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US 10,854,960 B2Granted
Electromagnetic energy harvesting devices and methods
OwnerRichard A. Beaninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electromagnetic energy harvesting device includes an emitting body at least partially embedded within a dielectric medium, and a receiving antenna disposed in proximity to the emitting body, where the receiving antenna is configured to collect thermal electromagnetic energy emitted by the emitting body. The device also includes a rectifier electrically coupled to the receiving antenna, where the rectifier is configured to convert the thermal electromagnetic energy to direct current electrical energy.
Claims25
An electromagnetic energy harvesting device comprising:
- a plurality of passive emitting bodies, each passive emitting body of the plurality of passive emitting bodies comprising an unpowered mass that absorbs and stores ambient electromagnetic energy and spontaneously emits the stored electromagnetic energy as non-directed thermal electromagnetic energy in the microwave and far infrared portions of the electromagnetic spectrum, and wherein each passive emitting body is not a powered antenna electrically connected to a voltage source, wherein:
- at least one passive emitting body of the plurality of passive emitting bodies is at least partially embedded within a dielectric medium to amplify an intensity of the thermal electromagnetic energy emitted by the passive emitting body;
- at least one receiving antenna disposed in proximity to the plurality of passive emitting bodies, the at least one receiving antenna configured to collect one of the non-directed microwave or far infrared thermal electromagnetic energy emitted by the plurality of passive emitting bodies over substantially all of the microwave portion of the electromagnetic spectrum or over substantially all of the infrared portion of the electromagnetic spectrum;
- and
- at least one rectifier electrically coupled to the at least one receiving antenna, the at least one rectifier configured to convert the collected microwave or far infrared thermal electromagnetic energy to direct current electrical energy.
2 more elements
An electromagnetic energy harvesting device comprising:
- a first portion comprising:
- a first passive emitting body comprising a first unpowered mass that absorbs and stores ambient electromagnetic energy and spontaneously emits the stored electromagnetic energy as non-directed thermal electromagnetic energy in the microwave and far infrared portions of the electromagnetic spectrum, wherein the first passive emitting body is at least partially embedded within a first dielectric medium to amplify an intensity of the thermal electromagnetic energy emitted by the first passive emitting body and wherein the first passive emitting body is not a powered antenna electrically connected to any voltage source;
- a first receiving antenna configured to collect the non-directed thermal electromagnetic energy emitted by the first passive emitting body;
- and
- a first rectifier electrically coupled to the first receiving antenna, the first rectifier configured to convert the thermal electromagnetic energy emitted by the first passive emitting body to direct current electrical energy;
- and
- a second portion comprising:
- a second passive emitting body comprising a second unpowered mass that absorbs and stores ambient electromagnetic energy and spontaneously emits the stored electromagnetic energy as non-directed thermal electromagnetic energy in the microwave and far infrared portions of the electromagnetic spectrum, wherein the second passive emitting body is at least partially embedded within a second dielectric medium to amplify an intensity of the thermal electromagnetic energy emitted by the second passive emitting body and wherein the second passive emitting body is not a powered antenna electrically connected to any voltage source;
- a second receiving antenna configured to collect the non-directed thermal electromagnetic energy emitted by the second passive emitting body;
- and
- a second rectifier electrically coupled to the second receiving antenna, the second rectifier configured to convert the thermal electromagnetic energy emitted by the second passive emitting body to direct current electrical energy.
8 more elements
A method for harvesting electromagnetic energy, the method comprising:
- providing an electromagnetic energy harvesting device comprising:
- a plurality of passive emitting bodies, each passive emitting body of the plurality of passive emitting bodies comprising an unpowered mass that absorbs and stores ambient electromagnetic energy and spontaneously emits the stored electromagnetic energy as non-directed thermal electromagnetic energy in the microwave and far infrared portions of the electromagnetic spectrum, wherein
- each passive emitting body is not a powered antenna electrically connected to a voltage source, and
- at least one passive emitting body of the plurality of passive emitting bodies is at least partially embedded within a dielectric medium to amplify an intensity of the thermal electromagnetic energy emitted by the passive emitting body;
- at least one receiving antenna disposed in proximity to the plurality of passive emitting bodies;
- and
- at least one rectifier electrically coupled to the at least one receiving antenna;
- collecting at least one of the non-directed microwave or far infrared thermal electromagnetic energy at the at least one receiving antenna;
- and
- converting the collected thermal electromagnetic energy to direct current electrical energy at the at least one rectifier.
7 more elements
An electromagnetic energy harvesting device comprising:
- at least one receiving antenna configured to collect a non-directed one of microwave or far infrared thermal electromagnetic energy emitted by a plurality of passive emitting bodies over the microwave portion of the electromagnetic spectrum or over the infrared portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, each passive emitting body of the plurality of passive emitting bodies comprising an unpowered mass that absorbs ambient electromagnetic energy and spontaneously emits the non-directed thermal electromagnetic energy in the microwave and far infrared portions of the electromagnetic spectrum, wherein:
- at least one passive emitting body of the plurality of passive emitting bodies is at least partially embedded within a dielectric medium to amplify an intensity of the thermal electromagnetic energy emitted by the passive emitting body;
- and
- each passive emitting body is not a powered antenna electrically connected to a voltage source;
- at least one reflecting element coupled to the at least one receiving antenna;
- and
- at least one rectifier electrically coupled to the at least one receiving antenna, the at least one rectifier configured to convert the collected thermal electromagnetic energy to direct current electrical energy.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.