System for Energy Harvesting and/or Generation, Storage, and Delivery

Abstract

A device and method for harvesting, generating, storing, and delivering energy to a load, particularly for remote or inaccessible applications. The device preferably comprises one or more energy sources, at least one supercapacitor, at least one rechargeable battery, and a controller. The charging of the energy storage devices and the delivery of power to the load is preferably dynamically varied to maximize efficiency. A low power consumption charge pump circuit is preferably employed to collect power from low power energy sources while also enabling the delivery of higher voltage power to the load. The charging voltage is preferably programmable, enabling one device to be used for a wide range of specific applications.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for delivering power to a load, the method comprising the steps of:
 collecting charge from an energy source;   charging a supercapacitor;   charging a battery from the supercapacitor; and   delivering power from the supercapacitor to a load.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the supercapacitor is charged to a threshold voltage. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the voltage of the collected charge is less than half of the threshold voltage. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the voltage of the collected charge is approximately one fourth of the threshold voltage. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the threshold voltage is programmable. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising the step of switching a second supercapacitor from being in parallel with the supercapacitor to being in series with the supercapacitor. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  wherein the switching step comprises delivering power at a delivery voltage higher than the threshold voltage to the load or to charge the battery. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the delivery voltage is approximately twice the threshold voltage. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising boosting a voltage of the collected charge. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the boosting step comprises using a charge pump. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising the step of switching at least two capacitors in the charge pump from being in parallel to being in series. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the step of controllably charging a supercapacitor comprises adjusting a rate of the switching step based on a parameter selected from the group consisting of a charging rate of the supercapacitor and a power level of the energy source. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising the step of conditioning charge pump gate voltages. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the conditioning step comprises saturating one or more FETs in the charge pump. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising the step of recharging the supercapacitor from the charge pump when power from the energy source is available. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the battery does not deliver power to the load. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1  wherein using both a battery and a supercapacitor increases a life of the battery. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of charging or recharging the supercapacitor from the battery. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the supercapacitor is charged from the battery when power from the energy source is unavailable. 
     
     
         20 . An apparatus for delivering power to a load, the apparatus comprising:
 a battery; and   one or more supercapacitors for charging said battery and delivering power to a load.   
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 20  further comprising a control module for charging said supercapacitors to a threshold voltage by said circuit. 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 21  wherein the voltage of the collected charge is less than half of the threshold voltage. 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 22  wherein the voltage of the collected charge is approximately one fourth of the threshold voltage. 
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 21  wherein the control module is programmable. 
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 21  further comprising a circuit for boosting a voltage of charge collected from an energy source. 
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 25  wherein said circuit comprises a charge pump. 
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 20  wherein said supercapacitors are switched to being arranged in series for delivering power at a delivery voltage higher than the threshold voltage to said load or to charge said battery. 
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of  claim 27  wherein the delivery voltage is approximately twice the threshold voltage. 
     
     
         29 . The apparatus of  claim 26  wherein said control module adjusts a rate of switching capacitors in said charge pump based on a parameter selected from the group consisting of a charging rate of said supercapacitors and a power level of said energy source. 
     
     
         30 . The apparatus of  claim 26  further comprising a FET gate conditioner circuit for saturating one or more FETs in said charge pump. 
     
     
         31 . The apparatus of  claim 26  wherein said supercapacitors are recharged from said charge pump when power from said energy source is available. 
     
     
         32 . The apparatus of  claim 20  wherein said supercapacitors are charged or recharged from said battery. 
     
     
         33 . The apparatus of  claim 32  wherein said supercapacitors are charged or recharged from said battery when power from said energy source is unavailable. 
     
     
         34 . The apparatus of  claim 20  wherein the battery does not deliver power to the load.