Electronic device and energy harvesting method therefor

Abstract

Various embodiments of the present disclosure relate to an electronic device for determining whether to drive at least one corresponding harvesting unit on the basis of an operation state of at least one component of the electronic device, and an energy harvesting method therefor. To this end, the electronic device can determine an operation state of at least one component of the electronic device, determine whether to drive at least one corresponding harvesting unit on the basis of the operation state, drive the at least one corresponding harvesting unit on the basis of determining whether to drive same, and, in response to driving the at least one corresponding harvesting unit, convert, into electrical energy, at least one leakage energy generated in the at least one corresponding component.

Description

Electronic device and energy harvesting method thereof

[0001] Various embodiments of the present disclosure relate to an electronic device and an energy harvesting method thereof that determine whether to drive at least one harvesting unit based on an operating state of at least one component of the electronic device.

[0002] Energy harvesting is a technology that recaptures energy leaked from various energy sources such as heat, light, vibration, and electromagnetic waves and converts it into electrical energy.

[0003] In electronic devices, the use of electrical energy harvested through energy harvesting as a power source can also be considered. In this case, the standby power consumption of the energy harvesting circuit needs to be minimized.

[0004] Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide electronic devices and methods for energy harvesting.

[0005] Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide an electronic device and an energy harvesting method thereof that determine whether to drive at least one harvesting unit based on an operating state of at least one component of the electronic device.

[0006] Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide an electronic device and method for converting and storing collected leakage energies into electrical energy and providing the electrical energy to at least one low-power operating module in a standby mode when the power is cut off.

[0007] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, an electronic device may include at least one harvesting unit that converts at least one leakage energy generated from at least one component of the electronic device into electrical energy; a memory that stores at least one instruction; and at least one processor electrically connected to the memory and that executes the at least one instruction. The at least one processor may determine an operating state of the at least one component; determine whether to drive a corresponding at least one harvesting unit based on the operating state; and drive the corresponding at least one harvesting unit based on the determination of whether to drive.

[0008] According to one embodiment, the at least one harvesting unit may include at least one of a photoelectric element harvesting unit, an RF harvesting unit, a thermoelectric element harvesting unit, and a piezoelectric element harvesting unit.

[0009] According to one embodiment, the at least one component may include at least one of a display panel, a speaker, a wireless communication unit, a DC power supply unit, a dimming controller, the at least one processor, and a main board on which the at least one processor is mounted.

[0010] According to one embodiment, the operating state of the at least one component may include at least one of a state in which the backlight of the display panel is turned on, a state in which the volume of the speaker is higher than a predetermined volume, a state in which the wireless communication unit is operating, and a state in which the temperature of any one of the DC power supply unit, the dimming controller, the at least one processor, and the main board is higher than a predetermined temperature.

[0011] According to one embodiment, the at least one leakage energy may include at least one of optical energy, vibrational energy, RF energy, and thermal energy.

[0012] According to one embodiment, the light energy may be generated when the backlight of the display panel is turned on; the vibration energy may be generated when the volume of the speaker is at a predetermined level or higher; the RF energy may be generated when the wireless communication unit is in operation; and the thermal energy may be generated when the temperature of any one of the DC power supply unit, the dimming controller, the at least one processor, and the main board is at a predetermined level or higher.

[0013] According to one embodiment, the at least one harvesting unit may further include a charging unit that stores the converted electrical energy.

[0014] According to one embodiment, the standby mode power supply unit may further include a standby mode power supply unit that converts the electric energy stored in the charging unit into electric power and provides it to at least one low-power operation module in a standby mode in which power is cut off.

[0015] According to one embodiment, the low-power operation module may include a microcomputer, a WiFi module, a Bluetooth module, and an IR module.

[0016] In addition, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a method for harvesting energy in an electronic device may include an operation of determining an operating state of at least one component of the electronic device; an operation of determining whether to drive at least one corresponding harvesting unit based on the operating state; an operation of driving the at least one corresponding harvesting unit based on the determination of whether to drive; and an operation of converting at least one leakage energy generated in the at least one corresponding component into electrical energy in response to driving the at least one corresponding harvesting unit.

[0017] According to one embodiment, the at least one harvesting unit may include at least one of a photoelectric element harvesting unit, an RF harvesting unit, a thermoelectric element harvesting unit, and a piezoelectric element harvesting unit.

[0018] According to one embodiment, the at least one component may include at least one of a display panel, a speaker, a wireless communication unit, a DC power supply unit, a dimming controller, at least one processor, and a main board having the at least one processor mounted thereon.

[0019] According to one embodiment, the operating state of the at least one component may include at least one of a state in which the backlight of the display panel is turned on, a state in which the volume of the speaker is higher than a predetermined volume, a state in which the wireless communication unit is operating, and a state in which the temperature of any one of the DC power supply unit, the dimming controller, the at least one processor, and the main board is higher than a predetermined temperature.

[0020] According to one embodiment, the at least one leakage energy may include at least one of optical energy, vibrational energy, RF energy, and thermal energy.

[0021] According to one embodiment, the light energy may be generated when the backlight of the display panel is turned on; the vibration energy may be generated when the volume of the speaker is at a predetermined level or higher; the RF energy may be generated when the wireless communication unit is in operation; and the thermal energy may be generated when the temperature of any one of the DC power supply unit, the dimming controller, the at least one processor, and the main board is at a predetermined level or higher.

