Apparatus and method for transmitting electrical power through a transparent or substantially transparent medium

• US 7,079,722 B2
• Filed: 09/22/2004
• Issued: 07/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mobile Media Systems Company
• Original Assignee: Maxentric Technologies, LLC
• Inventors: Mahbobi, Kamran
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, John D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Peace, Rhonda S.
• Application Number:
  US10/947,521
• Publication Number:
  US 20060062515A1
• Time in Patent Office: 664 Days
• Field of Search: 385/2, 385/8, 385/14, 385/24, 385/40, 385/50, 385/7
• US Class Current: 385/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/801 using optical interconnects, e.g. light coupled isolators, circuit board interconnections
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/807 Optical power feeding, i.e. transmitting power using an optical signal

Abstract

An apparatus and method is provided which allows transfer of DC electrical power across a transparent or semitransparent medium such as glass. Electrical power transfer is achieved using a suitable optical source (matched visible light or infrared LED or LD arrays are best suited) that illuminates a matched solar cell array on the other side of the medium.

Claims

1. An electrical energy transfer interface circuit capable of transferring usable electrical energy for connection between a first transmission line that is connected to a first electronic circuit on a first side of a substantially transparent media and a second transmission line that is connected to a second electronic circuit on a second side of the substantially transparent media, comprising:

an electrical to optical conversion module at said first side for converting a DC electrical input received from said first electronic circuit through said first transmission line, to an optical output, said electrical to optical conversion module having an optical source therein for transmitting said optical output across said substantially transparent media from said first side of said substantially transparent media;

an optical to electrical conversion module at said second side for receiving said optical output, from said optical source of said electrical to optical conversion unit, and for converting said optical output received from said optical source to a DC electrical output, said optical to electrical conversion module having a receiving surface area for receiving said optical output from across said substantially transparent media;

wherein said optical source is a light source selected from the group consisting of LEDs, LDs, lasers, infrared, or visible light sources;

wherein said receiving surface area for receiving said optical output is a solar cell array in substantial alignment with said optical source, said solar cell array being selected from the group consisting of conventional silicon solar cell arrays, high efficiency solar cell arrays, and GaAs solar cell arrays;

wherein said electrical input is DC power supplied thereto, and wherein said electrical to optical conversion module further includes a DC biasing circuit for converting the electrical input;

wherein said optical to electrical conversion module further includes a voltage regulator for converting the optical output received into said electrical output; and

further including a substantially proximate set of substantially aligned, cooperative RF pads for bidirectionally transmitting RF signals between said first side of said substantially transparent medium, to said second side of said substantially transparent medium.

2. The interface of claim 1, wherein said interface is attached with bonding agents to the inside and outside glass surfaces so as to form a sealed chamber.

3. A method for forming an electrical energy transfer interface circuit capable of transferring usable electrical energy for connection between a first transmission line that is connected to a first electronic circuit on a first side of a substantially transparent media and a second transmission line that is connected to a second electronic circuit on a second side of the substantially transparent media, comprising the steps of:

connecting an electrical to optical conversion module to said first transmission line at said first side of said substantially transparent media, for converting a DC electrical input received from said first electronic circuit through said first transmission line, to an optical output, said electrical to optical conversion module being formed so as to have an optical source therein for transmitting said optical output across said substantially transparent media from said first side of said substantially transparent media;

connecting an optical to electrical conversion module to said second transmission line at said second side of said substantially transparent media, for receiving said optical output, from said optical source of said electrical to optical conversion unit, and for converting said optical output received from said optical source to a DC electrical output, said optical to electrical conversion module being formed so as to have a receiving surface area for receiving said optical output from across said substantially transparent media;

wherein said optical source is formed from a light source of a type selected from the group consisting of LEDs, LDS, lasers, infrared, or visible light sources;

wherein said receiving surface area for receiving said optical output is formed from a solar cell array that is in substantial alignment with said optical source, said solar cell array being a type formed from the group consisting of conventional silicon solar cell arrays, high efficiency solar cell arrays, and GaAs solar cell arrays;

wherein said electrical input is DC power supplied thereto, and wherein the forming of said electrical to optical conversion module further includes installation of a DC biasing circuit for converting the electrical input;

wherein the forming said optical to electrical conversion module further includes installation of a voltage regulator for converting the optical output received into said electrical output; and

wherein the forming of said interface further including installing a substantially proximate set of substantially aligned, cooperative RF pads for bidirectionally transmitting RF signals between said first side of said substantially transparent medium, to said second side of said substantially transparent medium.