Aircraft air duct system for transmitting electrical power and visible light
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorNathan D. Hiller
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An air duct system comprising an air duct having a main body, a visible light source, an emitter configured to emit radio frequency waves, and one or more antennas. The main body of the air duct defines a passageway having a reflective inner surface. The visible light source is configured to generate visible light. The visible light source directs the visible light along the reflective inner surface of the air duct. The emitter directs the radio frequency waves along the reflective inner surface of the air duct. The one or more antennas are each connected to a corresponding power harvesting circuit, where the radio frequency waves are received by the one or more antennas and are converted into electrical power by the corresponding power harvesting circuit.
Claims20
An air duct system, comprising:
- an air duct having a main body, wherein the main body of the air duct defines a passageway having a reflective inner surface;
- a visible light source configured to generate visible light, wherein the visible light source directs the visible light along the reflective inner surface of the air duct;
- an emitter configured to emit radio frequency waves, wherein the emitter directs the radio frequency waves along the reflective inner surface of the air duct;
- and
- one or more antennas that are each connected to a corresponding power harvesting circuit, wherein the radio frequency waves are received by the one or more antennas and are converted into electrical power by the corresponding power harvesting circuit.
A method for transmitting air, visible light, and electrical power through an air duct of an aircraft, the method comprising:
- receiving, by the air duct, conditioned air, and visible light;
- directing the visible light along a reflective inner surface of the air duct, wherein the visible light reflects off of the reflective inner surface and travels along a passageway of the air duct;
- emitting radio frequency waves by an emitter, wherein the radio frequency waves are directed along the reflective inner surface of the air duct;
- receiving the radio frequency waves by one or more antennas, wherein the one or more antennas are each connected to a corresponding power harvesting circuit;
- and
- converting the radio frequency waves are into electrical power by the corresponding power harvesting circuit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.