System for beaming power from earth to a high altitude platform

• US 6,407,535 B1
• Filed: 09/08/2000
• Issued: 06/18/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: BCP Associates Incorporated, Lawrence Livermore National Security LLC (Government of the United States of America), Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Original Assignee: Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Inventors: Friedman, Herbert W., Porter, Terry J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ponomarenko, Nicholas
• Application Number:
  US09/657,416
• Time in Patent Office: 648 Days
• Field of Search: 322/2.R, 322/40, 322/100, 322/2.A, 310/4, 290/1.R, 244/1.R
• US Class Current: 322/2.00R
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 41/00 Power installations for auxiliary purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B64G 1/428 Power distribution and management

Abstract

Power is transmitted to a high altitude platform by an array of diode pumped solid state lasers each operated at a single range of laser wavelengths outside of infrared and without using adaptive optics. Each laser produces a beam with a desired arrival spot size. An aircraft avoidance system uses a radar system for automatic control of the shutters of the lasers.

Claims

1. A method of beaming power in sufficient quantities to be useful through a portion of the earth'"'"'s atmosphere between earth and a platform at high altitude, comprising:

providing a power transmitting system on either said earth or said platform that includes an array of individual lasers that produces a multiplicity of substantially parallel laser beams,

providing a power receiving device on either said earth or said platform that includes a receiving system with a preselected spot size adapted to fit within a desired area and pattern, and

transferring energy in sufficient quantities to be useful through said portion of the earth'"'"'s atmosphere between said power transmitting system and said power receiving device by operating said array of individual lasers at laser wavelengths other than infrared and directing said multiplicity of substantially parallel laser beams onto said receiving system with a preselected spot size.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said individual lasers are operated at laser wavelengths in the range 0.5 microns to 1.1 microns.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said power receiving device includes at least one photovoltaic cell and said individual lasers are operated at a single range of laser wavelengths.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said individual lasers are diode Nd:

YAG pumped lasers with CPC pump geometry.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said array of individual lasers are included in a beam director mounted on a mobile platform located on said earth.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said platform is a solar airplane and said multiplicity of substantially parallel laser beams have a combined maximum size that will provide an arrival beam that will fit within said preselected spot size and said preselected spot size is located within an area on said solar airplane.

7. The method of claim 1 including using a radar system and a laser shutter system to automatic control said laser beams wherein the radar system produces a radar beam substantially aligned with said laser beams so that when an aircraft is detected at the outer edges of said radar beam, said laser shutter system is closed before the aircraft can intersect said laser beams which is in the middle of said radar beam.

8. A power beaming system for transferring power in sufficient quantities to be useful through a portion of the earth'"'"'s atmosphere between earth and a high altitude platform, comprising:

a power transmitting system adapted to be located on either said earth or said platform that includes an array of individual lasers that produces a multiplicity of substantially parallel laser beams for transferring power in sufficient quantities to be useful through said portion of the earth'"'"'s atmosphere,

a power receiving device adapted to be located on either said earth or on said high altitude platform, and

a receiver in said power receiving device, said receiver having a preselected spot size adapted to fit within a desired area and pattern for receiving said multiplicity of substantially parallel laser beams for transferring energy at laser wavelengths other than infrared through said portion of the earth'"'"'s atmosphere between said earth and said high altitude platform.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein said individual lasers are operated at laser wavelengths in the range 0.5 microns to 1.1 microns.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein said power receiving device includes at least one photovoltaic cell and said individual lasers operate at a single range of laser wavelengths.

11. The system of claim 8 wherein said each of said individual lasers is a diode Nd:

YAG pumped laser with CPC pump geometry.

12. The system of claim 8 wherein said individual lasers are included in a beam director mounted on a mobile platform located on said earth.

13. The system of claim 8 wherein said platform is a solar airplane and said array of individual lasers produces a combined beam with a maximum size that will provide an arrival beam that will fit within said preselected spot size located on said solar airplane.

14. The system of claim 8 including a laser shutter in each of said individual lasers for stopping the laser beam in each of said individual lasers and a radar system to automatic control said laser beam in each of said individual lasers wherein said radar system produces a radar beam substantially aligned with said laser beam in each of said individual lasers so that when an aircraft is detected at the outer edges of said radar beam, said laser shutter is closed before said aircraft can intersect said laser beam in each of said individual lasers which is in the middle of said radar beam.

15. A power beaming system for transferring power in sufficient quantities to be useful through a portion of the earth'"'"'s atmosphere between earth and a remote platform at high altitude, comprising:

power transmitting means located on either said earth or said remote platform for transferring power in sufficient quantities to be useful, said power transmitting means including an array of individual lasers that produces a multiplicity of substantially parallel laser beams for transferring energy at laser wavelengths other than infrared through said portion of the earth'"'"'s atmosphere between said earth and said remote platform, and

power receiving means located on either said earth or on said remote platform for transferring energy through said portion of the earth'"'"'s atmosphere between said earth and said remote platform in sufficient quantities to be useful, said power receiving means including a receiver having a preselected spot size adapted to fit within a desired area and pattern for receiving said multiplicity of substantially parallel laser beams for transferring energy at laser wavelengths other than infrared between said earth and said remote platform.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein said platform is a solar airplane and said power receiving means is located on said solar airplane and wherein each of said individual lasers produces a laser beam and the combined multiplicity of beams have an initial diameter that is of a sufficient size to provide an arrival multiplicity of beams that will fit said preselected spot size on said power receiving means located on said solar airplane.