching network that receives an electrical signal. The apparatus comprises a plurality of AC to DC converters in communication with the impedance coupling network. The present invention relates to a method for energizing a load. The method comprises the steps of receiving an electrical signal to an impedance coupling network. There is the step of converting the signal into a plurality of AC to DC converters in communication with the impedance coupling network. There is the step of providing current to the load in communication with the plurality of AC to DC converters. The present invention relates to an apparatus for converting energy. The apparatus comprises a power collector to connect a signal including at least one AC to DC converter that provides a signal conversion efficiency of at least 50% for a resistive load range that covers at least 100 times the minimum value. The present invention relates to an apparatus for converting energy. The apparatus comprises an energy collector, for collecting a signal including at least one AC to DC converter that provides a signal conversion efficiency of at least 50% when charging or recharging a load storage device for an interval Power supply that covers at least 20dB. The present invention relates to an apparatus for converting energy. The apparatus comprises means for collecting a signal including means for converting AC to CD, which provides a signal conversion efficiency of at least 50% when charging or recharging a charge storage device for a range of power supply that It covers at least 20dB. The present invention relates to an apparatus for converting energy. The apparatus comprises a power collector for collecting a signal that includes at least one AC to DC converter, which provides a signal conversion efficiency of at least 50% for a power supply range that covers at least 20dB. The present invention relates to an apparatus for converting energy. The apparatus comprises at least two coupling networks of first impedance that receive an electrical signal. The apparatus comprises at least one AC to DC converter, in communication with the first impedance coupling networks. The apparatus comprises a combiner in electrical communication with the first coupling networks. The present invention relates to an apparatus for converting energy. The apparatus comprises an energy collector that includes at least one AC to DC converter. The device comprises at least two non-linear elements, where the two non-linear elements at least have different characteristics. The present invention relates to an apparatus for converting energy. The apparatus comprises an energy collector that includes at least one AC to DC converter, which provides a conversion efficiency of a feed signal having at least two peaks in efficiency.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for converting energy. The apparatus comprises an energy collector that includes at least one AC to DC converter, which provides a conversion efficiency of a feed signal of at least 50% for a range from a predetermined distance to ten times the distance. The present invention relates to an apparatus for converting energy. The apparatus comprises an energy collector that includes at least one AC to DC converter, configured to receive a first power supply at a first distance with a first efficiency, wherein the AC to DC converter receives a second power supply to a second distance with a second efficiency. The first distance is greater than the second distance, and the first efficiency is substantially similar to the second efficiency. The present invention relates to an apparatus for converting energy. The apparatus comprises an energy collector that includes at least one AC to DC converter, which provides a power S R less than 2.0 for a power supply range of at least 16dB. The present invention relates to a apparatus to convert energy. The apparatus comprises an energy collector that includes at least one AC to DC converter that provides a feed SWR of less than 2.0 for a resistive load range that covers at least 40 times a predetermined minimum value. The present invention relates to an apparatus for converting energy. The apparatus comprises an energy collector that includes at least one AC to DC converter, wherein the output resistance of the AC to DC converter varies in response to changes in power supply or load resistance. The present invention relates to an apparatus for converting energy. The apparatus comprises an energy collector that includes at least one AC to DC converter, which provides a conversion efficiency of a feed signal of at least 50% for a power supply range that covers at least 20dB. The present invention relates to an apparatus for converting energy. The apparatus comprises a power interface and at least one AC to DC converter, which provides a conversion efficiency of a power supply signal. of at least 50% for a resistive load range that covers at least 100 times a predetermined minimum value. The present invention relates to an apparatus for converting energy. The apparatus comprises a power interface and at least one AC to DC converter that provides a conversion efficiency of a power signal of at least 50% when charging or recharging a charge storage device, for an energy range of food that covers at least 20dB. The present invention relates to an apparatus for converting energy. The apparatus comprises means for collecting a power signal including means for converting AC to DC, which provides a conversion efficiency of the power signal of at least 50% when a charge storage device is recharged for a power range of food that covers at least 20dB. The present invention relates to an apparatus for converting energy. The apparatus comprises at least two coupling networks of first impedance that receive an electrical signal. The apparatus comprises a combiner in communication electric with the first coupling networks. The apparatus comprises at least one AC to DC converter in communication with the first impedance coupling networks through the combiner. The present invention relates to an apparatus for converting energy. The apparatus comprises a power interface and at least one AC to DC converter. The apparatus comprises at least two non-linear elements, wherein the two non-linear elements as a minimum have different characteristics. The present invention relates to an apparatus for converting energy. The apparatus comprises a power interface and at least one AC to DC converter, which provides a conversion efficiency of a power signal that has at least two peaks in efficiency. The present invention relates to an apparatus for converting energy. The apparatus comprises a power interface and at least one AC to DC converter that provides a conversion efficiency of a power signal of at least 50% for a range from a predetermined distance to ten times the distance. The present invention relates to a apparatus to convert energy. The apparatus comprises a power interface and at least one AC to DC converter configured to receive a first power supply in a first distance with a first efficiency, wherein the AC to DC converter receives a second power supply to a second power. distance with a second efficiency. The first distance is greater than the second distance, and the first efficiency is substantially similar to the second efficiency. The present invention relates to an apparatus for converting energy. The apparatus comprises a power interface and at least one AC to DC converter, which provides a power SWR of less than 2.0 for a power supply range greater than 16dB. The present invention relates to an apparatus for converting energy. The apparatus comprises a power interface and at least one AC to DC converter, which provides a power SWR of less than 2.0 for a resistive load range that covers at least 40 times a predetermined minimum value. The present invention relates to an apparatus for converting energy. The apparatus comprises a power interface and at least one AC to DC converter, wherein the output resistance of the AC to DC converter varies in response to changes in power supply or load resistance. The present invention relates to an apparatus for converting energy. The apparatus comprises a power interface and at least one AC to DC converter, which provides a conversion efficiency having at least two peaks in efficiency versus load resistance. The present invention relates to an apparatus for converting energy. The apparatus comprises a power interface and at least one AC to DC converter, which provides a conversion efficiency having at least two peaks in efficiency versus output current. The present invention relates to an apparatus for converting energy. The apparatus comprises an energy collector that includes at least one AC to DC converter, which provides a conversion efficiency having at least two peaks in efficiency versus load resistance. The present invention relates to an apparatus for converting energy. The apparatus comprises an energy collector that includes at least one AC to DC converter, which provides a conversion efficiency that has at least two peaks in efficiency versus output current. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIOUS VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a schematic representation of a bridge rectifier circuit of the prior art. Figure 2 is a schematic representation of a voltage doubling rectifier of the prior art. Figure 3 is a graph of rectifier efficiency versus standardized load resistance of the prior art, wherein the optimum value is normalized to one. Figure 4 is a graph of a rectifier efficiency versus normalized power feed of the prior art, wherein the optimum value is normalized to one. Figure 5 is a graph of CD to CD converter efficiency of the prior art with various resistive loads. Figure 6 is a graph of CA to CD conversion efficiency of the present invention with various resistive loads. Figure 7 is a schematic representation of a simplified equivalent circuit for the supply of an AC to DC converter. Figure 8 is a schematic representation of a simplified equivalent circuit for the output of an AC to DC converter. Figure 9 is a block diagram of the present invention with a fixed load and a variable power supply. Figure 10 is a block diagram of a fixed load at the optimum value with a variable power supply when combining blocks and passive selector are used. Figure 11 is a block diagram of the present invention with fixed power and variable load power. Figure 12 is a block diagram of an AC to DC converter with two coupling networks used for active selection by the selector block. Figure 13 is a block diagram of the present invention with variable feed power and variable load. Figure 14 is a graph of efficiency of AC to DC against normalized load resistance, load current, or power supply for the present invention when the lowest optimum value is normalized to one. Figure 15 is a block diagram of the present invention used to charge or recharge a battery at almost optimal conversion efficiency over a wide range of power levels. Figure 16 is a block diagram of the present invention with voltage monitoring circuits after the combiner. Figure 17 is a graph of RF to CD conversion efficiency of the present invention compared to the prior art. Figure 18 is a block diagram of multiple routes for conversion. Figure 19 is a block diagram of a single-wave full-wave rectifier used with the present invention. Figure 20 is a block diagram of a single-wave half-wave rectifier employed with the present invention. Figure 21 is a block diagram of one embodiment of the apparatus the present invention manufactured on a printed circuit board. Figure 22 is a graph of power SWR data measured for the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figure 21 for different power levels at 905.8MHz. Figure 23 is a graph of power impedance measured for the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figure 21 for different power levels at 905.8MHz. Figure 24 is a graph of power impedance measured for the embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 21, for different power levels at 905.8MHz, where impedances of the Smith diagram circle correspond to SWR values less than 2.0. Figure 25 is another embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION A full understanding of the invention will be obtained from the following description, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing figures in which characters of like references identify similar parts. For purposes of the following description, the terms "upper", "lower", "right", "left", "vertical", "horizontal", "upper", "lower" and its derivatives, will refer to the invention oriented in the figures of drawings. However, it will be understood that the invention may acquire various variations and alternate sequence steps except when expressly specified to the contrary. It will also be understood that the specific devices and processes illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and described in the following specification, are simple exemplary embodiments of the invention. Therefore, dimensions and other specific physical characteristics related to the modalities described here, shall not be considered as limiting.

Now with reference to the drawings in which like reference numerals refer to similar or identical parts throughout the various views and more specifically to his Figure 9, an apparatus 10 for converting energy is illustrated. The apparatus 10 comprises at least a first impedance matching network 12 that receives an electrical signal. The apparatus 10 comprises a plurality of AC to DC converters 14, in communication with the first impedance matching network 12 and configured to communicate with a load 16, wherein the apparatus 10 is configured to communicate with a food Preferably, there is a plurality of first impedance matching networks 12 in communication with the plurality of AC to DC converters 14. The apparatus 10 preferably includes a selector 18 for directing the signal to the first impedance matching networks 12. Preferably, selector 18 is active or passive. The apparatus 10 preferably includes a combiner 20 connected to the plurality of AC to DC converters 14 to combine outputs of the AC to DC converters 14. Preferably, the combiner 20 is active or passive. The plurality of AC to DC converters 14 preferably defines a plurality of routes CA to CD 22 where each route is optimized for a particular characteristic. The apparatus 10 may include a second impedance matching network 24 which is configured to match or match an impedance of the apparatus 10 with a power impedance. Preferably, each route from CA to CD 22 is coupled with a predetermined impedance value. Each route from CA to CD 22 preferably has a different output resistance. Each AC to DC converter power 14 can be coupled to an impedance value predetermined at different levels of power supply using the first impedance coupling network 12 as a minimum. In a mode where the selector 18 is active, there may be a control unit 26, which selects the appropriate AC to DC converter 14, based on the power level or load resistance 16. There may be a combiner 20 connected to the plurality of AC to DC converters 14 and to combine outputs of the AC to DC converters 14, where the combiner 20 is active and includes a combiner control unit 30. The control unit of the selector 18 and the The combiner control unit 20 can be the same control unit. In another embodiment, one of the output resistors of the AC to DC converters 14 is designed to be at or near a discrete resistor in the load 16 being at or near for some time; and another of the output resistance of the AC to DC converters is designed to be at or near a different discrete resistor than the load 16 is at or near for some other time. Each of the AC to DC 14 converters can have a different output resistance corresponding to an associated optimal load 16. One of the supply impedances of the AC to DC converters 14 can be coupled to a predetermined value at a power level and another of the supply impedances of the DC to DC converters 14 is coupled with another default value at a different energy level. The load can be a battery 32 to which each AC to DC converter 14 is in electrical communication and each AC to CD 22 path is optimized for a specific power level and load resistance 16, as illustrated in Figure 15. There may be a voltage monitoring circuit 34 connected between the plurality of AC to DC converters 14 and battery 32 and ensures that a voltage level remains within a specified range as shown in Figure 16. There may be a printed circuit board 36 in which the plurality of AC to DC converters 14 and the first coupling network are placed at least.

In yet another embodiment, the apparatus 10 is included in an energy collector 38 that produces the energy signal. The energy collector 38 may include an antenna 48, a piezoelectric element 50, a solar cell, a generator, a collector of vibration, an acoustic collector or a wind collector, as shown in Figure 25. At least one of the plurality of AC to DC converters 14 can already be a full-wave rectifier of a single diode 40 or a half-wave rectifier of a single diode 42 as shown in Figures 19 and 20, respectively. At least one of the plurality of AC to DC converters 14 can be a voltage doubler. The load 16 may include at least one energy storage element 44 in electrical communication with at least one of the AC to DC converters 14. The load 16 may be fixed at or near the optimum resistance of the load 16 and the signal The electric power supply is variable, as shown in Figure 10. The load 16 can be variable and the electrical signal provides a power supply that is fixed as shown in Figure 11. In alternate form, the load 16 is variable and the electrical signal provides a power supply that is variable, as shown in Figure 13. The load 16 may be an LED. The present invention relates to a method for energizing a load 16. The method comprises the stages of receiving an electrical signal in an impedance coupling network. There is the step of converting the signal into a plurality of AC to DC converters 14 in communication with the impedance matching network. There is the step of providing current to the load 16 in communication with the plurality of AC to DC converters 14. Preferably, the receiving stage includes the step of receiving the electrical signal in a plurality of impedance coupling network, in communication with the plurality of AC to DC converters 14. Preferably, the step of directing the signal with a selector 18. Preferably, the selector 18 is active or passive. There may be the step of combining outputs of the plurality of AC converters to CD 14 with a combiner 20 connected to the load 16. Preferably, the combiner is active or passive. The present invention relates to apparatus 10 for converting energy. The apparatus 10 comprises an energy collector 38 that includes at least one AC to DC converter 14, which provides a conversion efficiency of a feed signal at least 50% for a power supply range that covers at least 20dB.

Preferably, the AC to DC converter 14 is used in an energy collector 38. The energy collector 38 may include an antenna 48.

