Laser communication transceiver and system
US5710652A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 22, 1994 |
| Grant date | Jan 20, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 22, 2014 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04B10/118
- WIPO fieldTelecommunications
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A laser communication transceiver for transmitting information via laser beams to and from other similar laser communication transceivers. Each transceiver comprises a wavelength locked beacon laser providing a beacon beam. The transceivers determine the precise location of other transceivers by detecting these beacon beams with beacon receive units comprising atomic line filters matched to the beacon wavelength. Signals are transmitted by imposing an electronic signal on laser beams produced by one or more signal laser devices. These signals are directed with precision at other transceivers, and the signal beams are detected with very narrow field of view signal receive units. In a preferred embodiment, these transceivers are installed on 66 satellites in low earth orbit and on selected mountain tops on earth to provide a global communication system.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.