Method and apparatus for alignment of a line-of-sight communications link

A system for optical data communications via a line-of-sight communications link, the system comprising:

• a first optical scope, wherein the first optical scope comprises (1) a first optical scope camera having a first optical scope camera field of view, (2) a first optical scope photodetector array having a first optical scope photodetector array field of view, (3) first optical scope optics that define a relationship between the first optical scope camera field of view and the first optical scope photodetector array field of view, and (4) a first optical scope processor;
• and
• a positioning system configured to controllably adjust an orientation of the first optical scope to define where the first optical scope is aimed based on a control signal;
• a second optical scope, wherein the second optical scope comprises a second optical scope light emitter array;
• wherein the second optical scope light emitter array is configured to produce a flash that is viewable within the first optical scope camera field of view;
• wherein the first optical scope optics are configured to receive the flash from the second optical scope;
• wherein the first optical scope camera is configured to generate a camera image of the flash;
• wherein the first optical scope processor is configured to (1) spatially localize the flash in the camera image, (2) determine an adjustment needed for aligning a central region of the first optical scope photodetector field of view with the spatially localized flash, and (3) define the control signal for the positioning system based on the determined adjustment.

A method comprising:

• a light array emitter of a first optical scope emitting a flash toward a camera of a second optical scope, the second optical scope further comprising a photodetector array;
• the second optical scope camera capturing a camera image of the flash, wherein the camera image has a relationship with a field of view for the photodetector array;
• spatially localizing the flash in the camera image;
• determining an adjustment needed for aligning a central region of the photodetector array field of view with the spatially localized flash based on the relationship;
• and
• adjusting an orientation of the second optical scope based on the determined adjustment.

A method for aligning a line-of-sight communication link between a first optical scope and a second optical scope, the method comprising:

• a light array emitter of a first optical scope emitting a flash toward a camera of a second optical scope from a subarray of the light array emitter, wherein the light array emitter comprises a plurality of subarrays, and wherein the light array emitter is arranged to cause flashes produced by the subarrays to exhibit different offsets relative to a main optical axis of the line-of-sight communication link, the second optical scope further comprising a photodetector array;
• the second optical scope camera capturing a camera image of the flash, wherein the camera image has a relationship with a field of view for the photodetector array;
• spatially localizing the flash in the camera image;
• determining whether the subarray is aligned with a central region of the photodetector array field of view based on the spatially localized flash and the relationship;
• in response to a determination that the subarray is not aligned with the central region of the photodetector field of view, sequencing to another subarray of the light array emitter and repeating the emitting, capturing, spatially localizing, and determining steps with respect to the sequenced subarray until a sequenced subarray is found that is aligned with the central region of the photodetector array field of view.