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US 11,309,975 B2Granted
Fiber-optically powered antenna
AssigneeSchweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
InventorDaniel B. Rippon
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An optically powered Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) antenna may use a fiber-optic link to receive optical power and transmit an optical signal that contains a common time signal from one or more satellites, which may allow long-distance power and signal transmission with high efficiency and reliability. The common time signal may be used to synchronize intelligent electronic devices (IEDs) of an electric power delivery system.
Claims23
A system for obtaining a common time signal from a distributed common time source for synchronizing intelligent electronic devices (IEDs) of an electric power delivery system, the system comprising:
- an optically powered antenna device configured to receive the common time signal over radio frequency (RF) from the distributed common time source and output the common time signal as a carrier optical signal, wherein the optically powered antenna device comprises:
- an optical receiver configured to convert an optical power signal into electric power;
- an antenna configured to receive a radio frequency (RF) signal and pass the RF signal to RF amplification and filtering circuitry;
- the RF amplification and filtering circuitry configured to receive the RF signal, amplify and filter the RF signal, and provide the amplified and filtered RF signal to an electro-optic modulated optical signal transmitter;
- the electro-optic modulated optical signal transmitter configured to receive the amplified and filtered RF signal and use the electric power from the optical receiver to directly output the amplified and filtered RF signal in the carrier optical signal;
- and
- laser biasing circuitry configured to apply an electrical bias to the electro-optic modulated optical signal transmitter to cause the electro-optic modulated optical signal transmitter to generate the carrier optical signal on which the amplified and filtered RF signal is modulated according to the common time signal;
- an optical power transmitter configured to provide the optical power signal to power the optically powered antenna device;
- and
- an optical signal receiver configured to receive the carrier optical signal from the optically powered antenna device to obtain the common time signal.
7 more elements
An optically powered antenna device comprising:
- an optical receiver configured to convert an optical power signal into electric power;
- an antenna element configured to receive a radio frequency (RF) signal indicating a common time and pass the RF signal to RF amplification and filtering circuitry;
- the RF amplification and filtering circuitry configured to receive the RF signal, amplify and filter the RF signal, and provide the amplified and filtered RF signal to an electro-optic modulated optical signal transmitter;
- the electro-optic modulated optical signal transmitter configured to receive the amplified and filtered RF signal and use the electric power from the optical receiver to directly output the amplified and filtered RF signal in a carrier optical signal;
- and
- laser biasing circuitry configured to apply an electrical bias to the electro-optic modulated optical signal transmitter to cause the electro-optic modulated optical signal transmitter to generate the carrier optical signal on which the amplified and filtered RF signal is modulated.
3 more elements
Circuitry for obtaining a common time signal for synchronizing intelligent electronic devices (IEDs) of an electric power delivery system, the circuitry comprising:
- an optical power transmitter configured to generate an optical power signal to power an optically powered antenna device;
- an optical signal receiver configured to detect an optical signal that contains the common time signal from the optically powered antenna device;
- and
- an optically powered antenna device configured to receive the common time signal over radio frequency (RF) from a distributed common time source and output the common time signal as a carrier optical signal, wherein the optically powered antenna device comprises:
- an optical power receiver configured to convert the optical power signal into electric power;
- an antenna configured to receive a radio frequency (RF) signal and pass the RF signal to RF amplification and filtering circuitry;
- the RF amplification and filtering circuitry configured to receive the RF signal, amplify and filter the RF signal, and provide the amplified and filtered RF signal to an electro-optic modulated optical signal transmitter;
- the electro-optic modulated optical signal transmitter configured to receive the amplified and filtered RF signal and use the electric power from the optical power receiver to directly output the amplified and filtered RF signal in the carrier optical signal;
- and
- laser biasing circuitry configured to apply an electrical bias to the electro-optic modulated optical signal transmitter to cause the electro-optic modulated optical signal transmitter to generate the carrier optical signal on which the amplified and filtered RF signal is modulated according to the common time signal.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.