Aiming Feedback Control For Multiple Energy Beams

• US 20080275572A1
• Filed: 05/03/2007
• Published: 11/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Tillotson, Brian J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,711,441 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/40 using propulsion power supplied by capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/00 Methods of charging batteries, specially adapted for electric vehicles; Charging stations or on-board charging equipment therefor; Exchange of energy storage elements in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 8/00 Electric propulsion with power supply from forces of nature, e.g. sun or wind
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

Plural energy beam sources are aimed at an energy receiving device by way of feedback control signals. Each energy beam is uniquely modulated by way of amplitude, polarization and/or coning patterns to enable individual detection and control. Sensors detect individual energy beams incident to the energy receiving device and provide corresponding detection signals. Control electronics receive the detection signals and derive one or more control signals that are coupled to the plural energy sources. Aircraft and other vehicles are thus provided with electrical and/or thermal energy without the need for source-to-vehicle cabling or substantial on-board energy resources.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a receiving assembly including a target area configured to receive an incident electromagnetic energy and to convert the incident electromagnetic energy into an electrical or thermal output, wherein the incident electromagnetic energy includes a contribution from a plurality of energy sources; and

a control assembly including;

a plurality of sensors disposed about the target area, each sensor being configured to receive a portion of electromagnetic energy not incident on the target area and to provide a corresponding output signal; and

a processing device operatively coupled to the plurality of sensors and configured to analyze the output signals from the plurality of sensors, to detect a misalignment of the contribution from at least one of the plurality of energy sources, and to provide at least one control signal to the at least one of the plurality of energy sources tending to correct the misalignment.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein each contribution from the plurality of energy sources comprises at least one of an amplitude modulated contribution, a polarization modulated contribution, and a coning modulated contribution.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the processing device is configured to detect the misalignment of the contribution by analyzing the at least one of the amplitude modulated contribution, the polarization modulated contribution, and the coning modulated contribution.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the processing device is further configured to analyze the output signals from the plurality of sensors by way of a Fourier transform.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of energy sources includes at least one of a laser beam emitter and a microwave beam emitter.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the receiving assembly includes one or more photovoltaic cells.

7. A system, comprising:

an energy receiving device configured to convert incident electromagnetic energy into electrical or thermal energy;

a plurality of sources configured to emit respective energy beams;

a plurality of sensors configured to provide respective detection signals corresponding to one or more of the energy beams incident to the energy receiving device; and

a controller configured to receive the detection signals and provide one or more control signals, wherein the plurality of sources are further configured to controllably aim the respective energy beams at the energy receiving device in accordance with the one or more control signals.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein at least one of the plurality of sources is configured to emit an amplitude modulated energy beam, a polarization modulated energy beam, or an energy beam modulated to define a coning pattern.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the controller is further configured to distinguish individual energy beam modulation patterns within the respective detection signals by way of a Fourier transform.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the energy receiving device is supported by a vehicle.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the energy receiving device includes one or more photovoltaic cells.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein at least one of the plurality of sources includes a laser.

13. The system of claim 7 further comprising one or more reflectors configured to reflect a portion of the one or more energy beams incident to the energy receiving device.

14. The system of claim 13 further comprising a telescope, wherein one or more of the plurality of sensors receives the reflected portion of the one or more energy beams by way of the telescope.

15. The system of claim 7, wherein:

the controller is further configured to distinguish magnitude and phase variations within the detection signals; and

the plurality of sources are further configured to controllably modulate respective energy beams in accordance with the one or more control signals.

16. A method, comprising:

simultaneously controllably aiming a plurality of modulated energy beams at an energy receiving device;

sensing a misalignment of at least one of the modulated energy beams with respect to the energy receiving device;

adjusting the aiming of the at least one modulated energy beam in response to the sensing; and

converting at least a portion of the modulated energy beams incident to the energy receiving device into electrical or thermal energy.

17. The method of claim 16 further, wherein the sensing is performed in accordance with a Fourier transform.

18. The method of claim 16 further comprising distinguishing individual energy beam modulation patterns in accordance with the sensing.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising distinguishing at least one of amplitude modulation patterns and polarization modulation patterns in accordance with the sensing.

20. The method of claim 18 further comprising distinguishing individual energy beam coning modulation patterns in accordance with the sensing.