A wireless transmit/receive unit, WTRU, may include an Energy Harvesting device, EH, a Zero Energy transceiver, ZE, and a main transceiver. The WTRU may initialize operation using the main transceiver, and receive beam detection configuration and mapping information. The WTRU may initialize beam (re-) selection procedure using the ZE transceiver, and use the received beam detection configuration to determine detectable beam IDs, and use the received mapping information to retrieve EH signaling configuration. The WTRU determines expected EH performance for each detected beam, and selects the beam with best expected EH performance. On condition that the WTRU determines necessity of dynamic EH signaling for the selected beam, it proceeds with presence declaration procedure to request optimized dynamic EH signaling. The WTRU utilizes control signaling channel parameters to dynamically receive optimized EH signal configuration, and configures its EH circuitry, and harvests energy.

A wireless terminal includes a memory that stores a parameter, a microcomputer that operates in an operation mode, which is predetermined, on the basis of the parameter, and a wireless communication device that wirelessly receives a change command of the parameter. When the change command is wirelessly received, the microcomputer suspends the operation and changes the parameter on the basis of the change command.

A smart-home device may include a plurality of wire connectors configured to receive a plurality of signals from an environmental system; a plurality of diodes configured to receive the plurality of signals from the plurality of wire connectors, wherein at least two of the plurality of diodes have different voltage drops; and a power-stealing circuit that is configured to receive outputs of the plurality of diodes and to steal power through one of the plurality of wire connectors that is determined at least in part by the different voltage drops.

The disclosure provides an electricity generating insert for a piece of footwear, the insert can be removably placed in the heel portion, e.g. under the insole. The insert comprises a multilayer piezoelectric stack that alternatively flexes under the compression-decompression that occurs during locomotion, which flexing causes friction in the stack to generate electricity capable of charging electronic devices and the like, e.g. via a port on the footwear.

A power conveyor circuit for an energy harvesting system includes an input port configured to be electrically coupled to a sensor to receive an input signal from the sensor at an input power level and an output port configured to 5 be electrically coupled to a load. A switch mode power path circuit is coupled to the input port and the output port to receive the input signal from the sensor received at the input port and to provide an output signal to the output port at an output power level equal to the input power level times a transfer efficiency. A method of making the power conveyor circuit and an energy harvesting system including the power conveyor circuit are also disclosed.

Embodiments of a backscatter communication system and methods of using the system are disclosed. The system may comprise a backscatter node, comprising: an antenna circuit; and a wake-up circuit coupled to the antenna circuit. The wake-up circuit may be configured to, using pattern correlation, identify at least one predefined waveform within a radio frequency signal and in response to the identification, enable a receiver circuit.

A system for supplying electrical energy to an energy-absorber mobile device having two electrically conductive secondary terminals includes a power-source base with electrically conductive primary terminals configured to be arranged in contact with the two secondary terminals when the mobile device is positioned on the base; a supply and control subsystem having a line selector whose outputs are connected to the primary terminals, a rectifier and programmable power supply providing energy, and a mini-processor connected to the line selector and to the rectifier and programmable power supply. The line selector has two input lines, between which a voltage difference higher than zero is applied and which is configured to apply the voltage difference cyclically to all possible pairs of output lines based on the commands received from the mini-processor.

A method for controlling an electric load is described herein. In accordance with one embodiment the method includes collecting ambient energy using an energy harvesting circuit and using the collected ambient energy to charge a buffer capacitor. The method further includes alternatingly connecting and disconnecting an electrical load and the buffer capacitor, wherein a capacitor voltage provided by the buffer capacitor is applied to the electrical load in a discharging phase, in which the electrical load is connected to the buffer capacitor and the capacitor voltage decreases, and wherein the buffer capacitor is recharged in a charging phase, in which the electrical load is disconnected from the buffer capacitor in a charging phase in which the capacitor voltage again increases. The durations of the charging phase and the discharging phase are designed such that the capacitor voltage stays above a minimum supply voltage of the electrical load.

An apparatus is disclosed for harvesting ringing energy. In an example aspect, the apparatus includes a bootstrap circuit. The bootstrap circuit includes a bootstrap capacitor and a bootstrap switch. The bootstrap switch includes a first terminal configured to accept an input voltage. The bootstrap switch also includes a second terminal coupled to the bootstrap capacitor. The bootstrap switch additionally includes a body diode comprising an anode coupled to the first terminal and a cathode coupled to the second terminal. The bootstrap switch is configured to be in an open state to charge the bootstrap capacitor via the body diode. The bootstrap switch is also configured to provide a voltage at the second terminal of the bootstrap switch. The voltage is greater than an average of the input voltage.

A sensor system for monitoring a device, the sensor system including a housing, a base configured to attach the sensor system to the device to be monitored, a sensor configured to obtain data related to at least one operating parameter of the device, and an integral energy harvesting device configured to provide at least a portion of the energy required to operate the sensor system.