Patent ID: 8873168

Claim:
A system for concentrating solar radiation onto an object at a location, said system comprising: a focusing system having a total focal length f T , said focusing system including a first focusing device and a second focusing device, said first focusing device being operable to change from a first compact state to a first deployed state, said first focusing device having a first compact surface area when in the first compact state, said first focusing device having a first deployed surface area when in the first deployed state, the first compact surface area being less than the first deployed surface area, said second focusing device being operable to change from a second compact state to a second deployed state, said second focusing device having a second compact surface area when in the second compact state, said second focusing device having a second deployed surface area when in the second deployed state, the second compact surface area being less than the second deployed surface area, said first focusing device having a first focal length f 1 in the first deployed state, said second focusing device having a second focal length f 2 in the second deployed state, said first focusing device in the first deployed state sharing an optic axis with said second focusing device in the second deployed state, said first focusing device in the first deployed state being separated from said second focusing device in the second deployed state by a distance d, the focusing system further including an extensible piston having a proximal end connected to one of the first and second focusing devices and a distal end extending outward from one of the first and second focusing devices, and guy wires connected between the distal end and one of the first and second focusing devices to control one or both of a shape and a position of one of the first and second focusing devices; an object tracking system operable to determine the location; and a positioning system operable to position said focusing system such that solar radiation focuses at the location.