Subarray panel for solar energy transmission

• US 5,666,127 A
• Filed: 12/29/1995
• Issued: 09/09/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: IHI Aerospace Company Limited (IHI Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., Nobuyuki Kaya
• Inventors: Fujiwara, Teruo, Yasui, Hidemi, Kochiyama, Jiro, Kaya, Nobuyuki, Yashiro, Hiroyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Hajec, Donald T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAN, THO GIA
• Application Number:
  US08/580,775
• Time in Patent Office: 620 Days
• Field of Search: 343/700 MS, 343/844, 343/853, 343/893, 343/DIG. 2
• US Class Current: 343/853
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/288 Satellite antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/061 Two dimensional planar arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/2647 Retrodirective arrays
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 343/02 Satellite-mounted antenna

Abstract

An energy transmission arrangement is formed as a subarray panel which emits a microwave energy signal to a target location on the basis of a pilot signal received from the target location. The subarray panel includes a transmission antenna divided into a subarray having a plurality of antenna elements for transmission of the energy signal. The subarray panel further includes pilot signal receiving antennas and thus each subarray panel may function independently and may thus be made lighter and more compact.

Claims

1. In a system for transmitting microwave energy derived from solar energy to a remote receiving apparatus which transmits a pilot signal:

a subarray panel having one side and another side opposite to the one side, comprising;

a solar energy collection layer including a plurality of solar battery panels;

a solar energy transmission layer disposed on said solar energy collection layer;

said solar energy collection layer defining the one side of the subarray panel and said solar energy transmission layer defining the other side of the subarray panel;

a first pilot signal receiving antenna arranged on a first portion of said solar energy transmission layer in the another side of the subarray panel;

a plurality of second mutually spaced pilot signal receiving antennas arranged in mutually spaced relation on a second portion of said solar energy transmission layer in the another side of the subarray panel,

said second portion being spaced from said first portion; and

a plurality of microwave transmitting antennas arranged on a third portion of said solar energy transmission layer in the another side of the subarray panel.

2. A subarray panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein said plurality of mutually spaced second pilot signal receiving antennas consists of three second pilot signal receiving antennas disposed in a triangular arrangement.

3. A subarray panel as claimed in claim 2, wherein said first and second portion are disposed adjacent two remotest corners of said solar energy transmission layer, respectively.

4. In a system for transmitting microwave energy derived from solar energy to a remote receiving apparatus which transmits a pilot microwave signal:

a solar energy collection layer including a plurality of solar battery panels;

a first pilot signal receiving antenna receiving the pilot signal;

a plurality of second mutually spaced pilot signal receiving antennas arranged in mutually spaced relation and spaced from said first pilot signal receiving antenna;

a plurality of microwave transmitting antennas;

a reception circuit operatively coupled with said first pilot signal receiving antenna;

a phase conjugation circuit operatively coupled with said reception circuit;

a wave divider circuit operatively coupled with said phase conjugation circuit;

a plurality, corresponding in number to said plurality of microwave transmitting antennas, of phase shift circuits operatively coupled with said wave divider circuit;

a plurality, corresponding in number to said plurality of phase shift circuits, of voltage amplifiers operatively coupled with said solar energy collection layer, said plurality of voltage amplifiers being operatively coupled with said plurality of microwave transmitting antennas, respectively;

each of said plurality of phase shift circuits being operative on a phase difference signal to adjust phase of microwave transmitted by the corresponding one of said plurality of microwave transmitting antennas;

a plurality, corresponding in number to said plurality of second pilot signal receiving antennas, of second reception circuits operatively coupled with said plurality of second pilot signal receiving antennas, respectively;

an angle detection circuit operatively coupled with said plurality of second reception circuits; and

a processor operatively coupled with said angle detection circuit to generate said phase difference signal.

5. In a system for transmitting microwave energy derived from solar energy to a remote receiving apparatus which transmits a pilot microwave signal:

a subarray panel having one side and another side opposite to the one side, comprising;

a solar energy collection layer including a plurality of solar battery panels;

a solar energy transmission layer disposed on said solar energy collection layer;

said solar energy collection layer defining the one side of the subarray panel and said solar energy transmission layer defining the other side of the subarray panel;

a first pilot signal receiving antenna arranged on a first portion of said solar energy transmission layer in the another side of the subarray panel;

a plurality of second mutually spaced pilot signal receiving antennas arranged in mutually spaced relation on a second portion of said solar energy transmission layer in the another side of the subarray panel,

said second portion being spaced from said first portion;

a plurality of microwave transmitting antennas arranged on a third portion of said solar energy transmission layer in the another side of the subarray panel;

said solar energy transmission layer including

a reception circuit operatively coupled with said first pilot signal receiving antenna;

a phase conjugation circuit operatively coupled with said reception circuit;

a wave divider circuit operatively coupled with said phase conjugation circuit;

a plurality, corresponding, in number to said plurality of microwave transmitting antennas, of phase shift circuits operatively coupled with said wave divider circuit;

a plurality, corresponding in number to said plurality of phase shift circuits, of voltage amplifiers operatively connected to said solar energy collection layer and said plurality of phase shift circuits, respectively;

each of said plurality of phase shift circuits being operative on a phase difference signal to adjust phase of microwave transmitted by the corresponding one of said plurality of microwave transmitting antennas;

a plurality, corresponding in number to said plurality of second pilot signal receiving antennas, of second reception circuits operatively coupled with said plurality of second pilot signal receiving antennas, respectively;

an angle detection circuit operatively coupled with said plurality of second reception circuits; and

a processor operatively coupled with said angle detection circuit to generate said phase difference signal.