Alternatively, the energy collector 38 may include a piezoelectric element 50. The present invention relates to an apparatus 10 for converting energy. The apparatus 10 comprises an energy collector 38 including at least one AC to DC converter 14, which provides a conversion efficiency of a feed signal of at least 50% for a resistive load range 16 covering at least 100 times a predetermined minimum value. The present invention relates to an apparatus 10 for converting energy. The apparatus 10 comprises an energy collector 38 which includes at least one AC to DC converter 14 which provides a conversion efficiency of a feed signal of at least 50%, when recharged with a charge storage device for a range of Power supply that covers at least 20dB. The present invention relates to an apparatus 10 for converting energy. The apparatus 10 comprises means for collecting a power signal including means for converting CA to CD that provides a feed signal conversion efficiency of at least 50% when a charge storage device is recharged for a power supply range that covers at least 20dB. The means for converting CA to CD can be an AC to DC converter 14. The means for collecting a signal can be an energy collector 38. The present invention relates to an apparatus 10 for converting energy, as shown in the Figure 12. The apparatus 10 comprises at least two first impedance matching networks 12 that receive an electrical signal. The apparatus 10 comprises a combiner 20 in electrical communication with the first coupling networks. The apparatus 10 comprises an AC to DC converter 14, in communication with the first impedance matching networks 12 through the combiner 20. Preferably, the combiner 20 is a switch. The present invention relates to an apparatus to convert energy. The apparatus 10 comprises an energy collector 38 that includes at least one AC to DC converter 14. The apparatus 10 comprises at least two non-linear elements, wherein the two non-linear elements at least have different characteristics. Preferably, the two non-linear elements as a minimum are one or more of diodes, mosfets, or transistors. The different preference characteristics include different impedances or different resistances. The present invention relates to an apparatus 10 for converting energy. The apparatus 10 comprises an energy collector 38 that includes at least one AC to DC converter 14 that provides a conversion efficiency of a feed signal having at least two peaks in efficiency. The present invention relates to an apparatus 10 for converting energy. The apparatus 10 comprises an energy collector 38 which includes at least one AC to DC converter 14 which provides a conversion efficiency of a feed signal of at least 50% for a range from a predetermined distance to ten times the distance. The present invention relates to an apparatus to convert energy. The apparatus 10 comprises an energy collector 38 which includes at least one AC to DC converter 14 configured to receive a first power supply at a first distance with a first efficiency, wherein the AC to DC converter 14 receives a second power supply at a second distance with a second efficiency. The first distance is greater than the second distance, and the first efficiency is substantially similar to the second efficiency. Preferably, the first power supply and the second power supply are formed by energy pulses. The present invention relates to an apparatus 10 for converting energy. The apparatus 10 comprises an energy collector 38, which includes at least one AC to DC converter 14, which provides a feed SWR of less than 2.0 for a power supply range of at least 16dB. The present invention relates to an apparatus to convert energy. The apparatus 10 comprises an energy collector 38 that includes at least one AC to DC converter 14, which provides a feed SWR of less than 2.0 for a resistive load range 16 that covers at least 40 times a predetermined minimum value. The present invention relates to an apparatus 10 for converting energy. The apparatus 10 comprises an energy collector 38 that includes at least one AC to DC converter 14, wherein the resistance of output of the AC to DC converter 14 varies in response to changes in load resistance 16 or power supply. Apparatus 10 preferably includes a voltage monitoring circuit 34 which ensures that a voltage level remains within a specified range. The present invention relates to an apparatus 10 for converting energy. The apparatus 10 comprises an energy collector 38 that includes at least one AC to DC converter 14 that provides a conversion efficiency of a feed signal at least 50% for a power supply range that covers at least 20dB. Preferably, the AC to DC converter 14 is used in an energy collector 38. The energy collector 38 may include an antenna 48. Alternatively, the energy collector 38 may include a piezoelectric element 50. The present invention is incorporated herein by reference. refers to an appliance to convert energy. The apparatus 10 comprises a power interface and at least one AC to DC 14 converter, which provides a conversion efficiency of a feed signal of at least 50% for a resistive load range 16 that covers at least 100 times a predetermined minimum value. A power interface can be a connector, wire, pin, terminal or any other convenient element that can accept the power signal. The present invention relates to an apparatus 10 for converting energy. The apparatus 10 comprises a power interface and at least one AC to DC converter 14, which provides a conversion efficiency of a power signal at least 50% when a charge storage device is recharged for a power supply range that covers at least 20dB. The present invention relates to an apparatus 10 for converting energy. The apparatus 10 comprises means for collecting a power signal including means for converting AC to DC which provides a conversion efficiency of the power signal of at least 50% when a charging storage device is recharged for a power range of food that covers at least 20dB. The present invention relates to an apparatus 10 for converting energy. The apparatus 10 comprises two first impedance coupling networks 12 At a minimum, they receive an electrical signal. The apparatus 10 comprises at least one AC to DC converter 14 in communication with the first impedance coupling networks 12. The apparatus 10 comprises a combiner 20 in electrical communication with the first coupling networks. Preferably, the combiner 20 is a switch. The present invention relates to an apparatus 10 for converting energy. The apparatus 10 comprises a power interface and at least one AC to DC converter 14. The apparatus 10 comprises at least two non-linear elements, wherein the two non-linear elements as a minimum have different characteristics. Preferably, the two non-linear elements as a minimum are one or more of diodes, mosfets, or transistors. The different preferred characteristics include different impedances or different resistances The present invention relates to an apparatus 10 for converting energy. The apparatus 10 comprises a power interface and at least one AC to DC converter 14, which provides a conversion efficiency of a power signal having at least two peaks in efficiency. The present invention relates to an apparatus10 to convert energy. The apparatus 10 comprises a power interface and at least one AC to DC converter 14, which provides a conversion efficiency of a power signal at least 50% for a range from a predetermined distance to ten times the distance. The present invention relates to an apparatus 10 for converting energy. The apparatus 10 comprises a power interface and at least one AC to DC converter 14 configured to receive a first power of attentive at a first distance with a first efficiency, wherein the AC to DC converter 14 receives the second power of feeding at a second distance with a second efficiency. The first distance is greater than the second distance, and the first efficiency is substantially similar to the second efficiency. Preferably, the first power supply and the second power supply are formed by energy pulses. The present invention relates to an apparatus 10 for converting energy. The apparatus 10 comprises a power interface and at least one AC to DC 14 converter that provides a power SWR of less than 2.0 for a power range power supply of at least 16dB. The present invention relates to an apparatus 10 for converting energy. The apparatus 10 comprises a power interface and at least one AC to DC converter 14, which provides a power SWR of less than 2.0 for a resistive load range 16 that covers at least 40 times a predetermined minimum value. The present invention relates to an apparatus 10 for converting energy. The apparatus 10 comprises a power interface and at least one AC to DC converter 14, wherein the output resistance of the AC to DC converter 14 varies in response to changes in the load resistance 16 or power supply. Apparatus 10 preferably includes a voltage monitoring circuit 34, which ensures that a voltage level remains within a specified range. The present invention relates to an apparatus for converting energy. The apparatus comprises a power interface and at least one AC to DC converter 14 that provides a conversion efficiency having at least two peaks in efficiency versus load resistance. The present invention relates to an apparatus to convert energy. The apparatus comprises a power interface and at least one AC to DC converter 14 which provides a conversion efficiency having at least two peaks in efficiency versus output current. The present invention relates to an apparatus for converting energy. The apparatus comprises an energy collector that includes at least one AC to DC converter that provides a conversion efficiency having at least two peaks in efficiency versus load resistance. The present invention relates to an apparatus for converting energy. The apparatus comprises an energy collector that includes at least one AC to DC converter, which provides a conversion efficiency having at least two peaks in efficiency versus output current. The present invention discloses a method and apparatus 10 that provide a rather superior solution for efficiently converting CA to DC for varying loads and power levels than the prior art. The efficient conversion of CA to CD in this case, is defined as greater than fifty (50) percent, however, different applications may have different definitions. The invention it can be applied not only to the inductive region (near field) but also to the far field region. The far field region is commonly defined as 2D1 where r is the distance between the transmitting and receiving antennas 48, D is the maximum dimension of either the transmitting or receiving antenna 48 and lamda is the wavelength. The invention is implemented in CA to DC circuits to allow multiple devices to operate from a single power transmitter as opposed to the prior art which implements solutions on the transmitting side. When the previous technique is examined, the circuit shown in Figure 2 when properly designed, is capable of directing a fixed resistive load 16 over a limited power supply range with minimal effect on the equivalent impedance of the AC to DC converter 14 and load 16. However , when the load 16 is changed, the conversion efficiency is reduced. Significant relationships are considered those that reduce efficiency by 2 or mby the way and / or reduces the conversion efficiency from AC to DC below the specific application threshold such as fifty percent conversion efficiency. As an example, the circuit in Figure 2 is constructed with a potentiometer such as load 16. The power is coupled to 50 ohms and connected to an RF network analyzer. The conversion efficiency from AC to DC is then measured for various levels of power supply for an adjustment of potentiometers of lOk-ohms, 5k-ohms, 2.5k-ohms, and 1.25k-ohms. The results seen in Figure. 5 show that the change for optimum load 16 from 10k-ohm to 5k-ohm reduces the conversion efficiency from CA to CD to OdBm (dBm are decibels referred to 1 milli-watt) from 66.25 percent to 59.58 percent, respectively . The reduction is much greater for a change from lOk-ohm to 2.5k-ohm, which reduce the conversion efficiency from AC to CD to OdBm from 66.25 percent to 43.18 percent, respectively. Production is even more dramatic for a change from lOk-ohm to 1.25k-ohm, which reduces the conversion efficiency from CA to CD to OdBm from 66.25 percent to 26.91 percent, respectively. The invention described here, however, does not have a conversion efficiency from CA to CD that is significantly affected for load resistance 16 as the prior art illustrated in Figure 5. To show this, the invention was also measured with a potentiometer such as load 16 with settings of lOk-ohm, 5k-ohm, 2.5k-ohm, and 1.25k-ohm. The results are illustrated in Figure 6 which illustrate that a change in optimum load 16 from 10k-ohm to 5k-ohm reduces the conversion efficiency from CA to CD to odBC from 61.75 percent to only 54.19 percent, respectively. The change from lOk-ohm to 2.5k-ohm reduces the conversion efficiency from CA to CD to OdBrn from 61.75 percent to 54.94 percent, respectively. The change from lOk-ohm to 1.25k-ohm reduces the conversion efficiency from CA to CD to OdBm from 61.75 percent to 48.42 percent, respectively. As can be seen, the invention has a conversion efficiency of CA to CD slightly less than the optimum load resistance 16 to OdBm, however the conversion efficiencies of CA to CD to other load 16 remain higher than the previous technique specifically to the value Lowest load resistance 16, 1.25k-ohm. The invention also significantly outperforms the previous technique at energy levels on OdBm. The reduction in conversion efficiency shown in Figure 5 is amplified when a battery 32 or other energy storage element 44 such as a large charging capacitor or LED is connected to the AC to DC converter 14 for the purpose of recharging or energizing. The battery 32, energy storage element 44 or LED maintains a substantially constant voltage and therefore changes in power supply result in changes in the output current, which change the equivalent resistance seen at the output of the AC converter to CD 14. The equivalent resistance is defined as the output voltage divided by the output current. As an example, if 1 milliwatt (ImW) feeds an AC to DC converter 14 connected to a 3 volt 32 material and the conversion efficiency from AC to DC is 50 percent, the equivalent 16 load that is seen by the AC to DC converter 14 is given by where Vs is the battery voltage 32, IB is the current through a battery 32, e is the conversion efficiency from AC to CD, PIN is the power supply to the AC to DC converter 14 and Pout in the output power from the AC to DC converter 14. For this example, the equivalent resistance is 18k-ohm. However, if the power supply is changed to two milliwatts (2mW) and the conversion efficiency remains 50 percent, the equivalent resistance is reduced to 9k-ohm. Using this example, it can be seen that the equivalent load resistance 16 is inversely proportional to the power supply to the AC to DC converter 14. Changes in the conversion efficiency for AC to DC 14 converters can be broken down into two categories. First, the energy can be lost (reflected) when the equivalent impedance of the converted AC to CD 14 and the load 16, ZEQ, is not the complex conjugate of the source impedance. An example is shown in Figure 7. This loss can be seen by examining the Maximum Power Transfer Theorem, which is well known to those with skill in the art. The Maximum Energy Transfer Theorem states that the maximum energy is transferred from the source to the load 16, when the impedance of source and load 16 are complex conjugate. The second form of efficiency loss is caused by decoupling between the resistance of CD output of the AC to DC converter 14 and load resistance 16. For the purpose of this invention, significant impedance decoupling is considered if more than ten percent of the energy is reflected or lost. For the AC to DC converter 14, the output is CD and therefore the resistors must be the same. A simplified equivalent circuit for the output of an AC to DC converter 14 can be seen in Figure 8 where R0 is the output resistance CD of the AC to DC converter 14 and RL is the load resistor 16. From Figure 8 and the Maximum Energy Transfer Theorem, the maximum energy will be supplied from the AC to DC converter 14 to the load 16 when R0 = RL. This condition will therefore be referred to as the optimum load resistance 16. It will be noted that the two efficiency losses are linked together. As an example, varying the load resistor 16 not only causes loss due to DC output decoupling, but the change in load resistance 16 also changes the equivalent impedance seen by the source (which causes power decoupling). The present invention solves the two efficiency losses previously established to the create multiple routes from CA to CD 22 by use of multiple AC to DC 14 converters. Multiple routes allow each route to be optimized for a given characteristic, to provide near optimum performance over a wide range of power parameters. The present invention can be implemented for a number of different combinations. In a first embodiment, the load 16 is fixed at or near the optimum load resistance 16, which was described above, and the power supply is variable. As previously established with a suitable design, the AC to DC converter 14 in Figure 2 can efficiently direct a fixed load 16 over a limited power supply range. This can be seen in Figure 5. However, if it is desired to efficiently direct the load 16 over a larger power supply range that can be provided by the prior art or if it is found to be advantageous in other applications where the load 16 is fixed, the invention can be used. A block diagram of one embodiment of the invention can be seen in Figure 9, where the AC to DC converter includes a selector, two first coupling networks of impedance 12, two AC to DC 14 converters and a combiner 20 in communication with the power supply and a load 16. As illustrated in Figure 9, the power supply is an AC source with a source impedance, Rs, which is initially coupled with the equivalent circuit of the selector 18, the AC to DC converters 14 and their associated first impedance matching networks 12, the combiner 20, and the load 16 using the second impedance coupling network 24. The first and second networks of impedance coupling 12, 24 can, but are not limited to elements of simple series -Pi, -T, -L, or a network of simple derivation elements that can contain combinations of inductors and capacitors well known to those with skill in the technique and described in detail in the books, "Antenna Impedance Matching" by the author Wilfred N. Carón and "The Design of Impedance-Matching Networks for Radio-Frequency and Microwave Amplifiers" by the author Pieter L.D. Open, both incorporated here by reference. It will be noted that the capacitors and inductors employed in the first and second impedance matching networks 12, 24 can be discrete elements, elements formed in a substrate such as a printed circuit board 36 (PCB = Printed circuit board) or chip, intrinsic elements, or parasitic elements. The output of the second