[0022] According to one embodiment, the device may further include an operation of storing the electrical energy converted by at least one harvesting unit.

[0023] According to one embodiment, the method may further include converting the stored electrical energy into power and providing it to at least one low-power operation module in a standby mode in which power is cut off.

[0024] According to one embodiment, the low-power operation module may include a microcomputer, a WiFi module, a Bluetooth module, and an IR module.

[0025] In addition, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon a program for performing the method may be included.

[0026] According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, by determining the operating state of at least one component of an electronic device and determining whether to drive at least one harvesting unit corresponding to the operating state, the power consumed for collecting leakage energy can be minimized, thereby efficiently collecting leakage energy. In addition, the collected leakage energy can be utilized as a driving power source in standby mode without the need for a separate input of external energy. In particular, by utilizing the collected leakage energy as a power source for driving low-power operating modules such as a microcomputer and a wireless communication unit, the low-power operating modules can be driven energy-efficiently without using separate external energy.

[0027] The effects that can be obtained from the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to the effects mentioned above, and other effects not mentioned can be clearly derived and understood by those skilled in the art to which the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure pertain from the following description. In other words, unintended effects resulting from implementing the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure can also be derived by those skilled in the art from the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0028] FIG. 1 is a schematic conceptual diagram of an energy harvesting electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0029] FIG. 2 illustrates components of an electronic device that generates thermal energy according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0030] FIG. 3 illustrates components of an electronic device that generates vibration energy according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0031] FIG. 4 illustrates components of an electronic device that generates optical energy according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0032] FIG. 5 illustrates components of an electronic device that generates RF energy according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0033] FIG. 6 is a schematic block diagram of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0034] FIG. 7 illustrates a circuit diagram of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0035] FIG. 8 is a schematic flowchart of a method for harvesting energy by an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0036] FIGS. 9A to 9D are flowcharts for determining whether to drive a harvesting unit according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0037] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings so that those skilled in the art can easily implement the present disclosure. However, the present disclosure may be implemented in various different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. In connection with the description of the drawings, the same or similar reference numerals may be used for identical or similar components. Furthermore, in the drawings and related descriptions, descriptions of well-known functions and configurations may be omitted for clarity and conciseness.

[0038] FIG. 1 is a schematic conceptual diagram of an energy harvesting electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0039] According to one embodiment, at least one leakage energy may be generated in an electronic device from various energy sources (110). The at least one leakage energy may include at least one of thermal energy, vibration energy, solar energy, and RF energy. Components (or modules) of the electronic device that generate the at least one leakage energy are described below with reference to FIGS. 2 to 5.

[0040] According to one embodiment, the electronic device may include at least one harvesting unit (120) that converts the at least one leakage energy into electrical energy. Each harvesting unit (120) may include any one of a photoelectric element harvesting unit, an RF harvesting unit, a thermoelectric element harvesting unit, and a piezoelectric element harvesting unit. Alternatively, each harvesting unit (120) may include at least one of a photoelectric element harvesting unit, an RF harvesting unit, a thermoelectric element harvesting unit, and a piezoelectric element harvesting unit. The harvesting unit (120) may be implemented as a power management integrated circuit (PMIC) that generates electrical energy using each energy harvesting element and manages the generated electrical energy, but is not limited thereto. The harvesting unit (120) may include a reconfigurable converter and a control circuit.

[0041] According to one embodiment, an electronic device can determine an operating state of at least one component of the electronic device, and determine whether to drive at least one corresponding harvesting unit based on the operating state. The electronic device can drive the corresponding at least one harvesting unit based on the determination of whether to drive. The electronic device can convert at least one leakage energy generated in the corresponding at least one component into electrical energy by the driven at least one harvesting unit.

[0042] According to one embodiment, the at least one component may include at least one of a display panel, a speaker, a wireless communication unit, a DC power supply unit, a dimming controller, at least one processor, and a main board having the at least one processor mounted thereon.

[0043] According to one embodiment, the operating state of the at least one component may include at least one of a state in which the backlight of the display panel is turned on, a state in which the volume of the speaker is higher than a predetermined volume, a state in which the wireless communication unit is operating, and a state in which the temperature of any one of the DC power supply unit, the dimming controller, the at least one processor, and the main board is higher than a predetermined temperature.

[0044] In one embodiment, the optical energy may be generated when the backlight of the display panel is turned on. The vibration energy may be generated when the volume of the speaker is at a predetermined level or higher. The RF energy may be generated when the wireless communication unit is in operation. The thermal energy may be generated when the temperature of any one of the DC power supply unit, the dimming controller, the at least one processor, and the main board is at a predetermined level or higher.

[0045] According to one embodiment, the electronic device may further include a charging unit (130). The charging unit (130) may store electric energy converted by at least one harvesting unit. The charging unit (130) may include at least one of a battery and a super capacitor (130), but is not limited thereto. The battery may store chemical energy of ions (e.g., lithium ions) released by causing a chemical reaction (e.g., oxidation reaction) with electricity. The super capacitor (130) may store physical energy (e.g., charge amount) in an ion layer formed on the surface of an electric double layer by utilizing an electrostatic phenomenon of electric charges.

