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AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsGeorge W. Fitzsimmons, Walter W. Lund, Jr., Ervin J. Nalos
Estimating the term…
An electrical power distribution system wherein electromagnetic energy irradiates a large spatial area is configured to include an array of antenna-rectifier modules wherein the receive aperture of each module is established in accordance with the electromagnetic field intensity at the location of that particular module so as to provide the rectifier circuitry with a predetermined amount of electrical power. Each antenna-rectifier module includes an array of high impedance (e.g., antiresonant) dipoles that are spaced apart along a two-wire transmission line. The total number of dipoles employed is established to provide the desired receive aperture and the impedance of each dipole is established so that the total impedance of the array substantially matches that of the rectifier circuitry employed. The rectifier circuitry is enclosed in and electromagnetically shielded by a conductive housing that is removably interconnected with the array of antenna elements and first and second filtering circuits are included to respectively eliminate high frequency signal components that can be coupled to and radiated by the antenna structure and high frequency ripple within the DC output signal.
Apparatus for receiving electromagnetic energy and converting said electromagnetic energy to a DC signal wherein said electromagnetic energy irradiates a substantial spatial region and wherein the power density is nonuniform relative to said irradiated spatial region, said apparatus comprising a plurality of antenna-rectifier modules, each of said antenna-rectifier modules including a semiconductor rectifier that exhibits a nonlinear RF-DC rectification efficiency relative to the power level at which said semiconductor rectifier is operated, each of said antenna-rectifier modules further including a plurality of antenna elements connected for supplying an electrical signal to said semiconductor rectifier when the associated antenna-receiver module is positioned within said irradiated region for receiving said electromagnetic energy, the number of said antennas within each of said antenna-rectifier modules establishing the receiving aperture of that particular antenna-rectifier module to operate said semiconductor rectifier within that particular module at a preselected power level and efficiency, said plurality of antenna-rectifier modules being arrayed within at least a portion of said irradiated region with said receiving aperture of each said antenna-rectifier module being established in view of the power density of said electromagnetic energy at the location of that particular antenna-rectifier module to maintain said operation of said semiconductor rectifier at said desired power level.
A rectenna for use at a selected location in a high frequency electromagnetic field of predetermined frequency that impinges on a predetermined spatial region and exhibits nonuniform power density over said spatial region, said rectenna comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.