System for transmitting power from a solar satellite to earth and subsequent conversion to a 60 Hertz three phase signal
First Claim
1. A system for transmission of power which is in the form of continuous-wave microwave-frequency electrical signal energy, comprising:
- first antenna means configured and arranged to transmit the microwave signal with a given polarization;
means for driving said first antenna means with a microwave signal in such a manner that the polarization of the transmitted microwave signal changes regularly with time throughout the transmission of the microwave signal, in a predetermined manner, at a selected rate which is substantially less than the frequency of the microwave signal;
second antenna means for receiving the transmitted microwave signal;
means associated with said second antenna means for recovering the power in the transmitted microwave signal received by said second antenna means; and
means responsive to said recovering means for converting the recovered microwave signal into a three phase signal at a power frequency, the resulting signal being suitable for use as a power signal.
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Abstract
Electrical power at microwave frequencies produced by solar cells or similar devices on satellite stations in space is phase modulated prior to its being beamed to earth. At the receiving station on earth, the power in the beamed signal is recovered at the modulation frequency. In the first embodiment, the microwave signal from the power originating device drives a circularly polarized antenna; the modulation is achieved by reversing the phase of the drive signals so that the polarization of the propagated wave alternates between right hand and left hand polarization at a 360 Hertz rate. On earth, the detected outputs of the receiving antennas are combined in such a manner to produce a 60 Hertz three phase power signal. In the second embodiment, the microwave signal drives two orthogonal, linearly polarized antennas; the modulation is achieved by gradually changing the phase of the microwave drive signals so that the polarization of the propagated wave rotates at a 60 Hertz rate. On earth, the detected outputs of three linear antennas, spaced at 120° angular intervals, are summed to produce a 60 Hertz three phase power signal.
12 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A system for transmission of power which is in the form of continuous-wave microwave-frequency electrical signal energy, comprising:
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first antenna means configured and arranged to transmit the microwave signal with a given polarization; means for driving said first antenna means with a microwave signal in such a manner that the polarization of the transmitted microwave signal changes regularly with time throughout the transmission of the microwave signal, in a predetermined manner, at a selected rate which is substantially less than the frequency of the microwave signal; second antenna means for receiving the transmitted microwave signal; means associated with said second antenna means for recovering the power in the transmitted microwave signal received by said second antenna means; and means responsive to said recovering means for converting the recovered microwave signal into a three phase signal at a power frequency, the resulting signal being suitable for use as a power signal. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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2. The system of FIG. 1, wherein said first and second antenna means move related to each other in operation of the system.
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14. A method for transmitting power which is in the form of continuous-wave microwave-frequency electrical signal energy, comprising the steps of:
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transmitting the microwave signal with a polarization that changes regularly with time throughout the transmission of the microwave signal, in a predetermined manner, at a selected rate which is substantially less than the frequency of the microwave signal; receiving the transmitted microwave signal; recovering the power from the received microwave signal; and converting the recovered microwave signal into a three phase signal at a power frequency, the resulting signal being suitable for use as a power signal. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification