Optical Power Beaming to Electrically Powered Devices
First Claim
1. A transmitter assembly for optically transmitting power through free space to a device requiring electrical power and having an optical-to-electric power converter, the transmitter assembly comprising:
- a light source that receives electrical power and converts the electrical power to an optical power beam;
a first optical element that directs the optical power beam through free space to the optical-to-electric power converter of the device; and
a safety subsystem that actively limits optical power beam reflections beyond a hot zone to be within a regulatory limit.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In one embodiment, a transmitter assembly containing a light source is electrically powered. The light source receives electrical power and converts the electrical power to an optical power beam that is directed through free space to an optical-to-elect power converter for a device. The optical-to-electric power converter converts the optical power beam to electrical form, thus providing electrical power to a device. A safety subsystem assures that the emission beyond the hot zone between the transmitter and receiver do not exceed regulatory levels.
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Citations
36 Claims
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1. A transmitter assembly for optically transmitting power through free space to a device requiring electrical power and having an optical-to-electric power converter, the transmitter assembly comprising:
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a light source that receives electrical power and converts the electrical power to an optical power beam; a first optical element that directs the optical power beam through free space to the optical-to-electric power converter of the device; and a safety subsystem that actively limits optical power beam reflections beyond a hot zone to be within a regulatory limit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A system for optically transmitting power through free space to a device requiring electrical power, the system comprising:
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an optical-to-electric power converter for producing electrical power for a device; a transmitter assembly located remotely from the optical-to-electrical power converter, comprising a light source that receives electrical power and converts the electrical power to an optical power beam; a first optical element that directs the optical power beam through free space to the optical-to-electric power converter of the device; and a safety subsystem that actively limits optical power beam reflections beyond a hot zone to be within a regulatory limit. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A method for optically transmitting power through free space to a device requiring electrical power, the method comprising:
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converting an optical power beam transmitted through free space to electrical power for the device; performing an optical power accounting between a transmitted power of the optical power beam and a received power of the optical power beam; and responsive to a power accounting that signals a safe condition for transmission; continuing to convert received electrical power to the optical power beam; and continuing to transmit the optical power beam through free space to the device. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28)
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29. A method of operating a free space optical power beaming system, the method comprising:
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determining a first amount of power transmitted by a transmitter assembly as an optical power beam; determining a second amount of power from the beam received by a receiver; determining a third amount of power from the beam reflected outside of a hot zone; and responsive to the third amount of power exceeding a regulatory limit, ceasing transmission of the optical power beam. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31)
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32. A method of determining direction and intensity of reflection from an illuminated surface, the method comprising:
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examining a surface of a device from at least two angles with respect to incident light; comparing a first amount of reflected light observed from a first of the at least two angles to a second amount of reflected light observed from a second of the at least two angles; and responsive to determining the amount of reflected light is independent of incident angle, characterizing the reflected light as omnidirectionally scattered. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34)
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35. A method of transmitting power through free space to a device requiring electrical power and having an optical-to-electric power converter, the method comprising:
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identifying an optical-to-electric power converter; transmitting a power beam pulse to the optical-to-electric power converter; and receiving a response from the optical-to-electric power converter, wherein the response was powered in part from the transmitted power beam pulse. - View Dependent Claims (36)
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Specification