Sensor with a photovoltaic cell power source
AssigneeLenovo (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
InventorsMark Charles Davis, Philip John Jakes
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An embodiment provides a system, including: a sensor unit, comprising: a sensor that captures data; a memory storing data captured by the sensor; a photovoltaic cell operatively coupled to the sensor and the memory; the photovoltaic cell formed as a transparent layer; a display operatively coupled to the photovoltaic cell; a communication component that communicates the data captured by the sensor to a device; and a device that receives the data captured by the sensor via the communication component. Other aspects are described and claimed.
Claims17
A device, comprising:
- a sensor that produces output, wherein the sensor is an environmental sensor;
- a circuit receiving the output of the sensor;
- a photovoltaic cell operatively coupled to the sensor, the circuit, and a display comprising a touch interface;
- the photovoltaic cell formed as a transparent layer and overlaying the display;
- and
- a wireless communication component, wherein the wireless communication component communicates the output of the sensor to at least one other sensor unit, thereby coordinating data collection between the sensor and the at least one other sensor unit.
A method, comprising:
- disposing a layer of transparent photovoltaic cell material on a device;
- operatively coupling the layer of transparent photovoltaic cell material to a sensor, a circuit, and a display comprising a touch interface, wherein the sensor is an environmental sensor, wherein the layer of transparent photovoltaic cell material overlays the display;
- powering the sensor, the circuit, and the display using energy derived from the layer of transparent photovoltaic cell material;
- and
- communicating, using a wireless communication component, wherein the wireless communication component communicates the output of the sensor to at least one other sensor unit, thereby coordinating data collection between the sensor and the at least one other sensor unit.
A system, comprising:
- a sensor unit, comprising:
- a sensor that captures data, wherein the sensor is an environmental sensor;
- a memory storing data captured by the sensor;
- a photovoltaic cell operatively coupled to the sensor, the memory, and a display comprising a touch interface;
- the photovoltaic cell formed as a transparent layer and overlaying the display;
- the display operatively coupled to the photovoltaic cell;
- a communication component that communicates the data captured by the sensor to a device;
- a device that receives the data captured by the sensor via the communication component and
- a wireless communication component, wherein the wireless communication component communicates the output of the sensor to at least one other sensor unit, thereby coordinating data collection between the sensor and the at least one other sensor unit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.