An adapter can include a voltage doubler rectifier, a first stage converter, and a second stage converter. The voltage doubler rectifier can have a switch and can be configured to rectify a received voltage in response to the switch being in a first position, and to rectify and effectively double the received voltage in response to the switch being in a second position. The first stage converter can be coupled to the voltage doubler rectifier and can be a first type of converter. The first type of converter can be either an isolated converter or a non-isolated converter. The second stage converter can be coupled to the first stage converter and can be a second type of converter. The second type of converter can be either the isolated converter or the non-isolated converter. The second type of converter can be different from the first type of converter.

An apparatus for converting power includes at least one impedance matching network which receives an electrical signal. The apparatus includes at least one AC to DC converter in communication with the impedance matching network. Also disclosed is a method for powering a load and an apparatus for converting power and additional embodiments of an apparatus for converting power.

A voltage generator includes an oscillator, a charge pump, a smoothing capacitor, and a driving controller. The oscillator has an output. The charge pump has an input and an output, and the input of the charge pump is coupled to the output of the oscillator. The smoothing capacitor is coupled to the output of the charge pump. The driving controller is coupled to the oscillator, and generates an enable signal to adjust an operation frequency of the oscillator. The voltage generator supplies a driving voltage to a switch for driving the switch via the smoothing capacitor. The driving controller generates the enable signal according to the driving voltage.

An active voltage doubler utilizing a single supply op-amp for energy harvesting system is presented. The active voltage doubler is used for rectification of low power alternating energy sources to achieve both acceptably high power conversion efficiency (PCE) and large rectified DC voltage. The op-amp is self-biased, meaning that no external supply is needed but rather it uses part of the harvested energy for its biasing. Further, the rectified DC voltage is almost twice that of the conventional passive doubler. Power conversion efficiency versus load resistance is plotted and demonstrates that the self-biased active voltage doubler is at least twice as efficient as a conventional passive voltage doubler within the range of 20 to 50 K. The self-biased active voltage doubler achieves maximum power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 61.7% for a 200 Hz sinusoidal input of 0.8V for a 20 K load resistor.

A radio-frequency/direct-current (RF/DC) converter is operable to receive a high-frequency and high-power RF signal and convert to a DC power. The RF/DC converter includes a first field-effect transistor (FET), a second FET, a third FET and a sixth FET that are cross-coupled. Sources of the first FET and the second FET are connected to an RF signal receiving end. Sources of the third FET and the fourth FET are connected to a potential reference end. The RF/DC converter further includes a fifth FET and a sixth FET connected subsequently to the first FET, the second FET, the third FET and the fourth.

A highly efficient high voltage generating device comprises a switching circuit 2 comprising plural switching elements S1S4 and connected with a direct current power source circuit 1, a rectifying circuit 4, a primary winding N1 connected with the switching circuit 2, a secondary winding N2 connected with the rectifying circuit 4 and a control circuit 5 to control the switching circuit 2. The control device 5 is configured to perform a current circulation function of passing a current to circulate between the switching circuit 2 and the transformer 3 to reverse polarity of a voltage VCp2 over the secondary winding N2, while keeping on at least one of the switching elements S1S4.

The power supply apparatus includes an inductor; a switching element connected to another end of the inductor, the switching element configured to drive the inductor by being turned on or turned off in accordance with an input pulse signal; a boost converter circuit connected to both ends of the inductor and including a plurality of rectification units, the boost converter circuit configured to amplify a voltage generated in the inductor, each of the plurality of rectification units including a diode and a capacitor; and a voltage boosting element configured to supply a voltage obtained by boosting an input voltage to the inductor.

A polarity-selectable high voltage direct current power supply including a first drive assembly that transforms a first low voltage DC input into a first medium voltage alternating current output; a first HV output assembly that transforms the first LV AC output into a first HV DC output, wherein the first HV output assembly defines a first input stage; a polarity selector coupled between the second output junction of the first drive assembly and the first and second input stages of the first HV output assembly, the polarity selector operable between a first configuration and a second configuration; wherein in the first configuration the first HV DC output has a positive polarity; and wherein in the second configuration the first HV DC output has a negative polarity.

A control mechanism for a high-voltage generator for supplying voltage and current to an electronic radiation source in high-temperature environments is provided, the control mechanism including at least one voltage feedback loop for monitoring the output of the generator; at least one environmental temperature monitor; a control bus; and at least one control processor. A method of controlling a high-voltage generator that powers an electronic radiation source in high-temperature environments is also provided, the method including at least: measuring the output voltage of the generator; measuring the temperature within the generator's environment, using a control mechanism to modify a driving frequency, and using a control mechanism to modify a driving pulse-train, such that changes in properties of the electronic components of the generator as a result of changes in environmental temperature are characterized and the generator's driving signals modified to maintain optimally efficient input parameters for a specific environmental temperature.

An improved AC-to-DC charge pump for use, for example, in voltage generation circuits. In one embodiment, two 2-diode charge pumps are coupled in back-to-back configuration, and adapted to develop a substantially stable voltage on a mid-level rail. In one other embodiment, two 3-diode charge pumps are coupled in back-to-back configuration, and adapted also to develop a substantially stable voltage on a mid-level rail. In one preferred embodiment, all diodes are implemented as current-source-biased MOSFETs.