System and method for extracting energy from an ultracapacitor

A system, comprising:

• a detector to detect a voltage stored in an ultracapacitor coupled to a load;
• and
• an extractor to extract energy from the ultracapacitor, the extractor including:
• an adiabatic amplifier to amplify voltage output from the ultracapacitor when the detected voltage falls below a first predetermined voltage, wherein the adiabatic amplifier includes:
• first and second transmission gates that are alternatively switched to output an amplified differential signal that corresponds to the amplified voltage of the ultracapacitor, wherein the adiabatic amplifier is to amplify the voltage output from the ultracapacitor independent of coupling the ultracapacitor to a DC power source during a charging operation of the ultracapacitor and during a time when the load is to be driven based on the amplified output voltage, and wherein an operation is to be performed to prevent the adiabatic amplifier from amplifying the output voltage of the ultracapacitor when the detected voltage is above the first predetermined voltage.

A method, comprising:

• detecting a voltage stored in an ultracapacitor coupled to a load;
• and
• extracting energy from the ultracapacitor when the voltage falls below a predetermined value, said extracting including:
• amplifying an output voltage from the ultracapacitor using a first amplifier circuit, the output voltage amplified when the detected voltage falls below a first predetermined voltage;
• dividing the amplified voltage using a divider to form a first control signal for the first amplifier circuit;
• and
• generating a second control signal to vary a ratio of the divider, the varied ratio adjusting the first control signal to maintain the output voltage of the ultracapacitor substantially equal to or above the first predetermined voltage, the first amplifier circuit to amplify said output voltage independent of coupling the ultracapacitor to a DC power source during a charging operation of the ultracapacitor and during a time when the load is to be driven based on the amplified output voltage, said method further comprising:
• performing an operation to prevent the first amplifier circuit from amplifying the output voltage of the ultracapacitor when the detected voltage is above the first predetermined voltage.

A system, comprising:

• a load;
• an ultracapacitor storing a voltage to drive the load;
• and
• an extractor to extract energy from the ultracapacitor, the extractor including:
• a first amplifier circuit to amplify an output voltage from the ultracapacitor when the detected voltage falls below a first predetermined voltage,
• a divider to divide the amplified voltage to form a first control signal for the first amplifier circuit;
• and
• a controller to generate a second control signal to vary a ratio of the divider, the varied ratio adjusting the first control signal to maintain the output voltage of the ultracapacitor substantially equal to or above the first predetermined voltage, the first amplifier circuit to amplify said output voltage independent of coupling the ultracapacitor to a DC power source during a charging operation of the ultracapacitor and during a time when the load is to be driven based on the amplified output voltage, and wherein an operation is to be performed to prevent the first amplifier circuit from amplifying the output voltage of the ultracapacitor when the detected voltage is above the first predetermined voltage.