Abstract:
A space-based solar power station, a power generating satellite module and/or a method for collecting solar radiation and transmitting power generated using electrical current produced therefrom is provided. Each solar power station includes a plurality of satellite modules. The plurality of satellite modules each include a plurality of modular power generation tiles including a photovoltaic solar radiation collector, a power transmitter and associated control electronics. The power transmitters can be coordinated as a phased array and the power generated by the phased array is transmitted to one or more power receivers to achieve remote wireless power generation and delivery. Each satellite module may be formed of a compactable structure capable of reducing the payload area required to deliver the satellite module to an orbital formation within the space-based solar power station.
Abstract:
A method of generating a DC power from incident RF waves, includes, in part, measuring the amount of power being received by a device generating the DC power, and controlling the phases of the RF waves being transmitted by a multitude of RF transmitters in accordance with the measured power. A programmable test load is optionally used at the device to measure the received power. The device optionally includes, an antenna, an RF-to-DC converter to generate the DC power, an impedance matching/transformation circuit, and an RF load/matching circuit.
Abstract:
An optical phased array (OPA) receiver selectively detects, measures and differentiates between the amplitudes and directions of signals received from different directions. Because the OPA changes the direction that it looks toward electronically and without the use of any mechanical movements, the OPA is fast, has an enhanced sensitivity, and can be used in a wide variety applications, such as lens-free imaging systems. The OPA is adapted to dynamically control the array of optical elements and focus on the area of interest. The OPA achieves a higher numerical aperture compared to imaging systems that use conventional lens, thereby effectively maintaining a relatively large field of view and collection area concurrently. The OPA may be readily scaled by increasing its array size. Furthermore, because the OPA is relatively flat, it is ideally suited for small form factor applications such as cell phones and tablets.
Abstract:
A self-equalizing photo-detector (SEPD) includes, in part, a multitude of optical splitters and photo detectors, and at least one optical delay element. The first optical splitter splits an optical signal into second and third optical signals. The optical delay element delays the second optical signal to generate a fourth optical signal. The second optical splitter splits a signal representative of the fourth optical signal to generate fifth and sixth optical signals. The first photo detector receives the third optical signal via a first optical path, has an anode terminal coupled to an output terminal of the detector and a cathode terminal coupled to a first supply voltage. The second photo detector receives the sixth optical signal via a second optical path, has an anode terminal coupled to a second supply voltage and a cathode terminal coupled to the output terminal of the detector.
Abstract:
An electro-optical oscillator includes, in part, a modulator, a signal splitter, N photodiodes with N being an integer greater than one, a signal combiner, and a filter. The modulator modulates an optical signal in accordance with a feedback signal. The splitter splits the modulated optical signal into N optical signals each delivered to a different one of N photo-diodes. Each of the N photo-diodes converts the optical signal it receives to a current signal. The signal combiner combines the N current signals received from the N photo-diodes to generate a combined current signal. The filter filters the combined current signal and generates the feedback signal. The electro-optical oscillator optionally includes, in part, N variable optical gain/attenuation components each amplifying/attenuating a different one of the N optical signals generated by the splitter.
Abstract:
Many embodiments of the invention include stacked power amplifier configurations that include control circuitry for sensing the operational characteristics of the power amplifiers and adjusting the current drawn by one or more of the power amplifiers to prevent any of the power amplifiers from experiencing over voltage stresses and/or to increase the operational efficiency of the power amplifiers.
Abstract:
A space-based solar power station, a power generating satellite module and/or a method for collecting solar radiation and transmitting power generated using electrical current produced therefrom is provided. Each solar power station includes a plurality of satellite modules. The plurality of satellite modules each include a plurality of modular power generation tiles including a photovoltaic solar radiation collector, a power transmitter and associated control electronics. The power transmitters can be coordinated as a phased array and the power generated by the phased array is transmitted to one or more power receivers to achieve remote wireless power generation and delivery. Each satellite module may be formed of a compactable structure capable of reducing the payload area required to deliver the satellite module to an orbital formation within the space-based solar power station.
Abstract:
An integrated optical linewidth reduction system includes a phase modulator adapted to modulate the phase of an incoming optical signal in response to a feedback control signal defined by a first electrical signal. The phase modulator is further adapted to generate a first optical signal travelling through a first optical path. The first electrical signal is representative of a phase noise of the first optical signal. An optical linewidth of the first optical signal is less than an optical linewidth of the incoming optical signal.