Patent ID: 9276463
Filing Date: 2016-03-01
CPC Classification: H02J,H02M,Y02B,Y04S

Claim Text:
1. A method for low voltage conversion and energy storage using a charge pump array including a first set of capacitors in parallel with a second set of capacitors and switches for selectively coupling the first and second set of capacitors to a variable input DC voltage, the method comprising: a controller controlling one or more of the switches to couple the first and second set of capacitors to the variable input DC voltage for a variable first time period during which the input DC voltage charges the first and second set of capacitors to a DC voltage level, the variable input DC voltage being as low as 20 mV, and the controller controlling one or more of the switches to couple the charge pump array output to an energy storage device switchably coupled to an output of the charge pump array for a variable second time period during which a voltage stored across each of the capacitors during the first time period is combined to produce a higher voltage significantly higher than the input DC voltage, the higher voltage being provided to the energy storage device, wherein the variable input DC voltage is provided by a low voltage generator, and wherein the method further comprises dynamically matching an impedance of at least the charge pump array to an impedance of the low voltage generator.