Plastic optical fiber for reliable low-cost avionic networks

• US 9,458,829 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2014
• Issued: 10/04/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Makani Technologies LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Hallamasek, Kurt
• Primary Examiner(s): Davis, Richard G
• Application Number:
  US14/320,565
• Publication Number:
  US 20150375852A1
• Time in Patent Office: 827 Days
• Field of Search: 244/154
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 1/02 having a plurality of rotors
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 13/20 Arrangements for mounting or supporting wind motors; Masts or towers for wind motors
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 7/02 the wind motors having rotation axis substantially parallel to the air flow entering the rotor
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 7/047 characterised by the controller architecture, e.g. multiple processors or data communications
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 9/255 connected to electrical distribution networks; Arrangements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2240/921 kept aloft due to aerodynamic effects
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/72 Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/728 Onshore wind turbines

Abstract

An airborne wind turbine system including an aerial vehicle having a main wing, an electrically conductive tether having a first end secured to the aerial vehicle and a second end secured to a ground station, a plurality of power generating turbines connected to the main wing, a communication network positioned with the aerial vehicle, including a first flight control computer, and first plastic optical fiber signal transmission lines extending between the first flight control computer and the plurality of power generating turbines.

Claims

1. An airborne wind turbine system, comprising:

an aerial vehicle having a main wing,

an electrically conductive tether having a first end secured to the aerial vehicle and a second end secured to a ground station;

a plurality of power generating turbines connected to the main wing;

a communication network positioned with the aerial vehicle, including a first flight control computer;

first plastic optical fiber signal transmission lines extending between the first flight control computer and the plurality of power generating turbines;

a second flight control computer, and second plastic optical fiber signal transmission lines extending between the second flight control computer and the plurality of power generating turbines;

wherein the first flight control computer and the second flight control computer are linked together with one or more plastic optical fiber signal transmission lines; and

a rudder attached to the aerial vehicle, wherein the rudder has first and second rudder actuators and wherein a first plastic optical fiber signal transmission rudder line extends between the first flight control computer and the first rudder actuator, and wherein a second plastic optical fiber signal transmission rudder line extends between only the first rudder actuator and the second rudder actuator.

2. The airborne wind turbine system of claim 1, wherein the first plastic optical fiber signal transmission lines extend between the first flight control computer and each of the power generating turbines.

3. The airborne wind turbine system of claim 1, wherein the first plastic optical fiber signal transmission lines extend between the first flight control computer and each of the power generating turbines, and wherein the second plastic optical fiber signal transmission lines extend between the second flight control computer and each of the power generating turbines.

4. The airborne wind turbine system of claim 1, wherein the distance between the first flight control computer and any of the plurality of power generating turbines is less than 6 meters.

5. The airborne wind turbine system of claim 1, further including a third plastic optical fiber signal transmission rudder line extending between the second flight control computer and the second rudder actuator, and a fourth plastic optical fiber signal transmission rudder line extending between the second rudder actuator and the first rudder actuator.

6. The airborne wind turbine system of claim 1, further including a rear elevator, wherein the rear elevator has first and second elevator actuators and wherein a first plastic optical fiber signal transmission elevator line extends between the first flight control computer and the first rear elevator actuator, and wherein a second plastic optical fiber signal transmission elevator line extends between the first rear elevator actuator and the second rear elevator actuator.

7. The airborne wind turbine system of claim 6, further including a third plastic optical fiber signal transmission elevator line extending between the second flight control computer and the second rear elevator actuator, and a fourth plastic optical fiber signal transmission elevator line extending between the second rear elevator actuator and the first rear elevator actuator.

8. The airborne wind turbine system of claim 1, further including a plurality of ailerons attached to the main wing, wherein first plastic optical fiber signal transmission aileron lines extend between the first flight control computer and the plurality of ailerons, and wherein second plastic optical fiber signal transmission aileron lines extend between the first flight control computer and the plurality of ailerons.

9. The airborne wind turbine system of claim 8, further including third plastic optical fiber signal transmission aileron lines extending between the second flight control computer and the plurality of ailerons, and fourth plastic optical fiber signal transmission aileron lines extending between the second flight control computer and the plurality of ailerons.

10. The airborne wind turbine system of claim 9, wherein the distance between the first flight control computer and a furthest aileron is less than 10 meters.

11. An airborne wind turbine system, comprising:

an aerial vehicle having a fuselage and a main wing;

an electrically conductive tether having a first end secured to the aerial wing and a second end secured to a ground station;

a plurality of power generating turbines connected to the main wing;

first and second ailerons positioned on a first side of the main wing;

third and fourth ailerons positioned on a second side of the main wing that is on an opposite side of the fuselage from the first side of the main wing;

a communication network positioned with the aerial vehicle, including a first flight control computer and a second flight control computer;

a first duplex plastic optical fiber signal transmission line extending between the first flight control computer and the first aileron;

a second duplex plastic optical fiber signal transmission line extending between the first aileron and the second aileron;

a third duplex plastic optical fiber signal transmission line extending between the first flight control computer and the second flight control computer;

a fourth duplex plastic optical fiber signal transmission line extending between the second flight control computer and the second aileron;

a fifth duplex plastic optical fiber signal transmission line extending between the first aileron and the second aileron;

a sixth duplex plastic optical fiber signal transmission line extending between the second flight control computer and the third aileron;

a seventh duplex plastic optical fiber signal transmission line extending between the third aileron and the fourth aileron;

an eighth duplex plastic optical fiber signal transmission line extending between the second flight control computer and the fourth aileron; and

a ninth duplex plastic optical fiber signal transmission line extending between the third aileron and the fourth aileron.

12. The airborne wind turbine system of claim 11, further including a rudder positioned on the aerial vehicle wherein the rudder has first and second servo motors, and a tenth duplex plastic optical fiber signal transmission line extending between the first flight computer and the first rudder servo motor and an eleventh duplex plastic optical fiber signal transmission line extending between the first rudder servo motor and the second rudder servo motor.

13. The airborne wind turbine system of claim 12, further including a twelfth duplex plastic optical fiber signal transmission line extending between the second flight computer and the second rudder servo motor and a thirteenth duplex plastic optical fiber signal transmission line extending between the first rudder servo motor and the second rudder servo motor.

14. The airborne wind turbine system of claim 11, wherein the rear elevator includes first and second servo motors, and a tenth duplex plastic optical fiber signal transmission line extending between the first flight computer and the first rear elevator servo motor and an eleventh duplex plastic optical fiber signal transmission line extending between the first rear elevator servo motor and the second rear elevator servo motor.

15. The airborne wind turbine system of claim 14, further including a twelfth duplex plastic optical fiber signal transmission line extending between the second flight computer and the second rear elevator servo motor and a thirteenth duplex plastic optical fiber signal transmission line extending between the first rear elevator servo motor and the second rear elevator servo motor.

16. The airborne wind turbine system of claim 11, further including duplex plastic optical fiber signal transmission lines extending between the first flight control computer and each of the plurality of power generating turbines.

17. The airborne wind turbine system of claim 16, further including a plurality of duplex plastic optical fiber signal transmission lines extending between the second flight control computer and each of the plurality of power generating turbines.

18. The airborne wind turbine system of claim 11, wherein the first flight control computer and the second flight control computer are interconnected to the first, second, third, and fourth aileron servo motors, but neither are directly connected to the same aileron servo motor.

19. The airborne wind turbine system of claim 11, wherein the first flight control computer and the second flight control computer are connected to each other with a tenth duplex plastic optical fiber signal transmission line.