Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-94fs2 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-10T17:40:44.020Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Low-power electronics for energy harvesting sensors

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 March 2014

Steven Dunbar  and
Zoya Popović
Steven Dunbar*
Affiliation:
Department of Electrical, Computer, and Energy Engineering, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA. Phone: +1 720 323 6647
Zoya Popović
Affiliation:
Department of Electrical, Computer, and Energy Engineering, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA. Phone: +1 720 323 6647
*
Corresponding author: S. Dunbar Email: steven.dunbar@colorado.edu
Get access

Abstract

This paper addresses low-power, low-voltage electronic circuit requirements for wireless sensors with energy harvesting. The challenges of start-up for micro-controller unit (MCU)-based energy-harvesting platforms is discussed where a transient, low-voltage (20–1000 mV), low-power (<100 μW) source having a relatively high source impedance (possibly >500 Ω) is used. Efficient converter circuitry is required to transform the low-voltage output from the source to a level suitable for typical electronic devices, 1.8–5 V, and a prototype is demonstrated in the paper. Owing to the limited energy available to deliver to the storage element, the converter output voltage typically has a slow rising slew rate that can be a problem for MCUs. This necessitates a reset circuit to hold-off operation until a level high enough for reliable operation is achieved. Once operational, Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) extracts peak power from the harvester while simultaneously tracking the transient nature of the source. In this low-power application, MCU programming needs to be efficient, while otherwise keeping the MCU in the lowest power standby mode possible to conserve energy. In a fully integrated design, a single MCU may be used for the sensor application, power management, power conversion, and MPPT functions.

Keywords

Energy harvestingMPPTRectennaScavenging
Type
Review Article
Information
Wireless Power Transfer , Volume 1 , Issue 1 , March 2014 , pp. 35 - 43
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2014 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

