A free space optical communication system (100) and method including a constellation of several satellites (102). Each of satellites including: several inter-satellite optical telescopes (204) for optical communication with multiple neighboring satellites, each inter-satellite optical telescope is c
A free space optical communication system (100) and method including a constellation of several satellites (102). Each of satellites including: several inter-satellite optical telescopes (204) for optical communication with multiple neighboring satellites, each inter-satellite optical telescope is capable of adjusting its elevation angle to accommodate changes in the number of satellites in the constellation; and several up/down link optical telescopes (206) for optical communication with multiple ground sites, where each ground site has several ground optical telescopes. As the constellation passes a given ground site, some of the up/down-link telescopes of a given satellite are configured to track at least two respective ground optical telescopes of the given ground site and send data to the ground optical telescope with the clearest line of sight to the given satellite. Moreover, each of the satellites includes optical circuitry (208, 210, 212, 216) for optically processing and switching incoming and outgoing optical signals without converting the optical signals into electrical signals.
대표청구항▼
1. A satellite for free space optical communication comprising: a plurality of optical telescopes for optical communication with a plurality of destinations,a plurality of optical beam expanders for receiving and transmitting optical signals from/to the plurality of destinations,a plurality of optic
1. A satellite for free space optical communication comprising: a plurality of optical telescopes for optical communication with a plurality of destinations,a plurality of optical beam expanders for receiving and transmitting optical signals from/to the plurality of destinations,a plurality of optical pre-amplifiers, each optically coupled to a respective optical beam expander for amplifying received optical signals;a plurality of optical power amplifiers, each optically coupled to a respective optical beam expander for amplifying optical signals before transmission to the plurality of destinations,an optical multiplexor optically coupled to the plurality of optical pre-amplifiers for multiplexing amplified outputs of the optical pre-amplifiers;an optical main amplifier optically coupled to the optical multiplexor for amplifying an output of the multiplexor;an optical demultiplexer optically coupled to the optical main amplifier for demultiplexing an output of the optical main amplifier;an optical switch optically coupled to the demultiplexer for directing the output of the optical main amplifier to a selected power amplifier to be transmitted to a selected destination by a respective optical beam expander. 2. The satellite of claim 1, wherein each of the optical pre-amplifiers, each of the optical power amplifiers, and the optical main amplifier includes one or more optical filters to reduce any noise that can be included in an optical signal from a previous stage. 3. The satellite of claim 1, wherein the optical pre-amplifiers, the optical power amplifiers, and the optical main amplifier are selected from a group consisting of one or more of Planar Waveguide (PWG) laser, Erbium Doped Fiber Amplifier (EDFA), and Semi-Guiding High Aspect Ratio Core (SHARC) fiber laser amplifier. 4. The satellite of claim 1, wherein the optical switch performs point-to-point connections of the output of the optical main amplifier. 5. The satellite of claim 1, wherein the optical switch performs mesh connections of the output of the optical main amplifier. 6. The satellite of claim 1, wherein each of the optical power amplifiers has a gain of 25 and is capable of taking 10 channels of 0.4 mW per channel as input and output 10 channels at 1 W per channel. 7. The satellite of claim 1, wherein each input of the optical switch can be connected to any output of the optical switch, without blocking other inputs. 8. The satellite of claim 1, wherein the optical switch comprises of a plurality of Micro electromechanical (MEMS) mirrors tilting as commanded to reflect each optical signal from an input to a desired output. 9. The satellite of claim 1, wherein the optical preamplifiers, optical main amplifiers and optical power amplifiers are low noise amplifiers, such that photon shot noise in the optical signals is the dominant noise source. 