Device for remote transfer of energy to a moving object by acoustic waves

• US 10,020,690 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2014
• Issued: 07/10/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus SAS (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Airbus SAS (Airbus SE)
• Inventors: Colin, Nicolas, Simonet, Didier
• Primary Examiner(s): Puentes, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US15/033,960
• Publication Number:
  US 20160276863A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,349 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/104 using satellite radio beacon positioning systems, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/19 using electrically powered motors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/34 In-flight charging photovoltaics B64U50/31
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/35 by wireless transmission, e.g. by induction
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/13 Receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/44 for aircrafts
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/15 using ultrasonic waves
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge

Abstract

The invention consists of a system allowing remote wireless transfer of energy from a base station to a moving object, in particular a drone, moving in a given zone around the base station. The system includes means for tracking the moving object so as to determine the position of the moving object relative to the base station at any time, means for transmitting a synthetic acoustic wave focused in the direction of the moving object, these two means being located at the base station and powered by the base station, and acoustic reception means, located on the moving object, for receiving the acoustic wave transmitted by the base station and converting the received acoustic wave into an electrical signal and then into a power supply voltage for a battery.

Claims

1. A system for remotely and wirelessly transferring energy from a base station to a mobile object moving in a given area of space around the base station, comprising:

means for emitting a synthetic acoustic wave that is focused in a given direction, which means being located at the level of the base station and supplied with power by the base station, wherein the means for emitting the acoustic wave are composed of an assembly of elementary piezoelectric transducers, each transducer being excited by an electrical signal that is phase referenced with respect to a reference phase, the phases of the signals applied to the various piezoelectric transducers being determined in real time, depending on the position of the mobile object relative to the base station, in such a way that the acoustic waves emitted by the various transducers are combined in space so as to form an acoustic wave that is focused in the direction of the mobile object;

acoustic receiving means, located at the level of the mobile object, for receiving the acoustic wave emitted by the base station and for converting the acoustic wave to an electrical signal;

means for tracking the mobile object so as to determine the position of the mobile object with respect to the base station.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the acoustic receiving means are composed of a localized acoustic transducer.

3. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tracking means implement an optical or radio detection system.

4. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tracking means are composed of a GPS receiver that is located in the mobile object, and communication means allowing it to transmit its GPS position to the base station.

5. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mobile object further comprises means for converting the electrical signal, sent by the acoustic receiving means, to a continuous voltage allowing a battery housed in the mobile object to be supplied with power.

6. The system as claimed in claim 1, further comprises communication means that allow the base station to guide the mobile object toward an area of space allowing the tracking of the mobile object to be initialized.

7. A system for remotely and wirelessly transferring energy from a base station to a mobile object moving in a given area of space around the base station, comprising:

means for emitting a synthetic acoustic wave that is focused in a given direction, which means being located at the base station and supplied with power by the base station;

acoustic receiving means, located at the level of the mobile object, for receiving the acoustic wave emitted by the base station and for converting the acoustic wave to an electrical signal;

means for tracking the mobile object so as to determine the position of the mobile object with respect to the base station; and

communication means that allow the base station to guide the mobile object toward an area of space allowing the tracking of the mobile object to be initialized.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the means for emitting the acoustic wave are composed of an assembly of elementary piezoelectric transducers, each transducer being excited by an electrical signal that is phase referenced with respect to a reference phase;

the phases of the signals applied to the various piezoelectric transducers being determined in real time, depending on the position of the mobile object relative to the base station, in such a way that the acoustic waves emitted by the various transducers are combined in space so as to form an acoustic wave that is focused in the direction of the mobile object.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the acoustic receiving means are composed of a localized acoustic transducer.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the tracking means implement an optical or radio detection system.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the tracking means are composed of a GPS receiver that is located in the mobile object, and communication means allowing it to transmit its GPS position to the base station.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the mobile object further comprises means for converting the electrical signal, sent by the acoustic receiving means, to a continuous voltage allowing a battery housed in the mobile object to be supplied with power.

13. A device for remotely and wirelessly transferring energy from a base station to a mobile object moving in a given area of space around the base station, comprising:

means for emitting a synthetic acoustic wave that is focused in a given direction and receivable by the mobile object to power the mobile object, which means being located at the base station and supplied with power by the base station, wherein the means for emitting the acoustic wave are composed of an assembly of elementary piezoelectric transducers, each transducer being excited by an electrical signal that is phase referenced with respect to a reference phase, the phases of the signals applied to the various piezoelectric transducers being determined in real time, depending on the position of the mobile object relative to the base station;

means for tracking the mobile object so as to determine the position of the mobile object with respect to the base station.

14. The device of claim 13, further comprises communication means that allow the base station to guide the mobile object toward an area of space allowing the tracking of the mobile object to be initialized.