Modulating retroreflector supporting multi-channel communication and method

A system comprising:

• a modulating retroreflector comprising:
• a plurality of reflective surfaces, each of the reflective surfaces comprising an optical coating and a modulating layer;
• wherein each of the optical coatings is configured to transmit a specified wavelength of light different from one or more remaining optical coatings and to reflect specific wavelengths of light transmitted by the one or more remaining optical coatings;
• wherein the reflective surfaces are configured to receive an optical signal and to provide a reflected optical signal;
• and
• wherein, for each of the reflective surfaces, the modulating layer is configured to modulate the specified wavelength of light in the optical signal transmitted by the optical coating and encode data onto the optical signal at the specified wavelength such that the reflected optical signal represents a multi-channel modulated version of the optical signal;
• and
• a control circuit configured to generate a plurality of control signals and to provide one of the plurality of control signals to each of the modulating layers to control the encoding of the data onto the optical signal at each of the modulating layers.

A method comprising:

• receiving an optical signal at a modulating retroreflector, the modulating retroreflector comprising a plurality of reflective surfaces configured to receive the optical signal and to provide a reflected optical signal, each of the reflective surfaces comprising a modulating layer and a corresponding optical coating;
• at each of the optical coatings, transmitting a specified wavelength of light different from one or more remaining optical coatings and reflecting specific wavelengths of light transmitted by the one or more remaining optical coatings;
• and
• at each of the modulating layers, modulating the specified wavelength of light in the optical signal transmitted by the corresponding optical coating and encoding data onto the optical signal at the specified wavelength such that the reflected optical signal represents a multi-channel modulated version of the optical signal.