1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an electronic device and, more particularly, to a kinetic harvesting frequency optimizer for an electronic device.
2. Brief Description of Prior Developments
Kinetic energy harvesters (or scavengers) are based on movement of the harvester, and the kinetic energy that is provided in the movement of an actuator. Movement is turned into electricity by the movement of a cantilever and/or a mass. The electricity that is produced by the kinetic energy harvester can then be used to charge batteries and used directly into the appliance during operation.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, an apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes a kinetic energy scavenger mechanism and a frequency tuning system. The kinetic energy scavenger mechanism is configured to harvest energy from a movement of a portable device. The kinetic energy scavenger mechanism includes at least one piezo member. The frequency tuning system is connected to the kinetic energy scavenger system. The frequency tuning system is configured to tune a harvesting frequency of the at least one piezo member based on, at least partially, a characterization of the movement of the portable device.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, an apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes a housing, electronic circuitry, and an energy harvesting system. The electronic circuitry is in the housing. The energy harvesting system is proximate the housing. The energy harvesting system includes a kinetic member and a frequency tuning system. The frequency tuning system is configured to change a stiffness of the kinetic member based on, at least partially, a predicted movement pattern of the housing.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a method is disclosed. A housing is provided. Electronic circuitry is installed in the housing. An energy harvesting system is provided proximate the housing. The energy harvesting system includes at least one piezo member and a frequency tuning system. The frequency tuning system is configured to tune a harvesting frequency of the at least one piezo member based on an operation mode of a portable device.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a method is disclosed. Movements of a portable device are detected. The detected movements are analyzed. An environment of the portable device is determined based on, at least partially, the analyzed detected movements.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a method is disclosed. Movements of a portable device are sensed. The sensed movements are characterized. A stiffness of a kinetic energy harvesting member is changed based on, at least partially, the characterization of the sensed movements.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine for performing operations to tune a frequency of an energy harvesting system is disclosed. A movement pattern of a portable device is detected. A frequency corresponding to the detected movement pattern is determined. A voltage is applied to a piezo member based on, at least partially, the determined frequency.
The foregoing aspects and other features of the invention are explained in the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
Referring to
According to one example of the invention shown in
The electronic device 10 further comprises an energy harvesting system 24 (see also
The frequency tuning system 28 comprises an offset optimizer 42 configured to receive input from sensors 44 or other device applications (such as application engine control (APE Ctrl) for example). The sensors 44 may be acceleration sensors or vibration sensors for example. However, any suitable type of sensor or sensors may be provided. The offset optimizer 42 is connected between the battery charger 38 and the piezo cantilever element 30. This configuration allows for the offset optimizer 42 to apply a DC (offset) voltage 46 to the piezo cantilever element 30. Additionally, it should be noted that in alternate embodiments the offset optimizer may receive inputs from other (separate) devices.
The frequency tuning system 28 allows for adaptively optimizing the energy harvester performance. The energy harvesting system (or kinetic charger) 24 may be used in mobile phones and/or accessories (such as Bluetooth® headsets, for example) to prolong battery operation time. However, the energy harvesting system 24 may be provided in any suitable electronic device. In one alternate embodiment, the energy harvesting system may be disposed within an accessory device, such as a Bluetooth® headset for example, and the sensor(s)/device applications may be a part of a separate device, such as a mobile phone for example. This would allow for the sensors/applications of the mobile phone to sense and/or predict a movement pattern of the user (and thus a movement pattern of the mobile phone and the headset) to provide an input for controlling the frequency tuning system in the accessory.
Embodiments of the invention provide intelligent frequency tuning to maximize energy harvesting in the kinetic energy scavenger. By tuning the frequency of the piezo cantilever member 30, optimal (battery) charging performance can be achieved (as shown in
Tuning of the piezo cantilever member 30 to an optimal (harvesting) frequency may be achieved by applying a DC voltage 46 back into the piezo cantilever member 30. Data from the sensors 44 in the device 10 may be used to optimize the energy harvesting frequency of the kinetic cantilevers 30. The data received by the offset optimizer 42 may be used to characterize movements of the device 10. This in turn allows the offset optimizer 42 to determine an amount or value of the DC offset 46 to be applied to the cantilever 30. Applying the DC offset 46 to the cantilever member 30 changes the stiffness of the cantilever member 30 and, thus, the frequency that is optimal for vibration.
Different movements (or movement patterns) of the device (or the housing) provide different accelerations/vibrations. As illustrated in
Embodiments of the invention provide for a frequency tuning system 28 which receives data or inputs from the sensors 44 in order to allow the system to have predictive and/or adaptive capabilities (based on the detected movement (s)), so that the maximum kinetic power is harvested. It should be noted that the sensor data from the sensors 44 in the device may be sensors associated with other applications. However, application specific sensors (specific to the energy harvesting system 24) may be provided. In addition, any suitable combination of sensors may be provided.
According to one example of the invention, a method to control the optimal cantilever harvesting frequency with applied DC voltage is disclosed. The device may comprise software to control the operation of the energy harvesting system 24 as described above, by means of the information at hand from the sensors 44 that may predict what kind of movement there is to be forthcoming.
According to one embodiment of the invention, the offset optimizer 42 may be configured to receive input from device applications instead of, or in addition to, the sensors 44. Software applications may control and have more intensive characterization period and normal operation mode (as running intensive computation software and sensors also use power). For example, the operation of the frequency tuning system 28 could be automatically provided when the user starts or opens a certain software application, such as a Nokia® Sportstracker application, for example. In this example, the offset optimizer 42 of the frequency tuning system 28 could determine that a running exercise is being performed by the user (as the Nokia® Sportstracker application is opened), and thus the offset optimizer 42 would determine what kind of movement and accelerations the device 10 will experience (while running/exercising) and would provide a corresponding DC offset 46 to tune the piezo cantilever member 30 into a frequency for optimal operation.
Another example could be when the user starts or opens a Nokia® Maps application (or GPS application for example). In this example, the offset optimizer 42 of the frequency tuning system 28 could determine that the user is riding/driving in a car, and thus the offset optimizer 42 would determine what kind of movement and accelerations the device 10 will experience (while riding in a car) and would provide a corresponding DC offset 46 to tune the piezo cantilever member 30 into a frequency for optimal operation.
In addition, the offset optimizer 42 may also sense that the user has changed the operation mode of the device 10 from Nokia® Sportstracker to Nokia® Maps and correspondingly tune the cantilever 30 from a “running” harvesting profile to a “car/auto” harvesting profile. This provides for the frequency tuning system 28 to detect movements of the device 10 by the starting or opening of a software application. Further, there may be applications that automatically start or open (or log on) based on the sensor data/information.
According to another embodiment of the invention, the inputs received by the frequency tuning system 28 may be analyzed to determine an environment of the device 10 (and the housing 12). This may, for example, use the sensor data to automatically determine if a user is walking or riding in a car for example. The device may then use this information to automatically tune the piezo cantilever 30 and/or open a specific software application. However, in alternate embodiments, any suitable device functionality may be provided with the determined environment capability.
Referring now also to
According to various embodiments of the invention, the optimized frequency tuning capability may be provided in other suitable fashions. For example, a simpler approach for optimizing the frequency may comprise analogue methods and/or may include a set of characterized harvesting profiles that could be tuned, and controlled by software applications. According to one embodiment, a device could have a set of characterized harvesting profiles that could be tuned, controlled by analog stimulus that is cycling through those profiles and determines what is the best one for certain period, and repeating this measurement at some point (or control from smarter device to use a certain harvesting profile). These methods may be provided as some devices may not have sensors to measure movement, or do not have the ability to characterize movement on the fly or as a one time tuning period. These devices therefore may not have “predictive” operation, thus needing this information from another device if possible. Or mentioned above, the device may be operated in closer to analogue mode by simply maximizing energy harvesting by tuning the frequency.
Kinetic piezo elements are tuned for a certain frequency so that they work optimally. This frequency is highly depending on the behavior of the user and the frequencies that the user is producing while moving. Conventional configurations only use general behavior models of the phone or accessory to model this. Conventional configurations having a kinetic cantilever energy harvester generally comprise “factory” tuned elements/components tuned into a certain frequency. A tuned frequency (or multiple) of conventional harvester configurations may be provided as a best guess to the predicted movement that device will “see”. Kinetic energy scavenger manufacturers attempt to use information from device movement testing to get enough information to characterize the frequencies that the device sees/experiences. These frequencies may not apply to the user habits and are a best guess of the device movement, thus not giving the optimal operation. It is more optimal to provide the frequency tuning as adaptive and use all data available in the accessory or in the phone to harvest energy in a best possible way.
The technical effects of any one or more of the exemplary embodiments of the invention provide for significantly enhanced operation of the kinetic energy scavenger 24, 100 by adaptive frequency tuning, when compared to conventional configurations. Additionally the technical effects enable predictive operation in frequency tuning from other sensors (for example, sensors not directly associated with the energy harvesting system) or user software applications. This allows for using of the sensors available to characterize movement of the device.
Referring now also to
Referring now also to
According to one example of the invention, an apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes a kinetic energy scavenger mechanism and a frequency tuning system. The kinetic energy scavenger mechanism is configured to harvest energy from a movement of a portable device. The kinetic energy scavenger mechanism includes at least one piezo member. The frequency tuning system is connected to the kinetic energy scavenger system. The frequency tuning system is configured to tune a harvesting frequency of the at least one piezo member based on, at least partially, a characterization of the movement of the portable device.
According to another example of the invention, an apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes a housing, electronic circuitry, and an energy harvesting system. The electronic circuitry is in the housing. The energy harvesting system is proximate the housing. The energy harvesting system includes a kinetic member and a frequency tuning system. The frequency tuning system is configured to change a stiffness of the kinetic member based on, at least partially, a movement of the housing.
According to another example of the invention, a method is disclosed. A housing is provided. Electronic circuitry is installed in the housing. An energy harvesting system is provided proximate the housing. The energy harvesting system includes at least one piezo member and a frequency tuning system. The frequency tuning system is configured to tune a harvesting frequency of the at least one piezo member based on an operation mode of a portable device.
According to another example of the invention, a method is disclosed. Movements of a portable device are detected. The detected movements are analyzed. An environment of the portable device is determined based on, at least partially, the analyzed detected movements.
According to another example of the invention, a method is disclosed. Movements of a portable device are sensed. The sensed movements are characterized. A stiffness of a kinetic energy harvesting member is changed based on, at least partially, the characterization of the sensed movements.
According to another example of the invention, a program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine for performing operations to tune a frequency of an energy harvesting system is disclosed. A movement pattern of a portable device is detected. A frequency corresponding to the detected movement pattern is determined. A voltage is applied to a piezo member based on, at least partially, the determined frequency.
It should be understood that components of the invention can be operationally coupled or connected and that any number or combination of intervening elements can exist (including no intervening elements). The connections can be direct or indirect and additionally there can merely be a functional relationship between components.
It should be understood that the foregoing description is only illustrative of the invention. Various alternatives and modifications can be devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the invention is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variances which fall within the scope of the appended claims.