impedance matching network 24 is connected to the selector 18, which directs the signal to the appropriate AC to CD route 22. The selector 18 can be, but is not limited to, a simple wired connection such as a microtra line, a balanced-unbalanced transformer (balun = balanced-unbalanced), or an active switching circuit such as a transistor, one or several terminal or relay diodes. Each route from CA to CD 22 is coupled with a predetermined impedance value, such as 50 ohms for standard antenna types, at different energy levels using their respective first impedance matching networks 12 and impedance matching techniques known to those with dexterity in the technique. The output of each AC to DC converter 14 is then combined using the combiner 20, and combined CD is sent to the load 16. The combiner 20 can but is not limited to, a simple physical wiring connection such as a microtiter line , discrete components such as diodes, or a circuit Active switching such as a transistor, one or more terminal diodes, or relay. The impedance matching network 24 close to the supply may be required if the two routes interfere with each other, which may be the case if a passive selector 18 and / or combiner 20 is used which can be implemented with direct wired connection. The AC to DC converters 14 can be used with the invention, but not limited to a voltage doubler (one or more stages), charge pump, peak detector (in series or derivation), bridge rectifier, or other circuit rectification of CA. It has been determined through experimentation that the circuit shown in Figure 2 can efficiently displace fixed optimum load resistance 16 over a range of -7 to + 10dBm (range 17dB, see Figure 5) when coupled to OdBm and designed properly. However, if a range of -20 to + 10dBm is required, the circuit in Figure 2 will suffer the effects shown in Figure 4, and the conversion efficiency will be reduced by less than 50 percent at the lower energy level (less than -7dBm). The reduction in conversion efficiency for this case is caused by energy reflected in the power supply of the AC to DC converter 14 in Figure 2, due to an impedance decoupling. The uncoupling or impedance mismatch is caused by the change in the power supply. The AC to DC converter 14 contains non-linear elements. The non-linear nature of the elements means that their impedance values change with the energy level, which in turn will cause an impedance uncoupling between the source and the AC to DC converter. One solution to this problem is to use the AC to DC converter 14 in Figure 9, where the upper AC-to-DC converter 14 is coupled to -13dBm and the lower CD-to-DC converter 14 is coupled to + 0dBm. The selector 18 can then choose the appropriate route for the power signal, depending on the level of power supply. The AC to DC converter 14 will be able to direct the fixed optimum load resistance 16 over a 17dB range as previously established, which means that it can convert the power AC signal efficiently over the range -20dBm to -3dBm . The lower AC to DC 14 converter can also efficiently convert the AC power signal over a 17dB interval, which means that it can convert power signals with power levels from -7dBm to + 10dBm. The combination of the two AC to DC 14 converters allows the entire AC to DC conversion system to accept power supply levels from 20dBm to + 10dBm or an energy range of 30dB, which is 20 times the interval of a single AC to DC converter 14. It should be noted that selector 18 can already be active or passive. In the active case, a control unit is used to select the appropriate route for the input signal, based on load resistance 16 or energy level. If the selector 18 is a passive unit, it can be implemented by, but not limited to, a simple wired connection. In this case, the signal will be supplied to the feeds of both the AC to DC 14 converters and the first impedance coupling networks 12. The signal will be divided with the highest energy that the route chooses with the minimum decoupling to the energy level of the power signal. The combiner 20 can take many different forms depending on the configuration of the rest of the system. As an example, the combiner 20, of be active, can be implemented with a switch similar to that used in selector 18, if active, and both can be controlled by the same controller or a different controller. In the active case, a control unit is used to select the appropriate route for the input signal based on the load resistance 16 or energy level. When a passive system is advantageous, the combiner 20 can be implemented with a simple wired connection, as long as the output of the route is CA to CD 22 not used, does not affect the performance or with one or more blocking diodes. An exemplary converter for the passive case of both the selector 18 and the combiner 20 is illustrated in Figure 10, where the decoupling has been configured to correspond to the previous example. A second embodiment of how the invention can be implemented is having a fixed power supply and variable load resistance 16, which is illustrated in Figure 11. In the circuit of the prior art in Figure 2, there is loss described by the Theorem of Maximum Energy Transfer due to uncoupling of the output resistance of the AC to DC converter 14 and load resistance 16. The corresponding conversion efficiency will be similar to that shown in Figure 3. The AC to DC converter 14 in Figure 2 can be coupled with loads 16 different from the load resistance optimum 16 to minimize the loss in conversion efficiency caused by feed decoupling at the load resistance value 16. However, there will still be loss in conversion efficiency due to decoupling between the output DC resistance of the AC drive to CD 14 and the load resistance 16 and the conversion efficiency will take a form similar to that shown in Figure 3. There will also be loss due to the impedance uncoupling between the impedance of the power supply and the power supply of the AC to DC converter 14 caused by the change in load resistance 16. The invention can be used to combat the issue of reduced conversion efficiency to ac Opposing the upper AC to DC converter 14 in Figure 11 at or near a discrete resistor in which the variable load 16 is or near for some time. The lower AC to DC 14 converter in Figure 11 is coupled with a discrete resistance different than the variable load 16 is at or near a certain time. This technique will reduce the loss caused by the impedance uncoupling between the supply impedance and the power supply of the AC to DC converter 14 caused by the change in load resistance 16, as illustrated in Figure 5. However, the loss caused by the decoupling between the output resistance of the AC to DC converter 14 and the load resistance 16 is still present in this case. In the two previous embodiments, the variable load / fixed power supply resistor 16 and the variable power supply / fixed load resistor 16, an observation can be made; the routes of multiple AC to DC converters 14 may not be required if the combiner 20 is set before the AC to DC converter 14, as illustrated in Figure 12. This will essentially be to switch between the first two coupling networks of impedance 12 to work with the same AC to DC converter 14. This achievement is valid when the choice by the selector 18 and combiner 20 is made with an active element such as a transistor, terminal diode or relay, which will be controlled by a controller. If it is used passive selection by a simple wired connection, the achievement of using a simple CD-to-DC converter, is no longer valid due to the fact that parallel coupling networks will reduce to a simple coupling network that produces the same problems present in the previous technique For the case of passive selection, an AC to DC 14 converter on each route, ensures that the AC signal is not present in the output. The lack of AC at the exit means that the two exit routes do not interfere in a destructive way. The lack of AC at the exit is sometimes referred to as destroying the phase. It should be noted that for the case of active selection, it may still be advantageous to include both AC converters to CD 14. However, the AC to DC converters 14 can be reduced to a single AC to DC converter 14 for most of the Applications. A third and more practical embodiment of how the invention can be implemented is for a variable power supply and variable load resistance 16, which is illustrated in Figure 13. A realistic situation in CA to CD conversion applications, such as conversion of RF to CD, is to have variable load resistance 16 and variable power supply. This situation combines the problems associated with the two previous modes (variable load resistance 16 / fixed power supply and variable power supply / fixed load resistance 16). These problems are previous caused by decoupling of output impedance and power from the AC to DC converter 14. The solution for the power impedance decoupling is presented in the first mode, which couples each path with a different energy level for the resistance. optimum load 16. The problem with this mode is that it is limited to the optimum load resistance 16. The remaining problem in the first mode was the loss caused by non-optimal loads by the resistive decoupling between the output resistance of the converter CA to CD 14 and the resistive load 16. This problem was solved in the second mode by coupling each route to a different resistance. The aspect with the second mode that for changes in the level of energy and fixed energy will cause decoupling of the power supply of the AC to DC converter 14, thus causing the conversion efficiency to be reduced.

