Purdue Research Foundation

Other

Walter Daniel Leon-Salas

Anthony N Caruso

Thomas C Caruso

Michael William Kelly

Sridhar Reddy Vanja

A modulating circuit adapted to modulate between an energy harvesting mode and a wireless transmitter mode is disclosed which includes a solar cell, an energy-harvesting circuit, a first switch coupling the solar cell to the energy harvesting circuit and controlled by a first control line, a second switch coupling the solar cell to a programmable current source and controlled by a second control line, a transmitter/energy harvesting mode circuit adapted to select between a transmitter mode and an energy harvesting mode, and a symbol-to-current mapping circuit adapted to encode data to be communicated by the solar cell, the symbol-to-current mapping circuit adapted to adjust the programmable current source to thereby provide a metered current to the solar cell.

Systems and methods for light collection and distribution

System and method for using a solar cell in wireless communication

A modulating circuit is disclosed which includes a switch, wherein the switch comprises a first terminal, a second terminal, a transistor, wherein the transistor comprises a third terminal, and a fourth terminal, a power converter, wherein the power converter comprises a power input, a multiplexer, wherein the multiplexer comprises an output, and a feedback controller, wherein the feedback controller comprises a first output, a third input, and a fourth input, wherein the power input is coupled to the first terminal, wherein the second terminal is coupled to the fourth terminal, wherein the third terminal is coupled to the first output, wherein the third input is coupled to the fourth terminal, wherein the fourth input is coupled to the output.

An image sensor is provided, the image sensor comprising a plurality of photo-diode pixels arranged in a two-dimensional array, an energy harvesting output bus connected to the plurality of photo-diode pixels, an image sensing output bus connected to the plurality of photo-diode pixels, and a plurality of switching buses connected to the plurality of photo-diode pixels to direct an output of a varying percentage of the plurality of photo-diode pixels to either the energy harvesting output bus or the image sensing output bus.

Energy harvesting configurable image sensor

An energy-harvesting system capable of wireless communication is disclosed which includes a solar cell adapted to generate charge from incident light on the solar cell; an energy-harvesting circuit coupled to the solar cell, the energy-harvesting circuit adapted to convey charge from the solar cell to an energy reservoir; a data communication circuit adapted to encode data to be communicated by the solar cell by adjusting the voltage across the solar cell into at least two states including 1) an open circuit (OC) state, where the current through the solar cell is substantially zero, and 2) a maximum power point (MPP) state, where power (V&#xd7;I) drawn from the solar cell is maximum, wherein the solar cell in response to the changes in its voltage and the incident light emits luminescent radiation with an intensity corresponding to the at least two states, thereby forming a wireless transmitter.

An image sensor is provided, the image sensor comprising a plurality of photo-diode pixels arranged in a two-dimensional array, an energy harvesting output bus connected to the plurality of photo-diode pixels, an image sensing output bus connected to the plurality of photo-diode pixels, and a plurality of switching buses connected to the plurality of photo-diode pixels to direct output of a varying percentage of the pixels to either the energy harvesting output bus or the image sensing output bus.

The invention presents a dual-mode hybrid high occupancy capacity vehicle (HHOCV) with a novel electrical energy and power storage application, electrical energy and power source and charging system in conjunction with additional methods to maximize the energy and rate of use such that the overall system is far superior to multiple personal transportation vehicles and roadway based catenary mass transit systems, including, but not limited to petroleum-only fueled high occupancy capacity vehicles. The HHOCV exhibits a novel battery charging system by taking advantage of existing track/trolley/catenary facilities for electrically charging its electrical storage media at a high energy rate so as to minimize disruption of such charging services, and is not confined by physical boundaries or limitations and may travel off the power source to the existing common roadways returning only to be recharged. The design incorporates software controllers and other devices to maintain the energy transfer rate and is of such physical size that the overall invention may either be retrofitted to existing buses or designed within new high occupancy vehicles.

Growing community of inventors

West Lafayette, IN, United States of America

Walter Daniel Leon-Salas