[0046] According to one embodiment, the electronic device may further include a standby mode power supply unit (140). The standby mode power supply unit (140) may convert electric energy stored in the charging unit (130) into a predetermined voltage, thereby providing power to at least one low-power operation module in a standby mode in which power is cut off. The low-power operation module may include a microcomputer (160) and a wireless communication unit (150). The wireless communication unit (150) may include at least one of a WiFi module, a Bluetooth module, an IR module, a UWB module, and a Zigbee module, but is not limited thereto. In the illustrated example, the standby mode power supply unit (140) may convert the amount of charge stored in the charging unit (130) into a predetermined voltage (e.g., 5 V or 3.3 V) capable of driving the low-power operation module, thereby providing power to at least one low-power operation module in a standby mode in which power is cut off.

[0047] FIG. 2 illustrates components of an electronic device that generates thermal energy according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0048] Referring to the illustrated example, the thermal energy may be generated based on, but is not limited to, the operation of any one of a switching mode power supply (SMPS) (210), a dimming controller (220), at least one processor (230), and various semiconductors mounted on a main board (240). The DC power supply (210) may receive AC power from a power source, convert it into DC power, and then supply DC power to other electronic components. The DC power supply (210) may include a switching transistor, and may supply DC power to other electronic components based on a switching operation. The dimming controller (220) may control the backlight brightness by adjusting a dimming value (or duty) based on input image analysis, and may compensate for image data. In the illustrated example, the locations of the DC power supply (210), the dimming controller (220), and the at least one processor (230) are merely examples, and it will be understood by those skilled in the art that they are not limited to specific locations within the electronic device.

[0049] FIG. 3 illustrates components of an electronic device that generates vibration energy according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0050] Referring to the illustrated example, the vibration energy may be generated based on the driving of the speaker (310). The vibration energy may be generated based on the frequency of vibration of the speaker (310). According to one embodiment, the speaker (310) includes a vibrating body and may output sound. The speaker (310) may stimulate the vibrating body to convert an electrical signal into vibration energy and output sound. In the illustrated example, the speaker (310) is located on one side (e.g., the bottom) of the electronic device, but is not limited thereto.

[0051] FIG. 4 illustrates components of an electronic device that generates optical energy according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0052] Referring to the illustrated example, the light energy may be generated based on the backlight driving of the display panel (410) within the electronic device. Additionally, the light energy may include light energy that exists naturally outside the electronic device. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the location of the display panel (410) in the illustrated example is merely an example and is not limited to a specific location within the electronic device.

[0053] FIG. 5 illustrates components of an electronic device that generates RF energy according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0054] Referring to the illustrated example, the RF energy may be generated in the wireless antenna based on the operation of the wireless communication unit. The wireless communication unit may include at least one of a WiFi module, a Bluetooth module, a UWB module, and a Zigbee module, but is not limited thereto. The wireless antenna may include a WiFi antenna (510), a Bluetooth antenna, a UWB antenna, and a Zigbee antenna, but is not limited thereto. In the illustrated example, the WiFi antenna (510) is located at one side (e.g., the bottom) of the electronic device, but is not limited thereto.

[0055] FIG. 6 is a schematic block diagram of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0056] Referring to FIG. 6, the electronic device (600) may include at least one processor (610), a memory (620), a wireless communication unit (630), an image input unit (640), a display (650), a speaker (660), a harvesting unit (670), a charging unit (680), and a standby mode power supply unit (690). There may be more than one harvesting unit (670). The electronic device (600) may further include at least one of a microcomputer (160), a DC power supply unit (210), a dimming controller (220), a main board (240) having at least one processor (610) mounted thereon, and a wired communication unit (not shown). The harvesting unit (670), the charging unit (680), and the standby mode power supply unit (690) may correspond to the harvesting unit (120), the charging unit (130), and the standby mode power supply unit (140) illustrated in FIG. 1, respectively. The electronic device (600) may include additional components in addition to the illustrated components, or may omit at least one of the illustrated components.

[0057] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (600) may include a user device capable of performing various computing functions, such as video viewing and communication. The electronic device (600) may be, but is not limited to, a TV, a desktop computer, a smartphone, a laptop, a tablet PC, a mobile phone, a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), a laptop, a media player, an e-book reader, a digital broadcasting terminal, a navigation device, a kiosk, a digital camera, a home appliance, or other mobile or non-mobile computing devices. In addition, the electronic device (600) may be a wearable terminal, such as a watch or glasses, capable of performing various computing functions, such as video viewing and communication. The electronic device (600) may be a terminal in various forms without limitation to the above-described contents.

[0058] According to one embodiment, the memory (620) is a storage medium used by the electronic device (600) and can store data such as at least one command or setting information corresponding to at least one program. The program may include an operating system (OS) program and various application programs. The memory (620) may be configured as volatile memory, nonvolatile memory, or a combination of volatile memory and nonvolatile memory. The memory (620) can provide stored data upon request of at least one processor (610).

[0059] According to one embodiment, the video input unit (640) can receive video and video information through a tuner (not shown), an input / output unit (not shown), a wired communication unit (not shown), or a wireless communication unit (630). The video information can include video metadata including video identification information, genre information, cast information, and character information. To this end, the video input unit (640) can include at least one of the tuner and the input / output unit. The tuner can select only the frequency of a broadcast channel to be received by the electronic device (600) from among many radio wave components through amplification, mixing, resonance, etc. of a broadcast signal received wired or wirelessly. The broadcast signal can include video, audio, and additional data (e.g., an Electronic Program Guide (EPG)). The tuner can receive real-time broadcast channels (or real-time viewing videos) from various broadcast sources such as terrestrial broadcasting, cable broadcasting, satellite broadcasting, and Internet broadcasting. The above tuner may be implemented as an integral part of the electronic device (600) or as a separate tuner electrically connected to the electronic device (600). The input / output unit may include at least one of an HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) input port, a component input jack, a PC input port, and a USB input jack, which can receive images and image information from an external device of the electronic device (600) under the control of at least one processor (610). It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the input / output unit may be added, deleted, and / or changed depending on the performance and structure of the electronic device (600).

