Apparatus and Method Pertaining to Light-Based Power Distribution in a Vehicle
A vehicle ( 400 ) such as an aircraft is provided ( 101 ) with a source of light ( 401 ). An optical conduit is then used to couple ( 104 ) this source of light to a light-to-electricity conversion apparatus ( 408 ). So configured, the optical conduit delivers light from this source of light to the light-to-electricity conversion apparatus such that the light source then serves as a source of electricity in the vehicle.
1 . A method comprising:
in an aircraft:
providing a source of light;
using an optical conduit to couple the source of light to a light-to-electricity conversion apparatus;
such that light from the source of light is delivered to the light-to-electricity conversion apparatus via the optical conduit and is used to provide a source of electricity in the aircraft.
2 . The method of claim 1 wherein providing a source of light comprises providing a source of light that is powered, at least in part, by an aircraft engine.
3 . The method of claim 1 wherein providing a source of light comprises providing at least two independent sources of light.
4 . The method of claim 3 wherein using an optical conduit to couple the source of light to a light-to-electricity conversion apparatus comprises:
using a first optical conduit to couple a first source of light to the light-to-electricity conversion apparatus;
using a second optical conduit that is independent of the first optical conduit to couple a second source of light that is different than the first source of light to the light-to-electricity conversion apparatus;
such that the light-to-electricity conversion apparatus receives a redundant supply of light to be converted to electricity.
5 . The method of claim 1 wherein providing a source of light comprises, at least in part, providing a source of infrared light.
6 . The method of claim 1 wherein the light-to-electricity conversion apparatus comprises an infrared light-to-electricity conversion apparatus.
7 . The method of claim 1 wherein the optical conduit comprises, at least in part, an optical fiber.
8 . The method of claim 7 wherein the optical conduit comprises, at least in part, a plurality of the optical fibers.
9 . The method of claim 8 wherein the plurality of the optical fibers comprises a plurality of optical fibers that are each comprised of polymer materials.
10 . The method of claim 9 wherein the plurality of optical fibers comprises a plurality of optical fibers that are each about 0.1 to 5 millimeter in diameter.
11 . The method of claim 10 wherein the plurality of optical fibers comprises from about 2 to about 100 optical fibers.
12 . The method of claim 1 wherein using an optical conduit to couple the source of light to a light-to-electricity conversion apparatus comprises using a plurality of optical conduits to couple the source of light to a corresponding plurality of light-to-electricity conversion apparatuses.
13 . The method of claim 12 wherein using a plurality of optical conduits to couple the source of light to a corresponding plurality of light-to-electricity conversion apparatuses comprises using a star-based architecture to couple the source of light to the plurality of light-to-electricity conversion apparatuses.
14 . The method of claim 13 wherein separate whole sets of light sources and sinks are cross-coupled for fail-functional operation.
15 . The method of claim 1 wherein the light-to-electricity conversion apparatus is further operably coupled to at least one electrically powered aircraft component.
16 . The method of claim 15 wherein the light-to-electricity conversion apparatus comprises an integral part of the electrically powered aircraft component.
17 . The method of claim 15 wherein the aircraft is configured and arranged to optically distribute data to and from the electrically powered aircraft component.
18 . The method of claim 17 wherein the aircraft is configured and arranged to optically distribute data to and from the electrically powered aircraft component independent of the optical conduit.
19 . The method of claim 1 wherein providing a source of light comprises:
providing a source of a first component of the light;
providing a source of a second component of the light, wherein the first and second components are different from one another.
20 . The method of claim 19 wherein the first component of the light comprises a power component and the second component of the light comprises a visible marker.
21 . The method of claim 20 wherein the power component comprises an infrared light component.
22 . The method of claim 21 wherein the visible marker comprises a visible light component.
23 . The method of claim 22 wherein the visible light component comprises a white light component.
24 . The method of claim 20 wherein providing a source of light further comprises providing at least a third component of the light that is different from the first and second components, wherein the third component comprises at least one of:
a data-bearing component;
a heating component;
a surface illumination end use component
25 . An aircraft power distribution system comprising:
a source of light;
an optical conduit that is operably coupled between the source of light and a light-to-electricity conversion apparatus;
such that light from the source of light is delivered to the light-to-electricity conversion apparatus via the optical conduit and is used to provide a source of electricity in the aircraft.
26 . The aircraft power distribution system of claim 25 wherein the source of light is operably coupled to an aircraft engine to thereby facilitate powering the source of light.
27 . The aircraft power distribution system of claim 25 wherein the source of light is operably coupled to an aircraft main battery to thereby facilitate powering the source of light.
28 . The aircraft power distribution system of claim 25 wherein the source of light comprises at least two independent sources of light.
29 . The aircraft power distribution system of claim 28 wherein the optical conduit comprises:
a first optical conduit that is operably coupled between a first source of light and the light-to-electricity conversion apparatus;
a second optical conduit that is independent of the first optical conduit and that is operably coupled between a second source of light and the light-to-electricity conversion apparatus, wherein the second source of light is different from the first source of light;
such that the light-to-electricity conversion apparatus receives a redundant supply of light to be converted to electricity.
30 . The aircraft power distribution system of claim 25 wherein the source of light comprises, at least in part, a source of infrared light.
31 . The aircraft power distribution system of claim 25 wherein the optical conduit comprises, at least in part, an optical fiber.
32 . The aircraft power distribution system of claim 31 wherein the optical conduit comprises, at least in part, a plurality of the optical fibers.
33 . The aircraft power distribution system of claim 32 wherein the plurality of the optical fibers comprises a plurality of optical fibers that are each comprised of a polymer material.
34 . The aircraft power distribution system of claim 33 wherein the plurality of optical fibers comprises a plurality of optical fibers that are each about 0.1 to 5 millimeter in diameter.
35 . The aircraft power distribution system of claim 34 wherein the plurality of optical fibers comprises from about 2 to about 100 optical fibers.
36 . The aircraft power distribution system of claim 25 wherein the optical conduit that is operably coupled between the source of light and a light-to-electricity conversion apparatus comprises a plurality of optical conduits that are each operably coupled between the source of light and a corresponding plurality of light-to-electricity conversion apparatuses.
37 . The aircraft power distribution system of claim 36 wherein the plurality of optical conduits that are each operably coupled between the source of light and a corresponding plurality of light-to-electricity conversion apparatuses are so coupled using a star-based architecture.
38 . An aircraft comprising:
a plurality of electrically powered aircraft components;
a source of light;
a plurality of optical conduits, wherein at least one of the plurality of optical conduits is operably coupled between the source of light and a corresponding light-to-electricity conversion apparatus that is operably coupled to at least one of the plurality of electrically powered aircraft components;
such that light from the source of light is delivered to the light-to-electricity conversion apparatus via the optical conduit and is used to provide a source of electricity to the plurality of electrically powered aircraft components.
39 . A method comprising:
in a vehicle that is configured and arranged to optically distribute data to and from an electrically powered vehicle component via an optical data distribution network:
providing a source of light;
using an optical conduit that is independent of the optical data distribution network to couple the source of light to a light-to-electricity conversion apparatus that is itself operably coupled to the electrically powered vehicle component;
such that light from the source of light is delivered to the light-to-electricity conversion apparatus via the optical conduit, independent of the optical data distribution network, and is used to provide a source of electricity in the vehicle.