Apparatus comprises at least one visual indicator element; at least one detector to detect access to the apparatus consistent with a cleaning operation being applied to a surface of the apparatus; and processing circuitry to control a visual indication state of the at least one visual indicator element in response to a detection by the detector of access to the surface of the apparatus.

Condition monitoring device including a condition monitoring sensor configured to acquire vibration signals produced by the system and an integrated power supply having an energy harvester for providing power energy to the condition monitoring sensor and having an electromagnetic coil and a permanent magnet. The integrated power supply includes a system power switch between the energy harvester and the condition monitoring sensor and configured to be switched between at least a first high impedance position providing power energy of the energy harvester to the sensor and a second low impedance position where no power is transmitted to the sensor. Also, a system for restricting movement of the energy harvester configured to be connected across the electromagnetic coil in the low impedance passive position of the system power switch.

There is described a system comprising mechanical equipment and an apparatus for monitoring and/or controlling the mechanical equipment. The mechanical equipment vibrates at a frequency f.sub.vibration in use, and the apparatus is attached to the mechanical equipment such that the apparatus also vibrates when the mechanical equipment is in use. The apparatus comprises an electronics module and a resonant electric generator. The resonant electric generator has a resonant frequency f.sub.0 comparable to the vibrational frequency f.sub.vibration of the mechanical equipment. The resonant electric generator comprises a magnet having an associated a magnetic field, a coil electrically coupled to the electronics module, and a resilient member. The resilient member is configured, when the apparatus is vibrated at or around the resonant frequency f.sub.0, to cause relative oscillation of the coil and the magnet so as to induce an electric current in the coil to thereby power the electronics module. The present application also relates to the apparatus for monitoring and/or controlling the mechanical equipment, and to a method of use of the apparatus with mechanical equipment.

A self-generating power supply apparatus includes a power generating body, an energy harvester, and a power consumer. The power generating body generates an electromagnetic field when a force is applied, an energy of the electromagnetic field is received by the energy harvester and subsequently transferred to the power consumer; or alternatively, the energy harvester is not provided and the energy of the electromagnetic field is directly received and used by the power consumer. The energy of the electromagnetic field is harvested by the energy harvester contacting or not contacting the power generating body, and then is converted into electrical energy, which is transferred out in a wired or wireless manner to enable self-generating power supply for the apparatus. The self-generating power supply apparatus has an immeasurable impact on the development in the fields such as wearable devices, small mobile communication devices, Internet of Things, new energy etc.

A method is provided for producing an electrically-powered device and/or component that is embeddable in a solid structural component, and a system, a produced device and/or a produced component is provided. The produced electrically powered device includes an attached autonomous electrical power source in a form of a unique, environmentally-friendly structure configured to transform thermal energy at any temperature above absolute zero to an electric potential without any external stimulus including physical movement or deformation energy. The autonomous electrical power source component provides a mechanism for generating renewable energy as primary power for the electrically-powered device and/or component once an integrated structure including the device and/or component is deployed in an environment that restricts future access to the electrical power source for servicing, recharge, replacement, replenishment or the like.

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.

Method and apparatus for generating and receiving a paging signal are provided. The paging signal may be received by a wireless device in a low-power state. The paging signal may include a target identification (ID) that may be associated with the wireless device. If the target ID is associated with the wireless device, the wireless device may leave the low-power state, enter an active power state and communicate with other wireless devices. The wireless device may include power harvesting circuitry to convert RF energy from the paging signal into power to operate a portion of the wireless device.

An energy harvesting device (CTH) installed in an electrical distribution system (EDS) for powering ancillary electrical devices (AD) used in the distribution system. The device includes a first voltage regulator circuit (CC) configured to produce a voltage matched to a power curve of a current transformer (CT) to which the device is electrically coupled. The device also includes a second and separate voltage regulator circuit (SVR) which continuously operates to maximize the amount of electrical energy recovered from the current transformer.

There is provided a power supply device configured to boost an input voltage to output an output voltage, the power supply device including: an oscillator circuit configured to receive the input voltage and to output an oscillation signal; a step-up circuit configured to output a boost voltage based on the oscillation signal; a first hysteresis comparator and a second hysteresis comparator configured to compare boost voltages with threshold values; a first switch that is connected between the oscillator circuit and the step-up circuit and that is controlled based on a comparison result of the first hysteresis comparator; and a second switch that is connected to an output terminal configured to output the output voltage and that is controlled based on a comparison result of the second hysteresis comparator.

A sensor unit (10) is configured to be mounted in the vicinity of an electric motor (20) in a food packaging machine. The sensor unit comprises: at least one sensor device configured to generate sensor data representative of an environmental parameter of the food packaging machine, a wireless transmitter for transmitting the sensor data, and a power source for providing energy to the at least one sensor device and the wireless transmitter. The sensor unit (10) provides for ease of installation and maintenance by being self-powered through energy harvesting of a magnetic field (B1, B2) generated by the electric motor (20), by use of at least one receiving coil in the power source.