US 2014/0193149 A1Published application

Systems And Methods For Implementing Optical And RF Communication Between Rotating And Stationary Components Of A Rotary Sensor System

AssigneeL-3 Communications Corporation

InventorsThomas Webster Jones, James Edward Baloun

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Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for implementing a rotary sensor system including rotating system components in RF signal and optical signal communication with stationary system components through a rotary coupler. The rotary coupler may be provided with an optical transmission line that passes inside or through the center of an inner conductor of a coaxial RF transmission line that itself extends across the rotational interface/s of the rotary coupler such that optical and RF signal energy may be provided simultaneously or otherwise across the rotary coupler using separate communication paths. A rotary sensor system may be further configured to convert multiple signals and/or types of signals to a common multiplexed optical signal stream for transmission together across an on-axis rotational optical interface of the rotary coupler.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A rotary sensor system, comprising:

rotatable system components including rotatable sensor electronics, at least one rotatable RF sensor, and at least one rotatable optical signal communication component;
stationary system components including stationary RF sensor electronics for the at least one rotatable RF sensor, and at least one stationary optical signal communication component;
and
a rotary coupler coupled between the stationary system components and the rotatable system components, the rotary coupler having a stator portion rotatably coupled to a rotor portion, the stator portion being coupled between the stationary system components and the rotor portion, and the rotor portion being coupled between the rotatable system components and the stator portion such that the rotor portion rotates together with the rotatable system components relative to the stator portion and the stationary system components;
where the stator portion includes a stationary RF conductor portion of a center RF transmission line;
where the rotor portion includes a rotatable RF conductor portion of the center RF transmission line, the rotor portion being configured to rotate about a rotational axis relative to the stator portion;
where the stationary RF conductor portion and the rotatable RF conductor portion of the center RF transmission line are disposed in adjacent rotatable relationship to form a first part of a center RF signal channel that extends across a rotational RF signal interface defined between the stationary RF conductor portion and the rotatable RF conductor portion of the center RF transmission line to couple the at least one rotatable RF sensor in RF signal communication with the stationary RF sensor electronics;
where the stator portion further comprises a stationary optical conductor portion of an optical transmission line, and where the rotor portion further comprises a rotatable optical conductor portion of the optical transmission line;
where the stationary optical conductor portion and the rotatable optical conductor portion are disposed in adjacent rotatable relationship to form an on-axis optical signal channel coincident with the rotational axis of the rotor portion and extending across a rotational optical signal interface defined between the stationary optical conductor portion and the rotatable optical conductor portion to couple the at least one stationary optical signal communication component in optical signal communication with at least one rotatable optical signal communication component;
and
where the rotational optical signal interface is disposed within the center RF transmission line.

8 more elements

A method of operating a rotary sensor system, comprising:

providing a rotary sensor system comprising:
rotatable system components including rotatable sensor electronics, at least one rotatable RF sensor, and at least one rotatable optical signal communication component,
stationary system components including stationary RF sensor electronics for the at least one rotatable RF sensor, and at least one stationary optical signal communication component, and
a rotary coupler coupled between the stationary system components and the rotatable system components, the rotary coupler having a stator portion rotatably coupled to a rotor portion, the stator portion being coupled between the stationary system components and the rotor portion, and the rotor portion being coupled between the rotatable system components and the stator portion such that the rotor portion rotates together with the rotatable system components relative to the stator portion and the stationary system components.
where the stator portion includes a stationary RF conductor portion of a center RF transmission line,
where the rotor portion includes a rotatable RF conductor portion of the center RF transmission line, the rotor portion being configured to rotate about a rotational axis relative to the stator portion,
where the stationary RF conductor portion and the rotatable RF conductor portion of the center RF transmission line are disposed in adjacent rotatable relationship to form a first part of a center RF signal channel that extends across a rotational RF signal interface defined between the stationary RF conductor portion and the rotatable RF conductor portion of the center RF transmission line to couple the at least one rotatable RF sensor in RF signal communication with the stationary RF sensor electronics,
where the stator portion further comprises a stationary optical conductor portion of an optical transmission line, and where the rotor portion further comprises a rotatable optical conductor portion of the optical transmission line,
where the stationary optical conductor portion and the rotatable optical conductor portion are disposed in adjacent rotatable relationship to form an on-axis optical signal channel coincident with the rotational axis of the rotor portion and extending across a rotational optical signal interface defined between the stationary optical conductor portion and the rotatable optical conductor portion to couple the at least one stationary optical signal communication component in optical signal communication with at least one rotatable optical signal communication component, and
where the rotational optical signal interface is disposed within the center RF transmission line;
and
where the method further comprises communicating optical signals between the at least one stationary optical signal communication component and the at least one rotatable optical signal communication component across the rotational optical signal interface.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/736,497Filed 8 Jan 2013
Published: 10 Jul 2014
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

H04B 10/2575
Arrangements specific to fibre transmission: radio-over-fibre, e.g. radio frequency signal modulated onto an optical carrier
G02B 6/3604
Mechanical coupling means: rotary joints allowing relative rotational movement between opposing fibre or fibre bundle ends
H04B 10/80
Transmission systems employing electromagnetic waves other than radio-waves, e.g. infrared, visible or ultraviolet light, or employing…
G02B 6/26
Coupling light guides: optical coupling means

Family

US 8,837,876 B2Related patent
US 2014/0193149 A1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

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