Free-space optical terminal

US10763961B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• The John Hopkins University · US

Inventors

• Katherine T. Newell · Elkridge, US
• Juan C. Juarez · Milford Mill, US
• Michelle P. O'Toole · Columbia, US
• Radha A. Venkat · Columbia, US
• Lauren S. Weiss · Baltimore, US
• Ryan P. DiNello-Fass · Mount Airy, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Aug 31, 2019
• Grant date: Sep 1, 2020
• Expiry date: Aug 31, 2039

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G02B6/4246
• WIPO field: Optics
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A device includes an optical fiber bundle having at least one optical data fiber and at least three optical tracking fibers, a mirror package configured to direct an incoming optical beam to the optical fiber bundle, at least three detectors, each detector corresponding to one of the at least three optical tracking fibers, the at least three detectors configured to receive portions of the incoming optical beam from the corresponding optical tracking fibers and convert the portions of the incoming beam to electrical tracking signals, and a controller configured to receive the electrical tracking signals from the at least three detectors and generate a feedback control based on the electrical tracking signals to control a position of the mirror package.