Systems and methods for harvesting energy from wireless devices

Abstract

A system and method for self-harvesting energy from a wireless device and supplementing the battery power of the wireless device using the self-harvested energy includes the steps of collecting at least a portion of radio frequency signals transmitted by the wireless device; converting the collected radio frequency signals from radio frequency signals to direct current energy; further converting the direct current energy to energy compatible with charging requirements for a battery electrically connected to the wireless device; and transferring the compatible energy to the battery of the wireless device through a wireless device interface in order to add the compatible energy to the battery.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A radio-frequency (RF) harvesting system comprising:
 a first antenna configured to generate a first alternating-current (AC) power signal based on a first RF signal;   a second antenna configured to generate a second AC power signal based on a second RF signal, wherein the first and second RF signals are generated by an associated device;   a signal converting circuit configured to generate a direct-current (DC) power signal based on the first and the second AC power signals; and   a power management circuit configured to generate electrical energy based on the DC power signal.   
     
     
         22 . The system  claim 21 , wherein the system is one of embedded within the associated device and integral with the associated device. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 21 , further comprising a device interface configured to facilitate a delivery of the electrical energy to the associated device. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 21 ,
 wherein the signal converting circuit comprises a first signal converting circuit and a second signal converting circuit, wherein the first signal converting circuit is configured to convert the first AC power signal to a first DC power signal, and the second signal converting circuit is configured to convert the second AC power signal to a second DC power signal; and   wherein the power management circuit is configured to deliver the electrical energy to the associated device based on the first and the second DC power signals.   
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 24 ,
 wherein the first antenna corresponds to a first receiving antenna, wherein the first receiving antenna is disposed in proximity to a first transmitting antenna of the associated device such that the first receiving antenna is capable of receiving the first RF signal generated by the first transmitting antenna; and   wherein the second antenna corresponds to a second receiving antenna, wherein the second receiving antenna is disposed in proximity to a second transmitting antenna of the associated device such that the second receiving antenna is capable of receiving the second RF signal generated by the second transmitting antenna.   
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 21 ,
 further comprising an impedance matching circuit configured to combine the first AC power signal and the second AC power signal to generate a combined AC power signal;   wherein the signal converting circuit comprises a rectifier circuit and a harmonics harvester circuit;   wherein the rectifier circuit is configured to convert the combined AC power signal to an intermediary DC power signal; and   wherein the harmonics harvester circuit is configured to facilitate an efficiency of the conversion of the combined AC power signal to the intermediary DC power signal.   
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 26 ,
 wherein the power management circuit comprises a DC-to-DC converter circuit configured to generate the DC power signal based on the intermediary DC power signal; and   wherein the power management circuit further comprises an output voltage regulator and control circuit configured to control delivery of the electrical energy to the associated device based on the DC power signal.   
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 27 , wherein the DC-to-DC converter is configured to supply the DC power signal to a storage element to store the electrical energy of the DC power signal. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the power management circuit further comprises an output voltage level control circuit configured to enable the output voltage regulator and control circuit to supply the stored electrical energy of the DC power signal to the associated device based on a given voltage level of the storage element. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the first and second RF signals correspond to one of a Wi-Fi signal and a cellular signal. 
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 21 ,
 wherein the first RF signal is associated with a frequency band comprising Wi-Fi signals having a frequency of about 2.45 gigahertz (Ghz) to about 5.9 Ghz; and   wherein the second RF signal is associated with a frequency band comprising cellular signals having a frequency of about 800 megahertz (MHz) to about 1800 Mhz.   
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the first antenna is a Wi-Fi antenna and the second antenna is a cellular antenna. 
     
     
         33 . A radio-frequency (RF) harvesting system comprising:
 a first antenna configured to generate a first alternating-current (AC) power signal based on RF signals;   a second antenna configured to generate a second AC power signal based on the RF signals, wherein each the first and the second antennas are disposed in proximity to an associated device to capture the RF signals generated by the device;   a signal converting circuit configured to generate a direct-current (DC) power signal based on the first and the second AC power signals; and   a power management circuit configured to generate electrical energy based on the DC power signal.   
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 34 , further comprising an impedance matching circuit configured to combine the first AC power signal and the second AC power signal to generate a combined AC power signal, wherein the signal converting circuit comprises a harmonics harvester circuit configured to facilitate an efficiency of conversion of the combined AC power signal to generate the DC power signal. 
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein the RF signals comprise Wi-Fi and cellular signals. 
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 35 , further comprising:
 a set of signal converting circuits configured to convert a respective AC power signal to an intermediary direct current (DC) power signal;   a set of power management circuits configured to generate a respective DC power signal having a given amount of electrical energy based on a given amount of power of a respective DC power signal; and   a device interface configured to combine the respective DC power signals and generate a combined DC power signal having a combined amount of electrical energy and delivery the combined DC power signal to the associated device.   
     
     
         37 . An energy harvesting system comprising:
 a Wi-Fi antenna configured to generate a first alternating-current (AC) power signal based on a Wi-Fi signal, wherein the Wi-Fi antenna is disposed in proximity to a first transmitting antenna of an associated device such that the Wi-Fi antenna is capable of receiving the Wi-Fi RF signal generated by the first transmitting antenna;   a cellular antenna configured to generate a second alternating-current (AC) power signal based on a cellular signal, wherein the second antenna is disposed in proximity of a second transmitting antenna of the associated device such that the second antenna is capable of receiving the cellular signal generated by the second transmitting antenna;   a signal converting circuit configured to generate a direct-current (DC) power signal based on the first and the second AC power signals; and   a power management circuit configured to generate electrical energy based on the DC power signal.   
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 37 , further comprising an impedance matching circuit configured to combine the first AC power signal and the second AC power signal to generate a combined AC power signal, wherein the signal converting circuit is configured to convert the combined AC power signal to the DC power signal. 
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 38 , further comprising a device interface configured to provide the electrical energy to the associated device. 
     
     
         40 . The case of  claim 37 , wherein the signal converting circuit comprises a harmonics harvester circuit configured to facilitate an efficiency of conversion of the combined AC power signal. 
     
     
         41 . The system of  claim 37 ,
 wherein the Wi-Fi signal comprises a frequency of about 2.45 gigahertz (Ghz) to about 5.9 Ghz; and   wherein the cellular signal comprises a frequency of about 800 megahertz (MHz) to about 1800 Mhz.