Aerial platform powered via an optical transmission element
First Claim
1. A system, comprising:
- an optical transmission element having a first end and a second end;
an optical power source coupled to the first end of the optical transmission element and operable to transmit optical power towards the second end of the optical transmission element;
an aerial platform;
an energy storage device integrated with the aerial platform;
a data transfer mechanism to pass information between the optical power source and the aerial platform;
an optical power receiver of the aerial platform physically coupled to the second end of the optical transmission element and operable to receive at least some of the optical power produced by the optical power source, the optical power receiver further operable to convert at least a portion of the received optical power into captured electric power;
a propulsion element of the aerial platform operable to use at least a portion of the captured electric power to propel the aerial platform; and
at least one controller programmed to vary how much optical power is output from the optical power source based on an indication from the aerial platform, wherein the indication from the aerial platform is generated by at least one sensor circuit of the aerial platform and communicated via the data transfer mechanism, wherein the indication from the aerial platform is based on a temperature of the optical power receiver or a state of charge of the energy storage device.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An aerial platform receives power in the form of light, for example laser light, transmitted via an optical fiber from a remote optical power source. The platform comprises a receiver which converts at least a portion of the light to a different form of power, for example electric power. The platform also comprises a propulsion element which consumes the different form of power to generate propulsive thrust. Supplying power to the aerial platform from a remote source enables the platform to remain aloft longer than a battery or fuel tank carried by the platform would allow. Transmitting the power in the form of light is preferable in many cases to transmitting electric power, because electrical conductors are generally heavier than optical fibers, and are hazardous in the presence of lightning or a high-voltage power line.
-
Citations
29 Claims
-
1. A system, comprising:
-
an optical transmission element having a first end and a second end; an optical power source coupled to the first end of the optical transmission element and operable to transmit optical power towards the second end of the optical transmission element; an aerial platform; an energy storage device integrated with the aerial platform; a data transfer mechanism to pass information between the optical power source and the aerial platform; an optical power receiver of the aerial platform physically coupled to the second end of the optical transmission element and operable to receive at least some of the optical power produced by the optical power source, the optical power receiver further operable to convert at least a portion of the received optical power into captured electric power; a propulsion element of the aerial platform operable to use at least a portion of the captured electric power to propel the aerial platform; and at least one controller programmed to vary how much optical power is output from the optical power source based on an indication from the aerial platform, wherein the indication from the aerial platform is generated by at least one sensor circuit of the aerial platform and communicated via the data transfer mechanism, wherein the indication from the aerial platform is based on a temperature of the optical power receiver or a state of charge of the energy storage device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. A method to operate an aerial platform, the method comprising:
-
transmitting, via an optical transmission element, optical power from an optical power source to an optical power receiver attached to an aerial platform; generating by at least one sensor circuit associated with the aerial platform an indication based on a temperature of the optical power receiver or a state of charge of an energy storage element associated with the aerial platform; communicating the indication generated by the at least one sensor circuit from the aerial platform to the optical power source via a data transfer mechanism; operating at least one controller programmed to vary how much optical power is output from the optical power source based on the indication from the aerial platform; converting at least a portion of the optical power received by the optical power receiver into captured energy and storing the captured energy in the energy storage element, the captured energy having a form of power usable by a propulsion element to propel the aerial platform; supplying captured energy to the propulsion element; and propelling the aerial platform with captured energy consumed by the propulsion element. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
-
-
25. A device to power an aerial platform, comprising:
-
a laser-based optical power source coupleable to a first end of an optical transmission element, the laser-based optical power source arranged to transmit optical energy towards a second end of the optical transmission element coupleable to the aerial platform, wherein an optical power receiver of the aerial platform is arranged to receive at least some of the optical energy produced by the laser-based optical power source and further arranged to convert at least a portion of the received optical energy into captured electric power for storage in an energy storage element associated with the aerial platform; at least one detection device arranged to receive aerial platform information from the aerial platform via a data transfer mechanism coupled between the optical power source and the aerial platform, wherein the aerial platform information is generated by at least one sensor circuit associated with the aerial platform, wherein the at least one sensor is arranged to pass sensor information to an aerial-platform-based controller, and wherein the aerial-platform-based controller is arranged to pass the sensor information to the at least one detection device via the data transfer mechanism; a safety system coupled to the at least one detection device, the safety system arranged to generate a determination that integrity of the optical transmission element is compromised based on the aerial platform information, wherein the safety system is arranged to direct the aerial platform to land based on a determined unsafe condition; and an optical-power-source-based controller programmed to variably direct how much optical energy is output from the optical power source based on the aerial platform information communicated via the data transfer mechanism. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29)
-
Specification