TH18121Y - Supercapacitor energy storage devices for wireless sensors. - Google Patents

Abstract

This invention provides a supercapacitor energy storage device whose energy losses from sources other than wireless sensor operation are minimized, allowing it to store and power wireless sensors without the need for recharging throughout the day. This supercapacitor energy storage device is therefore suitable for replacing disposable or rechargeable batteries in commercial wireless sensor applications.

Claims (8)

1. Energy Storage Device (1) for Wireless Sensor (2) An energy storage device (1) is assembled with an energy harvester (31) and a supercapacitor (51), where the energy harvester (31) is designed to harvest energy and produce voltage, and the supercapacitor (51) is designed to be charged by the voltage produced by the energy harvester (31) and power the wireless sensor (2). Characteristically, the supercapacitor (51) is designed to power the sensor at a voltage that lies between the upper and lower limits of the operating voltage of the wireless sensor (2). 2. The energy storage device (1) for the wireless sensor (2) under claim 1 is incorporated with an additional voltage level converter (41) in which the voltage level converter (41) adjusts the voltage produced by the energy harvester (31) for charging the supercapacitor (51) to a value less than the value obtained by comparing the maximum specified voltage for the supercapacitor (51) and the upper limit of the operating voltage of the wireless sensor (2). 3. Energy storage device (1) for wireless sensor (2) in accordance with claim 2, incorporated with a diode (61) in which the diode (61) prevents the flow of current from the supercapacitor (51) to the voltage level converter (41). 4. Energy storage devices (1) for wireless sensors (2) in accordance with any one of claims 1 to 3, which are further incorporated with a peak power point tracking system installed on the energy harvester (31). 5. Energy Storage Device (1) for Wireless Sensor (2) An energy storage device (1) is constructed with at least two energy storage units (12, 3), each containing an energy harvester (32, 33) and a supercapacitor (52, 53), where the energy harvester (32, 33) is tasked with harvesting energy and producing a voltage, and the supercapacitor (52, 53) is tasked with receiving the charge from the voltage produced by the energy harvester (32, 33). Characteristically, the supercapacitors (52, 53) of at least two such energy storage units (12, 13) are electrically connected in series to form a series of supercapacitors (5), where this series of supercapacitors (5) is tasked with supplying electrical energy to the wireless sensor (2) at a voltage that lies between the upper and lower limits of the wireless sensor's operating voltage (2). 6. Energy storage devices (1) for wireless sensors (2) in accordance with claim 5, where at least two such energy storage units (12, 13) are incorporated, at least one of which is integrated with a voltage level converter (42, 43), where the voltage level converter (42, 43) adjusts the voltage produced by the energy harvesters (32,33) for charging the supercapacitors (52, 53) to be equal to the ratio of the upper limit of the operating voltage of the wireless sensors (2) to the number of such series-connected supercapacitors (52, 53). 7. Energy storage devices (1) for wireless sensors (2) in accordance with claim 6, where at least two such energy storage units (12, 13) are incorporated with at least one diode (62, 63) in which the diode (62, 63) prevents the flow of current from the supercapacitor (52, 53) to the voltage converter (42, 43). 8. Energy storage devices (1) for wireless sensors (2) in accordance with any one of claims 5 to 7, where at least two such energy storage units (12, 13) are incorporated with a maximum power point tracking system installed on the energy harvester (32, 33).