Remote sensor networks with efficient energy harvesting architecture

This work presents a high dynamic range and high efficiency energy harvesting system for low power sensors architecture. The circuit has been conceived as a dual band architecture able to capture the largest amount of EM radiation available in the urban environment and to provide an autonomous device potentially with infinitive cycle of use. The device is tuned to receive both GSM and Wi-Fi frequencies and a power battery loading circuitry is available on board to guarantee the required energy for the autonomous sensor to work. The system handles an incoming power typically ranging from-20dBm to 20dBm by rectifying the variable input signals into a DC voltage source. Theoretically speaking, the rectified power is greater than 50% for an incoming power between-5dBm and 15dBm and test measurements succeeded with compliant results. As a typical applications load we considered a commercial gas sensor for Carbon Dioxide (CO2) detection. The whole system, designed using a discrete board, has been also conceived in order to be completely integrated in a standard CMOS technology.