US 12,074,652 B2
Methods, systems, and apparatus for automatic RF power transmission and single antenna energy harvesting
Charles E. Greene, Butler, PA (US); and Eric J. Biel, Glenshaw, PA (US)
Assigned to Powercast Corporation, Pittsburgh, PA (US)
Filed by Powercast Corporation, Pittsburgh, PA (US)
Filed on Sep. 7, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/243,498.
Application 18/243,498 is a continuation of application No. 17/228,250, filed on Apr. 12, 2021, granted, now 11,791,912.
Application 17/228,250 is a continuation of application No. 16/685,597, filed on Nov. 15, 2019, granted, now 10,979,156, issued on Apr. 13, 2021.
Application 16/685,597 is a continuation of application No. 16/121,275, filed on Sep. 4, 2018, granted, now 10,484,111, issued on Nov. 19, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/553,628, filed on Sep. 1, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2024/0178924 A1, May 30, 2024
Int. Cl. H04B 17/23 (2015.01); G01S 5/14 (2006.01); H04B 17/10 (2015.01); H04B 17/318 (2015.01); H04W 52/24 (2009.01); H04W 52/28 (2009.01); H04W 76/28 (2018.01)
CPC H04B 17/23 (2015.01) [G01S 5/14 (2013.01); H04B 17/102 (2015.01); H04B 17/318 (2015.01); H04W 52/245 (2013.01); H04W 52/28 (2013.01); H04W 76/28 (2018.02); H04W 52/283 (2013.01); H04W 52/288 (2013.01)] 21 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus, comprising:
an antenna configured to wirelessly receive energy and configured to at least one of send data to or receive data from a source that is remote from the apparatus;
a power harvester electrically coupled to the antenna and configured to convert the energy received at the antenna to a direct-current (DC) voltage to produce a power associated with the DC voltage;
a radio-frequency identification (RFID) circuitry electrically coupled to the antenna and configured to at least one of send the data or receive the data, via the antenna;
a first impedance matching network electrically coupled to the antenna and the power harvester, the first impedance matching network configured to transform an input impedance of the power harvester to an impedance that is closer to an impedance of the antenna than the input impedance of the power harvester; and
a second impedance matching network electrically coupled to the antenna and the RFID circuitry, the second impedance matching network configured to transform an input impedance of the RFID circuitry to an impedance that is closer to the impedance of the antenna than the input impedance of the RFID circuitry,
the first impedance matching network and the second impedance matching network collectively configured so that the power harvester receives a first power and the RFID circuitry receives a second power, during operation.