Non-contact power supply and data transfer on aerial vehicles
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An aircraft comprising:
- a first structure on the aircraft including a transmitter, a first surface, and a first coil conformed to a shape of the first surface or embedded within the first structure, wherein the first structure includes a plurality of first coils including the first coil;
a second structure on the aircraft including circuitry, a second surface, and a second coil conformed to a shape of, or embedded within, the second surface, the second structure on the aircraft configured to couple to the first structure on the aircraft such that the first coil is aligned with the second coil to enable inductive coupling between the first coil and the second coil, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit control signals to the circuitry via the first coil and the second coil; and
a processor electrically coupled to the plurality of first coils, wherein the processor is configured to identify a first component of the circuitry based on an impedance of a particular first coil of the plurality of first coils.
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Abstract
An aircraft includes a first structure that includes a first surface and a first coil conformed to, or embedded within, the first surface. The aircraft includes a second structure that includes a second surface and a second coil conformed to, or embedded within, the second surface. The second structure is configured to couple to the first structure such that the first coil is aligned with the second coil to enable inductive coupling between the first coil and the second coil.
48 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An aircraft comprising:
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a first structure on the aircraft including a transmitter, a first surface, and a first coil conformed to a shape of the first surface or embedded within the first structure, wherein the first structure includes a plurality of first coils including the first coil; a second structure on the aircraft including circuitry, a second surface, and a second coil conformed to a shape of, or embedded within, the second surface, the second structure on the aircraft configured to couple to the first structure on the aircraft such that the first coil is aligned with the second coil to enable inductive coupling between the first coil and the second coil, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit control signals to the circuitry via the first coil and the second coil; and a processor electrically coupled to the plurality of first coils, wherein the processor is configured to identify a first component of the circuitry based on an impedance of a particular first coil of the plurality of first coils. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of configuring an aerial vehicle, the method comprising:
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mating a first surface of a first structure of the aerial vehicle and a second surface of a second structure of the aerial vehicle such that a first coil conformed to a shape of the first surface or embedded within the first structure is aligned with a second coil conformed to a shape of the second surface or embedded within the second structure, the first structure including a transmitter, the second structure including circuitry, wherein the first structure includes a plurality of first coils including the first coil; causing a signal to be applied to the plurality of first coils or to the second coil such that the first coil and the second coil are inductively coupled; identifying a first component of the circuitry based on an impedance of a particular first coil of the plurality of first coils; and transmitting a control signal from the transmitter to the first component via the first coil and the second coil. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of manufacturing an aerial vehicle, the method comprising:
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forming a first coil conformed to a shape of a first surface of, or embedded within, a first structure of the aerial vehicle using a first direct write technique, the first structure including a transmitter electrically coupled to the first coil, wherein the first structure includes a processor electrically coupled to the transmitter, and wherein the first structure includes a plurality of first coils including the first coil, the plurality of first coils electrically coupled to the processor; and forming a second coil conformed to a shape of a second surface of, or embedded within, a second structure of the aerial vehicle using a second direct write technique, the second structure configured to couple to the first structure such that the first coil is aligned with the second coil to enable inductive coupling between the first coil and the second coil, the second structure including circuitry electrically coupled to the second coil, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit control signals to the circuitry via the first coil and the second coil, and wherein the processor is configured to identify a first component of the circuitry based on an impedance of a particular first coil of the plurality of first coils. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification