Power generating and distribution system and method

• US 8,596,581 B2
• Filed: 12/12/2011
• Issued: 12/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: David R. Criswell
• Original Assignee: David R. Criswell
• Inventors: Criswell, David R., Petersen, Jori L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bonzell, Philip J
• Application Number:
  US13/323,585
• Publication Number:
  US 20120153744A1
• Time in Patent Office: 722 Days
• Field of Search: 244/172.7, 244/172.8, 136/244, 136/292, 136/246, 602/81, 60/395.2
• US Class Current: 244/172.7
• CPC Class Codes: B64G 1/428 Power distribution and management
• CPC Class Codes: B64G 1/4282 for transmitting power to earth or other spacecraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64G 1/44 using radiation, e.g. deployable solar arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/23 characterised by the type of transmitting antennas, e.g. directional array antennas or Yagi antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/27 characterised by the type of receiving antennas, e.g. rectennas
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/80 involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment

Abstract

A power distribution network is provided comprising ground-based microwave transmitters, receivers and microwave redirectors. The ground-based microwave transmitters have their own directional, focus and amplitude controllers for aiming a focused microwave beam at a microwave redirector. The microwave redirectors each have a receiving antenna and a plurality of transmitting antennae such that the redirectors transmit focused microwave beams to at least two different stations (for example, being either ground-based microwave receivers or other microwave redirectors).

Claims

1. A power distribution network, comprising:

(a) at least one ground-based microwave transmitter, having;

(i) a microwave transmitting antenna,

(ii) a microwave transmission directional controller for the microwave transmitting antenna,

(iii) a microwave transmission focus controller for the microwave transmitting antenna, and

(iv) a microwave transmission power controller for the microwave transmitting antenna;

(b) a plurality of ground-based microwave receivers, each having;

(i) a microwave receiving antenna,

(ii) a microwave to electricity converter;

(c) one or more microwave redirectors, having;

(i) at least one microwave receiver, having;

(A) a microwave receiving antenna, and

(B) a microwave to electricity converter;

(ii) a plurality of microwave transmitters, each having;

(A) a microwave transmitting antenna,

(B) a microwave transmission directional controller for the microwave transmitting antenna,

(C) a microwave transmission focus controller for the microwave transmitting antenna,

(D) a microwave transmission power controller for the microwave transmitting antenna, and

(iii) a received power to plurality of transmitters and redirector power allocation controller;

wherein a first ground-based microwave transmitter transmits a directed and focused power beam transmission to a first microwave redirector, and

wherein the first microwave redirector receives the power beam transmission from the first ground-based microwave transmitter and transmits directed and focused power beam transmissions to a plurality of stations selected from the plurality of microwave redirectors and the plurality of ground-based microwave receivers, and

wherein the first microwave redirector allocates power both to itself and to the plurality of stations to which power is transmitted.

2. The power distribution network of claim 1, wherein at least one microwave redirector is airborne.

3. The power distribution network of claim 1, wherein at least one microwave redirector is mounted on a tower.

4. The power distribution network of claim 1, further comprising:

(d) a space-based microwave redirector,

wherein the first ground-based microwave transmitter transmits a focused power beam to the space-based microwave redirector, or

wherein one of the microwave redirectors transmits power to the space-based microwave redirector.

5. The power distribution network of claim 1, wherein the directed and focused power beams are near-field energy beams.

6. The power distribution network of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of microwave redirectors send power to the stations at different times.

7. The power distribution network of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of microwave redirectors send power to the stations at the same time.

8. The power distribution network of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of ground-based microwave transmitters are coupled to an electrical power grid.

9. The power distribution network of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of ground-based microwave receivers are coupled to an electrical power grid.

10. The power distribution network of claim 1, wherein each of the microwave redirectors convert a percentage of microwave power received into electricity to power the microwave redirector.

11. The power distribution network of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of microwave redirectors are configured to direct power beams towards the same target.

12. The power distribution network of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of microwave redirectors are configured to independently focus the power beams that are sent to at least two stations.

13. The power distribution network of claim 1, further comprising:

(d) a water-based microwave receiver,

wherein one of the microwave redirectors transmits power to the water-based microwave receiver.

14. The power distribution network of claim 1 wherein the at least one microwave receiver and the plurality of microwave transmitters of the one or more microwave re-directors is a reflex array.