[1]Teo, T.H.; Lim, G.K.; Sutomo, D.; Tan, K.H.; Gopalakrishnan, P.K.; Singh, R.: Ultra low-power sensor node for wireless heath monitoring system, in Proc. IEEE Int. Symp. on Circuits and Systems, May 2007, 2363–2366.Google Scholar
[2]Paing, T. et al. : Wirelessly powered wireless sensor platform, in Eur. Microwave Conf. Digest, October 2007, 241–244.Google Scholar
[3]Yakovlev, A.; Kim, S.; Poon, A.S.Y.: Implantable biomedical devices: wireless powering and communication, in IEEE Communication Magazine, April 2012, 152–159.Google Scholar
[4]Bernhard, J.; Hietpas, K.; George, E.; Kuchima, D.; Reis, H.: An interdisciplinary effort to develop a wireless embedded sensor system to monitor and assess corrosion in the tendons of prestressed concrete girders, in IEEE Topical Conf. on Wirless Communication, 2003, 241–243.Google Scholar
[5]Zhao, X. et al. : Active health monitoring of an aircraft wing with an embedded piezoelectric sensor/actuator network. Smart Mater. Struct., 16 (2007), 1218–1225.Google Scholar
[6]Cho, T.S.; Lee, K.j.; Kong, J.; Chandrakasan, A.P.: A 32-mW 1.83 kS/s carbon nanotube chemical sensor system. IEEE J. Solid-State Circuits, 44 (2) (2009), 659–669.Google Scholar
[7]Min, R. et al. : Low power wireless sensor networks, in Int. Conf. on VLSI Design, January 2001, 205–210.Google Scholar
[8]Aktakka, E.E.; Peterson, R.L.; Najafi, K.: A self-supplied inertial piezoelectric energy harvester with power-management IC, in Int. Solid-State Circuits Conf. (ISSCC), February 2011, 120–121.Google Scholar
[9]Dolgov, A.; Zane, R.; Popovic, Z.: Power management system for online low power RF energy harvesting optimization. IEEE Trans. Circuits Syst., 57 (7) (2010), 1802–1811.Google Scholar
[10]Vias, R.; Nishimoto, H.; Tentzeris, M.; Hawahara, Y.; Asami, T.: A battery-less, energy harvesting device for long range scavenging of wireless power from terrestrial TV broadcasts, in IEEE 2012 IMS Digest, 2012.Google Scholar
[11]Doms, I.; Merken, P.; Mertens, R.P.; Van Hoof, C.: Capacitive power-management circuit for micropower thermoelectric generators with a 2.1 µW controller, in Proc. IEEE Int. Solid-State Circuits Conf., February 2008, 300–303.Google Scholar
[12]Vias, R.; Nishimoto, H.; Tentzeris, M.; Kawahara, Y.; Asami, T.: A battery-less, energy harvesting device for long range scavenging of wireless power from terrestrial TV broadcasts, in IEEE 2012 IMS Digest, Montrea, Canada, 2012.Google Scholar
[13]Piñuela, M.; Mitcheson, P.D.; Lucyszyn, S.: Ambient RF energy harvesting in urban and semi-urban environments. IEEE Trans. Microw. Theory Tech., 61 (6) (2013), 2715–2726.Google Scholar
[14]Le, T.; Mayaram, K.; Fiez, T.: Efficient far-field radio frequency energy harvesting for passively powered sensor networks. IEEE J. Solid-State Circuits, 43 (5) (2008), 1287–1302.Google Scholar
[15]Haumann, T.; Munzenberg, U.; Maes, W.; Sierck, P.: HF-radiation levels of GSM cellular phone towers in residential areas, in Proc. 2nd Int. Workshop on Biological Effects of EMFS, October 2002, 327–333.Google Scholar
[16]Willkomm, D.; Machiraju, S.; Bolot, J.; Wolisz, A.: Primary users in cellular networks: a large-scale measurement study, in Proc. 3rd IEEE Symp. New Frontiers in Dynamic Spectrum Access Networks, DySPAN 2008, October 2008, 1–11.Google Scholar
[17]Prete, M.D.; Costanzo, A.; Masotti, D.; Romani, A.: An alternative rectenna design approach for wirelessly powered energy autonomous systems, in 2013 IEEE MTT-S Int. Microwave Symp. Digest (Seattle), June 2013, 1–4.Google Scholar
[18]Paing, T.; Shin, J.; Zane, R.; Popovic, Z.: Custom IC for ultralow power RF energy scavenging. IEEE Trans. Power Electron. Lett., 26 (6) (2011), 1620–1626.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[19]Costanzo, A.; Prete, M.D.; Dini, M.; Filippi, M.; Tartagni, M.; Masotti, D.: A fully-autonomous integrated RF energy harvesting system for wearable applications, in Proc. 43rd Eur. Microwave Conf. (EuMC) (Nuremberg), October 2013.Google Scholar
[20]Bohan, J.E.: Low Voltage Driven Oscillator Circuit. USA Patent 4734658, 29 March 1988.Google Scholar
[21]Grgic, D.; Ungan, T.; Kostic, M.; Reindl, L.M.: Ultra-low input voltage DC-DC converter for micro energy harvesting, in PowerMEMS, December 2009, 265–268.Google Scholar
[22]Coilcraft Inc., Coupled Inductors – LPR6235, 2013.Google Scholar
[23]Linear Technology, LTC3108 – Ultralow Voltage Step-Up Converter and Power Manager, 2010.Google Scholar
[24]EnOcean, ECT 310 Perpetuum, 2012.Google Scholar
[25]Paing, T.; Shin, J.; Zane, R.; Popovic, Z.: Resistor emulation approach to low-power RF energy harvesting. IEEE Trans. Power Electron., 23 (3) (2008), 1494–1501.Google Scholar
[26]Texas Instruments, bq25504: Ultra Low Power Boost Converter with Battery Management for Energy Harvester Applications, 2011.Google Scholar
[27]Coilcraft Inc., Coupled Inductors – LPD6235 for Flyback and Other Applications, 2013.Google Scholar
[28]Coilcraft Inc., Hexa-Path Magnetics, 2013.Google Scholar
[29]Texas Instruments, TPS797xx Ultralow Iq, 50 mA Linear Regulators with Power Good Output in SC70 Package, 2001, 2013.Google Scholar
[30]Texas Instruments, 1.2 V, 12/10/8 Bit … Miniature ADC with Serial Interface, 2005.Google Scholar
[31]Dolgov, A.; Zane, R.; Popovic, Z.: Power management system for online low power RF energy harvesting optimization. IEEE Trans. Circuits Syst. I, Regul. Pap., 57 (7) (2006), 1802–1811.Google Scholar
[32]Texas Instruments, TPS3831 Ultralow Power, Supply Voltage Supervisor, 2012, 2013.Google Scholar
[33]Texas Instruments, SN74AUP1G97 Low-Power Configurable Multiple-Function Gate, 2003, 2010.Google Scholar
[34]Texas Instruments, TPL5000, Nano Power Programmable Timer with Watchdog Functionality, 2013.Google Scholar
[35]Paing, T. et al. : Wirelessly-powered wireless sensor platform, in Eur. Microwave Conf., 2007, 999–1002.Google Scholar
[36]Falkenstein, E.; Costinett, D.; Zane, R.; Popovic, Z.: Far-field RF-powered variable duty cycle wireless sensor platform. IEEE Trans. Circuits Syst. II, 58 (12) (2011), 822–826.Google Scholar
[37]Texas Instruments, MSP430G2 × 53 Mixed Signal Microcontroller, 2011, 2013.Google Scholar
[38]Morales, D.S.: Maximum Power Point Tracking Algorithms for Photovoltaic Applications, Aalto University School of Science and Technology, Espoo, Finland, 2010.Google Scholar
[39]United States Federal Communications Commision. 47 CFR Part 15.231, 2013.Google Scholar
[40]United States Federal Communications Commission. 47 CFR Part 15.247, 15.249, 2013.Google Scholar
[41]Popovic, Z.; Falkenstein, E.; Costinett, D.; Zane, R.: Low-power far-field wireless powering for wireless sensors. IEEE Proc., 101 (6) (2013), 1397–1409.Google Scholar
[42]Boudreaux, R.; Nelms, R.; Hung, J.: Simulation and modeling of a DC-DC converter controlled by an 8-bit microcontroller, in APEC Conf. Proc., vol. 2, 1997, 963–969.Google Scholar