Power beaming system

• US 5,068,669 A
• Filed: 09/01/1988
• Issued: 11/26/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Incorporated (BAE Systems Plc)
• Original Assignee: Apti, Inc.
• Inventors: Koert, Peter, Cha, James T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hille, Rolf
• Assistant Examiner(s): BROWN, PETER T
• Application Number:
  US07/239,284
• Time in Patent Office: 1,181 Days
• Field of Search: 343/700 MS, 343/705, 343/708, 343/846, 343/DIG. 2, 307/151, 361/395
• US Class Current: 343/700.0MS
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/248 provided with an AC/DC converting device, e.g. rectennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/065 Patch antenna array
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 343/02 Satellite-mounted antenna

Abstract

A system and method for power beaming energy from a source at high frequencies and rectifying such energy to provide a source of DC energy is disclosed. The system operates at a frequency of at least 10 GHz and incorporates a rectenna array having a plurality of rectenna structures that utilize circuit elements formed with microstrip circuit techniques.

Claims

1. A power beaming system comprising:

a. a power transmission source capable of generating electromagnetic radiation having a frequency of at least 10 Gigahertz;

b. a transmission antenna;

c. a guide unit that guides said electromagnetic radiation generated by said power transmission source to said transmission antenna;

d. a rectenna array located at a position remote from said antenna structure, said rectenna array comprising a plurality of multi-layer rectenna structures, each multi-layer rectenna structure including a first substrate layer having at least one receiving antenna provided thereon, a ground plane layer and a second substrate layer having circuit elements provided thereon, wherein said rectenna array includes a power combining network, said power combining network including a plurality of first current summing elements, each current summing element comprising a plurality of said multi-layer rectenna structures electrically connected in parallel, and at least one voltage summing element comprising a plurality of said first current summing elements electrically connected in series.

2. A power beaming system as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

i. a movable pedestal supporting said transmission antenna;

ii. a direction beacon that generates a tracking signal indicative of the location of said rectenna array;

iii. a pedestal control unit coupled to said pedestal; and

iv. a receiver unit electrically coupled to the pedestal control unit that receives the tracking signal from the direction beacon and provides the tracking signal to the pedestal control unit.

3. A power beaming system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said power transmission source generates said electromagnetic radiation at a frequency of at least 18 GHz.

4. A power beaming system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said power transmission source generates electromagnetic radiation at frequency of about 28-44 GHz.

5. A power beaming system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said power transmission source generates electromagnetic radiation at a frequency of about 35 GHz.

6. A power beaming system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said power transmission source is a gyrotron.

7. A power beaming system as claimed in claim 6, wherein said guide unit provides mode conversion of the electromagnetic radiation generated by said gyrotron.

8. A power beaming system as claimed in claim 7, wherein said guide unit comprises a waveguide assembly.

9. A power beaming system as claimed in claim 8, wherein said guide assembly comprises a beam waveguide.

10. A power beaming system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said receiving antenna of said multilayer rectenna structure receives said electromagnetic radiation independently of its polarization.

11. A power beaming system as claimed in claim 10, wherein said receiving antenna comprises a patch antenna.

12. A power beaming system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said circuit elements comprise an impedance matching circuit, a diode and an output filter.

13. A power beaming system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said power combining network further comprises at least one second current summing element comprising a plurality of said voltage summing elements electrically connected in parallel.

14. A multi-layer rectenna structure comprising:

a. a first substrate having at least one receiving antenna provided thereon;

b. a second substrate having circuit elements provided thereon; and

c. a ground plane located between said first and second substrate; and

d. wherein said circuit elements comprise an impedance matching filter coupled to said receiving antenna via a coupling capacitance, a diode electrically coupled to said matching filter, and an output filter electrically coupled to said diode.

15. A multi-layer rectenna structure as claimed in claim 14, wherein said impedance matching filter and said output filter are formed using microstrip circuit techniques.