Abstract: A battery charger for charging a battery is disclosed. In one embodiment, the battery charger comprises an input for receiving a first voltage and for coupling to a positive terminal of the battery; a first transistor having a first gate, a first drain and a first source, wherein the first gate is for coupling to a charging signal for the battery and the first drain is coupled to the battery negative terminal and, the first transistor to cause energy to be transferred from the input into the battery when turned on; and a group of transistors coupled to the first transistor and the input to control when the first transistor is turned on, wherein the group of transistors comprises a second transistor having a second gate coupled to the input and coupled to a third transistor to turn off the third transistor after a delay occurs after the voltage on the input reaches a predetermined level, and further herein the third transistor causes the first transistor to turn on when the third transistor is turned off.

Abstract: A DC-DC boost converter and apparatus including the same are disclosed. In one embodiment, the DC-DC converter comprises an input for receiving a first voltage at a first level, where the first voltage is negative; a transformer coupled to the input to convert the first voltage to a second voltage at a second level, where the second level is higher than the first level and the second voltage is positive; and an output connected to the transformer to output the second voltage.

Abstract: A backscatter modulation radio-frequency (RF) sensor and method for using the same are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, the RF sensor comprises: an energy harvesting unit operable to convert incident RF energy to direct current (DC); a storage unit operable to store recovered DC power; one or more sensors for sensing; a backscatter communication interface to backscatter energy to communicate one or more packets using a frequency-shift keying (FSK) modulator; and a microcontroller coupled to the energy harvesting and storage units, the one or more sensors, and the backscatter communicator, the microcontroller operable to cause the backscatter communication interface to communicate sensed data from at least one of the one or more sensors while powered by energy previously harvested and stored by the energy harvesting and storage unit.

Abstract: A backscatter modulation radio-frequency (RF) sensor and method for using the same are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, the RF sensor comprises: an energy harvesting unit operable to convert incident RF energy to direct current (DC); a storage unit operable to store recovered DC power; one or more sensors for sensing; a backscatter communication interface to backscatter energy to communicate one or more packets using a frequency-shift keying (FSK) modulator; and a microcontroller coupled to the energy harvesting and storage units, the one or more sensors, and the backscatter communicator, the microcontroller operable to cause the backscatter communication interface to communicate sensed data from at least one of the one or more sensors while powered by energy previously harvested and stored by the energy harvesting and storage unit.

Abstract: A battery charger for charging a battery is disclosed. In one embodiment, the battery charger comprises an input for receiving a first voltage and for coupling to a positive terminal of the battery; a first transistor having a first gate, a first drain and a first source, wherein the first gate is for coupling to a charging signal for the battery and the first drain is coupled to the battery negative terminal and, the first transistor to cause energy to be transferred from the input into the battery when turned on; and a group of transistors coupled to the first transistor and the input to control when the first transistor is turned on, wherein the group of transistors comprises a second transistor having a second gate coupled to the input and coupled to a third transistor to turn off the third transistor after a delay occurs after the voltage on the input reaches a predetermined level, and further herein the third transistor causes the first transistor to turn on when the third transistor is turned off.

Abstract: A DC-DC boost converter and apparatus including the same are disclosed. In one embodiment, the DC-DC converter comprises an input for receiving a first voltage at a first level, where the first voltage is negative; a transformer coupled to the input to convert the first voltage to a second voltage at a second level, where the second level is higher than the first level and the second voltage is positive; and an output connected to the transformer to output the second voltage.