[0060] According to one embodiment, the display (650) may perform functions for outputting information in the form of numbers, characters, images, and / or graphics. The display (650) may include at least one display panel for outputting. The at least one display panel may include, for example, at least one of a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD), a Light Emitting Diode (LED), a Light Emitting Polymer Display (LPD), an Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED), an Active Matrix Organic Light Emitting Diode (AMOLED), and a Flexible LED (FLED). The display panel may include a plurality of signal lines, for example, a plurality of gate lines (GL), a plurality of data lines (DL), and a plurality of sensing lines (SL), and may include a plurality of pixels (PX), for example, a pixel array, connected to the plurality of signal lines and arranged in a matrix form. The plurality of pixels (PX) display one color among red, green, and blue, and a pixel displaying red, a pixel displaying green, and a pixel displaying blue may be sequentially and repeatedly arranged. A user can perceive a single color of light mixed with red, green, and blue light displayed from adjacent pixels (PX). The display (650) can display a screen corresponding to data received from at least one processor (610). The display (650) may be referred to as an "output unit," a "display unit," or other terms having equivalent technical meanings.

[0061] According to one embodiment, the wireless communication unit (630) may include a wireless communication interface that enables communication with an external device. The wireless communication unit (630) may include at least one of a wireless LAN communication unit and a short-range communication unit. The wireless LAN communication unit may include, for example, WiFi and may support the wireless LAN standard (IEEE802.11x) of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). The wireless LAN communication unit may be wirelessly connected to an AP (Access Point) under the control of at least one processor (610). The short-range communication unit may wirelessly perform short-range communication with an external device under the control of at least one processor (610). Short-range communication may include Bluetooth, Bluetooth Low Energy, Infrared Data Association (IrDA), Ultra Wide Band (UWB), and Near Field Communication (NFC). The external device may include a server device that provides video services, etc., and a mobile terminal (e.g., a phone, a tablet, etc.).

[0062] According to one embodiment, the wired communication unit (not shown) may include a wired communication interface that enables communication with an external device. The wired communication unit may include a wired Ethernet.

[0063] According to one embodiment, the speaker (660) includes a vibrating body and can output sound. The speaker (660) can stimulate the vibrating body to convert an electrical signal into vibration energy and output sound.

[0064] According to one embodiment, the harvesting unit (670) can convert at least one leakage energy into electrical energy. There may be one or more harvesting units (670). Each harvesting unit (670) may include any one of a photovoltaic element harvesting unit, an RF harvesting unit, a thermoelectric element harvesting unit, and a piezoelectric element harvesting unit. Alternatively, each harvesting unit (670) may include at least one of a photovoltaic element harvesting unit, an RF harvesting unit, a thermoelectric element harvesting unit, and a piezoelectric element harvesting unit. The harvesting unit (670) may be implemented as a power management integrated circuit (PMIC) that generates electrical energy using each energy harvesting element and manages the generated electrical energy, but is not limited thereto. The harvesting unit (670) may include a reconfigurable converter and a control circuit.

[0065] According to one embodiment, the at least one leakage energy may include at least one of light energy, vibration energy, RF energy, and thermal energy. The light energy may be generated when the backlight of the display panel is turned on. The vibration energy may be generated when the volume of the speaker (660) is at a predetermined volume or higher. The RF energy may be generated when the wireless communication unit (630) is in operation. The thermal energy may be generated when the temperature of any one of the DC power supply unit (210), the dimming controller (220), the at least one processor (610), and the main board on which the at least one processor (610) is mounted is at a predetermined temperature or higher.

[0066] According to one embodiment, at least one processor (610) may execute at least one instruction stored in the memory (620) to perform calculations or data processing related to control and / or communication of at least one other component of the electronic device (600). The at least one processor (610) may include at least one of a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), a micro controller unit (MCU), a sensor hub, a supplementary processor, a communication processor, an application processor, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or a field programmable gate array (FPGA), and may have multiple cores.

[0067] According to one embodiment, at least one processor (610) can determine an operating state of at least one component of the electronic device (600). The at least one component may include at least one of the display panel, the speaker (660), the wireless communication unit (630), the DC power supply unit (210), the dimming controller (220), at least one processor (610), and the main board (240) on which the at least one processor (610) is mounted. The operating state of the at least one component may include at least one of a state in which the backlight of the display panel is turned on, a state in which the volume of the speaker (660) is equal to or greater than a predetermined volume, a state in which the wireless communication unit (630) is operating, and a state in which the temperature of any one of the DC power supply unit (210), the dimming controller (220), the at least one processor (610), and the main board (240) is equal to or greater than a predetermined temperature.

[0068] According to one embodiment, at least one processor (610) can determine whether to drive at least one corresponding harvesting unit based on the operating state.

