Patent ID: 8891271

Claim:
Apparatus, comprising: an energy scavenging interface having a first input terminal and a second input terminal configured to receive an input current signal from an inductive storage element, and a first output terminal and a second output terminal, configured to supply an output current signal to an electrical load, the energy scavenging interface comprising: a first switch connected between the first input terminal and the second output terminal; a second switch connected between the first input terminal and the first output terminal; and control logic configured to: place the first switch in a closed state and the second switch in an open state for a first time interval having at least a first temporal duration in which the storage element stores electrical charge from the input current signal; determine when both the first temporal duration expires and a current passing through the inductive storage element during the first time interval exceeds a first threshold current; after said determination, place the first switch in an open state and the second switch in a closed state generating the output current signal; and maintain the first switch in the open state and the second switch in the closed state as long as the current of the output current signal is greater than a second threshold current.