Patent · US Active

High-bandwidth optical communications relay payload

US8953946B2 · kind B2 · utility

2Cited by
10References
19Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 13, 2012
Grant dateFeb 10, 2015
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 22, 2033

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04B7/18521
  • WIPO fieldTelecommunications
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A free space optical communication system (100) and method including: several optical beam expanders (414) for receiving incoming optical signals from ground sites and neighboring satellites; several optical preamplifiers (412) for preamplifying the received optical signals; one or more optical main amplifiers (404) for amplifying the preamplified optical signals; and an optical switch (408) for directing respective amplified optical signals to respective destinations via a respective optical beam expander. The respective amplified optical signals are inputted to a respective optical beam expander (414) for transmission to said respective destinations, as outgoing optical signals.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.