# US 12,603,703 B2 · Network node for a non-detectable laser communication system

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- Number: US 12,603,703 B2
- Document ID: US12603703B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/229,846
- Filed: 2023-08-03
- Published: 2024-02-08
- Granted: 2026-04-14
- Earliest claimed: 2022-08-03
- Assignees: HENSOLDT Sensors GmbH; Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.
- Applicants: HENSOLDT Sensors GmbH; Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.
- Inventors: Oliver Rudow; Marc Eichhorn; Christelle Kieleck
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12603703B2

## CPC

- H04B 10/112: Line-of-sight transmission over an extended range
- H04B 10/1123: {Bidirectional transmission}
- H04B 10/503: {Laser transmitters}
- H04B: TRANSMISSION

## Abstract

Examples include a network node for a non-detectable laser communication system, a bi-directional laser communication system comprising such a network node, a method for a non-detectable laser communication, and in particular to an optronic system for non-detectable, compact bi-directional laser communication, which is particularly suitable for communication with a drone or other unmanned vehicle (UXV).

## Claims

### Claim 1

A bi-directional laser communication system comprising:
a network node; and
a basic node;
wherein the network node comprises:
a reflector device, configured to generate, by a reflection of a laser beam, a reflected laser beam; and
a modulator device, configured to provide a modulation of the reflected laser beam;
wherein the reflector devices comprises an orientable reflector and is configured to orient the reflector based on the laser beam;
wherein the basic node comprises:
a laser device configured to generate a laser beam and to send the laser beam to the network node, and
a device configured to determine, based on an intensity of the reflected laser beam, data for achieving a better orientation of the reflector, and to convey the data to the network node using the laser beam.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system according to claim 1, wherein the reflector device is configured to determine an own position, and to orient the reflector based on the own position.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system according to claim 1, wherein the reflector device comprises one or more of the following: (i) an omni-directional retroreflector, or (ii) a retroreflector configured to reflect the laser beam only if the laser beam arrives within a restricted set of angles of incidence.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The system according to claim 1, wherein the reflector device comprises at least one reflector which is configured to retroreflect incident light only if the incident light has a wavelength satisfying at least one of the following bounds: (i) at least 900 nm, (ii) at least 1.4 μm, (iii) within a range of wavelengths comprising at least one of 1.5 μm, 2 μm, 2.1 μm, or 2.2 μm, or (iv) within mid-wave infrared range.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The system according to claim 1, wherein the reflector device comprises one or more of the following: (i) a corner cube, (ii) a cat's eye retroreflector, (iii) a retroreflecting foil, or (iv) a surface based on micro-spheres and/or micro-pyramids.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The system according to claim 1, wherein the modulation comprises one or more of the following: (i) a modulation of an amplitude, (ii) a modulation of a phase, (iii) a modulation of a spectrum, or (iv) a modulation of a polarization.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The system according to claim 1, wherein the modulation device provides the modulation based on one or more of the following: (i) an acousto-optic modulation method, (ii) an electro-optic modulation method, (iii) an interferometric modulation method, (iv) a liquid crystal, or (v) a microelectromechanical system.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The network node according to claim 1, wherein the network node is configured for being installed on one or more of the following: (i) an unmanned aerial, ground, or nautical vehicle, (ii) a portable device, (iii) a helmet, or (iv) a wearable vision support system.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The system according to claim 1, wherein the laser device is part of one of the following devices: a range finder, a jamming device, or a laser designator device.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The system according to claim 1, wherein the basic node and/or the network node comprise a pointer tracker system.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The system according to claim 1, further comprising:
a further node, wherein the network node is configured to direct the reflected laser beam at the further node.

### Claim 12

A method for non-detectable laser communication, comprising:
generating a laser beam;
generating, from the laser beam, a modulated reflected laser beam using an orientable reflector;
determining, based on an intensity of the reflected laser beam data for achieving a better orientation of the reflector;
conveying the data back by means of the laser beam; and
orienting the reflector based on the conveyed data.