Pulse protection circuits to deter theft
First Claim
1. An apparatus, comprising:
- a guided surface wave receive structure configured to obtain electrical energy in a form of a Zenneck surface wave substantially mode-matched to a Zenneck surface wave mode of a surface of a terrestrial medium based at least in part upon the guided surface wave receive structure providing a phase delay (Φ
) that matches a wave tilt angle (Ψ
) associated with a complex Brewster angle of incidence (θ
i,B) associated with the surface of the terrestrial medium;
an electrical load coupled to the guided surface wave receive structure, the electrical load being experienced as a load at an excitation source coupled to a guided surface waveguide probe generating the Zenneck surface wave, wherein an electrical field strength of the Zenneck surface wave is selectively increased; and
a pulse protection circuit employed to selectively protect the electrical load from an increase in electrical energy received by the guided surface wave receive structure when the electrical field strength is selectively increased.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed are various embodiments for preventing theft of energy transmitted as a guided surface wave along the surface of a terrestrial medium, by pulsing the transmitted energy and protecting authorized devices from the pulse. In one embodiment, a guided surface wave receive structure is configured to obtain electrical energy from a guided surface wave. An electrical load coupled to the guided surface wave receive structure. The electrical load is experienced as a load at an excitation source coupled to a guided surface waveguide probe that is generating the guided surface wave with an electrical field strength that may be selectively increased. A pulse protection circuit is employed to selectively protect the electrical load from an increase in electrical energy received by the guided surface wave receive structure when the electrical field strength is selectively increased, while unprotected circuits may be damaged or disrupted by the pulse.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An apparatus, comprising:
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a guided surface wave receive structure configured to obtain electrical energy in a form of a Zenneck surface wave substantially mode-matched to a Zenneck surface wave mode of a surface of a terrestrial medium based at least in part upon the guided surface wave receive structure providing a phase delay (Φ
) that matches a wave tilt angle (Ψ
) associated with a complex Brewster angle of incidence (θ
i,B) associated with the surface of the terrestrial medium;an electrical load coupled to the guided surface wave receive structure, the electrical load being experienced as a load at an excitation source coupled to a guided surface waveguide probe generating the Zenneck surface wave, wherein an electrical field strength of the Zenneck surface wave is selectively increased; and a pulse protection circuit employed to selectively protect the electrical load from an increase in electrical energy received by the guided surface wave receive structure when the electrical field strength is selectively increased. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An apparatus, comprising:
an excitation source connected through a coupling network to a guided surface waveguide probe that generates a plurality of electromagnetic fields that are substantially mode-matched to a Zenneck surface wave mode of a surface of a lossy conducting medium based at least in part upon the guided surface waveguide probe providing a phase delay (Φ
) that matches a wave tilt angle (Ψ
) associated with a complex Brewster angle of incidence (θ
i,B) of the lossy conducting medium, and selectively increases a field strength of the electromagnetic fields by selectively adjusting a pulse generation circuit.- View Dependent Claims (11)
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12. A method, comprising:
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generating a Zenneck surface wave with a guided surface waveguide probe coupled to an excitation source, the Zenneck surface wave comprising a plurality of electromagnetic fields that are substantially mode-matched to a Zenneck surface wave mode of a surface of a terrestrial medium based at least in part on the guided surface wave probe providing a phase delay (Φ
) that matches a wave tilt angle (Ψ
) associated with a complex Brewster angle of incidence (θ
i,B) associated with the terrestrial medium, wherein a field strength of the electromagnetic fields is selectively increased by selectively adjusting a pulsing circuit;receiving electrical energy from the Zenneck surface wave with a guided surface wave receive structure; delivering the electrical energy through a circuit pathway to an electrical load that is experienced as a load at the excitation source; and protecting the electrical load with a pulse protection circuit under conditions when a field strength of the Zenneck surface wave is a selectively increased. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification