Patent ID: 8076825

Claim:
A power generating shoe comprising: a. a power generation section comprising a multiple layers of a electro-mechanical transducer material positioned in or on a shoe body; b. a rectifier connected to said electro-mechanical transducer material; c. a DC to DC converter connected to said rectifier, said converter comprising: i. a voltage input terminal and a voltage output terminal; ii. at least a first capacitor element and a second capacitor element, wherein said second capacitor element comprises a plurality of individual capacitors; iii. a switch network comprising: 1) a first phase wherein said plurality of capacitors are in series to said first capacitor element and disconnected from said output terminal; and 2) a second phase wherein said plurality of capacitors are in parallel with said output terminal and disconnected from said first capacitor element; and iv. a switch controller which switches to said second phase when a first voltage is created across said first capacitor element and which switches to said first phase when a second, lower voltage is created across said first capacitor element; and d. a power storage device connected to said converter.