High speed free-space optical communications
AssigneeTrilumina Corp.
InventorsJohn R. JOSEPH, Kevin L. LEAR, David ABELL
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
High power, high speed VCSEL arrays are employed in unique configurations of arrays and sub-arrays. Placement of a VCSEL array behind a lens allows spatial separation and directivity. Diffusion may be employed to increase alignment tolerance. Intensity modulation may be performed by operating groups of VCSEL emitters at maximum bias. Optical communications networks with high bandwidth may employ angular, spatial, and/or wavelength multiplexing. A variety of network topologies and bandwidths suitable for the data center may be implemented. Eye safe networks may employ VCSEL emitters may be paired with optical elements to reduce optical power density to eye safe levels.
Claims19
A system for the optical free-space transmission of a string of binary data, the system comprising:
- a first cluster of laser emitters associated with a first output wavelength;
- a second cluster of laser emitters associated with a second output wavelength;
- circuitry configured to determine a first activation state for the first cluster of laser emitters during a clock pulse, the first activation state based on a binary value at a first bit position in the string of binary data;
- and
- circuitry for configured to determine a second activation state for the second cluster of laser emitters during the clock pulse, the second activation state based on a binary value at the second bit position in the string of binary data.
An optical communications device for free-space optical communications capable of non-mechanical beam directivity, the device comprising:
- a lens;
- a plurality of laser emitters positioned behind a lens, each of the plurality of laser emitters configured to emit a laser beam travelling a distinct optical path through the lens;
- and
- circuitry configured to activate one of the plurality of laser emitters based on a desired optical path for the laser beam.
An eye safe free space optical communications system comprising:
- a laser emitter cluster emitting a laser beam carrying data;
- and
- an optical element shaped as a clear planar surface having a first side and a second side, the optical element configured to receive the laser beam at the first side and spread an output of the laser beam over an area of the second side sufficient to reduce a power density of the laser beam to an eye safe level.
A free space optical communications receiver system for a mobile device, comprising a receiver for receiving a spread laser beam carrying data from a transmitter that received a laser beam from an emitter cluster and created the spread laser beam that was spread over an area sufficient to reduce a power density of the laser beam to an eye safe level.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.