Abstract: An apparatus comprising: an inductive coupler for coupling inductively with a radio frequency, RF, H-field to provide an alternating RF voltage; a near field, RF, communicator connected to the inductive coupler for performing near field RF communication; an auxiliary circuit connected to the inductive coupler by a rectifier for obtaining DC electrical energy from the alternating RF voltage wherein the auxiliary circuit is arranged to communicate data with the near field RF communicator; wherein the rectifier comprises: a first rectifier input and a second rectifier input for receiving the alternating RF voltage, a first rectifier output and a second rectifier output for providing the DC electrical energy to the auxiliary circuit; a rectifying element connected between the first rectifier input and the second rectifier input wherein the first rectifier output is coupled to an output of the rectifying element and to the first rectifier input by a first inductor.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising: an inductive coupler for coupling inductively with a radio frequency, RF, H-field to provide an alternating RF voltage; a near field, RF, communicator connected to the inductive coupler for performing near field RF communication; an auxiliary circuit connected to the inductive coupler by a rectifier for obtaining DO electrical energy from the alternating RF voltage wherein the auxiliary circuit is arranged to communicate data with the near field RF communicator; wherein the rectifier comprises: a first rectifier input and a second rectifier input for receiving the alternating RF voltage, a first rectifier output and a second rectifier output for providing the DC electrical energy to the auxiliary circuit; a rectifying element connected between the first rectifier input and the second rectifier input wherein the first rectifier output is coupled to an output of the rectifying element and to the first rectifier input by a first inductor,

Abstract: An apparatus comprising: an inductive coupler for coupling inductively with a radio frequency, RF, H-field to provide an alternating RF voltage; a near field, RF, communicator connected to the inductive coupler for performing near field RF communication; an auxiliary circuit connected to the inductive coupler by a rectifier for obtaining DC electrical energy from the alternating RF voltage wherein the auxiliary circuit is arranged to communicate data with the near field RF communicator; wherein the rectifier comprises: a first rectifier input and a second rectifier input for receiving the alternating RF voltage, a first rectifier output and a second rectifier output for providing the DC electrical energy to the auxiliary circuit; a rectifying element connected between the first rectifier input and the second rectifier input wherein the first rectifier output is coupled to an output of the rectifying element and to the first rectifier input by a first inductor.

Abstract: An inductive power transfer coil and method for making the same for use in wireless power transfer systems. The inductive power transfer coil comprising an elongate member disposed around a looped path, wherein the elongate member is arranged in a helical form and the axis of the helical form is provided by the looped path so that the coil scaffold defines a toroidal void and each circuit of the looped path provides a coil turn. The elongate member is covered by a conductive layer to provide a coiled conductive tube.

Abstract: An RF energy harvesting apparatus comprising an energy harvesting antenna carried on a substrate for fixing the antenna to an electrical device, wherein the antenna comprises a coil of conductive material carried on the substrate, wherein the coil provides two loops of conductive material on the substrate, the coil comprising a second loop inside a first loop; and wherein the coil comprises at least one segment arranged to reduce spatial variations in the H-field in an area circumscribed by the first loop.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising: an inductive coupler for coupling inductively with a radio frequency, RF, H-field to provide an alternating RF voltage; a near field, RF, communicator connected to the inductive coupler for performing near field RF communication; an auxiliary circuit connected to the inductive coupler by a rectifier for obtaining DC electrical energy from the alternating RF voltage wherein the auxiliary circuit is arranged to communicate data with the near field RF communicator; wherein the rectifier comprises: a first rectifier input and a second rectifier input for receiving the alternating RF voltage, a first rectifier output and a second rectifier output for providing the DC electrical energy to the auxiliary circuit; a rectifying element connected between the first rectifier input and the second rectifier input wherein the first rectifier output is coupled to an output of the rectifying element and to the first rectifier input by a first inductor.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus comprising an RF energy harvester and an RF energy meter. The RF energy harvester comprises an antenna, a rectifier, an energy storage module and light output module. The antenna is arranged to receive an RF signal. The rectifier is arranged to generate a DC voltage from the received RF signal. The energy storage module is arranged to store the DC voltage. The light output module is arranged to output light pulses using the stored energy. The RF energy meter comprises a light detection module, a control module and an output module. The light detection module is arranged to detect light pulses output by the light output module of the RF energy harvester. The control module is arranged to count the number of light pulses detected by the light detection module. The output module is arranged to provide an output indicative of an amount of energy harvested by the RF energy harvester based on the counted number of light pulses.

Abstract: An inverter for inductive power transfer is disclosed.

Abstract: A rectifier for wireless power transfer is disclosed.

Abstract: There is provided a converter for converting a received RF signal into a DC signal for powering a load, the converter comprising: a rectifier arranged to generate, based on the RF signal, the DC signal and one or more harmonics of the RF signal, and to output the DC signal and the one or more harmonics together with a component of the RF signal; a first planar transmission line arranged to guide the received RF signal to the rectifier; and a second planar transmission line arranged to receive from the rectifier the DC signal, the component of the RF signal and the one or more harmonics from the rectifier, and to reflect the one or more harmonics back towards the rectifier. The first planar transmission line is further arranged to reflect back towards the rectifier RF signals from the rectifier that are based on the reflected signals. The converter further comprises a low-pass filter for supplying the DC signal to the load, the low-pass filter comprising an inductor and a third planar transmission line that.

