Solar enabled aerial deployed radio antenna system

• US 10,641,891 B2
• Filed: 06/12/2018
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Humfeld, Keith Daniel, Fay, Matthew Kyle
• Primary Examiner(s): Barker, Matthew M
• Application Number:
  US16/006,352
• Publication Number:
  US 20190379107A1
• Time in Patent Office: 693 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/022 Tethered aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 27/24 using steam or spring force jet aircraft B64D27/16
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 3/00 Aircraft adaptations to facilitate towing or being towed B64D39/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 5/00 Aircraft transported by aircraft, e.g. for release or reberthing during flight flying units formed by separate aircraft B64C37/02
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/25 Fixed-wing aircraft VTOL aircraft B64U10/20
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/20 for use as communications relays, e.g. high-altitude platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/102 adapted for flying in formations
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/19 using electrically powered motors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/34 In-flight charging photovoltaics B64U50/31
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/89 for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/03 Details of HF subsystems specially adapted therefor, e.g. common to transmitter and receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/08 Means for collapsing antennas or parts thereof collapsible loop antennas H01Q7/02; means for collapsing H-antennas or Yagi antennas H01Q19/04
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/30 Means for trailing antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 15/16 curved in two dimensions, e.g. paraboloidal
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 15/161 Collapsible reflectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/12 wherein the surfaces are concave H01Q19/18 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 10/40 Mobile PV generator systems
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 20/30 Supporting structures being movable or adjustable, e.g. for angle adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 30/20 Collapsible or foldable PV modules
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 40/34 comprising specially adapted electrical connection means to be structurally associated with the PV module, e.g. junction boxes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 : Photovoltaic [PV] energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/50 : On board measures aiming to increase energy efficiency
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/60 : Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft

Abstract

An aerial deployed radio antenna system includes a primary aerial vehicle and a plurality of secondary aerial vehicles coupled to the primary aerial vehicle with a primary tether, wherein the plurality of secondary aerial vehicles are coupled to each other with a plurality of secondary tethers. The system also includes a radar-reflective sheet suspended between and supported by a plurality of cables coupled to the plurality of secondary aerial vehicles, wherein the radar-reflective sheet forms a parabolic reflector shape when deployed and towed by the primary aerial vehicle. A radar transmitter/receiver is positioned relative to the radar-reflective sheet to transmit radar signals toward the radar-reflective sheet and receive radar signals focused by the radar-reflective sheet, and a plurality of solar cells is positioned on the radar-reflective sheet. The plurality of solar cells are electrically coupled to a power collector configured to supply solar-generated electrical power to the radar transmitter/receiver.

Claims

1. A aerial deployed radio antenna system comprising:

a primary aerial vehicle;

a plurality of secondary aerial vehicles coupled to the primary aerial vehicle with a primary tether, wherein the plurality of secondary aerial vehicles are coupled to each other with a plurality of secondary tethers;

a radar-reflective sheet suspended between and supported by a plurality of cables coupled to the plurality of secondary aerial vehicles, wherein the radar-reflective sheet forms a parabolic reflector shape when deployed and towed by the primary aerial vehicle,

a radar transmitter/receiver, positioned relative to the radar-reflective sheet to transmit radar signals toward the radar-reflective sheet and receive radar signals focused by the radar-reflective sheet; and

a plurality of solar cells disposed on the radar-reflective sheet, where the plurality of solar cells are electrically coupled to a power collector configured to supply solar-generated electrical power to the radar transmitter/receiver.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein each secondary aerial vehicle comprises a plurality of control surfaces that guide each secondary aerial vehicle to a predetermined orientation/position/location relative to the other secondary aerial vehicles such that the plurality of secondary aerial vehicles expand to a 3-dimensional shape that supports the radar-reflective sheet in a parabolic reflector shape.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the radar transmitter/receiver is electrically powered solely by the plurality of solar cells, and does not receive electrical power generated by the primary aerial vehicle.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the radar-reflective sheet has a surface area of at least 600 square meters and forms a hemisphere diameter of at least 20 meters, and wherein the plurality of solar cells generate at least 12 kilowatts of power.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the radar transmitter/receiver operates over approximately a 3 Gigahertz bandwidth, and the radar-reflective sheet enables radar imaging resolution of about 10 centimeters at a distance of at least 560 kilometers.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the radar-reflective sheet has a surface area of at least 10000 square meters and forms a hemisphere diameter of at least 80 meters, and where the plurality of solar cells generate at least 200 kilowatts of power.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the radar transmitter/receiver operates over approximately a 3 Gigahertz bandwidth, and the radar-reflective sheet enables radar imaging resolution of about 10 centimeters at a distance of at least 3760 kilometers.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of solar cells supply, via a conductor on the primary tether to the primary aerial vehicle, an effective amount of solar-generated electrical power that is sufficient to power the primary aerial vehicle for sustained persistent flight operation over distances of at least 40 kilometers.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a controller electrically coupled to the radar transmitter/receiver and to the power collector, wherein the controller is configured to selectively transfer a generated solar power from the radar-reflective sheet to the radar transmitter/receiver during radar operation and to alternately switch the generated solar power to the power collector during radar non-operation.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the radar transmitter/receiver receives electrical power from the radar-reflective sheet and the power collector simultaneously.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to transfer stored electrical power from the power collector to the primary aerial vehicle.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the power collector receives electrical power solely from the plurality of solar cells.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the radar-reflective sheet comprises a ring-shaped cable that defines an open end of the radar-reflective sheet when deployed.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprises a plurality of support cables coupled between the ring-shaped cable and the radar transmitter/receiver such that the radar transmitter/receiver is positioned within the open end.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the primary tether and the plurality of secondary tethers are conductive to enable transfer of solar generated energy therethrough to at least one of the power collector, the radar transmitter/receiver, and the primary aerial vehicle.

16. A method of assembling an aerial deployed radio antenna system, the method comprising:

coupling a primary tether to a primary aerial vehicle and to at least one of a plurality of secondary aerial vehicles;

coupling the plurality of secondary aerial vehicles together with a plurality of secondary tethers;

suspending a radar-reflective sheet between the plurality of secondary aerial vehicles with a plurality of cables, wherein the radar-reflective sheet forms a parabolic reflector shape when deployed and towed by the primary aerial vehicle;

positioning a radar transmitter/receiver relative to the radar-reflective sheet to transmit radar signals toward the radar-reflective sheet and receive radar signals focused by the radar-reflective sheet; and

coupling a plurality of solar cells to the radar-reflective sheet, where the plurality of solar cells are electrically coupled to a power collector configured to supply solar-generated electrical power to the radar transmitter/receiver.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising electrically coupling a controller to the radar transmitter/receiver and to the power collector, wherein the controller is configured to selectively transfer a generated solar power from the radar-reflective sheet to the radar transmitter/receiver during radar operation and to alternately switch the generated solar power to the power collector during radar non-operation.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein electrically coupling the controller comprises electrically coupling the controller to the radar transmitter/receiver and to the power collector such that the radar transmitter/receiver selectively receives electrical power from the radar-reflective sheet and the power collector simultaneously.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising electrically coupling the power collector to the primary aerial vehicle, wherein the controller is configured to transfer stored electrical power from the power collector to the primary aerial vehicle.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

coupling a ring-shaped cable to the radar-reflective sheet such that the ring-shaped cable defines an open end of the radar-reflective sheet when deployed; and

coupling a plurality of support cables between the ring-shaped cable and the radar transmitter/receiver such that the radar transmitter/receiver is positioned within the open end.