Low-consumption and high-efficiency energy-scavenging interface, method for operating the energy-scavenging interface, and system comprising the energy-scavenging interface

摘要

An energy-scavenging interface receives an input signal from a transducer and supplies an output signal to a load. A switch is connected between the transducer and a reference node, and a diode is connected between the transducer and the load. A control circuit closes the switch for a time interval to permit energy storage in the transducer. A scale copy of a peak value of stored electric current is obtained. The switch is opened when the time interval elapses and the stored energy exceeds a threshold. The stored energy is then released to supply the load through the diode. The switch remains open as long as the value of current in the output signal exceeds the value of the scaled copy of the peak value.

主权项

1. An energy-scavenging interface, comprising:
a first input terminal couplable to an inductive storage element; a second input terminal; a first output terminal couplable to load; a second output terminal; a first switch coupled between the first input terminal and the second output terminal; a first diode coupled between the first input terminal and the first output terminal; and a control circuit configured to:
control the first switch in a closed state for a first time interval to pass a first electric current through the inductive storage element;determine when both the first time interval has elapsed and the first electric current exceeds a first threshold value;sense a first peak value of the first electric current passing through the inductive storage element at an end of the first time interval;generate a scaled value of the sensed first peak value as a second threshold value;after said determination, control the first switch in an open state so as to supply the load through the first diode with an output current from the inductive storage element;sense a value of the output current; andkeep the first switch in the open state as long as the value of the sensed output current is higher than the second threshold value.