Optical space communication apparatus

• US 6,493,122 B1
• Filed: 09/02/1998
• Issued: 12/10/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Degura, Yasusaburo
• Primary Examiner(s): NEGASH, KINFE MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US09/146,337
• Time in Patent Office: 1,560 Days
• Field of Search: 359/172, 359/159, 359/152, 359/142, 359/173
• US Class Current: 398/128
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/1125 using a single common optical path

Abstract

In an optical space communication system, a remote controller is provided at an arbitrary position remote from an optical space communication apparatus. The optical space communication apparatus is provided with an interface device for exchanging status information of the operating apparatus, operation start setup/manipulation information or operating setup/manipulation information of the apparatus with the interface device. Communication between the remote controller and the interface device is made for a transmission light power, a transmission signal power, a reception light power, a reception signal power, a light beam transmission angle, a temperature of a predetermined portion in the apparatus, an angular error between the reception light and an optical axis of a light reception unit in the apparatus, a transmission light beam divergence angle or the like.

Claims

1. An optical space communication apparatus for performing optical radio information communication, comprising:

an optical space communication device having a light transmitting/receiving head unit and a manipulating control unit which are provided at an arbitrary position remote from each other and which are connected to each other via a cable;

remote control means located at an arbitrary position remote from the light transmitting/receiving head unit and the manipulating control unit; and

interface means for exchanging, with said remote control means, operating state information of said device, operation start setup/manipulating information of said device, or setup/manipulating information during operation of said devices.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the operating state information interfaced with said remote control means is at least one of a transmission light power, a transmission signal power, a reception light power, a reception signal power, a light beam transmission angle, a temperature of a predetermined portion in said apparatus, an angular error between reception light and an optical axis of a light reception unit in said apparatus, a transmission light beam divergence angle, the presence/absence of a transmission main signal input, and the presence/absence of a reception main signal output.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein one of the operation start setup/manipulating information and the setup/manipulating information during operation which are interfaced with said remote control means is at least one of a light beam transmission angle, a transmission light beam divergence angle, a transmission light power, and a transmission signal power.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information is interfaced with said remote control means via one of a public line and a private line.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information is interfaced with said remote control means using a radio signal.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information is interfaced with said remote control means using another optical radio means.

7. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when a trouble is likely to occur in optical space communication, a line between said apparatus and said remote control means is being connected.

8. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when a trouble is likely to occur in optical space communication, said remote control means generates one of alarm light and sound.

9. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said remote control means interfaces the operating state information and the operation start setup/manipulating information or the setup/manipulating information during operation with a plurality of optical space communication apparatuses connected via one of a public line, a private line, a radio channel, a channel of optical radio means different from that of said apparatus.

10. An optical space communication apparatus for performing optical radio information communication, comprising:

an optical space communication device having a light transmitting/receiving head unit and a manipulating control unit which are provided remote from each other and which are connected to each other via a cable;

remote control means located remote from the light transmitting/receiving head unit and the manipulating control unit; and

interface means for communicating between said remote control means and said optical space communication device.

11. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein operating state information interfaced with said remote control means is at least one of a transmission light power, a transmission signal power, a reception light power, a reception signal power, a light beam transmission angle, a temperature of a predetermined portion in said apparatus, an angular error between reception light and an optical axis of a light reception unit in said apparatus, a transmission light beam divergence angle, the presence/absence of a transmission main signal input, and the presence/absence of a reception main signal output.

12. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein one of operation start setup/manipulating information and setup/manipulating information during operation which are interfaced with said remote control means is at least one of a light beam transmission angle, a transmission light beam divergence angle, a transmission light power, and a transmission signal power.

13. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the information is interfaced with said remote control means via one of a public line and a private line.

14. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the information is interfaced with said remote control means using a radio signal.

15. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the information is interfaced with said remote control means using another optical radio means.

16. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein when a trouble is likely to occur in optical space communication, a line between said apparatus and said remote control means is being connected.

17. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein when a trouble is likely to occur in optical space communication, said remote control means generates one of alarm light and sound.

18. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said remote control means interfaces operating state information and operation start setup/manipulating information or setup/manipulating information during operation with a plurality of optical space communication apparatuses connected via one of a public line, a private line, a radio channel, a channel of optical radio means different from that of said apparatus.