Sandwich vehicle structure having integrated electromagnetic radiation pathways

• US 8,022,793 B2
• Filed: 11/25/2008
• Issued: 09/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Olson, Travis G., Bommer, Jason P.
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, BENNY T
• Application Number:
  US12/277,525
• Publication Number:
  US 20100127802A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,029 Days
• Field of Search: 333/239, 333/248, 333/157
• US Class Current: 333/248
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 3/121 integrated in a substrate

Abstract

A sandwich vehicle structure may allow for confined propagation of electromagnetic radiation within the sandwich vehicle structure. The sandwich vehicle structure may include at least one upper conducting plate, at least one lower conducting plate, and a core extending between the upper and lower conducting plates. The core may comprise a core medium, and a plurality of spaced apart core members embedded in the core medium and extending between the upper and lower conducting plates. The core medium and the core members may allow for the propagation of electromagnetic radiation within the core.

Claims

1. A sandwich vehicle structure for confined propagation of electromagnetic radiation within the sandwich vehicle structure, the sandwich vehicle structure comprising:

at least one upper conducting plate;

at least one lower conducting plate;

a core extending between the upper and lower conducting plates, the core comprising a core medium and a plurality of spaced apart core members embedded in the core medium and extending between the upper and lower conducting plates;

wherein the core medium and the core members comprise of different electromagnetic properties allowing for propagation of electromagnetic radiation within the core; and

at least one of the following disposed within the core;

an electronic device for processing or interpreting a command, data, or electronic information;

or a power unit for gathering the electromagnetic radiation within the core and for converting the gathered electromagnetic radiation to power.

2. The sandwich vehicle structure of claim 1 wherein the sandwich vehicle structure comprises at least one of an aircraft structure, a fuselage, a wing, an aircraft floor, an interior aircraft component, a leading edge of an aircraft, a spacecraft structure, a satellite structure, a ship structure, a submarine structure, a rocket structure, a missile structure, a land vehicle structure, a military vehicle structure, or an automobile structure.

3. The sandwich vehicle structure of claim 1 wherein a plurality of electromagnetic pathways are formed by a plurality of the spaced apart core members, wherein the spacing of the spaced apart core members determines a frequency of propagation of the electromagnetic radiation.

4. The sandwich vehicle structure of claim 3 wherein directions of the plurality of the electromagnetic pathways within the structure are arbitrary and are determined by at least one of size, shape, spacing, or material properties of the core members.

5. The sandwich vehicle structure of claim 3 wherein the plurality of electromagnetic pathways are formed within the core.

6. The sandwich vehicle structure of claim 1 wherein the core medium comprises a non-conducting region having a dielectric constant of either greater than 1 or equal to 1, and the core members comprise:

conductive material;

a non-conductive material having a dielectric constant that is higher or lower than a dielectric constant of the core medium;

or hybrid materials formed by a combination of conductive and non-conductive materials.

7. The sandwich vehicle structure of claim 1 further comprising a transceiver, disposed within the core, for receiving, transmitting, or propagating the electromagnetic radiation within the core.

8. The sandwich vehicle structure of claim 1 wherein the electromagnetic radiation comprises at least one of a source of power or data.

9. The sandwich vehicle structure of claim 1 further comprising a wireless sensing device comprising:

an antenna embedded in an electromagnetic pathway of the core to couple electromagnetic radiation;

a transceiver to receive and transmit data;

the electronic device to process and interpret at least one of commands or sensor data;

a transducer for sensing a physical environment; and

the power unit for gathering electromagnetic radiation in the electromagnetic pathway and for converting the gathered electromagnetic radiation to usable power for the wireless sensing device.

10. The sandwich vehicle structure of claim 1 wherein the sandwich vehicle structure does not comprise any of wired power sources, wired data sources, or batteries.

11. The sandwich vehicle structure of claim 1 comprising the electronic device, disposed within the core, for processing or interpreting at least one of the command, the data, or the electronic information.

