초록 ▼

The disclosed technology provides a dynamic interconnection system which allows to couple a pair of optical beams carrying modulation information. In accordance with the disclosed technology, two optical beams emanate from transceivers at two different locations. Each beam may not see the other beam

The disclosed technology provides a dynamic interconnection system which allows to couple a pair of optical beams carrying modulation information. In accordance with the disclosed technology, two optical beams emanate from transceivers at two different locations. Each beam may not see the other beam point of origin (non-line-of-sight link), but both beams can see a third platform that contains the system of the disclosed technology. Each beam incident on the interconnection system is directed into the reverse direction of the other, so that each transceiver will detect the beam which emanated from the other transceiver. The system dynamically compensates for propagation distortions preferably using closed-loop optical devices, while preserving the information encoded on each beam.

대표청구항 ▼

The invention claimed is: 1. A method of optically interconnecting a first station to a second station by coupling a first optical beam and a second optical beam, the first optical beam originating from the first station and being directed to the second station, the second optical beam originating

The invention claimed is: 1. A method of optically interconnecting a first station to a second station by coupling a first optical beam and a second optical beam, the first optical beam originating from the first station and being directed to the second station, the second optical beam originating from the second station and being directed to the first station, the method comprising: (a) providing a first adaptive optical module and a second adaptive optical module; (b) disposing the first adaptive optical module in a path of the first beam for (i) reflecting and directing the first beam to the second adaptive optical module; and (ii) reflecting the second beam received from the second adaptive optical module, and directing the second beam to the first station; (c) disposing the second adaptive optical module in a path of the second beam for (i) reflecting and directing the second beam to the first adaptive optical module; and (ii) reflecting the first beam received from the first adaptive optical module, and directing the first beam to the second station; (d) transmitting reference data from the first station towards the second station and from the second station towards the first station, the reference data being separable from other transmitted data; (e) comparing the reference data as received with the reference data as transmitted; (f) configuring the first and second adaptive optical modules to at least partially compensate for propagation errors induced in the received reference signal by transmission through at least one region of aberration. 2. The method of claim 1, further including: (a) providing at least one optical tilt-focus error compensator for removing tilt and/or focus errors between the first and second beams so that the beams counter-propagate; and (b) disposing the at least one optical tilt-focus error compensator between the first adaptive optical module and the second adaptive optical module, such that the at least one optical tilt-focus error compensator is in a light path between the first adaptive optical module and the second adaptive optical module. 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the at least one optical tilt-focus error compensator comprises a first optical tilt-focus error compensator and a second optical tilt-focus error compensator, the method further including: (a) disposing the first optical tilt-focus error compensator between the first station and the first adaptive optical module such that the first beam passes through the first optical tilt-focus error compensator before it reaches the first adaptive optical module; and (b) disposing the second optical tilt-focus error compensator between the second station and the second adaptive optical module such that the second beam passes through the second optical tilt-focus error compensator before it reaches the second adaptive optical module. 4. The method of claim 3 wherein: the first adaptive optical module comprises: a first adaptive optical wavefront corrector; and a first wavefront error sensor disposed adjacent the first adaptive optical wavefront corrector; and the second adaptive optical module comprises: a second adaptive optical wavefront corrector; and a second wavefront error sensor disposed adjacent the second adaptive optical wavefront corrector. 5. The method of claim 4 wherein: reflecting and directing the first beam to the second adaptive optical module is carried out by the first adaptive optical wavefront corrector; after reflecting a corrected first beam by the first adaptive optical wavefront corrector, a first part of the corrected first beam is directed to the first wavefront error sensor; the first wavefront error sensor senses a distortion of the first beam, computes a correction, and addresses the first adaptive optical wavefront corrector to reduce the distortion of the first beam by producing the corrected first beam after reflection of the first beam by the first adaptive optical wavefront corrector; after correction of the first beam, and reflection and directing of the corrected first beam by the first adaptive optical wavefront corrector, a second part of the corrected first beam is directed to the second adaptive optical wavefront corrector; the second adaptive optical wavefront corrector reflects and directs the corrected first beam to the second station; reflecting and directing the second beam to the