System and method of harvesting wireless energy for climate control in a vehicle

A method of harvesting wireless energy for climate control in a cabin of a vehicle, the method comprising:

• providing a battery-free wireless sensing unit for a climate control unit of the vehicle;
• receiving an electromagnetic (EM) signal of EM radiation having EM energy to define an EM current;
• filtering the EM energy to regulate the EM current;
• after filtering, converting the EM current to direct current;
• storing the direct current for powering the battery-free wireless sensing unit;
• powering the battery-free wireless sensing unit with the direct current;
• after powering the battery-free wireless sensing unit, sensing an actual condition in the cabin, the actual condition being one of actual temperature and actual humidity in the cabin;
• and
• adjusting one of temperature and humidity in the cabin in response to a difference between the actual condition and a set condition, the set condition being one of a preset temperature and a preset humidity in the cabin.

A system for harvesting wireless energy for climate control in a cabin of a vehicle, the system comprising:

• a heating, ventilation, and cooling (HVAC) unit disposed in the vehicle for heating, venting, and cooling the cabin of the vehicle;
• and
• a climate control unit in communication with the HVAC unit, the climate control unit comprising:
• an antenna having a transceiver arranged to receive an electromagnetic (EM) signal of EM radiation having EM energy to define an EM current;
• a wireless energy harvesting (WEH) unit in communication with the antenna, the WEH unit arranged to filter the EM energy to regulate the EM current and arranged to convert the EM current to direct current;
• a power management (PM) unit in communication with the WEH unit, the PM unit arranged to store the direct current and arranged to distribute the direct current;
• a sensor in communication with the PM unit, the sensor arranged to receive the direct current from the PM unit for power, the sensor arranged to sense an actual condition being one of temperature and humidity in the cabin, the sensor arranged to transmit a cabin signal of the actual condition;
• and
• a controller in communication with the sensor and the PM unit, the controller arranged to receive the direct current from the PM unit for power, the controller arranged to receive the cabin signal of the actual condition from the sensor, the controller arranged to activate the HVAC unit to adjust one of temperature and humidity in the cabin in response to a difference between the actual condition and a set condition, the set condition being one of a preset temperature and a preset humidity in the cabin.