Transceiver for a wireless optical telecommunication system

• US 6,867,889 B1
• Filed: 10/16/2003
• Issued: 03/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pertex Telecommunication LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Terabeam Corporation (Proxim Wireless Corporation)
• Inventors: Bajorins, David P., Pratt, Mark, Brown, Harold Alexander, Stapleton, Lawrence Cooper, Lauby, William Joseph, Sparrold, Scott William, Rallison, Richard D., Amadon, Charles Gregory, Riday, Richard B., Thomas, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Juba, Jr., John
• Application Number:
  US10/686,881
• Time in Patent Office: 516 Days
• Field of Search: 398/122, 398/129, 398/131, 398/118, 359/15, 359/16, 359/19
• US Class Current: 359/16
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/32 Holograms used as optical elements

Abstract

A holographic optical element (HOE) device is mounted in wireless optical telecommunication system transceiver. The HOE device includes a developed emulsion material having an interference pattern recorded thereon, sandwiched between a pair of elements, such as a pair of clear glass plates. In operation, the HOE device uses the recorded interference pattern to diffract received light rays towards an optical processing unit of the system receiver. A transmitter unit can be positioned at least in part behind the HOE device. An opening in the emulsion material allows a light signal transmitted from the transmitter unit to be substantially unaffected by the recorded interference pattern. The transceiver can also include a spotting scope and an alignment beacon.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a holographic optical element (HOE) device having;

a first element having first and second surfaces, the first surface being positionable to face incident light rays,

an emulsion material disposed over the second surface of the first element and having a recorded interference pattern thereon, and

a second element having a first surface disposed over the emulsion material, the second element being structured to pass resulting light rays, derived from the incident light rays diffracted by the recorded interference pattern, in a direction towards a location facing a second surface of the second element;

an optical processing unit to receive the resulting light rays passed by the second element;

a collimating optical assembly positionable between the HOE device and the optical processing unit to collimate the resulting light rays; and

an optical element positionable between the collimating optical assembly and the optical processing unit to separate, from the collimated resulting light rays, a tracking channel and a communication channel, and to direct the communication channel towards the optical processing unit.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the collimating optical assembly includes a movable refocusing element to longitudinally refocus the collimated resulting light rays.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the refocusing element is movable via motor control.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the collimating optical assembly includes a plurality of lenses to correct aberrations in the resulting light rays.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the optical element comprises a monolithic optical element, the monolithic optical element including:

a lens to refract the resulting light rays;

a first element, coupled to the lens and coupled to a second element at an interface, to receive the refracted light rays from the lens;

a beam splitter disposed at the interface between the first and second element to direct the refracted light rays to the tracking channel and to the communication channel; and

a third element coupled to the second element, the third element having a reflective surface to reflect the refracted light rays of the communication channel towards the optical processing unit.

6. An apparatus, comprising:

a holographic optical element (HOE) device disposed in a receiver unit, the HOE device including a recorded interference pattern, the HOE device being positionable to face incident light rays and being capable of passing the incident light rays as resulting light rays diffracted by the recorded interference pattern;

a collimating optical assembly positionable between the HOE device and an optical processing unit to collimate the resulting light rays; and

a monolithic optical element positionable between the collimating optical assembly and the optical processing unit to separate, from the collimated resulting light rays, a tracking channel and a communication channel, and to direct the communication channel towards an optical processing unit, the monolithic optical element including;

a lens to refract the resulting light rays;

a first element, coupled to the lens and coupled to a second element at an interface, to receive the refracted light rays from the lens;

a beam splitter disposed at the interface between the first and second element to direct the refracted light rays to the tracking channel and to the communication channel; and

a third element coupled to the second element, the third element having a reflective surface to reflect the refracted light rays of the communication channel towards an optical processing unit.