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US 10,377,469 B2Granted
Non-contact power supply and data transfer on aerial vehicles
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsJonathan B. Vance, Scott R. Johnston
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An aircraft includes a first structure that includes a first surface and a first coil conformed to, or embedded within, the first surface. The aircraft includes a second structure that includes a second surface and a second coil conformed to, or embedded within, the second surface. The second structure is configured to couple to the first structure such that the first coil is aligned with the second coil to enable inductive coupling between the first coil and the second coil.
Claims20
An aircraft comprising:
- a first structure on the aircraft including a transmitter, a first surface, and a first coil conformed to a shape of the first surface or embedded within the first structure, wherein the first structure includes a plurality of first coils including the first coil;
- a second structure on the aircraft including circuitry, a second surface, and a second coil conformed to a shape of, or embedded within, the second surface, the second structure on the aircraft configured to couple to the first structure on the aircraft such that the first coil is aligned with the second coil to enable inductive coupling between the first coil and the second coil, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit control signals to the circuitry via the first coil and the second coil;
- and
- a processor electrically coupled to the plurality of first coils, wherein the processor is configured to identify a first component of the circuitry based on an impedance of a particular first coil of the plurality of first coils.
1 more element
A method of configuring an aerial vehicle, the method comprising:
- mating a first surface of a first structure of the aerial vehicle and a second surface of a second structure of the aerial vehicle such that a first coil conformed to a shape of the first surface or embedded within the first structure is aligned with a second coil conformed to a shape of the second surface or embedded within the second structure, the first structure including a transmitter, the second structure including circuitry, wherein the first structure includes a plurality of first coils including the first coil;
- causing a signal to be applied to the plurality of first coils or to the second coil such that the first coil and the second coil are inductively coupled;
- identifying a first component of the circuitry based on an impedance of a particular first coil of the plurality of first coils;
- and
- transmitting a control signal from the transmitter to the first component via the first coil and the second coil.
2 more elements
A method of manufacturing an aerial vehicle, the method comprising:
- forming a first coil conformed to a shape of a first surface of, or embedded within, a first structure of the aerial vehicle using a first direct write technique, the first structure including a transmitter electrically coupled to the first coil, wherein the first structure includes a processor electrically coupled to the transmitter, and wherein the first structure includes a plurality of first coils including the first coil, the plurality of first coils electrically coupled to the processor;
- and
- forming a second coil conformed to a shape of a second surface of, or embedded within, a second structure of the aerial vehicle using a second direct write technique, the second structure configured to couple to the first structure such that the first coil is aligned with the second coil to enable inductive coupling between the first coil and the second coil, the second structure including circuitry electrically coupled to the second coil, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit control signals to the circuitry via the first coil and the second coil, and wherein the processor is configured to identify a first component of the circuitry based on an impedance of a particular first coil of the plurality of first coils.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.