10. The satellite of claim 1, wherein four optical beam expanders are used for optical communication with two nearest neighboring satellites, one of each side, and two next nearest neighboring satellites, one on each side. 11. The satellite of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of optical beam expanders is configured to utilize Dense Wavelength Diversity Multiplexing (DWDM) to provide bi-directional links with a capability of at least 100 Gbps bandwidth with each destination. 12. The satellite of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of optical beam expanders is configured to utilize one or more of polarization and wavelength diversity to isolate two data streams in a bi-directional optical data link. 13. The satellite of claim 1, wherein the optical switch is configured to receive one or more switching commands to direct the output of the optical main amplifier to a selected power amplifier to be transmitted to a selected destination. 14. The satellite of claim 1, further comprising a power interface configured to connect to a power bus of the satellite. 15. A satellite for free space optical communication comprising: a plurality of optical telescopes for optical communication with a plurality of destinations,a plurality of optical beam expanders for receiving and transmitting optical signals from/to the plurality of destinations,a plurality of optical pre-amplifiers, each optically coupled to a respective optical beam expander for amplifying received optical signals;a plurality of optical power amplifiers, each optically coupled to a respective optical beam expander for amplifying optical signals before transmission to the plurality of destinations,a plurality of optical main amplifiers, each optically coupled to a respective one of the plurality of optical pre-amplifiers for amplifying outputs of the plurality of optical pre-amplifiers;an optical switch optically coupled to the plurality of optical main amplifiers for directing outputs of the plurality of optical main amplifier to a selected power amplifier to be transmitted to a selected destination by a respective optical beam expander. 16. The satellite of claim 15, wherein each of the optical pre-amplifiers, the optical power amplifiers, the optical main amplifiers includes one or more optical filters to reduce any noise that can be included in an optical signal from a previous stage. 17. The satellite of claim 15, wherein the optical pre-amplifiers, the optical power amplifiers, and the optical main amplifiers are selected from a group consisting of one or more of Planar Waveguide (PWG) laser, Erbium Doped Fiber Amplifier (EDFA), and Semi-Guiding High Aspect Ratio Core (SHARC) fiber laser amplifier. 18. The satellite of claim 15, wherein the optical switch performs point-to-point connections or mesh connections of the output of the optical main amplifier. 19. The satellite of claim 15, wherein each of the plurality of optical beam expanders is configured to utilize one or more of polarization and wavelength diversity to isolate two data streams in a bi-directional optical data link. 20. The satellite of claim 15, wherein the optical switch is configured to receive one or more switching commands to direct the output of the optical main amplifier to a selected power amplifier to be transmitted to a selected destination.
연구과제 타임라인
LOADING...
LOADING...
LOADING...
LOADING...
LOADING...
이 특허에 인용된 특허 (15)
Cunningham, James; Grinch, Dean; Fisher, Donald, Acquisition, pointing, and tracking architecture for laser communication.
Horstein Michael (Los Angeles CA) Cress Peter H. (Manhattan Beach CA) Rusch Roger J. (Palos Verdes Estates CA), Medium-earth-altitude satellite-based cellular telecommunications.
Wainfan S. Lynne ; Wesel Ellen K. ; Pavloff Michael S. ; Wang Arthur W., Method and system for providing wideband communications to mobile users in a satellite-based network.
Lenormand, Regis; Argagnon, Claude; Bouin, Jean; Chretien, Gerald; Delamotte, Luc; Roullet, Laurent; Voisin, Philippe, Method of communication between earth stations using a constellation of satellites.
Krill, Jerry A.; Duncan, Donald D.; Frank, Joe; Moore, Craig R.; Cipriano, Joseph; Sova, Raymond M., Mobile communications via an optical signal during adverse atmospheric conditions.
Kintis Mark (Manhattan Beach CA) Isara Scott K. (Torrance CA) Brock John C. (Redondo Beach CA) Tittle Lawrence R. (Palos Verdes Estates CA) Pawlowski Peter R. (Manhattan Beach CA), Photonic interconnect and photonic processing for communications and data handling satellites.
Wiedeman Robert A. (Los Altos CA) Monte Paul A. (San Jose CA), Worldwide satellite telephone system and a network coordinating gateway for allocating satellite and terrestrial gateway.
※ AI-Helper는 부적절한 답변을 할 수 있습니다.