first adaptive optical module is carried out by the second adaptive optical wavefront corrector; after reflecting of a corrected second beam by the second adaptive optical wavefront corrector, a first part of the corrected second beam is directed to the second wavefront error sensor; the second wavefront error sensor senses a distortion of the second beam, computes a correction, and addresses the second adaptive optical wavefront corrector to reduce the distortion of the second beam by producing a corrected second beam after reflection of the second beam by the second adaptive optical wavefront corrector; after correction of the second beam, and reflection and directing of the corrected second beam by the second adaptive optical wavefront corrector, a second part of the corrected second beam is directed to the first adaptive optical wavefront corrector; and the first adaptive optical wavefront corrector reflects and directs the corrected second beam to the first station. 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the adaptive optical modules comprise LCLVs, liquid crystal SLMs, deformable MEMS devices, optical MEMS-based SLMs, or liquid crystal cell with transparent electrodes, or any combination thereof. 7. A method of creating an optical link between a first and a second station for the purpose of exchanging information between the two stations, the method comprising: (a) providing a first optical beam emanating from the first station, and a second optical beam emanating from the second station; (b) pointing the first optical beam and the second optical beam to a common location; (c) directing each beam into a reverse direction of the other so that each station receives the beam which emanated from the other station; and (d) correcting propagation distortions of the first and second optical beams by (i) transmitting reference data from the first station towards the second station and from the second station towards the first station, the reference data being physically separable from other transmitted data; (ii) separating the reference data from any other transmitted data and comparing the reference data as received with the reference data as transmitted; (iii) configuring first and second adaptive optical modules at said common location to at least partially compensate for propagation errors induced in the received reference signal by transmission through one or more regions of aberration. 8. The method of claim 7 wherein the step of correcting propagation distortions of the first and second optical beams includes planarizing the wavefronts of the first and second optical beams, the planarizing the first and second optical beams being carried out by said first and second adaptive optical modules, the first and second adaptive optical modules each functioning in a closed-loop fashion. 9. The method of claim 8 further including compensating for tilt and focus errors of the first and second optical beams utilizing at least one optical tilt-focus error compensator therefor. 10. The method of claim 9, wherein information is encoded onto the first optical beam at the first station, information is encoded onto the second optical beam at the second station, and wherein the first optical beam arrives at the second station as a diffraction-limited beam and delivers to the second station the information encoded onto the first optical beam at the first station, and the second optical beam arrives at the first station as a diffraction-limited beam and delivers to the first station the information encoded onto the second optical beam at the second station. 11. An interconnect for optically interconnecting a first station and a second station, the interconnect comprising: a first adaptive optical module positioned in the line of sight of the first station; a second adaptive optical module positioned in the line of sight of the second station and in the line of sight of the first adaptive optical module; and comparators for comparing a transmitted version of a reference signal with a known in advance version of the reference signal and for adjusting the first and second adaptive optical modules to account for propagation errors occurring between the first and second stations. 12. The interconnect of claim 11, wherein the propagation errors are corrected by the first and second adaptive optical modules, and wherein the first and second adaptive optical modules function in a closed-loop fashion. 13. The interconnect of claim 11, wherein: the first adaptive optical module (i) directs to the second adaptive optical module, a first optical beam received from the first station, and (ii) directs to the first station, a second optical beam received from the second adaptive optical module and originating from the second station; and the second adaptive optical module (i) directs to the first adaptive optical module, the second optical beam received from the second station, and (ii) directs to the second station, the first optical beam received from the first adaptive optical module and originating from the first station. 14. The interconnect of claim 13 further comprising at least one optical tilt-focus error compensator for removing tilt and focus errors from at least one of the first and second optical beams. 15. The interconnect of claim 14 wherein the at least one optical tilt-focus error compensator comprises a first optical tilt-focus error compensator and a second optical tilt-focus error compensator, the first optical tilt-focus error compensator being disposed between the first station and the first adaptive optical module such that the first optical beam passes through the first optical tilt-focus error compensator before reaching the first adaptive optical module; and the second optical tilt-focus error compensator being disposed between the second station and the second adaptive optical module such that the second optical beam passes through the second optical tilt-focus error compensator before reaching the second adaptive optical module. 