Locating power receivers

A power beaming method executed by power beam circuitry, the power beam circuitry arranged to wirelessly deliver electric power as a power beam from a first location to a second location, the first and second locations being remote from each other, the power beam circuitry arranged to provide an output beam having at least two power intensity levels, a high-flux intensity level defining a hazardous illumination volume and a low-flux intensity level defining a safe illumination volume, the method comprising:

• transmitting, with a power beam transmitter, a low-flux search beam over a wide-angle during a first time window;
• detecting at least one returned reflection of the low-flux search beam during the first time window;
• identifying a location of a remote reception unit based on information contained in the at least one returned reflection;
• aiming the power beam transmitter toward the identified location of the remote reception unit;
• and
• focusing a high-flux power beam toward the identified location of the remote reception unit during a second time window.

A power beaming system, comprising:

• a power beam reception unit, the power beam reception unit including:
• a power conversion array, the power conversion array arranged to capture at least a portion of a power beam;
• and
• a power supply circuit, the power supply circuit arranged to convert flux from the captured portion of the power beam to electric power;
• and
• a power beam transmission unit, the power beam transmission unit including:
• a power beam transmitter circuit arranged to transmit a low-flux search beam during a first time window, and further arranged to transmit a high-flux power beam during a second time window;
• and
• a location detection circuit arranged to identify a location of the reception unit in association with the power beam transmitter circuit transmitting the low-flux search beam during the first time window.