Control system for multi-beam free space optical endpoint

An apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of free-space optical communication devices;
• a lens assembly including a surface shaped to direct ingress light received substantially within a first angular range towards the optical communication devices, and to direct egress light away from the optical communication devices into the first angular range;
• a plurality of channel control modules, wherein an active data channel is supported by a respective pairing between one of the plurality of free-space optical communication devices and one of the plurality channel control modules, wherein a first set of the optical communication devices is provided on a first substrate, and a second set of the optical communication devices is provided on a second substrate that is parallel to the first substrate, wherein the first substrate includes perforations that permit light beams to pass to and from the second set of optical communication devices on the second substrate;
• at least one cross-bar switch configured to selectively couple at least one of the plurality of free-space optical communication devices to at least one of the plurality channel control modules;
• and
• control logic configured to adjust one or more pairings between the plurality of optical communication devices and the plurality of channel control modules in response to an assessment of an optical signal receiving by one of the plurality of optical communication devices.

A multi-beam free-space optical device comprising:

• a plurality of free-space optical communication devices, wherein a first set of the optical communication devices is provided on a first substrate, and a second set of the optical communication devices is provided on a second substrate that is parallel to the first substrate, wherein the first substrate includes perforations that permit light beams to pass to and from the second set of optical communication devices on the second substrate;
• a lens assembly including a surface shaped to direct ingress light received substantially within a first angular range towards the optical communication devices, and to direct egress light away from the optical communication devices into the first angular range;
• a plurality of channel control modules, wherein an active data channel is supported by a respective pairing between one of the plurality of free-space optical communication devices and one of the plurality channel control modules;
• a processor;
• a non-transitory memory including instructions, that when executed by the processor cause the multi-beam free-space optical device to:
• monitor optical signal power received by one or more of the optical communication devices in order to detect an incoming optical data signal received using at least one of the optical communication devices;
• assess a detected incoming optical data signal in order to determine whether or not the incoming optical data signal corresponds to an active data channel;
• and
• adjust one or more pairings between the optical communication devices and the channel control modules in response to the assessment of the received optical signal.