US 11,985,901 B2 · Using thermal energy, kinetic energy, or both to charge a device

Abstract

In some examples, a device includes a charging circuit with a thermoelectric generator and a kinetic energy generator. An embedded controller (EC) monitors a level of a battery in the device. If the level falls below a threshold, the EC may determine, using an accelerometer, whether the device is in motion. If the device is in motion, the EC may use the kinetic energy generator to charge the battery. If the device is not in motion, the EC may determine, using a temperature sensor, whether there is a temperature difference between two portions of the device. If there is a temperature difference, then the EC may use the thermoelectric generator to charge the battery. If the EC determines that the device is not in motion and there is no temperature difference between the two portions, then the EC may instruct the user to charge the device.

Claims14

Dependent claims

A device comprising:

a charging circuit comprising:
a kinetic energy generator comprising a chamber;
a first spring located at one end of the chamber;
a second spring located at an opposite end of the chamber;
wire coiled around an exterior surface of the chamber;
and
a neodymium magnet inside the chamber, wherein when the chamber experiences motion, a weighted object travels inside the chamber between the first spring and the second spring to induce a current in the wire;
a battery;
a plurality of sensors comprising an accelerometer;
and
an embedded controller configured with logic instructions to perform operations comprising:
determining that a level of the battery is below a first predetermined threshold;
receiving motion data from the accelerometer;
determining, based on the motion data, that the device is being moved;
and
connecting an output of the kinetic energy generator to an input of the battery to charge the battery.

13 more elements

A computing device comprising:

a charging circuit comprising:
a kinetic energy generator comprising a chamber;
a first spring located at one end of the chamber;
a second spring located at an opposite end of the chamber;
wire coiled around an exterior surface of the chamber;
and
a neodymium magnet inside the chamber, wherein when the chamber experiences motion, a weighted object travels inside the chamber between the first spring and the second spring to induce a current in the wire;
a battery;
a plurality of sensors comprising an accelerometer and a thermometer;
and
an embedded controller configured with logic instructions to perform operations comprising:
determining that a level of the battery is below a first predetermined threshold;
receiving motion data from the accelerometer;
determining, based on the motion data, that the device is being moved;
and
connecting an output of the kinetic energy generator to an input of the battery to charge the battery.

13 more elements

A stylus comprising:

a charging circuit comprising:
a kinetic energy generator comprising a chamber;
a first spring located at one end of the chamber;
a second spring located at an opposite end of the chamber;
wire coiled around an exterior surface of the chamber;
and
a neodymium magnet inside the chamber, wherein when the chamber experiences motion, a weighted object travels inside the chamber between the first spring and the second spring to induce a current in the wire;
a battery;
a plurality of sensors comprising an accelerometer;
and
an embedded controller configured with logic instructions to perform operations comprising:
determining that a level of the battery is below a first predetermined threshold;
receiving motion data from the accelerometer;
determining, based on the motion data, that the device is being moved;
and
connecting an output of the kinetic energy generator to an input of the battery to charge the battery.

13 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Using thermal energy, kinetic energy, or both to charge a device

Life of this patent

Using thermal energy, kinetic energy, or both to charge a device

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims14