Patent ID: 9673635
Date: 2017-06-06
CPC Classifications: G08B,H02J

Claim:
1. A method for powering an electrical load in an environment, comprising: using a rechargeable battery to simultaneously supply electrical energy to control electronics and a Super Capacitor (“SC”) storage element of a system immediately after the system has been disposed in the environment and turned on, whereby the control electronics are caused to perform intended functions thereof nearly instantaneously after turning on the system and the SC storage element is charged from a first charge state in which approximately zero volts exists across terminals thereof to a second charge state in which greater than zero volts exists across said terminals; using the SC storage element to supply electrical energy to the electrical load of the system so as to cause the electrical load to perform intended functions thereof; continuously monitoring a first output voltage of the rechargeable battery, a second output voltage of the SC storage element and a third output voltage of an energy harvesting circuit of the system; terminating the supply of electrical energy from the rechargeable battery to the SC storage element based on a level of at least the second output voltage; using the energy harvesting circuit to recharge the rechargeable battery; using the rechargeable battery to recharge the SC storage element when the second output voltage falls below a first threshold value.