[0069] According to one embodiment, at least one processor (610) may drive at least one corresponding harvesting unit based on the determination of whether to drive. For example, when the backlight of the display panel of the electronic device (600) is turned on, at least one processor (610) may determine to drive the corresponding photoelectric element harvesting unit and may drive the photoelectric element harvesting unit by setting the power of the photoelectric element harvesting unit to 'ON'. For example, when the electronic device (600) is in a music listening mode or a background operation mode, the backlight of the display panel may be turned off. When the backlight is turned off, at least one processor (610) may control not to drive the photoelectric element harvesting unit by setting the power of the corresponding photoelectric element harvesting unit to 'OFF'.

[0070] According to one embodiment, the charging unit (680) can store electric energy converted by at least one harvesting unit (670). The charging unit (680) can include, but is not limited to, at least one of a battery and a super capacitor (130). The battery can store chemical energy of ions (e.g., lithium ions) released by causing a chemical reaction (e.g., oxidation reaction) with electricity. The super capacitor (130) can store physical energy (e.g., charge amount) in an ion layer formed on the surface of an electric double layer by utilizing an electrostatic phenomenon of electric charges.

[0071] According to one embodiment, the standby mode power supply unit (690) can convert the electric energy stored in the charging unit (680) into power and provide it to at least one low-power operation module in the standby mode where the power is cut off. The low-power operation module may include a microcomputer (160) and a wireless communication unit (630). The wireless communication unit (630) may include at least one of a WiFi module, a Bluetooth module, an IR module, a UWB module, and a Zigbee module, but is not limited thereto. For example, the standby mode power supply unit (690) can convert the amount of charge stored in the charging unit (680) into a predetermined voltage (e.g., 5 V or 3.3 V) capable of driving the low-power operation module, and provide power to at least one low-power operation module in the standby mode where the power is cut off.

[0072] FIG. 7 illustrates a circuit diagram of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0073] In one embodiment, a switching mode power supply (SMPS) (740) can receive AC power from a power source, convert it into DC power, and then supply DC power to other electronic components. The SMPS (740) can correspond to the DC power supply unit (210) of FIG. 2. The SMPS (740) can include a switching transistor and can supply DC power to other electronic components based on a switching operation.

[0074] In one embodiment, the DCDC converter (750) can step down an input voltage to a lower output voltage or step up a higher output voltage. For example, the DCDC converter (750) can step down an input voltage of 13 V to 3.3 V. The stepped down 3.3 V can be provided to the microcomputer (715).

[0075] In one embodiment, the photovoltaic PMIC (721) can convert optical energy leaked from a photovoltaic energy source (731) that generates light or sunlight (e.g., optical energy leaked while the backlight is on) into electrical energy. The photovoltaic PMIC (721) can utilize the photoelectric effect, in which electrons are emitted from the surface of a metal and current flows when light is applied to the metal due to the particle nature of light. To this end, the photovoltaic PMIC (721) can include a photovoltaic element. The photovoltaic PMIC (721) can include a solar cell composed of the photovoltaic element. The photovoltaic PMIC (721) can generate electrical energy by emitting photoelectrons when photons are incident from inside the electronic device (e.g., the display panel (410)) or outside the electronic device.

[0076] In one embodiment, the piezoelectric element PMIC (722) can convert vibration energy leaked from the vibration energy source (732) (e.g., vibration energy leaked from the speaker (310)) into electrical energy. To this end, the piezoelectric element PMIC (722) can include a piezoelectric element. The piezoelectric element PMIC (722) can maximize output power by matching its frequency to the ambient vibration frequency using the piezoelectric element. The frequency of the piezoelectric element that matches the frequency of the ambient vibration can be referred to as a resonant frequency. When the frequency of the ambient vibration and the resonant frequency of the piezoelectric element match, displacement amplification occurs, and therefore the piezoelectric element PMIC (722) can generate the largest electrical energy. The piezoelectric element PMIC (722) can further include a rectifier. The piezoelectric element can output an alternating current (AC) voltage, and the rectifier can convert the AC voltage into a direct current voltage.

[0077] In one embodiment, the RF PMIC (723) can convert RF energy from an RF energy source (733) into electrical energy. The RF PMIC (723) can be connected to a wireless antenna (e.g., a WiFi antenna (510)) and can include a rectifier. Since electromagnetic waves in the air are composed of changing magnetic and electric fields, an alternating current can be generated in the wireless antenna according to the law of electromagnetic induction. The RF PMIC (723) can amplify the alternating current generated in the wireless antenna and convert it into a direct current.

[0078] In one embodiment, the thermoelectric device PMIC (724) can convert thermal energy leaked from a thermal energy source (734) (e.g., thermal energy leaked when at least one processor is at a predetermined temperature or higher) into electrical energy. The thermoelectric device PMIC (724) can generate electrical energy by utilizing the thermoelectric effect in which a temperature difference of an object is converted into a potential difference. The thermoelectric device may refer to a device that generates electrical energy by utilizing the thermoelectric effect. The thermoelectric device PMIC (724) can harvest electrical energy having a sufficiently high potential (e.g., about 1 V or higher) even when the temperature difference of the thermoelectric device is small (e.g., ΔT < 10°C). The thermoelectric device PMIC (724) can generate a corresponding output power (e.g., 1 mW) even when the magnitude of the output voltage is small (e.g., 100 mV) due to a small temperature difference.

