Multi-aperture holographic optical element for illumination sensing in a free space optical communication system
AssigneeTerabeam Corporation
InventorMark L. Plett
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A free space (FSO) receiver includes an illumination sensing unit with multiple illumination apertures. The illumination sensing unit is used in deriving alignment information from portion(s) of a received FSO signal that are incident on the illumination apertures. The FSO receiver provides this information to the FSO transmitter that transmitted the FSO signal so that the FSO transmitter can adjust the direction it is pointing. The illumination apertures can be formed in a holographic optical element on a single substrate. Further, transmission, reception, tracking and/or spotting scope apertures may be formed in the single substrate.
Claims28
An holographic optical element (HOE) for use in receiving a free space optical signal from an optical transmitter, the HOE comprising:
- a substrate;
- a first aperture formed in the substrate, and
- a plurality of second apertures formed in the substrate, wherein each aperture of the plurality of second apertures is operatively coupled to an associated optical detector of a plurality of optical detectors, wherein information related to output signals of the plurality of optical detectors is used to adjust an alignment of the optical transmitter.
A receiving unit for receiving a free space optical signal from an optical transmitter, the receiving unit comprising:
- a holographic optical element (HOE) having a substrate with a first aperture and a plurality of second apertures;
- a first detector operatively coupled to the first aperture;
- a plurality of second detectors operatively coupled to the plurality of second apertures;
- and
- a controller coupled to the first detector and the plurality of second detectors, wherein the controller is configured to provide information to the optical transmitter derived from an energy distribution of the optical signal as received by the plurality of second detectors.
A transceiver for receiving a free space optical (FSO) signal from an optical transmitter, the transceiver comprising:
- holographic means for directing optical communication signals, the holographic means having a substrate with a first aperture, a second aperture and a plurality of third apertures;
- an optical signal generator operatively coupled to the first aperture;
- a communications detector operatively coupled to the second aperture;
- a plurality of illumination detectors operatively coupled to the plurality of third apertures;
- and
- a controller coupled to the optical signal generator, the communications detector and the plurality of illumination detectors, wherein the controller is configured to provide information to the optical transmitter derived from portions of the FSO signal incident on the plurality of third detectors.
A method for use in receiving a free space optical (FSO) signal from an optical transmitter unit of an optical communication system, the method comprising:
- receiving the FSO signal using a first aperture and a plurality of second apertures;
- extracting communications data from a portion of the FSO signal incident on the first aperture
- deriving information related to the FSO signal's direction of propagation from portions of the FSO signal incident on the plurality of second apertures;
- and
- providing the information to the optical transmitter unit.
An apparatus for use in receiving a free space optical (FSO) signal from an optical transmitter unit of an optical communication system, the apparatus comprising:
- holographic receiving means for receiving the FSO signal, the holographic receiving means having a first aperture and a plurality of second apertures;
- means for extracting communications data from a portion of the FSO signal incident on the first aperture;
- means for deriving information related to the FSO signal's direction of propagation from portions of the FSO signal incident on the plurality of second apertures;
- and
- means for providing the information to the optical transmitter unit.
A free space optical communication system, comprising:
- a first optical unit to provide a free space optical (FSO) signal containing communications data;
- and
- a second optical unit arranged to receive the FSO signal via free space from the first optical unit, wherein the second optical unit includes:
- a holographic optics unit having a first aperture and a plurality of second apertures,
- a communications detector operatively coupled to the first aperture,
- a plurality of optical detectors operatively coupled to the plurality of second apertures, and
- a controller coupled to the communications detector and the plurality of optical detectors, wherein the controller is configured to derive information related to the FSO signal's direction of propagation from portions of the FSO signal incident on the plurality of second apertures.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.