Abstract: There is provided a dual-band converter operable to convert a first RF signal in a first frequency band and a second RF signal in a second frequency band that is separate from the first frequency band into a DC signal for powering a load.

Abstract: An antenna is disclosed. The antenna comprises a feedline (101), a ground plane (102) and a radiator (103). The feedline has a path in a first plane, the path having a first arm (1011) and a second arm (1012) perpendicular to the first arm. The ground plane is provided in a second plane spaced apart from, and parallel to, the first plane. The ground plane has a ground plane slot (1021) therein with a path in the second plane. The path of the ground plane slot intersects the path of the feedline at a first position on the first arm and a second position on the second arm when the second plane is projected into the first plane. The radiator is separated from the feedline by the ground plane, and is provided in a third plane spaced apart from, and parallel to, the second plane.

Abstract: An RF energy harvesting apparatus comprising an energy harvesting antenna carried on a substrate for fixing the antenna to an electrical device, wherein the antenna comprises a coil of conductive material carried on the substrate, wherein the coil provides two loops of conductive material on the substrate, the coil comprising a second loop inside a first loop; and wherein the coil comprises at least one segment arranged to reduce spatial variations in the H-field in an area circumscribed by the first loop.

Abstract: The invention relates to an inductive power transfer transmitter comprising class-E amplifier driver arranged to drive a primary tank circuit including a transmitter coil, in which the driver frequency is tuned to drive the primary tank circuit when the primary tank circuit is in an unloaded condition.

Abstract: A method is presented for sensing an environmental parameter, the method comprises the steps of selecting first calibration data for a sensor system, wherein the sensor system is configured to provide sensor data indicating a sensed level of the environmental parameter; providing the first calibration data to the sensor system for use in indicating the environmental parameter; obtaining, from the sensor system, a plurality of items of the sensor data; determining whether a first condition is met by the plurality of items of the sensor data; and, in the event that the first condition is met, sending updated calibration data to the sensor system for use in indicating the environmental parameter, wherein the updated calibration data is based on the first calibration data and the plurality of items of the sensor data.

Abstract: An inductive power transfer coil and method for making the same for use in wireless power transfer systems. The inductive power transfer coil comprising an elongate member disposed around a looped path, wherein the elongate member is arranged in a helical form and the axis of the helical form is provided by the looped path so that the coil scaffold defines a toroidal void and each circuit of the looped path provides a coil turn. The elongate member is covered by a conductive layer to provide a coiled conductive tube.

Abstract: The present invention provides a portable processing device comprising a journey type determining module, a journey length determining module and a communication module. The journey type determining module is operable to determine whether a journey undertaken by a person carrying the portable processing device is an environmentally-friendly journey comprising a journey undertaken in an environmentally-friendly vehicle, a journey undertaken using self-propelled means or a journey undertaken on foot. The journey length determining module is operable to determine a length of a said environmentally-friendly journey undertaken by the person carrying the portable processing device. The communication module is operable to transmit journey data to record management apparatus defining the length of the environmentally-friendly journey undertaken by the person carrying the portable processing device.

Abstract: A peripheral device capable of being worn, carried by a user, or used in an in-vehicle computer system operates in conjunction with an application to acquire, store, and present data relevant to a user's health, physical activity, environment, air quality, or other parameters of interest. For power efficient operation and enhanced performance, control parameters of the peripheral device such as duty cycle, sampling rate, and sleep state may be wirelessly and automatically controlled by the mobile device. Furthermore, the mobile application can provide a wireless energy signal to the peripheral device to recharge the battery of the peripheral device. The control parameters may be automatically controlled by the mobile application dependent on the user's location, activity, mode of transportation or other parameters without intervention from a user.

Abstract: A circuit board for use in wireless energy harvesting applications is disclosed. The circuit board comprises a first plane and ground plane parallel to the first plane. The ground plane has a substantially rectangular shape with a length less than 1.38 ?g and a width less than 0.92 ?g. The first plane comprises an antenna, a feedline and a rectifier. The antenna is configured to receive an RF signal with a wavelength of ?0. The feedline is arranged to filter the received RF signal. The rectifier is arranged to generate a DC voltage from the received RF signal. The antenna, the feedline and the rectifier are arranged substantially co-linear along the first plane, and (formula I) where ?eff is the relative permittivity of a material between the first plane and the ground plane.

Abstract: An antenna is disclosed. The antenna comprises a feedline (101), a ground plane (102) and a radiator (103). The feedline has a path in a first plane, the path having a first arm (1011) and a second arm (1012) perpendicular to the first arm. The ground plane is provided in a second plane spaced apart from, and parallel to, the first plane. The ground plane has a ground plane slot (1021) therein with a path in the second plane. The path of the ground plane slot intersects the path of the feedline at a first position on the first arm and a second position on the second arm when the second plane is projected into the first plane. The radiator is separated from the feedline by the ground plane, and is provided in a third plane spaced apart from, and parallel to, the second plane.