[0079] In one embodiment, the CPU (710) can determine the operating status of at least one component. The at least one component may include at least one of the display panel, the speaker (660), the wireless communication unit (630), the DC power supply unit (210), the dimming controller (220), at least one processor (610), and the main board (240) on which the at least one processor (610) is mounted. The optical energy source (731) may include the display panel. The vibration energy source (732) may include the speaker (660). The RF energy source (733) may include the wireless communication unit (630). The thermal energy source (734) may include the DC power supply unit (210), the dimming controller (220), at least one processor (610), and the main board (240) on which the at least one processor (610) is mounted. The operating state of the at least one component may include at least one of a state in which the backlight of the display panel is turned on, a state in which the volume of the speaker (660) is higher than a predetermined volume, a state in which the wireless communication unit (630) is operating, and a state in which the temperature of any one of the DC power supply unit (210), the dimming controller (220), the at least one processor (610), and the main board (240) is higher than a predetermined temperature.

[0080] In one embodiment, the CPU (710) may determine whether to drive at least one corresponding PMIC based on the operating status. According to one embodiment, at least one processor (610) may drive the at least one corresponding PMIC based on the determination of whether to drive.

[0081] In one embodiment, at least some of the components within the electronic device are interconnected and capable of exchanging signals (e.g., commands or data) with each other via a communication method between peripheral electronic components (or modules). The communication method between the electronic modules may include a bus, a general purpose input and output (GPIO), a serial peripheral interface (SPI), and a mobile industry processor interface (MIPI).

[0082] In one embodiment, the CPU (710) may include at least one GPIO (general purpose input output) port, which is a general-purpose input / output port for communicating with peripheral electronic modules. For example, the CPU (710) may include GPIO ports #1 to #4. GPIO ports #1 to #4 may be sequentially set to 'ON' or 'OFF' to control whether the photoelectric element PMIC (721), the piezoelectric element PMIC (722), the RF PMIC (723), and the thermoelectric element PMIC (724) are driven. For example, the CPU (710) may set GPIO port #1 to 'ON' when the backlight is turned on, and may set GPIO port #3 to 'ON' when the BT / WiFi / IR module (790) is in operation. When GPIO port #1 and GPIO port #3 are set to 'ON', the CPU (710) can control the FET (780) to drive the photoelectric element PMIC (721) and the RF PMIC (723). In one embodiment, the FET (field effect transistor) (780) can switch a channel through which current flows under the control of the CPU (710). When GPIO port #1 and GPIO port #3 are set to 'ON', the FET (780) can drive the photoelectric element PMIC (721) and the RF PMIC (723) by switching a channel through which current flows to the photoelectric element PMIC (721) and the RF PMIC (723).

[0083] In one embodiment, the charging unit (760) may include, but is not limited to, at least one of a battery and a supercapacitor. The battery may store chemical energy of ions (e.g., lithium ions) released by a chemical reaction (e.g., an oxidation reaction) with electricity. The supercapacitor may store physical energy (e.g., charge) in an ion layer formed on the surface of an electric double layer by utilizing an electrostatic phenomenon of charges.

[0084] In one embodiment, the Charging Level Check IC (765) can measure the level of electric energy stored in the charging unit (760). If the level of the measured electric energy is higher than a predetermined level, the Charger IC (775) can block the channel through which power is supplied from the SMPS (740), thereby allowing power to be supplied from the charging unit (760).

[0085] In one embodiment, the standby mode power supply IC (770) can convert the electric energy stored in the charging unit (760) into power and provide it to at least one low-power operation module in a standby mode where power is cut off. The low-power operation module can include a microcomputer (715) and a BT / WiFi / IR module (790). For example, the standby mode power supply IC (770) can convert the amount of charge stored in the charging unit (760) into a predetermined voltage (e.g., 5 V) capable of driving the BT / WiFi / IR module (790) and provide power to the BT / WiFi / IR module (790) in a standby mode where power is cut off.

[0086] FIG. 8 is a schematic flowchart of a method for harvesting energy by an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIGS. 9A to 9D are flowcharts for determining whether to drive a harvesting unit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The electronic devices of FIGS. 8 and 9A to 9D may be electronic devices corresponding to the electronic device (600) of FIG. 6. In the operations of the electronic devices described in FIGS. 8 and 9A to 9D, parts that overlap with those described in the previous paragraph, such as FIG. 6, may be omitted. Some of the operations illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9A to 9D may be omitted, and operations not illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9A to 9D may be added.

[0087] Referring to FIG. 8, in operation 810 according to one embodiment, the electronic device (600) may determine an operating state of at least one component of the electronic device (600). The at least one component may include at least one of a display panel, a speaker, a wireless communication unit, a DC power supply unit, a dimming controller, at least one processor, and a main board having at least one processor mounted thereon. The operating state of the at least one component may include at least one of a state in which the backlight of the display panel is turned on, a state in which the volume of the speaker is equal to or greater than a predetermined volume, a state in which the wireless communication unit is operating, and a state in which a temperature of any one of the DC power supply unit, the dimming controller, the at least one processor, and the main board is equal to or greater than a predetermined temperature.

[0088] In operation 820 according to one embodiment, the electronic device (600) can determine whether to drive at least one corresponding harvesting unit based on the operating state.

[0089] In operation 830 according to one embodiment, the electronic device (600) may drive at least one corresponding harvesting unit based on the determination of whether to drive.

