Mobile guided surface waveguide probes and receivers

• US 10,601,099 B2
• Filed: 08/17/2016
• Issued: 03/24/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cpg Technologies, LLC
• Original Assignee: Cpg Technologies, LLC
• Inventors: Corum, James F., Corum, Kenneth L., Miller, Michael W., Carlton, Jr., Paul Kendall, D'Aurelio, Michael J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fureman, Jared
• Assistant Examiner(s): Warmflash, Michael J
• Application Number:
  US15/238,938
• Publication Number:
  US 20170077755A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,315 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 1/182 Waveguide phase-shifters H01P1/181, H01P1/185, H01P1/19 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 5/04 with variable factor of coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/20 Non-resonant leaky-waveguide or transmission-line antennas; Equivalent structures causing radiation along the transmission path of a guided wave
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/00 Circuit arrangements or systems for wireless supply or distribution of electric power
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

The present disclosure sets forth various embodiments of power reception kits and methods. In one embodiment, a guided surface wave receive structure is configured to obtain electrical energy from a guided surface wave travelling along a terrestrial medium. Power output circuitry having a power output is configured to be coupled to an electrical load. The electrical load is experienced as a load at an excitation source coupled to a guided surface waveguide probe generating the guided surface wave. At least one connector is configured to couple the at least one guided surface wave receive structure to the power output circuitry.

Claims

1. A portable power reception kit, comprising:

at least one guided surface wave receive structure configured to obtain electrical energy from a guided surface wave travelling along a terrestrial medium;

power output circuitry having a power output configured for coupling to an electrical load, the electrical load being experienced as a load at an excitation source coupled to a guided surface waveguide probe generating the guided surface wave;

at least one connector configured to detachably attach the at least one guided surface wave receive structure to the power output circuitry; and

at least one guided surface waveguide probe, the at least one guided surface waveguide probe configured to be coupled to the power output of the power output circuitry, wherein the at least one guided surface waveguide probe comprises at least one charge terminal, elevated over the terrestrial medium, configured to launch a Zenneck surface wave by generating at least one resultant field that synthesizes a wave front incident at a complex Brewster angle of incidence (θ

_i,R) of the terrestrial medium.

2. The portable power reception kit of claim 1, wherein the at least one guided surface wave receive structure further comprises:

a linear probe; and

a ground electrode for electrically coupling the linear probe with the terrestrial medium.

3. The portable power reception kit of claim 2, wherein the linear probe is retractable.

4. The portable power reception kit of claim 2, wherein the linear probe is a wire and the portable power reception kit further comprises an aerostat capable of lifting at least a weight of the wire.

5. The portable power reception kit of claim 4, wherein the portable power reception kit further comprises a volume of lifting gas configured to fill the inflatable aerostat such that the aerostat is capable of lifting at least the weight of the wire.

6. The portable power reception kit of claim 1, wherein the at least one guided surface wave receive structure further comprises a tuned resonator, comprising:

a coil; and

a ground electrode for electrically coupling the coil with the terrestrial medium.

7. The portable power reception kit of claim 6, wherein the tuned resonator further comprises:

a charge terminal to be elevated above the terrestrial medium; and

a conductor configured to couple the charge terminal to the coil.

8. The portable power reception kit of claim 7, wherein the portable power reception kit further comprises a compactable support to elevate the charge terminal above the terrestrial medium.

9. The portable power reception kit of claim 7, wherein the charge terminal is an inflatable charge terminal with a conductive surface.

10. The portable power reception kit of claim 1, wherein the power output circuitry further comprises an interconnecting circuit configured to utilize a plurality of portable power reception kits to feed at least one electrical load.

11. The portable power reception kit of claim 1, wherein the portable power reception kit further comprises a compact container, containing the at least one guided surface wave receive structure, the power output circuitry, and the at least one connector.

12. The portable power reception kit of claim 11, wherein the compact container comprises a Faraday cage.

13. The portable power reception kit of claim 1, wherein the at least one guided surface waveguide probe is configured to be coupled to the power output of the power output circuitry.

14. The portable power reception kit of claim 1, further comprising a feed network electrically coupled to at least one charge terminal of the at least one guided surface waveguide probe, the feed network 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 in the vicinity of the guided surface waveguide probe.

15. The portable power reception kit of claim 1, wherein the at least one charge terminal is elevated over the terrestrial medium by a compactable support.

16. The portable power reception kit of claim 13, wherein the portable power reception kit further comprises a compact container, containing the at least one guided surface wave receive structure, the power output circuitry, the at least one connector, and the at least one guided surface waveguide probe.

17. A method comprising:

packaging in a mobile package kit a plurality of detached components comprising at least a guided surface wave receive structure, at least one charge terminal, and an impedance matching circuit with a power output for feeding an electrical load, the impedance matching circuit connectable to the guided surface wave receive structure;

delivering the mobile package kit to a location;

connecting the guided surface wave receive structure to the impedance matching circuit;

coupling the power output to the electrical load;

elevating the at least one charge terminal over a lossy conducting medium;

receiving electrical energy from a guided surface wave travelling along a terrestrial medium, using the guided surface wave receive structure;

supplying the electrical energy to the electrical load, the electrical load being experienced as a load at an excitation source coupled to a guided surface waveguide probe generating the guided surface wave;

supplying the electrical energy to the at least one charge terminal; and

generating at least one resultant field that synthesizes a wave front incident at a complex Brewster angle of incidence (θ

_i,R) of the lossy conducting medium.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein coupling the power output to the electrical load further comprises interconnecting a plurality of power outputs, the plurality of power outputs connected to a plurality of guided surface wave receive structures, to supply the electrical load.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the charge terminal is an inflatable charge terminal with a conductive surface, and further comprising inflating the charge terminal.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the mobile package kit further comprises a compactable support to elevate the charge terminal above the terrestrial medium.