One solution to the loss of output uncoupling and the loss of power uncoupling, is to adjust the parameters of the AC to DC 14 converters in such a way that they have different output resistance, thus allowing the converter to have more than one optimal load 16. In other words, the output resistance varies with the load resistance 16 and / or power supply 16. The parameters can be adjusted using different diodes, transistors or other non-linear elements or by using different AC topologies to CD. Preferably, different diodes are used in which at least one diode has a different resistance, impedance, trigger voltage, bond capacitance or other characteristic. This technique can be implemented in conjunction with the method described in the first mode, which couples each route at a different energy level. The result provides a graph of efficiency of conversion from CA to CD with two peaks unlike the single peak shown in Figure 3. The resulting graph has an almost constant conversion efficiency over a wide range of load resistors 16 as illustrated in Figure 14 The technique of multiple routes from AC to CD 22 coupled in different levels of power supply with different output resistors, works exceptionally when the converter is connected to a battery 32 for recharging purposes or to a LED for direct powering. The battery 32 or equivalent resistance LED is inversely proportional to the power supply to the AC to DC converter 14, which means at low energy levels of the battery 32 or the LED is seen as a large resistor while at high levels of power. Power Battery 32 or an LED looks like a small resistor. This embodiment allows each route to be optimized for a specific energy level and load resistance 16. As an example, the route from CA to CD 22 upper in Figure 13 can be impedance coupled to a high energy level and the AC to DC converter 14 in that route can be designed to have a low optimum load resistance 16. The lower path on the other hand, can be impedance coupled with a low power level and the AC to DC converter 14 on that path can be designed to have a high load resistance of 16. The resulting converter using the passive selector 18 and combiner 20 (directly wired) can be seen in Figure 15. It should be noted that for battery 32 (or for other storage) the load and applications where circuits or resistive loads are directed directly, may be necessary to place a voltage monitoring circuit 34 at the output of combiner 20 to ensure that the voltage level remains within a specified range. The voltage monitoring circuit 34 may include, but is not limited to, over voltage protection, sub-voltage protection or some combination of the two; regulator; CD to CD converter; or any other circuit that can ensure that the voltage level remains within a specified range. This can be seen in Figure 16. The concepts described here have been verified in an RF energy collection application. The converter shown in Figure 21 was manufactured on a printed circuit board 36 (PCB), although it is possible to form the converter into an equivalent semiconductor or chip. In the manufactured converter, the AC source and source resistance in the Figure have been implemented with an energy harvesting antenna 48 and the coupling and output resistors were designed to energize a 3 volt battery 32. The test results showed that the design had a conversion efficiency of more than 30 percent over a range of -ldBm to + 20dBm, which can be seen in Figure 17 and compared with the previous technique, while they maintain a standing wave ratio (SWR = Standing Wave Ratio) of less than 2.0 over almost the entire range for a frequency of 905.8 Mega-Hertz (MHz) and a 3-volt battery 32. The SWR is a measure that describes what the equivalent circuit of the AC to DC converter 14 and load resistance 16 is also coupled to the power impedance ,, which in this case was a 50 ohm 48 antenna. Figures 22-24 show the SWR data measured using a network analyzer. As illustrated in the Figures, the AC to DC converter had a SWR of less than 2.0 for a power supply of -1.82dBm to 14.3dBm or a range greater than 16dB. The same is true for a load interval 16 of more than 16dB (interval coverage 40 times a minimum value) this is the SWR is less than 2.0. A SWR value of 2.0 is approximately a reflection loss of 10 percent. It is important to note that in energy harvesting applications RF the energy interval of the converter, -ldBm to + 20dBm for this example, can be translated into distance from an energized transmitter. It is well known to those skilled in the art that the energy available in a receiving antenna 48 in the far field is inversely proportional to the square of the distance between the transmitter and receiver. Given this fact and the energy interval -ldBm to + 20OdBm (where the difference from the lowest energy to the highest energy is about 20dB or 100 times the lowest energy), the distance at which the conversion efficiency is more than 50% for this example will be from a distance X to a distance proportional to the square root of the energy interval, or for this case the square root of 100. Using this example it can be seen that the manufactured converter can convert more than the 50% of the available energy from a distance X to a distance greater than 10X where X is determined by the energy, gain and algorithm setting of the energized transmitter. In other words, the conversion efficiency of the invention substantially does not change because of changes in distance. It will be noted that the conversion efficiency of CA to CD of the invention in a given time, is based on the instantaneous energy level (energy level at that given time) and therefore using a transmitter algorithm such as a pulsed algorithm, as described in U.S. Provisional Patent Application. of Series 60 / 656,165, and the patent application of the US. Serial number 11 / 365,892 related, incorporated herein by reference, the invention is capable of efficiently converting CA to CD at much lower average power levels than those illustrated er. Figure 17. As an example, if a continuous wave AC (CW = continuous wave) feed of OdBm, of Figure 17, is supplied to the invention, the conversion efficiency will be approximately 57 percent because the peak instantaneous energy is OdBm. However, if OdBm is pressed at a service cycle of 25 percent, the average energy is quarter of OdBm or -6dBm. According to Figure 17, the conversion efficiency at -6dBm is zero percent. However, the use of pulsed means that the power supply has a peak instantaneous energy of OdBm during the pulse and therefore the conversion efficiency from CA to CD is still approximately 57 percent. Like this example illustrates this example, the use of pulsed allows the graph of the conversion efficiency from CA to CD in Figure 17 to move to lower energy levels by adjusting the peak energy levels of the pulses to fall within the high-energy region. efficiency to conversion that for Figure 17 is -1 to 20dBm. The average energy however, it can be outside the region of high conversion efficiency. In RF energy harvesting applications, using the pulsed method with the invention, it allows an AC to DC converter 14 to efficiently convert the RF energy captured by the antenna 48 to the same average energy as a CW signal at a distance much greater from the transmitter. Since light is a form of AC, the technique described here can also be applied to solar panels and other light conversion circuits to CD. The concepts described are still applicable; however, the blocks may not be represented by electrical circuits but rather optical devices such as, but limited to, lenses, optical filters, optical fibers, etc. An example of how a solar panel can use the concepts described in the invention, can be performed when considering that a solar cell suffers from the same conversion efficiency described by Figure 3. There is an optional value of the solar cell charge resistor 16 that produces the maximum output power. The technique described here can be applied by creating adjacent solar cells with different output resistance to allow the solar panel to have more than one optimal resistive load 16, which allows the solar panel to have an almost optimal conversion efficiency through a longer interval. wide load resistor. As illustrated by the example of the solar cell, the invention can be applied to any number of fields such as, but not limited to, rectifier circuits for converting AC to CD in RF energy collection, piezoelectric energy collection, solar cells, generators, vibration collection, acoustic collection or any other application that requires conversion from CA to CD. As the previous list of applications shows, the invention has numerous implementations in the field of energy collection or power collection. Energy harvesting is defined as capturing energy from the environment and converting captured energy into another form of energy. The captured energy can be created specifically for the purpose of gathering or being environment, which means that the energy of the environment or created for another purpose such as, but not limited to, radio communications and sunlight, respectively. The energy gathering apparatus 10 is referred to as the energy collector 38 and may include but is not limited to, an antenna 48, a piezoelectric element 50, a solar cell, a generator, a vibration collector, an acoustic collector, a collector of wind, any other element or elements that collect energy, an AC to DC 14 converter, a voltage doubler (one or more stages), load pump, peak detector (in series or derivative), bridge rectifier, other circuits rectification, or the invention. It should be noted that the above-described modalities can be applied to other storage devices such as, but not limited to, a capacitor. The converter can also be designed to directly drive any circuit that operates in more than one way, such as, but not limited to, a microcontroller that operates in idle mode and active mode. The equivalent resistance of the microcontroller will be high in the idle mode and low in the active mode, giving the need for efficient conversion from AC to DC over more than one resistive load 16. There may be a need because the converter has an even wider range of energy levels of power and / or load resistors 16. For this circumstance, more than two routes from CA to CD 22 can be implemented using the same procedure described here in detail. An example of this is illustrated in Figure 18, where a plurality of routes CA to CD 22 are illustrated. The invention is designed to be independent of the type of AC to DC converters 14 that may be employed. Several AC to DC 14 converters were tested and known to work with the invention. Figure 2 shows a voltage duplicator of the prior art, which has been tested with the invention. Figure 19 shows a single-wave full-wave rectifier 40 that has been tested and known to work with the invention. It will be noted that different topologies of AC to DC converter 14, as illustrated in Figures 2, 19 and 20, can be employed with the invention to produce a desired effect.

Figure 20 shows a half-wave rectifier of a single diode 42 that has been tested and known to work with the invention. The invention will work with any other AC rectification circuits. Figure 22 is a graph of wire feed data SWR for the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figure 21 for different levels of power supply at 905.8 MHz. Figure 23 is a graph of power impedance measured for the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figure 21 for different levels of power supply at 905.8 MHz. Figure 24 is an impedance graph of power measured for the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figure 21 for different power levels at 905.8 MHz where the impedances within the circle of the Smith diagram correspond to SWR values less than 2.0. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that while the foregoing description sets out in detail preferred embodiments of the present invention, modifications, additions and changes can be made to it, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims (76)

1. CLAIMS 1. An apparatus for converting energy, characterized in that it comprises: at least a first impedance coupling network that receives an electrical signal; and a plurality of AC to DC converters in communication with the first impedance coupling network and configured to be communicated with a load, wherein the apparatus is configured to communicate with a power supply.
2. 2. An apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that there is a plurality of first impedance coupling networks in communication with the plurality of AC to DC converters.
3. 3. An apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that it includes a selector for directing the signal to the first impedance coupling networks.
4. 4. An apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that the selector is active or passive.
5. 5. An apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that it includes a combiner connected to the plurality of converters. from AC to CD to combine outputs from AC to DC converters.
6. 6. An apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that the combiner is active or passive.
7. 7. An apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the plurality of AC to DC converters defines a plurality of CA to CD routes where each route is optimized for a particular characteristic.
8. 8. An apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that it includes a second impedance coupling network that is configured to couple an impedance of the apparatus with a power impedance.
9. 9. An apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that each AC to CD path is coupled with a predetermined impedance value.
10. 10. An apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that each route from CA to CD has a different output resistance.
11. 11. An apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that each AC to DC supply is coupled with a value of predetermined impedance at different levels of power supply using the first impedance coupling network at least.
12. 12. An apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that the selector is active and includes a selector control unit that selects the appropriate AC to DC converter, based on a level of power supply or load resistance.
13. An apparatus according to claim 12, characterized in that it includes a combiner connected to the plurality of AC to DC converters and to combine outputs of the AC to DC converters, where the combiner is active and includes a control unit of combinator.
14. 14. An apparatus according to claim 13, characterized in that the selector control unit and the combiner control unit are the same control unit.
15. An apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that one of the output resistors of the AC to DC converters is designed to be at or near a discrete resistor that the load is at or near for some time; and another of the output resistances of the Converters from AC to DC, it is designed to be at or near a different discrete resistance to the load on which it is on or near for some other time.
16. 16. An apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that each of the AC to DC converters has a different output resistance corresponding to an associated optimum load.
17. 17. An apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that one of the impedances of the AC to DC converters is coupled with a predetermined value at one energy level and another of the power impedances of the AC to DC converters. , it is coupled with another predetermined value at a different energy level.
18. 18. An apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that the load is a battery to which each AC to DC converter is in electrical communication and each AC to DC path is optimized for specific power and power levels of load.
19. 19. An apparatus according to claim 18, characterized in that it includes a voltage supervision circuit connected between the priority of AC to DC converters and the battery and ensures that a voltage level remains within a specified range.
20. 20. An apparatus according to claim 18, characterized in that it includes a printed circuit board in which the plurality of AC to DC converters and the first coupling network are placed at least.
21. 21. An apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the apparatus is included in an energy collector that produces the electrical signal.
22. 22. An apparatus according to claim 21, characterized in that the energy collector includes an antenna, a piezoelectric element, a solar cell, a generator, a vibration collector, an acoustic collector or a wind collector.
23. 23. An apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one of the plurality of AC to DC converters is a full-wave rectifier of a single diode.
24. 24. An apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one of the plurality of AC to DC converters is a Half-wave rectifier with a single diode.
25. 25. An apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one of the plurality of AC to DC converters is a voltage rectifier.
26. 26. An apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the load includes at least one energy storage element in electrical communication with at least one of the AC to DC converters.
27. 27. An apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the load is fixed or close to the optimum resistance, and the electrical signal provides a power supply that is variable.
28. 28. An apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the load is variable and the electrical signal provides a power supply that is fixed.
29. 29. An apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the load is variable and the electrical signal provides a power supply that is variable.
30. 30. Method for energizing a load, characterized in that it comprises the steps of: receiving an electrical signal in an impedance coupling network; converting the signal to a plurality of AC to DC converters in communication with the impedance coupling network; and providing current to the load in communication with the plurality of AC to DC converters.
31. 31. A method according to claim 30, characterized in that the reception stage includes the step of receiving the electrical signal in a plurality of impedance coupling networks, in communication with the plurality of AC to DC converters.
32. 32. A method according to claim 31, characterized in that it includes the step of directing the signal with a selector.
33. 33. A method according to claim 32, characterized in that the selector is active or passive.
34. 34. A method according to claim 31, characterized in that it includes the step of combining outputs of the plurality of AC to DC converters with a combiner connected to the load.
