Space optical transmission apparatus and space optical transmission system
AssigneePanasonic Corporation
InventorsHiroyuki Sasai, Tomoaki Ieda, Kazutoshi Hase
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A space optical transmission apparatus is provided which achieves high-speed simultaneous space optical transmission with respect to a plurality of terminals. In the space optical transmission apparatus, a light receiving section receives an optical signal from a terminal. A control section estimates how much optical axes of a master station and the terminal are deviated from each other, based on the received optical signal. The control section selects one of a plurality of light sources which requires a smallest amount of shift of an optical axis thereof, based on the estimated optical axis deviation amount, so as to communicate with the terminal.
Claims19
A space optical transmission apparatus for performing space optical transmission with respect to an optical signal using at least one terminal, comprising:
- a plurality of light sources for outputting optical signals modulated using a data signal to be transmitted;
- a plurality of lenses for converting the optical signals output from the plurality of light sources into optical signals having an appropriate viewing angle;
- a direction control section for controlling directions of the optical signals output from the plurality of lenses;
- at least one reception section for receiving an upward signal or signals output by the at least one terminal;
- and
- a control section for controlling the plurality of light sources and the direction control section based on location information of the at least one terminal,
- wherein the control section specifies the location information of the at least one terminal from the received upward signal or signals from the at least one terminal, and based on the specified location information of the at least one terminal, drives only a required one or ones of the plurality of light sources, and controls the direction control section so that an optical axis or axes of the optical signal or signals are directed toward the at least one terminal.
A space optical transmission system in which a space optical transmission apparatus and at least one terminal perform space optical transmission using an optical signal, wherein
- the space optical transmission apparatus comprises:
- a plurality of light sources for outputting optical signals modulated using a data signal to be transmitted;
- a plurality of lenses for converting the optical signals output from the plurality of light sources into optical signals having an appropriate viewing angle;
- a direction control section for controlling directions of the optical signals output from the plurality of lenses;
- at least one reception section for receiving an upward signal or signals output by the at least one terminal;
- and
- a control section for controlling the plurality of light sources and the direction control section based on location information of the at least one terminal,
- wherein the control section specifies the location information of the at least one terminal from the received upward signal or signals from the at least one terminal, and based on the specified location information of the at least one terminal, drives only a required one or ones of the plurality of light sources, and controls the direction control section so that an optical axis or axes of the optical signal or signals are directed toward the at least one terminal, and
- the terminal comprises:
- a light receiving section for receiving the optical signal output by the space optical transmission apparatus;
- and
- a light source for outputting an optical signal toward the terminal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.