Adaptation of polyphase waveguide probes

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10027116-B2
Application number	US-201514848653-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 9, 2015
Priority date	Sep 11, 2014
Publication date	Jul 17, 2018
Grant date	Jul 17, 2018

Abstract

Disclosed are various embodiments for transmitting energy conveyed in the form of a guided surface-waveguide mode along a lossy conducting medium such as, e.g., the surface of a terrestrial medium by exciting a polyphase waveguide probe. A probe control system can be used to adjust the polyphase waveguide probe based at least in part upon characteristics of the lossy conducting medium.

First claim

Therefore, the following is claimed:

1. A method, comprising:
exciting a first charge terminal and a second charge terminal of a polyphase waveguide probe with excitation voltages to synthesize a plurality of fields that substantially match a guided surface-waveguide mode of the lossy conducting medium to transmit energy along a surface of the lossy conducting medium via a radial surface current, the first charge terminal positioned at a defined height over the lossy conducting medium and the second charge terminal positioned below the first charge terminal by a defined distance;
detecting a change in operating conditions associated with the polyphase waveguide probe comprising detecting a change in an electric field strength associated with the radial surface current or detecting a change in conductivity of the lossy conducting medium; and
in response to the detected change, adjusting the polyphase probe to improve the matching of the guided surface waveguide mode.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the change in the electric field strength is detected by a field meter located beyond a defined radial distance from the polyphase waveguide probe, the defined radial distance associated with a transition between a close-in radial surface current and a far-out radial surface current of the polyphase waveguide probe.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the change in the conductivity is detected by a ground parameter meter located at a defined radial distance from the polyphase waveguide probe, the defined radial distance associated with a transition between a close-in radial surface current and a far-out radial surface current of the polyphase waveguide probe.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the lossy conducting medium is a terrestrial medium.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the resultant fields are substantially mode-matched to a Zenneck surface wave mode on a surface of a terrestrial medium.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein adjusting the polyphase probe comprises adjusting a height of the first charge terminal or a height of the second charge terminal above the lossy conducting medium.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein adjusting the polyphase probe comprises adjusting the height of the first charge terminal and the height of the second charge terminal above the lossy conducting medium.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the defined distance between the first and second charge terminals remains the same.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first charge terminal and the second charge terminal are coupled to an excitation source via a coil.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first charge terminal is coupled to the coil via a variable tap and adjusting the polyphase probe comprises adjusting a position of the variable tap on the coil.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the second charge terminal is coupled to the coil via a second variable tap and adjusting the polyphase probe further comprises adjusting a position of the second variable tap on the coil.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the second charge terminal is coupled to the coil via a variable tap and adjusting the polyphase probe comprises adjusting a position of the variable tap on the coil.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein adjusting the polyphase probe comprises adjusting a size of the first charge terminal or a size of the second charge terminal.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein a radial surface current density of the guided surface-waveguide mode is substantially expressed by

J
ρ

⁡

(

ρ
,
ϕ
,
0

)

=

I
o

⁢
γ

4

⁢

H
1

(
2
)

⁡

(

-
j

⁢

⁢
γρ

)

,

where γ is a surface wave radial propagation constant given by γ=j√{square root over (k o 2 +u 2 2 )} and u 2 is a vertical propagation constant given by

u
2

=

-
j

⁢

⁢

k
o

1
+

(

ɛ
r

-

j
⁢

⁢
x

)

,

⁢

where
⁢

⁢
x

≡

σ

ω
⁢

⁢

ɛ
o

,

σ is a conductivity of the terrestrial medium, ω is equal to 2πf, where f is a frequency of excitation of the polyphase waveguide probe, ε o is a permittivity of free space, ε r is a relative permittivity of the terrestrial medium, and a free-space wave number k o is equal to

2

Assignees

• Cpg Technologies Llc

Inventors

• Corum James F
• Corum Kenneth L

Classifications

• H01Q9/30

  with feed to end of elongated active element, e.g. unipole (H01Q9/44 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01Q1/04

  Adaptation for subterranean or subaqueous use · CPC title

• H01P3/00

  Waveguides; Transmission lines of the waveguide type · CPC title

• G01S13/0218 Primary

  Very long range radars, e.g. surface wave radar, over-the-horizon or ionospheric propagation systems (for meteorological use G01S13/95) · CPC title

• H01Q1/00 Primary

  Details of, or arrangements associated with, antennas (arrangements for varying orientation of directional pattern H01Q3/00) · CPC title