Retro-reflective optical transceiver
First Claim
1. A retro-reflective optical transceiver adapted to receive information encoded on incoming light rays transmitted by a distant source and transmit information to said source by encoding light rays reflected by said transceiver to said source, said transceiver comprising:
- a corner cube reflector having a first end adapted to receive said incoming light rays;
three mutually perpendicular reflective faces adapted to reflect a portion of said incoming light rays back toward said source in a direction substantially parallel to said incoming light rays; and
a substantially transmissive aperture adapted to permit a portion of said incoming light rays to pass through said corner cube reflector;
receiver means adapted to receive said incoming light rays passing through said aperture and detect information encoded on said light rays; and
an optical switch in optical alignment with said first end of said corner cube reflector, adapted to modulate the intensity of said light rays reflected by said corner cube reflector back toward said source.
2 Assignments
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Accused Products
Abstract
A retro-reflective transceiver provides optical communications by reflecting light transmitted by a distant source. The transceiver has a corner cube reflector with a truncated apex that serves as a transmissive aperture. A portion of the incoming light passes through the aperture in the corner cube reflector to a receiver where information encoded on the incoming light beam can be detected. The remainder of the light beam is reflected back toward the source in a direction substantially parallel to the incoming light beam by the three mutually perpendicular, reflective faces of the corner cube reflector. An optical switch (e.g. ferro-electric light crystal material) located in front of the corner cube reflector is used to modulate the intensity of the reflected beam to transmit information to the source.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. A retro-reflective optical transceiver adapted to receive information encoded on incoming light rays transmitted by a distant source and transmit information to said source by encoding light rays reflected by said transceiver to said source, said transceiver comprising:
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a corner cube reflector having a first end adapted to receive said incoming light rays;
three mutually perpendicular reflective faces adapted to reflect a portion of said incoming light rays back toward said source in a direction substantially parallel to said incoming light rays; and
a substantially transmissive aperture adapted to permit a portion of said incoming light rays to pass through said corner cube reflector;receiver means adapted to receive said incoming light rays passing through said aperture and detect information encoded on said light rays; and an optical switch in optical alignment with said first end of said corner cube reflector, adapted to modulate the intensity of said light rays reflected by said corner cube reflector back toward said source. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A retro-reflective optical transceiver adapted to receive information encoded on incoming light rays transmitted by a distant source and transmit information to said source by encoding light rays reflected by said transceiver to said source, said transceiver comprising:
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a corner cube reflector having; (a) a first end adapted to receive said incoming light rays; (b) three mutually perpendicular reflective faces adapted to reflect a portion of said incoming light rays back toward said source in a direction substantially parallel to said incoming light rays; and (c) a truncated apex at the area of intersection of said reflective faces, said truncated apex providing a substantially transmissive aperture adapted to permit a portion of said incoming light rays to pass through said corner cube reflector; receiver means adapted to receive said incoming light rays passing through said aperture and detect information encoded on said light rays; and an optical switch in optical alignment with said first end of said corner cube reflector, said optical switch having a first transmissive region allowing at least a portion of said incoming light rays to pass through said optical switch and through said aperture of said corner cube reflector to said receiver means, and a second switchable region adapted to modulate the intensity of said light rays reflected by said corner cube reflector back toward said source. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A retro-reflective optical transceiver adapted to receive information encoded on incoming light rays transmitted by a distant source and transmit information to said source by encoding light rays reflected by said transceiver to said source, said transceiver comprising:
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a corner cube reflector having; (a) a first end adapted to receive said incoming light rays; (b) three mutually perpendicular reflective faces adapted to reflect a portion of said incoming light rays back toward said source in a direction substantially parallel to said incoming light rays; and (c) a truncated apex at the area of intersection of said reflective faces, said truncated apex providing a substantially transmissive aperture adapted to permit a portion of said incoming light rays to pass through said corner cube reflector; receiver means adapted to receive said incoming light rays passing through said aperture and detect information encoded on said light rays; and a polarized filter in optical alignment with said first end of said corner cube reflector, said filter being adapted to transmit light rays having a predetermined angle of polarization and to block light rays having a polarization substantially perpendicular to said predetermined angle of polarization; an optical switch in optical alignment with said first polarized filter and with said first end of said corner cube reflector, said optical switch being adapted to transmit light rays having a predetermined angle of polarization and to block light rays having a polarization substantially perpendicular to said angle of polarization, the angle of polarization of said optical switch being adjustably controllable to permit modulation of the intensity of said reflected light rays by adjusting the angle of polarization of said optical switch with respect to said polarized filter. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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Specification