Free space optics communication apparatus and free space optics communication system

• US 20030228152A1
• Filed: 06/03/2003
• Published: 12/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Takahashi, Yasuhiro, Ohtsubo, Masatoshi
• Granted Patent: US 7,181,143 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 398/131
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/118 specially adapted for satellite communication

Abstract

A free space optics communication apparatus which achieves high use efficiency of light and enables free control of the divergent angle of a light beam and the like is disclosed. The free space optics communication apparatus of the present invention has a light source which emits a light beam for performing wireless communication of information, and a minute mirror array unit which consists of a plurality of minute mirrors arranged in a matrix-like form and reflects the light beam emitted from the light source toward another apparatus. The apparatus also has a control unit which controls the directions of the individual minute mirrors constituting the minute mirror array unit independently. The control unit may be used to variably control the number of a plurality of mirror groups formed of a plurality of the minute mirrors in the minute mirror array unit.

Claims

1. A free space optics communication apparatus comprising:

a light source which emits a light beam for performing wireless communication of information;

a minute mirror array unit which consists of a plurality of minute mirrors arranged in a matrix-like form and reflects the light beam emitted from the light source toward another apparatus; and

a control unit which controls directions of the individual minute mirrors constituting the minute mirror array unit independently,

wherein at least one of a divergent angle of the reflected light beam, a pattern of the light beam, and a reflecting direction of the light beam can be changed by the control unit controlling the directions of the individual minute mirrors.

2. The free space optics communication apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a light-receiving element which receives a light beam for performing wireless communication of information,

wherein the minute mirror array unit reflects the light beam emerging from the other apparatus toward the light-receiving element.

3. A free space optics communication system comprising:

a plurality of the free space optics communication apparatuses according to claim 1;

another apparatus which has at least a receiving function of receiving a light beam emerging from the free space optics communication apparatus.

4. The free space optics communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit variably controls the number of a plurality of mirror groups formed of the plurality of minute mirrors in the minute mirror array unit, and

the plurality of mirror groups reflect the light beam from the light source toward a plurality of other apparatuses.

5. The free space optics communication apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the control unit sets a larger number of the minute mirrors constituting the mirror group corresponding to the other apparatus at a longer distance.

8. The free space optics communication apparatus according to claim 4 or 7, further comprising:

a light-receiving element which receives a light beam for performing wireless communication of information,

wherein each of the mirror groups reflects the light beam emerging from a plurality of locations away from the free space optics communication apparatus toward the light-receiving element.

6. A free space optics communication apparatus comprising:

a light source which emits a light beam for performing wireless communication of information;

a minute mirror array unit which consists of a plurality of minute mirrors arranged in a matrix-like form and reflects the light beam emitted from the light source toward another apparatus; and

a control unit which controls directions of the individual minute mirrors constituting the minute mirror array unit independently,

wherein the control unit changes the degree of light convergence of the light beam provided by the plurality of minute mirrors in accordance with a distance to the other apparatus.

7. The free space optics communication apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the control unit variably controls the number of a plurality of mirror groups formed of the plurality of minute mirrors in the minute mirror array unit, and

the plurality of mirror groups reflect the light beam from the light source toward a plurality of other apparatuses.

9. A free space optics communication system comprising:

the free space optics communication apparatus according to clam 4 or 7, and

a plurality of other apparatuses, each of which has at least a receiving function of receiving the light beam emerging from the free space optics communication apparatus.