US 12,138,977 B2
Energy harvesting switch
Robert Stanford, Alpharetta, GA (US); and Nobuhiko Negishi, Santa Cruz, CA (US)
Assigned to Fox Factory, Inc., Duluth, GA (US)
Filed by Fox Factory, Inc., Duluth, GA (US)
Filed on Nov. 19, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/531,394.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/116,028, filed on Nov. 19, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0242190 A1, Aug. 4, 2022
Int. Cl. B60G 17/015 (2006.01); B60G 13/14 (2006.01); B60K 35/10 (2024.01); H04B 5/40 (2024.01); H04B 5/72 (2024.01); H04W 4/48 (2018.01); H04W 4/80 (2018.01); B60K 35/28 (2024.01); B60K 35/85 (2024.01); H01Q 1/32 (2006.01); H04W 12/03 (2021.01)
CPC B60G 17/0157 (2013.01) [B60G 13/14 (2013.01); B60G 17/015 (2013.01); B60G 17/0152 (2013.01); B60K 35/10 (2024.01); H04B 5/72 (2024.01); H04W 4/80 (2018.02); B60G 2300/60 (2013.01); B60K 35/28 (2024.01); B60K 35/85 (2024.01); B60K 2360/167 (2024.01); B60K 2360/5915 (2024.01); H01Q 1/3216 (2013.01); H04W 4/48 (2018.02); H04W 12/03 (2021.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An energy harvesting system and remote digital switch assembly comprising:
a remote digital switch coupled to a vehicle, said remote digital switch provided at a location within said vehicle such that a user of said vehicle is able find and manipulate said remote digital switch while keeping one hand on a control surface of said vehicle, said remote digital switch further configured to enable said user of said vehicle to manipulate said remote digital switch without requiring said user of said vehicle to view an in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) system of said vehicle; and
an energy harvesting system integrated with said remote digital switch, said energy harvesting system comprising:
a magnet;
a coil;
a mechanical switch, wherein manipulation of said mechanical switch causes said magnet to move with respect to said coil and generate an amount of energy; and
a transmitter coupled with said mechanical switch, said transmitter configured to use said generated amount of energy to transmit a signal to at least one component coupled with a said vehicle, said signal configured to cause a change to at least one characteristic of said at least one component;
wherein said remote digital switch further comprises:
a receiver to receive a wireless message via a wireless protocol; and
a memory powered by a wireless protocol, said memory configured to store said signal for said at least one component coupled with said vehicle, wherein said memory is an erasable programmable read-only memory (Eprom).