Abstract: Systems for a shoe sole with at least one piezoelectric element for generating electrical energy. In some embodiments, a system for a shoe sole comprises (a.) at least one piezo element adapted to produce an electrical signal upon mechanical deformation of the at least one piezo element, (b.) at least one first energy storage and at least one second energy storage, wherein the at least one first energy storage and the at least one second energy storage are adapted to store electrical energy obtained from the electrical signal, and (c.) at least one converter unit adapted to selectively control a transfer of an amount of electrical energy between the at least one first energy storage and the at least one second energy storage.

Abstract: Rectifier circuit including a pair of input terminals, a pair of output terminals, and a first circuit interconnecting the pair of input terminals. The first circuit includes an energy storing element and a rectifier bridge, wherein the rectifier bridge includes at least one controllable switching element per bridge branch. An output of the rectifier bridge supplies the pair of output terminals and wherein the at least one controllable switching element per bridge branch is configured to provide a temporary conducting path via the rectifier bridge which bypasses the pair of output terminals and which short-circuits a series connection of the energy storing element and an energy source connectable to the pair of input terminals. A converter for synchronized switch harvesting on inductor including such a rectifier circuit and a method for rectifying an electrical current generated by an energy source are also described.

Abstract: A peak detector for synchronized switch harvesting on inductor converter includes a comparator and a filter for filtering an input signal to the peak detector and for providing a filtered signal to an input of the comparator. The filter has differentiating and integrating transfer characteristics for low and high frequency ranges, respectively, of the input signal so that peaks of the input signal to the peak detector which have primarily frequency components in the low range cause a relatively strong variation of the filtered signal and peaks of the input signal to the peak detector which have primarily frequency components in the high range are substantially integrated and cause a relatively weak variation of the filtered signal. The relatively strong variation of the filtered signal crosses a threshold of the comparator, which is configured to generate an output signal indicating a relation of the filtered signal regarding the comparator threshold.

Abstract: Rectifier circuit including a pair of input terminals, a pair of output terminals, and a first circuit interconnecting the pair of input terminals. The first circuit includes an energy storing element and a rectifier bridge, wherein the rectifier bridge includes at least one controllable switching element per bridge branch. An output of the rectifier bridge supplies the pair of output terminals and wherein the at least one controllable switching element per bridge branch is configured to provide a temporary conducting path via the rectifier bridge which bypasses the pair of output terminals and which short-circuits a series connection of the energy storing element and an energy source connectable to the pair of input terminals. A converter for synchronized switch harvesting on inductor including such a rectifier circuit and a method for rectifying an electrical current generated by an energy source are also described.

Abstract: A peak detector for synchronized switch harvesting on inductor converter includes a comparator and a filter for filtering an input signal to the peak detector and for providing a filtered signal to an input of the comparator. The filter has differentiating and integrating transfer characteristics for low and high frequency ranges, respectively, of the input signal so that peaks of the input signal to the peak detector which have primarily frequency components in the low range cause a relatively strong variation of the filtered signal and peaks of the input signal to the peak detector which have primarily frequency components in the high range are substantially integrated and cause a relatively weak variation of the filtered signal. The relatively strong variation of the filtered signal crosses a threshold of the comparator, which is configured to generate an output signal indicating a relation of the filtered signal regarding the comparator threshold.