Intelligent Power Supply for Wireless Network Sensors Dariusz Czarkowski, Peter A' Novak and Gennadi

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Intelligent Power Supply for Wireless Network
SensorsDariusz Czarkowski, Peter A. Novak and
Gennadiy Faybyshenko Polytechnic University, New
York
Motivation To deviate from using a constant
power supply to a variable voltage system with
dynamic voltage scaling providing considerable
power savings and battery life in wireless
network sensors.

• Intelligent Power Supply for Wireless Network
  Sensors
• Wireless network sensors are emerging as a
  convincing new hardware platform for remote
  environment monitoring.
• This power system will be adaptable to other
  energy sources such as the micro fuel cell or the
  energy harvesting sources.
• Crucial to long system lifetimes for these
  wireless network sensors are algorithms and
  hardware for maximum power savings.
• Project Objectives
• To design a low-power intelligent power supply to
  be used in a wireless network sensors intended
  for installation in structural monitoring systems
  or other power critical systems.
• Fabricated from off-the-shelf latest technology
  components.
• Components are low-cost and rich in functional
  features.
• To preserve the life of portable batteries and
  power saving measures are considered.

General Block Diagram
Detailed Block Diagram
DC-DC Converter Highly-efficient, software
programmable, auto-up and down DC/DC
converter. Programmable via I2C bus. Output
voltage controllable from 1.5V to 5.5V in 0.1V
steps. Different supply voltages for different
operating modes (sleep, wake-up, standby, active).
Battery Monitor Measures, maintains and reports
all critical battery parameters. Industry
standard I2C communication interface. Flexible
power operating modes allow low-power monitoring
of battery conditions during system full
operating and standby conditions.
Energy Manager Objectives Efficiently convert
energy from the storage device to provide
required voltages for various subsystems. Fixed
voltages will power some whereas others will be
power optimized with variable supply voltages
using both static voltage scaling and dynamic
voltage scaling techniques.
Battery Technology Lithium/Thionyl Chloride
(Li/SOCl2) Chemistry. Highest energy density and
shelf life with excellent safety, reliability and
environmental friendliness. Operating temperature
55 to 150oC.
Power Distribution Subsystem Objectives A
distributed DC power system with a constant DC
bus and several DC-DC converters. Energize the
terminal hardware components with appropriate
voltages, clock rates, etc.
Battery Management Subsystem Objectives Will
provide discharge control and battery diagnostics
to the power distribution system and energy
manager.
Micro controller Technology Nano Watt
Technology. Flash memory. Alternate Run
Modes. Multiple Idle Modes. On-the-fly Mode
Switching. Lower Consumption in Key
Modules. Power consumption as low as 0.1uA.
DC-DC Converter Designed by Philips
More information available from
http//zpower.poly.edu or by email to
dcz_at_pl.poly.edu.