Multiple transmitter laser link
AssigneeAstroterra Corporation
InventorEric Korevaar
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system and method for establishing a laser link communications system in free space includes first and second terminals which are distanced from each other on an optical path. Each terminal includes a plurality of laser transmitters which together generate a plurality of laser beams, with each of the laser beams carrying a communication signal. Further, each terminal directs its independently generated laser beams along substantially parallel paths. Though their paths are substantially parallel, the transmitted beams generally overlap in the far field, at the other terminal, where they are collected and incoherently summed for reception and analysis of the communication signal.
Claims18
A system for reducing scintillations in two-way laser link communication through free space which includes a first terminal and a second terminal, wherein at least one terminal comprises:
- a support member;
- a steering assembly mounted on said support member;
- a plurality of laser light transmitters for generating a respective plurality of transmitted laser beams, with each said transmitted laser beam carrying a communications signal, said plurality of laser light transmitters being mounted on said steering assembly for pointing said plurality of transmitted laser beams along respective substantially parallel beam paths to allow said transmitted laser beams to overlap in a far field at said other terminal;
- and
- a receiver mounted on said support member for incoherently summing signal-carrying light received from a plurality of overlapping individual laser beams emanating from said other terminal.
A method for reducing scintillations in a laser link communications system through free space which comprises the steps of:
- generating a plurality of transmitted laser beams at a first terminal, with each said transmitted laser beam carrying a same communications signal;
- pointing said plurality of transmitted laser beams along respective substantially parallel beam paths, said paths emanating from said first terminal, to allow said transmitted laser beams to overlap in a far field at a second terminal;
- and
- incoherently summing said plurality of transmitted laser beams at said second terminal to analyze said communication signal from said first terminal therein.
A method for reducing scintillations in a two-way laser link communications system which comprises the steps of:
- pointing a plurality of laser beams from a first terminal along substantially parallel paths to overlap in a far field at a second terminal;
- imposing a first communications signal on each of said laser beams at said first terminal for transmission thereon to said second terminal along a path;
- collecting a plurality of overlapping laser beams at said first terminal, said plurality of overlapping laser beams carrying a second communications signal transmitted from said second terminal substantially along said path;
- and
- reconstructing said second communications signal.
A method for reducing scintillations in a laser link communications system through free space which comprises the steps of:
- generating a plurality of transmitted laser beams at a first terminal;
- imparting a left circular polarization on at least one of said plurality of transmitted laser beams emanating from said first terminal to carry a first communication signal;
- imparting a right circular polarization on at least one of said plurality of transmitted laser beams emanating from said first terminal to carry a second communication signal;
- pointing said plurality of transmitted laser beams along respective substantially parallel beam paths, said paths emanating from said first terminal, to allow said transmitted laser beams to overlap in a far field at a second terminal;
- and
- separating said beams having a left circular polarization from said beams having a right circular polarization, at said second terminal, to separately analyze said first communication signal and said second communication signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.