[0090] Referring to FIG. 9A, in operation 911 according to one embodiment, the electronic device (600) may determine whether the backlight of the display panel is turned on. For example, when the electronic device (600) is in a music listening mode or a background operation mode, the backlight of the display panel may be turned off. If the backlight is turned on, the process may proceed to operation 913, and if the backlight is turned off, the process may proceed to operation 914. In operation 913, the electronic device (600) may control the photoelectric element harvesting unit to be driven by setting the power of the photoelectric element harvesting unit to 'ON'. In operation 914, the electronic device (600) may control the photoelectric element harvesting unit not to be driven by setting the power of the photoelectric element harvesting unit to 'OFF'.

[0091] Referring to FIG. 9B, in operation 921 according to one embodiment, the electronic device (600) may measure the temperature of at least one processor. If the temperature of the at least one processor is higher than a predetermined temperature, the process may proceed to operation 923, and if the temperature is lower than the predetermined temperature, the process may proceed to operation 924. In operation 923, the electronic device (600) may control the thermoelectric element harvesting unit to be driven by setting the power of the thermoelectric element harvesting unit to 'ON'. In operation 924, the electronic device (600) may control the thermoelectric element harvesting unit not to be driven by setting the power of the thermoelectric element harvesting unit to 'OFF'.

[0092] Referring to FIG. 9C, in operation 931 according to one embodiment, the electronic device (600) may determine whether the wireless communication unit is operating. If the wireless communication unit is operating, the process may proceed to operation 933, and if the wireless communication unit is not operating, the process may proceed to operation 934. In operation 933, the electronic device (600) may control the RF harvesting unit to be driven by setting the power of the RF harvesting unit to 'ON'. In operation 934, the electronic device (600) may control the RF harvesting unit not to be driven by setting the power of the RF harvesting unit to 'OFF'.

[0093] Referring to FIG. 9D , in operation 941 according to one embodiment, the electronic device (600) may measure the volume of the speaker. If the volume of the speaker is higher than a predetermined volume, the process may proceed to operation 943, and if the volume is lower than the predetermined volume, the process may proceed to operation 944. In operation 943, the electronic device (600) may control the piezoelectric element harvesting unit to be driven by setting the power of the piezoelectric element harvesting unit to 'ON'. In operation 944, the electronic device (600) may control the piezoelectric element harvesting unit not to be driven by setting the power of the piezoelectric element harvesting unit to 'OFF'.

[0094] Referring back to FIG. 8, in operation 830 according to one embodiment, the electronic device (600) may convert at least one leakage energy into electrical energy by at least one driven harvesting unit. The at least one leakage energy may include at least one of light energy, vibration energy, RF energy, and thermal energy. The light energy may be generated when the backlight of the display panel is turned on. The vibration energy may be generated when the volume of the speaker is at or above a predetermined volume. The RF energy may be generated when the wireless communication unit is operating. The thermal energy may be generated when the temperature of any one of the DC power supply unit, the dimming controller, the at least one processor, and the main board is at or above a predetermined temperature.

[0095] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (600) can store electrical energy converted by at least one harvesting unit.

[0096] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (600) may convert the stored electrical energy into power and provide it to at least one low-power operation module in a standby mode in which the power is cut off. The low-power operation module may include a microcomputer and a wireless communication unit. The wireless communication unit may include, but is not limited to, at least one of a WiFi module, a Bluetooth module, an IR module, a UWB module, and a Zigbee module.

[0097] Electronic devices according to the various embodiments disclosed in this document may take various forms. Electronic devices may include, for example, display devices, portable communication devices (e.g., smartphones), computer devices, portable multimedia devices, portable medical devices, cameras, wearable devices, or home appliances. Electronic devices according to the embodiments of this document are not limited to the aforementioned devices.

[0098] The various embodiments of this document and the terminology used herein are not intended to limit the technical features described in this document to specific embodiments, but should be understood to include various modifications, equivalents, or substitutes of the embodiments. For example, a component expressed in the singular should be understood to include a concept including plural components unless the context clearly indicates only the singular. It should be understood that the term "and / or" used in this document encompasses any and all possible combinations of one or more of the listed items. The terms "comprise," "have," "consist of," and the like used in this disclosure are intended to specify only the presence of a feature, component, part, or combination thereof described in this disclosure, and the use of such terms does not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, components, parts, or combinations thereof. In this document, phrases such as "A or B", "at least one of A and B", "at least one of A or B", "A, B, or C", "at least one of A, B, and C", and "at least one of A, B, or C" can each include any one of the items listed together in that phrase, or all possible combinations thereof. Terms such as "first", "second", or "first" or "second" may be used merely to distinguish the corresponding element from other corresponding elements and do not limit the corresponding elements in any other respect (e.g., importance or order).

[0099] The terms "part" or "module" used in various embodiments of this document may include units implemented in hardware, software, or firmware, and may be used interchangeably with terms such as logic, logic block, component, or circuit. The "part" or "module" may be an integrally formed component or a minimum unit or part of the component that performs one or more functions. For example, according to one embodiment, the "part" or "module" may be implemented in the form of an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC).

[0100] The term “if” as used in various embodiments of this document may be interpreted to mean “when”, “when”, “in response to determining”, or “in response to detecting”, depending on the context. Similarly, “if it is determined that” or “if ~ is detected” may be interpreted to mean “upon determining”, “in response to determining”, or “upon detecting”, or “in response to detecting”, depending on the context.

[0101] The program executed by the electronic device (600) described in this document may be implemented as hardware components, software components, and / or a combination of hardware components and software components. The program may be executed by any system capable of executing computer-readable instructions.