15. The power distribution network of claim 1, wherein at least one microwave redirector is positioned on a balloon.

16. The power distribution network of claim 15, wherein the balloon is tethered to the ground.

17. The power distribution network of claim 1, wherein each microwave transmitting antenna is a phased array transmitter.

18. The power distribution network of claim 17, wherein each phased array transmitter has a radiating aperture dimensioned such that the diameter of the phased array transmitter squared divided by the wavelength of a microwave beam send by the phased array transmitter is greater than the separation distance between the transmitter and its corresponding receiver.

19. The power distribution network of claim 18, wherein the minimum diameter of the beam at the receiver is smaller than the diameter of the transmitter.

20. The power distribution network of claim 1, further comprising:

(d) a flying microwave receiver,

wherein the first ground-based microwave transmitter transmits a focused power beam to the flying microwave receiver, or

wherein one of the microwave redirectors transmits power to the flying microwave receiver.

21. The power distribution network of claim 20, wherein the flying microwave receiver is a microwave powered aircraft.

22. The power distribution network of claim 20, wherein the flying microwave receiver is a microwave powered missile.

23. The power distribution network of claim 1, further comprising:

a communications system among the ground-based microwave transmitter and receivers and the microwave redirectors, wherein the communications system sends information to each transmitter, receiver and redirector such that the operational status of each transmitter, receiver and redirector can be known at any place in the network.

24. The power distribution network of claim 23, wherein information is transmitted by modulating the power beams passing among the stations in the network.

25. A power distribution system, comprising;

a source of microwave energy;

(a) a ground-based microwave transmitter for transmitting the microwave energy, the transmitter having;

(i) a directional controller;

(ii) a beam focus controller;

(iii) an amplitude controller; and

(b) a ground-based microwave receiver for receiving the microwave energy, the receiver having;

(i) a directional controller, and

(ii) a converter for converting the received microwave energy into electricity, and

(c) an alignment system having;

(i) an alignment source of alignment electromagnetic radiation coupled to the microwave transmitter for transmitting the alignment radiation,

(ii) an alignment reflector of the alignment electromagnetic radiation coupled to the microwave receiver, and

(iii) an alignment controller signal generator within the alignment reflector, which detects alignment error and transmits the alignment error to an alignment receiver coupled to the transmitter for communication with the directional controllers and the beam focus controllers of the transmitter;

wherein the ground-based microwave transmitter sends a directed and focused power beam directly to the ground-based microwave receiver.

26. The power distribution system of claim 25,

wherein the directional controller of the ground-based microwave transmitter points the ground-based microwave transmitter towards the ground-based microwave receiver, and

wherein the directional controller of the ground-based microwave receiver points the ground-based microwave receiver towards the ground-based microwave transmitter.

27. The power distribution system of claim 25, wherein the ground-based microwave transmitter is a phased array transmitter.

28. The power distribution system of claim 25, wherein the ground-based microwave transmitter is a parabolic transmitter.

29. The power distribution system of claim 25, where in the alignment electromagnetic radiation is columnated light.

30. The power distribution system of claim 25, wherein the alignment reflector modulates alignment error onto the reflected alignment radiation.

31. The power distribution system of claim 25, wherein the ground-based receiver further includes an allocator that allocates the incoming microwave energy into one or more output energy quantities responsive to the needs of one or more energy destinations and one or more secondary re-transmitters associated with the one or more allocated energy quantities with each re-transmitter including a respective directional controller, a respective focused controller and a amplitude controller for transmitting the respective energy quantities to the respective destinations of respective receivers for the destinations or for further transmission.

32. A power distribution system, comprising;

a source of electricity,

an electricity to microwave converter,

a transmitter for transmitting the microwaves,

a receiver for receiving the microwaves directly from one or more transmitters,

a microwave to electricity converter,

the transmitter having directional adjustments in at least two spacial dimensions,

a source of alignment-electromagnetic radiation coupled to the transmitter that is coincident with the direction of the transmitter microwaves which illuminates the receiver.

33. The power distribution system of claim 32 wherein the transmitter includes an amplitude controller for controlling the amplitude of the received microwave energy to a magnitude of between 20 and 25 watts per square foot.

34. The power distribution system of claim 32 wherein the source of alignment-electromagnetic radiation is a laser.