US 6,723,912 B2Granted

Space photovoltaic power generation system

AssigneeMitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha

InventorsTomohiro Mizuno, Hiroyuki Sato, Izuru Naito, Izumi Mikami

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A power generation satellite has a photoelectric conversion unit for converting sunlight into electric energy, a transmission frequency conversion unit for performing frequency conversion of the electric energy to a microwave, a microwave control unit for controlling the amplitude, the phase, or the amplitude and the phase of the microwave, and a transmitting antenna for radiating the microwave. A plurality of the power generation satellites are placed in space to form a power generation satellite group and an array antenna having the transmitting antennas of the power generation satellites in the power generation satellite group as element antennas is formed.

Claims4

Dependent claims

A space photovoltaic generation system comprising:

a plurality of power generation satellites each having:
a photoelectric conversion unit for converting sunlight into electric energy;
a transmission frequency conversion unit for performing frequency conversion of the electric energy provided by the photoelectric conversion unit to a microwave;
a microwave control unit for controlling at least one of the amplitude and the phase of the microwave output by the transmission frequency conversion unit;
and
a transmitting antenna for radiating the microwave;
a power base having:
a receiving antenna for receiving the microwave radiated from the plurality of power generation satellites;
and
a reception frequency conversion unit for performing frequency conversion of the microwave received at the receiving antenna to one of DC and low-frequency commercial power,
wherein the plurality of vower generation satellites are placed in space to form a power generation satellite group,
wherein a first array antenna having the transmitting antennas of the plurality of power generation satellites in the power generation satellite group as element antennas is formed, and
wherein the aperture amplitude distribution of each transmitting antenna of the plurality of power generation satellites is made a tapered distribution.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 10/160,091Filed 4 Jun 2002
Priority: JP 2001-36403229 Nov 2001
Published: US 2003/0098057 A129 May 2003
Granted: 20 Apr 2004
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification16 codes

H02J 50/23
Using microwaves or radio frequency waves: characterised by the type of transmitting antennas, e.g. directional array antennas or Yagi antennas
B64G 1/4282
Power distribution and management: for transmitting power to earth or other spacecraft
H01Q 19/10
Combinations of primary active antenna elements and units with secondary devices, e.g. with quasi-optical devices, for giving the antenna a…:…
H02J 50/40
Circuit arrangements or systems for wireless supply or distribution of electric power: using two or more transmitting or receiving devices

Family

US 2003/0098057 A1Pre-grant publication · published 29 May 2003
US 6,723,912 B2This patent

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

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