Ambient IoT Energy Harvesting With Backscatter Power Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional IoT devices require batteries or constant power sources, leading to complexity and high costs, while ambient IoT devices face challenges in energy management and network compatibility due to varying energy storage and transmission capabilities.
Innovation Solution
Ambient IoT devices manage energy availability by checking storage levels and sending indications to readers when energy is insufficient, using harmonized protocols for heterogeneous types, and employing power control and congestion management to optimize communication.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional IoT devices use batteries or constant power sources, then operational uptime is ensured, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the battery component from the IoT device entirely, extracting the power source function from the device itself. The device operates by harvesting energy from ambient RF signals in the environment, eliminating the need for internal energy storage components and significantly reducing device complexity while maintaining operational capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The IoT device serves its own power needs by harvesting energy from the ambient RF environment. The device autonomously captures and converts RF energy from surrounding wireless communications into electrical power, enabling it to operate without external power sources or batteries, thus reducing both complexity and maintenance requirements.
2Device complexity
If ambient IoT devices harvest energy from various sources, then device complexity is reduced, but energy availability becomes unpredictable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary energy accumulation by harvesting and storing RF energy in advance before it is needed for operation. The device continuously monitors and accumulates energy from ambient RF sources, building up a reserve that ensures sufficient power is available when communication or sensing operations need to be performed, thus making energy availability more predictable.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates feedback mechanisms where the device monitors its own energy levels and adjusts its operation accordingly. By continuously assessing available energy and comparing it against operational requirements, the device can make informed decisions about when to transmit data, when to remain in low-power mode, and how to optimize its harvesting strategy, thereby improving energy availability reliability.
3Use of energy by moving object
If backscatter communication is used to transmit data, then power consumption is reduced, but communication reliability deteriorates in crowded spectral environments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dynamic communication strategies where the backscatter device adjusts its transmission parameters based on real-time channel conditions. By continuously monitoring spectral occupancy and interference levels, the device dynamically modifies its backscatter modulation depth, transmission timing, and frequency selection to optimize communication reliability while maintaining low power consumption in crowded spectral environments.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables efficient and cost-effective operation of ambient IoT devices by optimizing energy use and network access, reducing interference, and enhancing communication reliability.
Implementation Method 1
Some A-IoT devices may be able to operate without having any energy storage. Due to this low complexity, an A-IoT device typically can be able to harvest energy from various sources in order to operate. It would be readily understood that a variety of power sources, for example radio frequency (RF) energy, solar, or other power source, can be used to harvest energy for the purpose of A-IoT device operation.
Implementation Method 2
backscatter communication can be considered a low-power communication technique, wherein backscatter communication exploits the reflected or backscattered signals in order to transmit data. The backscattered signals can be a modulated reflection of one or more of carrier wave (CW) radio frequency (RF) signals
Data Source
AI summary
There are provided ambient internet of things (A-IoT) devices and methods of operation of same. Some embodiments relate to A-IoT device capabilities in relation to energy storage and energy harvesting. Some embodiments, relate to a harmonizing protocol for heterogenous A-IoT device types. Some embodiments, relate to uneven transmission power capabilities of A-IoT devices. Some embodiments relate to the control of carrier wave generation enabling transmission by some A-IoT device configurations. Some embodiments, relate to considering congestion control as it can relate to A-IoT devices.