Free space optical communication

US9825701B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• THE JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY · US

Inventors

• Juan C. Juarez · Milford Mill, US
• Radha A. Venkat · Columbia, US
• Ricardo Luna · Columbia, US
• David A. Kitchin · Laurel, US
• Melissa E. Jansen · Mount Airy, US
• David W. Young · Portland, US
• Katherine T. Souza · Baltimore, US
• Joseph E. Sluz · Ellicott City, US
• David M. Brown · Fort Worth, US
• Ryan P. DiNello-Fass · Mount Airy, US
• Hala J. Tomey · Washington, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 12, 2015
• Grant date: Nov 21, 2017
• Expiry date: Oct 12, 2035

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H04B10/112
• WIPO field: Telecommunications
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

An optical communications beacon receiver including a camera for capturing a plurality of beacon images. The plurality of beacon images includes a beacon signal transmitted from a beacon transmitter. The beacon receiver also including processing circuitry configured for determining the state of the beacon signal for each of the plurality of beacon images based on the known pattern, at least one beacon image of the plurality of beacon images includes a beacon on state and at least one beacon image of the plurality of beacon images includes a beacon off state, comparing the at least one beacon image including the beacon on state to the at least one beacon image including the beacon off state, and determining a beacon location based on the comparison of the at least one beacon image including the beacon on state to the at least one beacon image including the beacon off state.