35. 35. A method according to claim 34, characterized in that the combiner It is active or passive.
36. 36. An apparatus for converting energy, characterized in that it comprises: an energy collector that includes at least one AC to DC converter, which provides a conversion efficiency of a feed signal of at least 50% for a power range of food that covers at least 20dB.
37. 37. An apparatus according to claim 36, characterized in that the energy collector includes an antenna.
38. 38. An apparatus as described in claim 36, characterized in that the energy collector includes a piezoelectric element.
39. 39. An apparatus for converting energy, characterized in that it comprises: an energy collector that includes at least one AC to DC converter that provides a conversion efficiency of a feed signal of at least 50% for a range of resistive load that covers at least 100 times a predetermined minimum value.
40. 40. An apparatus for converting energy, characterized in that it comprises: an energy collector that includes at least one AC to DC converter that provides a conversion efficiency of a power signal of at least 50% when charging or recharging a charge storage device for a power supply range that covers at least 20dB.
41. 41. An apparatus for converting energy, characterized in that it comprises: means for collecting a power signal including means for converting AC to DC that provide a conversion efficiency of the power signal of at least 50%, when a device is charged or recharged load storage for a range of power supply that covers at least 20dB.
42. 42. An apparatus for converting energy, characterized in that it comprises: at least two first impedance coupling networks that receive an electrical signal; at least one AC to DC converter in communication with the first impedance coupling networks; and a combiner in electrical communication with the first coupling networks.
43. 43. An apparatus as described in claim 42, characterized in that the combiner is a switch.
44. 44. An apparatus for converting energy, characterized in that it comprises: an energy collector that includes at least one AC to DC converter; at least two non-linear elements as a minimum, where the two non-linear elements as a minimum have different characteristics.
45. 45. An apparatus as described in claim 44, characterized in that the at least two non-linear elements are one or more of diodes, mosfets or transistors.
46. 46. An apparatus as described in claim 44, characterized in that the different features include different impedances or different resistances.
47. 47. An apparatus for converting energy, characterized in that it comprises: an energy collector that includes at least one AC to DC converter that provides a conversion efficiency of a power signal having at least two peaks of efficiency.
48. 48. An apparatus for converting energy, characterized in that it comprises: an energy collector that includes at least one AC to DC converter, which provides a conversion efficiency having at least two peaks in efficiency against load resistance.
49. 49. An apparatus for converting energy, characterized in that it comprises: an energy collector that includes at least one AC to DC converter that provides a conversion efficiency having at least two peaks in efficiency versus output current.
50. 50. An apparatus for converting energy, characterized in that it comprises: an energy collector that includes at least one AC to DC converter that provides a conversion efficiency of a feed signal of at least 50% for a range from a predetermined distance to ten times the distance.
51. 51. An apparatus for converting energy, characterized in that it comprises: an energy collector that includes at least one AC to DC converter, configured to receive a first power supply at a first distance with a first efficiency, wherein the AC converter a CD receives a second power supply at a second distance with a second efficiency, the first distance is greater than the second distance and the first efficiency is substantially similar to the second efficiency.
52. 52. An apparatus as described in claim 51, characterized in that the first power supply and the second power supply are formed by energy pulses.
53. 53. An apparatus for converting energy, characterized in that it comprises: an energy collector that includes at least one AC to DC converter that provides a power SWR of less than 2.0 for a power supply range of at least 16dB.
54. 54. An apparatus for converting energy, characterized in that it comprises: an energy collector that includes at least one AC to DC converter, which provides a lower power SWR 2.0 for a resistive stroke interval that covers at least 40 times a minimum value predetermined.
55. 55. An apparatus as described in claim 1, characterized in that the load is an LED.
56. 56. An apparatus for converting energy, characterized in that it comprises: an energy collector that includes at least one AC to DC converter, wherein the output resistance of the AC to DC converter varies in response to changes in power supply or resistance of cargo.
57. 57. The apparatus as described in claim 56, characterized in that it includes a voltage monitoring circuit that ensures that a voltage level remains within a specified range.
58. 58. An apparatus for converting energy, characterized in that it comprises: a power interface and at least one AC to DC converter that provides a conversion efficiency of a power signal of at least 50% for a power supply range that covers at least 20dB.
59. 59. An apparatus as described in claim 58, characterized in that the AC to DC converter is used in an energy collector.
60. 60. An apparatus as described in claim 59, characterized in that the energy collector includes an antenna.
61. 61. An apparatus as described in claim 59, characterized in that the energy collector includes a piezoelectric element.
62. 62. An apparatus for converting energy, characterized in that it comprises: a power interface and at least one AC to DC converter that provides a conversion efficiency of a power signal of at least 50% for a range of resistive load that covers at least 100 times a predetermined minimum value.
63. 63. An apparatus for converting energy, characterized in that it comprises: a power interface and at least one AC to DC converter that provides a conversion efficiency of a power signal of at least 50% when a storage device is charged or recharged charge for a range of power supply that covers at least 20dB.
64. 64. An apparatus for converting energy, characterized in that it comprises: a power interface and at least one AC to DC converter; two at least non-linear elements, where the two non-linear elements as a minimum have different characteristics.
65. 65. An apparatus as described in claim 64, characterized in that the at least two non-linear elements are one or more of diodes, mosfets or transistors.
66. 66. An apparatus as described in claim 64, characterized in that the different characteristics include different impedances or different resistances.
67. 67. An apparatus to convert energy, characterized in that it comprises: a power interface and at least one AC to DC converter that provides a conversion efficiency of a power signal having at least two peaks in efficiency.
68. 68. An apparatus for converting energy, characterized in that it comprises: a power interface and at least one AC to DC converter that provides a conversion efficiency having at least two peaks in efficiency versus load resistance.
69. 69. An apparatus for converting energy, characterized in that it comprises: a power interface and at least one AC to DC converter, which provides a conversion efficiency having at least two peaks in efficiency versus output current.
70. 70. An apparatus for converting energy, characterized in that it comprises: a power interface and at least one AC to DC converter that provides a conversion efficiency of a power signal of at least 50% for a range from a predetermined distance to ten times the distance.
71. 71. An apparatus to convert energy, characterized in that it comprises: a power interface and at least one AC to DC converter configured to receive a first power supply at a first distance with a first efficiency, wherein the AC to DC converter receives a second power supply to a second distance with a second efficiency, the first distance is greater than the second distance, and the first efficiency is substantially similar to the second efficiency.
72. 72. An apparatus as described in claim 71, characterized in that the first power supply and the second power supply are formed by energy pulses.
73. 73. An apparatus for converting energy, characterized in that it comprises: a power interface and at least one AC to DC converter that provides a power SWR of less than 2.0 for a power supply range of at least 16dB.
74. 74. An apparatus for converting energy, characterized in that it comprises: a power interface and at least one AC to DC converter that provides a power SWR of less than 2.0 for a resistive load range that covers at least 40 times a predetermined minimum value.
75. 75. An apparatus for converting energy, characterized in that it comprises: a power interface and at least one AC to DC converter, wherein the output resistance of the AC to DC converter varies in response to changes in power supply or resistance of cargo.
76. 76. The apparatus as described in claim 75, characterized in that it includes a voltage monitoring circuit that ensures that a voltage level remains within a specified range.