12. The sandwich vehicle structure of claim 1 comprising the power unit, disposed within the core, for gathering the electromagnetic radiation within the core and for converting the gathered electromagnetic radiation to the power.

13. A method of propagating electromagnetic radiation comprising:

providing a sandwich vehicle structure comprising a core extending between upper and lower conducting plates, wherein the core comprises a plurality of integrated wireless electromagnetic pathways extending within the core;

propagating electromagnetic radiation along at least one of the electromagnetic pathways within the core; and

at least one of;

gathering the propagated electromagnetic radiation within the core and converting the gathered electromagnetic radiation to power using a power unit disposed within the core;

or processing or interpreting a command, data, or electronic information using an electronic device disposed within the core.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the sandwich vehicle structure comprises at least one of an aircraft structure, a fuselage, a wing, an aircraft floor, an interior aircraft component, a leading edge of an aircraft, a spacecraft structure, a satellite structure, a ship structure, a submarine structure, a rocket structure, a missile structure, a land vehicle structure, a military vehicle structure, or an automobile structure.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising the step of:

using the at least one electromagnetic pathway as a wireless independent communication channel to at least one of;

provide isolation from at least one of ambient interference or a jamming source;

provide isolation from an ambient environment to provide a secure communication;

or enhance a certification process of the wireless system.

16. The method of claim 13 further comprising interrogating at least one of the plurality of electromagnetic pathways within the core with the electromagnetic radiation to acquire information regarding a health of the core.

17. The method of claim 13 further comprising wirelessly communicating over at least one of the electromagnetic pathways.

18. The method of claim 13 comprising gathering the propagated electromagnetic radiation within the core and converting the gathered electromagnetic radiation to power using the power unit disposed within the core.

19. The method of claim 13 wherein the propagating the electromagnetic radiation comprises an electromagnetic radiation source propagating the electromagnetic radiation, and further comprising a transceiver disposed within the core for transmitting or receiving the propagated electromagnetic radiation.

20. The method of claim 13 wherein the method does not utilize any wired power sources, wired data sources, or batteries.

21. The method of claim 13 comprising the electronic device, disposed within the core, processing or interpreting the command, the data, or the electronic information.

22. The method of claim 13 wherein the core further comprises a core medium and a plurality of spaced apart core members embedded in the core medium extending between the upper and lower conducting plates.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the core medium comprises a non-conducting region having a dielectric constant that is either greater than 1 or equal to 1, and the core members comprise conductive material;

a non-conductive material having a dielectric constant that is higher or lower than a dielectric constant of the core medium;

or hybrid materials formed by a combination of conductive and non-conductive materials,

24. The method of claim 22 further comprising determining a spacing of the spaced apart core members to control a frequency of the propagation of the electromagnetic radiation.

25. The method of claim 22 further comprising determining at least one of size, shape, spacing, or material properties of the spaced apart core members to control directions of the electromagnetic pathways.

26. The method of claim 13 further comprising a transceiver, disposed within the core, receiving, transmitting, or propagating the electromagnetic radiation within the core.

27. A sandwich vehicle structure for confined propagation of electromagnetic radiation within the sandwich vehicle structure, the sandwich vehicle structure comprising:

at least one upper conducting plate;

at least one lower conducting plate;

a core extending between the upper and lower conducting plates, the core comprising a core medium and a plurality of spaced apart core members embedded in the core medium and extending between the upper and lower conducting plates;

wherein the core medium and the core members comprise of different electromagnetic properties allowing for propagation of electromagnetic radiation within the core; and

a wireless sensing device comprising;

an antenna embedded in an electromagnetic pathway of the core to couple electromagnetic radiation;

a transceiver to receive and transmit data;

an electronic device to process and interpret at least one of commands or sensor data;

a transducer for sensing a physical environment; and

a power unit for harvesting electromagnetic radiation in the electromagnetic pathway and for converting the harvested electromagnetic radiation to usable power for the wireless sensing device.