Solar powered low-power sensor module with a radio communication and a user interface

Author

Leder, Erich ; Sutor, Alexander ; Lerch, Reinhard

Author_Institution

Dept. of Sensor Technol., Friedrich Alexander Univ., Erlangen

fYear

2005

fDate

Oct. 30 2005-Nov. 3 2005

Abstract

This article presents the power management of a solar powered sensor-module with a RF-transceiver and a user interface. Our platform is the first self sufficient platform, which allows remotely controlled and parameterized measurements by utilizing RF-transceiver technology. A maintenance-free double layer capacitor (DLC) was used for buffering energy to reach uninterrupted operation over day-night periods. Switching power supplies of the pulse-width modulation (PWM) class are used to charge the DLC and to generate stabilized supply-voltages. The regulation circuit for charging during solar-powered operation has been realized with a high-efficiency synchronous step-down converter. To make programmable voltages available, a boost converter has been implemented with the central microcontroller

Keywords

PWM power convertors; capacitors; power supply circuits; solar power; switched mode power supplies; transceivers; user interfaces; voltage regulators; wireless sensor networks; RF-transceiver; boost converter; central microcontroller; double layer capacitor; parameterized measurement; power management; programmable voltages; pulse-width modulation class; radio communication; regulation circuit; remotely controlled measurement; solar powered sensor module; solar-powered operation; stabilized supply-voltages; switching power supplies; synchronous step-down converter; user interface; Capacitors; Communication system control; Energy management; Power generation; Pulse generation; Pulse width modulation; Pulsed power supplies; Radio communication; Space vector pulse width modulation; User interfaces;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Sensors, 2005 IEEE

Conference_Location

Irvine, CA

Print_ISBN

0-7803-9056-3

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/ICSENS.2005.1597730

Filename

1597730