[0102] Software may include a computer program, code, instructions, or a combination of one or more of these, which can configure a processing device to perform a desired operation or command the processing device, either independently or collectively. Software may be implemented as a computer program including instructions stored on a computer-readable storage medium. Examples of the computer-readable storage medium include magnetic storage media (e.g., read-only memory (ROM), random-access memory (RAM), floppy disks, hard disks, etc.) and optical reading media (e.g., CD-ROMs, digital versatile discs (DVDs)). The computer-readable storage medium may be distributed across network-connected computer systems so that the computer-readable code can be stored and executed in a distributed manner. Computer programs can be distributed online (e.g., by download or upload) through an application store (e.g., Play Store™) or directly between two user devices (e.g., smartphones). In the case of online distribution, at least a portion of the computer program product may be temporarily stored or temporarily created on a device-readable storage medium, such as the memory of a manufacturer's server, an application store's server, or an intermediary server.

[0103] According to various embodiments, each component (e.g., a module or a program) of the above-described components may include one or more entities, and some of the entities may be separated and placed in other components. According to various embodiments, one or more components or operations of the aforementioned components may be omitted, or one or more other components or operations may be added. Alternatively or additionally, a plurality of components (e.g., a module or a program) may be integrated into a single component. In such a case, the integrated component may perform one or more functions of each of the plurality of components identically or similarly to those performed by the corresponding component among the plurality of components prior to the integration. According to various embodiments, the operations performed by a module, program, or other component may be executed sequentially, in parallel, iteratively, or heuristically, or one or more of the operations may be executed in a different order, omitted, or one or more other operations may be added.

Claims

1. In electronic devices, At least one harvesting unit for converting at least one leakage energy generated from at least one component of the electronic device into electrical energy; a memory storing at least one instruction; and At least one processor electrically connected to said memory and configured to execute said at least one instruction; At least one of the above processors Determining the operating status of at least one of the above components; Based on the above operating state, determine whether to drive at least one corresponding harvesting unit; An electronic device that drives at least one corresponding harvesting unit based on the determination of whether to drive.

2. In paragraph 1, At least one harvesting unit above An electronic device comprising at least one of a photoelectric element harvesting unit, an RF harvesting unit, a thermoelectric element harvesting unit, and a piezoelectric element harvesting unit.

3. In paragraph 1, At least one of the above components An electronic device comprising at least one of a display panel, a speaker, a wireless communication unit, a DC power supply unit, a dimming controller, at least one processor, and a main board having the at least one processor mounted thereon.

4. In paragraph 3, The operating state of at least one of the above components is An electronic device comprising at least one of the following states: a state in which the backlight of the display panel is turned on, a state in which the volume of the speaker is higher than a predetermined volume, a state in which the wireless communication unit is operating, and a state in which the temperature of any one of the DC power supply unit, the dimming controller, the at least one processor, and the main board is higher than a predetermined temperature.

5. In paragraph 3, At least one of the above leakage energies is An electronic device comprising at least one of optical energy, vibrational energy, RF energy and thermal energy.

6. In paragraph 5, The above light energy is generated when the backlight of the display panel is turned on; The above vibration energy is generated when the volume of the speaker is above a predetermined volume; The above RF energy is generated while the wireless communication unit is operating; An electronic device wherein the thermal energy is generated when the temperature of any one of the DC power supply, the dimming controller, the at least one processor, and the main board is above a predetermined temperature.

7. In paragraph 1, An electronic device further comprising a charging unit that stores electrical energy converted by at least one harvesting unit.

8. In paragraph 7, An electronic device further comprising a standby mode power supply unit that converts electric energy stored in the charging unit into electric power and provides it to at least one low-power operation module in a standby mode when power is cut off.

9. In paragraph 8, The above low power operation module An electronic device comprising a microcomputer, a WiFi module, a Bluetooth module and an IR module.

10. A method for harvesting energy from an electronic device, An operation of determining the operational status of at least one component of the electronic device; An operation of determining whether to drive at least one corresponding harvesting unit based on the above operating state; An operation of driving at least one corresponding harvesting unit based on the above driving determination; and A method comprising: in response to driving at least one corresponding harvesting unit, converting at least one leakage energy generated in the corresponding at least one component into electrical energy.

11. In paragraph 10, At least one harvesting unit above A method comprising at least one of a photoelectric element harvesting unit, an RF harvesting unit, a thermoelectric element harvesting unit, and a piezoelectric element harvesting unit.

12. In paragraph 10, At least one of the above components A method comprising at least one of a display panel, a speaker, a wireless communication unit, a DC power supply unit, a dimming controller, at least one processor, and a main board having the at least one processor mounted thereon.

13. In paragraph 12, The operating state of at least one of the above components is A method comprising at least one of: a state in which the backlight of the display panel is turned on, a state in which the volume of the speaker is higher than a predetermined volume, a state in which the wireless communication unit is operating, and a state in which the temperature of any one of the DC power supply unit, the dimming controller, the at least one processor, and the main board is higher than a predetermined temperature.

14. In paragraph 12, At least one of the above leakage energies is A method comprising at least one of optical energy, vibrational energy, RF energy and thermal energy.

15. In paragraph 14, The above light energy is generated when the backlight of the display panel is turned on; The above vibration energy is generated when the volume of the speaker is above a predetermined volume; The above RF energy is generated while the wireless communication unit is operating; A method wherein the thermal energy is generated when the temperature of any one of the DC power supply, the dimming controller, the at least one processor, and the main board is above a predetermined temperature.

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