Energy transmission arrangement

• US 5,400,036 A
• Filed: 09/29/1993
• Issued: 03/21/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: IHI Aerospace Company Limited (IHI Corporation), Nobuyuki Kaya
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., Nobuyuki Kaya
• Inventors: Fujiwara, Teruo, Yashiro, Hiroyuki, Yasui, Hidemi, Kochiyama, Jiro, Kaya, Nobuyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Issing, Gregory C.
• Application Number:
  US08/128,286
• Time in Patent Office: 538 Days
• Field of Search: 342/370, 342/354, 136/292, 322/2 R
• US Class Current: 342/370
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/248 provided with an AC/DC converting device, e.g. rectennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/2629 Combination of a main antenna unit with an auxiliary antenna unit
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/185 Space-based or airborne stations; Stations for satellite systemsH04B7/204 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

An energy transmission arrangement emits a microwave energy signal to a target location on the basis of a pilot signal received from the target location. The arrangement includes a plurality of pilot antennas for receiving the pilot signal and a plurality of antenna elements for transmission of the energy signal. The pilot signal as received at a first pilot antenna is multiplied at a phase conjugation circuit and divided into a plurality of transmission signals corresponding to the plurality of antenna elements. A target direction is calculated based on a phase difference of the pilot signal as received at each of the other pilot antennas and a phase adjustment circuit is provided for adjusting the phases of each of the transmission signals on the basis of the calculated target direction. Electrical energy is then supplied from energy collecting means to a plurality of amplifiers and amplified respectively, on the basis of a corresponding one of the transmission signals, to be supplied to respective antenna elements to be emitted as the microwave energy signal. According to this arrangment, the phase conjugation circuit is active to receive the pilot signal as received at the first pilot antenna as well as the pilot signal as received at a predetermined reference point in the path of the pilot signal for calculating a difference signal for effecting phase correction of the microwave energy signal.

Claims

1. An energy transmission arrangement, wherein electrical energy is converted to a microwave energy signal for transmission to a target location remote from said energy transmission arrangement, a phase of said microwave energy signal being controlled on the basis of a pilot signal emitted from said target location and received at a plurality of pilot antennas, said microwave energy signal being emitted in a direction from which said pilot signal has been received via a plurality of transmission antenna elements, comprising:

phase conjugation means at which said pilot signal received at a first pilot antenna is multiplied n times;

dividing means, receiving the output of said phase conjugation means to be divided into a plurality of shift signals corresponding to a number of said transmission antenna elements;

angle detecting means, receiving said pilot signal via the others of said plurality of antennas, and detective of an arrival direction of said pilot signal on the basis of a phase difference in said pilot signal as received at each of said other pilot antennas;

processing means calculating a phase adjustment value based on the output of said angle detecting means;

a plurality of phase adjusting means, setting a phase of each shift signal output from said dividing means on the basis of said phase adjustment value calculated by said processing means so as to establish a transmission direction for each of said antenna elements and outputting a directional signal, indicative thereof;

a plurality of amplifier means each receiving a directional signal output from a corresponding one of said phase adjusting means and further receiving said electrical energy and, amplifying said electrical energy according to said directional signals for establishing said microwave energy signal, said microwave energy signal being output from each of said amplifier means and supplied to a respective one of said antenna elements to be emitted in said transmission direction;

said phase conjugation means including means for obtaining a difference signal based on said pilot signal input thereto from said first pilot antenna and a common pilot signal received at a reference point within said pilot signal for effecting phase correction of an output of said phase conjugation means.

2. An energy transmission arrangement as set forth in claim 1, further including collection means such that said electrical energy is collected in the form of solar energy for conversion into said microwave energy signal.

3. An energy transmission arrangement as set forth in claim 1, wherein said arrangement is a satellite.

4. An energy transmission method, comprising the steps of:

receiving a microwave pilot signal at a first frequency;

carrying out phase correction for the received pilot signal on the basis of a phase difference existing between the pilot signal as received at a predetermined reference point and as received at another reception point and multiplying said signal to establish a second frequency;

dividing said signal n times after phase correction for providing a plurality of output signals;

determining an angle of the received pilot signal on the basis of a phase difference existing between the pilot signal as received at a plurality of reception points and calculating a target direction on the basis thereof;

adjusting the phase of each of said plurality of output signals on the basis of said calculated target direction;

amplifying electrical energy to be transmitted on the basis of said output signals; and

emitting said electrical energy at said second frequency.

5. An energy transmission method as set forth in claim 4, further including a step of collecting said electrical energy.

6. An energy transmission method as set forth in claim 4, further including a step of converting solar energy into said electrical energy.