TRANSMITTING ELECTRIC POWER USING ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVES

• US 20140015705A1
• Filed: 07/13/2012
• Published: 01/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Osaka Electro-Communication University
• Original Assignee: Osaka Electro-Communication University
• Inventors: EBIHARA, Satoshi, KAWATA, Kentaro
• Granted Patent: US 9,244,190 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/22
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/30 operating with electromagnetic waves
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/23 characterised by the type of transmitting antennas, e.g. directional array antennas or Yagi antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/27 characterised by the type of receiving antennas, e.g. rectennas

Abstract

Technologies are generally described for transmitting electric power using electromagnetic waves. An example device may include a transmitting unit, a dielectric waveguide, and a receiving unit. The transmitting unit can be configured to transmit the electromagnetic wave through a first waveguide. The dielectric waveguide can be configured to direct the electromagnetic wave from the first waveguide to a second waveguide. Further, the receiving unit can be configured to receive the electromagnetic wave from the dielectric waveguide through the second waveguide. An example borehole radar system may generate an electromagnetic wave from a DC power supply and provide the electromagnetic wave to a power transmitting unit. The power transmitting unit can be configured to transmit the electromagnetic wave through a dielectric waveguide. The electromagnetic wave can be rectified to generate a DC voltage signal, by which a transmitting antenna may be powered to generate a radar signal.

Claims

1. An apparatus for transmitting electric power using an electromagnetic wave, the apparatus comprising:

a transmitting unit configured to receive an electromagnetic wave and transmit the electromagnetic wave through a first waveguide;

a dielectric waveguide configured to receive the electromagnetic wave from the first waveguide and direct the electromagnetic wave to a second waveguide; and

a receiving unit configured to receive the electromagnetic wave from the dielectric waveguide through the second waveguide.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the dielectric waveguide has a substantially cylindrical shape.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the dielectric waveguide has a substantially rectangular shape.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the dielectric waveguide has a substantially elliptical shape.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the dielectric waveguide has a substantially polygonal shape.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the dielectric waveguide includes a plurality of directors substantially equally spaced from each other along an elongated direction of the dielectric waveguide.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein each of the directors has a rod shape with a length shorter than a wavelength of the electromagnetic wave.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein an elongated direction of each director is substantially aligned perpendicular to the elongated direction of the dielectric waveguide.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first waveguide includes a dielectric material shielded with a substantially metallic material, the transmitting unit includes a monopole antenna, wherein one end of the monopole antenna is coupled to the metallic material.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the first waveguide has a substantially cylindrical shape, and wherein one end of the first waveguide is terminated by a short-circuit.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second waveguide includes a dielectric material shielded with a substantially metallic material, the receiving unit includes a monopole antenna, and wherein one end of the monopole antenna is coupled to the metallic material.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the second waveguide has a substantially cylindrical shape, and wherein one end of the second waveguide is coupled with a conductor plate.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a frequency of the electromagnetic wave is in a range from about 50 MHz to about 3 GHz.

14. A borehole radar system, comprising:

an oscillating unit configured to generate an electromagnetic wave from a direct current (DC) power supply;

a power transmitting unit configured to receive the electromagnetic wave from the oscillating unit and transmit the electromagnetic wave through a dielectric waveguide;

a rectifying unit configured to receive the electromagnetic wave from the dielectric waveguide and rectify the electromagnetic wave to generate a DC voltage signal;

a transmitting antenna configured to be powered by the DC voltage signal to generate a radar signal; and

a receiving antenna configured to receive the radar signal from the transmitting antenna.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the power transmitting unit includes:

a transmitting unit configured to receive the electromagnetic wave from the oscillating unit and transmit the electromagnetic wave through a first waveguide;

a dielectric waveguide configured to receive the electromagnetic wave from the first waveguide and direct the electromagnetic wave to a second waveguide; and

a receiving unit configured to receive the electromagnetic wave from the dielectric waveguide through the second waveguide.

16. The system claim 15, wherein the dielectric waveguide has a substantially cylindrical shape.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the dielectric waveguide includes a plurality of directors substantially equally spaced from each other along an elongated direction of the dielectric waveguide.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein each of the directors has a substantially rod shape having a length shorter than a wavelength of the electromagnetic wave.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein an elongated direction of each director is substantially aligned perpendicular to the elongated direction of the dielectric waveguide.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the first waveguide includes a dielectric material shielded with a substantially metallic material, the transmitting unit includes a monopole antenna, and wherein one end of the monopole antenna is coupled to the metallic material.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the first waveguide has a substantially cylindrical shape, and wherein one end of the first waveguide is short-circuited with a conductor plate.

22. The system of claim 15, wherein the second waveguide includes a dielectric material shielded with a substantially metallic material, the receiving unit includes a monopole antenna, and wherein one end of the monopole antenna is coupled to the metallic material.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the second waveguide has a substantially cylindrical shape, and wherein one end of the second waveguide is short-circuited with a conductor plate.

24. The system of claim 14, wherein a frequency of the electromagnetic wave in a range from about 50 MHz to about 3 GHz.

25. A method for transmitting electric power using an electromagnetic wave in a borehole radar system, the method comprising:

generating a radar signal and converting the radar signal into an optical signal;

generating, by an oscillating unit, an electromagnetic wave from a DC power supply;

transmitting, by a power transmitting unit, the electromagnetic wave through a dielectric waveguide;

rectifying, by a rectifying unit, the electromagnetic waves to generate a DC voltage signal; and

converting, by an O/E (optical-to-electrical) converter which is driven to operate based on the DC voltage signal, the optical signal into an electrical signal to be transmitted through a transmitting antenna.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein transmitting by the power transmitting unit includes:

receiving, by a transmitting unit, the electromagnetic wave from the oscillating unit and transmitting the electromagnetic wave through a first waveguide;

receiving, by a dielectric waveguide, the electromagnetic wave from the first waveguide and directing the electromagnetic wave to a second waveguide; and

receiving, by a receiving unit, the electromagnetic wave from the dielectric waveguide through the second waveguide.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the dielectric waveguide has a substantially cylindrical shape.

28. A computer-readable storage medium which stores a program for causing a borehole radar system to carry out radar measurements, the borehole radar system comprising a processor configured to generate radar signals and perform an analysis of radar signals detected by the borehole radar system, the program comprising one or more instructions for:

generating a radar signal and converting the radar signal into an optical signal;

generating, by an oscillating unit, an electromagnetic wave from a DC power supply;

transmitting, by a power transmitting unit, the electromagnetic wave through a dielectric waveguide;

rectifying, by a rectifying unit, the electromagnetic waves to generate a DC voltage signal; and

converting, by an O/E (optical-to-electrical) converter which is driven to operate based on the DC voltage signal, the optical signal into an electrical signal to be transmitted through a transmitting antenna.

29. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 28, wherein transmitting by the power transmitting unit includes:

receiving, by a transmitting unit, the electromagnetic wave from the oscillating unit and transmitting the electromagnetic wave through a first waveguide;

receiving, by a dielectric waveguide, the electromagnetic wave from the first waveguide and directing the electromagnetic wave to a second waveguide; and

receiving, by a receiving unit, the electromagnetic wave from the dielectric waveguide through the second waveguide.

30. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 29, wherein the dielectric waveguide has a cylindrical shape.