US 12,489,380 B2
Multi-capacitor kinetic energy generator
Vikram Malhotra, Portland, OR (US); Kathleen F. Richmond, Seattle, WA (US); and Summer L. Schneider, Beaverton, OR (US)
Assigned to NIKE, Inc., Beaverton, OR (US)
Filed by NIKE, Inc., Beaverton, OR (US)
Filed on Jul. 7, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/922,077.
Application 16/922,077 is a continuation of application No. 15/576,893, granted, now 10,806,212, previously published as PCT/US2016/034308, filed on May 26, 2016.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/168,143, filed on May 29, 2015.
Prior Publication US 2020/0337410 A1, Oct. 29, 2020
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. A43B 3/00 (2022.01); A43B 3/38 (2022.01); A43B 3/42 (2022.01); A43B 3/48 (2022.01); H02N 2/18 (2006.01); H10N 30/30 (2023.01); H04W 4/80 (2018.01); H04W 88/02 (2009.01)
CPC H02N 2/181 (2013.01) [A43B 3/38 (2022.01); A43B 3/42 (2022.01); A43B 3/48 (2022.01); H02N 2/183 (2013.01); H10N 30/30 (2023.02); H04W 4/80 (2018.02); H04W 88/02 (2013.01)] 23 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An article of footwear comprising:
an energy converter including a piezoelectric element configured to receive kinetic energy initiated by a wearer of the article of footwear and generate a voltage dependent on the received kinetic energy;
a rectifier connected with the energy converter configured to rectify the voltage from the energy converter to provide a direct current (DC) voltage;
a plurality of capacitors connected with the energy converter through the rectifier to receive the DC voltage, a first capacitor of the plurality of capacitors formed from different materials than a second capacitor of the plurality of capacitors;
a load configured to be activated in response to energy storage in the plurality of capacitors reaching a predetermined threshold, the load comprising a transceiver configured to transmit data to an external device in response to the energy storage in the plurality of capacitors reaching the predetermined threshold; and
processing circuitry configured to:
determine whether the energy storage in the plurality of capacitors has reached an off mode threshold, the off mode threshold different from the predetermined threshold;
control the transceiver to enter a shut down or standby mode in response to a determination that the energy storage in the plurality of capacitors has reached the off mode threshold; and
control the transceiver to continue to transmit the data in response to a determination that the energy storage in the plurality of capacitors has not reached the off mode threshold.