Guided Surface Waveguide Probe for Wireless Power
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Solution Overview
Problem
For over a century, there has been no practical structure for efficiently launching open surface guided waves over planar or spherical surfaces of lossy, homogeneous media, despite theoretical possibilities.
Innovation Solution
Guided surface waveguide probes are configured to excite electric fields that couple into a guided surface waveguide mode along the surface of a lossy conducting medium, such as the Earth, by synthesizing a wave front incident at a complex Brewster angle, resulting in zero reflection and launching a guided electromagnetic field as a guided surface wave.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If conventional antenna structures are used to transmit radio waves, then radiation fields can be launched, but the field strength decays geometrically with distance resulting in significant signal loss
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the fundamental propagation parameter from radiated electromagnetic waves to guided surface waves. By using guided surface wave modes that propagate along the Earth's surface, the field strength decay changes from geometric (1/d) to exponential with a much smaller decay constant, dramatically reducing signal loss over distance
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces the Earth's surface as an intermediary guiding medium. Instead of free-space propagation, the electromagnetic energy is guided along the Earth's surface using surface wave modes, which act as a natural waveguide to confine and direct the energy, reducing geometric spreading loss
2Loss of energy
If guided surface waveguide probes are used to launch guided surface waves, then field strength is maintained at close distances with exponential decay, but the device structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The guided surface waveguide probe concentrates the electromagnetic field energy locally at the launch point by creating a strong evanescent field near the probe structure. This localized field concentration enables efficient coupling into guided surface wave modes, achieving high field strength at close distances while the guided modes carry energy over long distances with minimal loss
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from three-dimensional radiated wave propagation to two-dimensional guided surface wave propagation along the Earth's surface. This dimensional change confines the energy to a surface guide, preventing geometric spreading in the vertical dimension and achieving exponential decay rather than geometric decay
3Area of stationary object
If radiated electromagnetic waves are used for transmission, then coverage area can be extended, but the field strength decreases due to geometric spreading
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses the Earth's surface as an intermediary waveguide to extend coverage area. The guided surface wave modes propagate along the Earth's surface, allowing the system to cover large geographic areas while maintaining field strength through the guiding effect, avoiding the geometric spreading that limits radiated wave coverage
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enables the efficient launch of guided surface waves along lossy conducting media, achieving significant field strength at close distances and exponential decay with distance, resembling transmission line propagation, while avoiding the geometric spreading of radiated waves.
Implementation Method 1
synthesizing a wave front incident at a complex Brewster angle, resulting in zero reflection
Implementation Method 2
excite electric fields that couple into a guided surface waveguide mode along the surface of a lossy conducting medium
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are various embodiments of apparatuses, systems, and methods for restricting functionality of guided surface wave receive equipment to unauthorized users. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a network interface adapted to receive a valid key code, and a guided surface wave receive structure configured to obtain electrical energy from a guided surface wave traveling along a lossy conducting medium, wherein the guided surface wave is embedded with a user key code. Accordingly, processing circuitry is further included and is adapted to validate the user key code against the valid key code. The processing circuitry is adapted to disable delivery of the electrical energy from the guided surface wave to an electrical load responsive to the user key code being invalidated.