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US 11,777,600 B2Granted
Terminal for optical communication by laser signals
AssigneeAirbus Defence and Space GmbH
InventorsPaul Berceau, Adrien Barbet
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A terminal (100) for optical communication by laser signals including a matrix image sensor used as a tracking and acquisition detector (2). The matrix image sensor is used simultaneously to check that a portion of the laser signals received by the terminal are injected into an optical fibre (1). A spectral filter element (22) is associated with the matrix image sensor to allow such a combination of functions.
Claims12
A terminal for optical communication by laser signals, comprising a tracking and acquisition detector, of matrix image sensor type in which photosensitive elements are arranged at intersections of rows and columns inside a detection surface,
- the terminal being arranged to, during a use of said terminal, receiving first laser signals emitted by a source which is external to said terminal, and transmitting second laser signals to said external source, and so that a part of the first laser signals and a part of the second laser signals are incident on the detection surface of the tracking and acquisition detector,
- the terminal being further arranged to, during the use of said terminal, injecting another part of the first laser signals into an optical fibre, through an input end of said optical fibre, and the terminal being adapted so that, during the use:
- a radiation called calibration radiation is led in the optical fibre and exits through the input end of said optical fibre, and
- an image of the input end of the optical fibre is formed on the detection surface of the tracking and acquisition detector using the calibration radiation,
- the terminal further comprises at least one spectral filtering element which is disposed so that at least the part of the second laser signals and the calibration radiation which then reach the detection surface of the tracking and acquisition detector pass through the at least one spectral filtering element, said at least one spectral filtering element having a transmission value for a wavelength of the second laser signals which is lower than an average transmission value of said at least one spectral filtering element, effective over a spectral detection interval of the tracking and acquisition detector for the calibration radiation.
2 more elements
A communication method comprising the following steps:
- providing a terminal for optical communication by laser signals, comprising a tracking and acquisition detector, of matrix image sensor type in which photosensitive elements are arranged at intersections of rows and columns inside a detection surface, the terminal being arranged to, during a use of said terminal:
- receiving first laser signals emitted by a source which is external to said terminal,
- directing a part of said first laser signals to the detection surface of the tracking and acquisition detector,
- injecting another part of the first laser signals into an optical fibre through an input end of said optical fibre;
- transmitting second laser signals to outside of the terminal, and
- transmitting, using the terminal, the second laser signals to the external source (200);
- and
- while the second laser signals are being transmitted:
- directing a part of said second laser signals to the detection surface of the tracking and acquisition detector,
- simultaneously directing, to the detection surface of the tracking and acquisition detector, a radiation called calibration radiation which is led in the optical fibre and which exits through the input end of said optical fibre, and
- forming an image of the input end of the optical fibre on the detection surface of the tracking and acquisition detector with the calibration radiation,
- wherein the method further comprises:
- before the part of the second laser signals which is directed to the detection surface of the tracking and acquisition detector and the calibration radiation which forms the image of the input end of the optical fibre reach said detection surface of the tracking and acquisition detector, reducing a value of a quotient of an intensity of said part of the second laser signals to an average intensity of said calibration radiation which is effective for detecting said calibration radiation by the tracking and acquisition detector.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.