16. The interconnect of claim 14 wherein the at least one optical tilt-focus error compensator is disposed between the first adaptive optical module and the second adaptive optical module, such that the at least one optical tilt-focus error compensator is in a light path between the first and second adaptive optical modules. 17. The interconnect of claim 16 wherein: the first adaptive optical module comprises: a first adaptive optical wavefront corrector; and a first wavefront error sensor disposed adjacent the first adaptive optical wavefront corrector; and the second adaptive optical module comprises: a second adaptive optical wavefront corrector; and a second wavefront error sensor disposed adjacent the second adaptive optical wavefront corrector. 18. The interconnect of claim 17 further comprising: a first beam splitter for splitting the first optical beam, the first beam splitter being disposed in a light path between the first and second adaptive optical modules; and a second beam splitter for splitting the second optical beam, the second beam splitter being disposed in a light path between the first and second adaptive optical modules. 19. The interconnect of claim 18 wherein: the first adaptive optical wavefront corrector directs the first optical beam to the second adaptive optical module by reflecting a corrected first beam; after reflecting of the corrected first beam by the first adaptive optical wavefront corrector, a first part of the corrected first beam is redirected by the first beam splitter to the first wavefront error sensor; the first wavefront error sensor senses a distortion of the first beam, computes a correction, and addresses the first adaptive optical wavefront corrector to reduce the distortion of the first beam by producing the corrected first beam after reflection of the first beam by the first adaptive optical wavefront corrector; after correction of the first beam, and reflection and directing of the corrected first beam by the first adaptive optical wavefront corrector, a second part of the corrected first beam is transmitted by the first beam splitter to the second adaptive optical wavefront corrector; the second adaptive optical wavefront corrector reflects and directs the corrected first beam to the second station; the second adaptive optical wavefront corrector directs the second optical beam to the first adaptive optical module by reflecting a corrected second beam; after reflecting of a corrected second beam by the second adaptive optical wavefront corrector, a first part of the corrected second beam is redirected by the second beam splitter to the second wavefront error sensor; the second wavefront error sensor senses a distortion of the second beam, computes a correction, and addresses the second adaptive optical wavefront corrector to reduce the distortion of the second beam by producing a corrected second beam after reflection of the second beam by the second adaptive optical wavefront corrector; after correction of the second beam, and reflection and directing of the corrected second beam by the second adaptive optical wavefront corrector, a second part of the corrected second beam is transmitted by the second beam splitter to the first adaptive optical wavefront corrector; and the first adaptive optical wavefront corrector reflects and directs the corrected second beam to the first station. 20. The interconnect of claim 18 wherein: the first adaptive optical wavefront corrector directs the first optical beam to the second adaptive optical module by transmitting a corrected first beam; after transmission of the corrected first beam by the first adaptive optical wavefront corrector, a first part of the corrected first beam is redirected by the first beam splitter to the first wavefront error sensor; the first wavefront error sensor senses a distortion of the first beam, computes a correction, and addresses the first adaptive optical wavefront corrector to reduce the distortion of the first beam by producing the corrected first beam after transmission of the first beam by the first adaptive optical wavefront corrector; after correction of the first beam, and transmission of the corrected first beam by the first adaptive optical wavefront corrector, a second part of the corrected first beam is transmitted by the first beam splitter to the second adaptive optical wavefront corrector; the second adaptive optical wavefront corrector transmits the corrected first beam to the second station; the second adaptive optical wavefront corrector directs the second optical beam to the first adaptive optical module by transmitting a corrected second beam; after transmitting of a corrected second beam by the second adaptive optical wavefront corrector, a first part of the corrected second beam is redirected by the second beam splitter to the second wavefront error sensor; the second wavefront error sensor senses a distortion of the second beam, computes a correction, and addresses the second adaptive optical wavefront corrector to reduce the distortion of the second beam by producing a corrected second beam after transmission of the second beam by the second adaptive optical wavefront corrector; after correction of the second beam, and transmission and directing of the corrected second beam by the second adaptive optical wavefront corrector, a second part of the corrected second beam is transmitted by the second beam splitter to the first adaptive optical wavefront corrector; and the first adaptive optical wavefront corrector transmits the corrected second beam to the first station.