Wireless data communication and power transmission using aircraft structures having properties of an electromagnetic cavity

• US 8,026,857 B2
• Filed: 01/17/2008
• Issued: 09/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Bommer, Jason Philip
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAN, THO GIA
• Application Number:
  US12/016,018
• Publication Number:
  US 20090184877A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,349 Days
• Field of Search: 343/708, 343/705
• US Class Current: 343/708
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/007 specially adapted for indoor communication
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/28 Adaptation for use in or on aircraft, missiles, satellites, or balloons
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/20 using microwaves or radio frequency waves
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/40 using two or more transmitting or receiving devices H02J50/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/50 using additional energy repeaters between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/80 involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices

Abstract

An aircraft structure having properties of an electromagnetic cavity is used to enhance wireless transmission for at least one of wireless data communication and wireless power transmission.

Claims

1. A method comprising using an aircraft component having properties of an electromagnetic cavity to propagate wireless transmissions inside the component along a length of the component, the component formed by a plurality of airframe structural elements.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the aircraft component is caused to function as at least one of an RF waveguide and an RF cavity resonator.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless transmissions include data communication.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the aircraft component is one of a fuselage, wing and stabilizer.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the airframe structural elements include at least one of a stiffener, frame, rib, beam, stringer, spar, leading edge, trailing edge, and control surface.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless transmissions include wireless power transmission.

7. A method for an aircraft, the method comprising electromagnetically coupling selected aircraft structures having properties of an electromagnetic cavity to form a wireless bus.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein a relay is used to electromagnetically couple two of the selected aircraft structures.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising reducing RF losses in the aircraft structures.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising adding means for energizing cavities of certain selected structures for power transmission.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising connecting the wireless bus to a hub through a radiating element.

12. The method of claim 7, further comprising installing a plurality of wireless devices in the aircraft, the devices having their radiating elements installed inside cavities of certain selected structures.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the wireless devices replace wired devices, and wherein the method further comprises removing wires for the wired devices.

14. An aircraft comprising:

a plurality of aircraft structures having properties of an electromagnetic cavity, the structures forming at least one cavity-assisted RF pathway within the aircraft;

a plurality of wireless electrical systems having their radiating elements within cavities of certain of the structures, the certain structures used to enhance wireless transmission by the systems.

15. The aircraft of claim 14, wherein the aircraft structures include airframe structural elements.

16. The aircraft of claim 14, wherein the aircraft structures include systems components.

17. The aircraft of claim 14, wherein cavities of the structures are RF-coupled to form a plurality of different paths.

18. The aircraft of claim 17, further comprising a hub for the plurality of paths.

19. The aircraft of claim 14, further comprising conductive materials on the structures for reducing RF losses.

20. The aircraft of claim 14, further comprising relays for electromagnetically coupling the cavities of the structures.

21. A method of designing the aircraft of claim 14, the method comprising:

selecting aircraft structures to form a cavity-assisted RF pathway;

designing waveguides and cavity resonators so they can be incorporated into the selected structures; and

matching the structures so that RF performance is optimized.

22. A method for an aircraft including an elongated composite beam having first and second ends, the beam having a cavity that extends from the first end to the second end, the method comprising radiating a signal at the first end of the beam and causing the beam to function as at least one of an RF waveguide and an RF cavity resonator to propagate the signal to the second end.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the beam is a stiffener.