High-bandwidth optical communications relay payload
First Claim
1. A free space optical communication system comprising:
- a plurality of optical beam expanders for receiving incoming optical signals from and transmitting outgoing optical signals to ground sites and neighboring satellites;
a plurality of optical preamplifiers for preamplifying the received optical signals;
one or more optical main amplifiers for amplifying the preamplified optical signals; and
an optical switch for directing respective amplified optical signals to respective destinations via a respective optical beam expander,wherein respective amplified optical signals are inputted to a respective optical beam expander for transmission to said respective destinations, as said outgoing optical signals, and wherein four optical beam expanders perform optical communication with two nearest neighboring satellites, one of each side, and two next nearest neighboring satellites, one on each side.
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Abstract
A free space optical communication system (100) and method including: several optical beam expanders (414) for receiving incoming optical signals from ground sites and neighboring satellites; several optical preamplifiers (412) for preamplifying the received optical signals; one or more optical main amplifiers (404) for amplifying the preamplified optical signals; and an optical switch (408) for directing respective amplified optical signals to respective destinations via a respective optical beam expander. The respective amplified optical signals are inputted to a respective optical beam expander (414) for transmission to said respective destinations, as outgoing optical signals.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A free space optical communication system comprising:
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a plurality of optical beam expanders for receiving incoming optical signals from and transmitting outgoing optical signals to ground sites and neighboring satellites; a plurality of optical preamplifiers for preamplifying the received optical signals; one or more optical main amplifiers for amplifying the preamplified optical signals; and an optical switch for directing respective amplified optical signals to respective destinations via a respective optical beam expander, wherein respective amplified optical signals are inputted to a respective optical beam expander for transmission to said respective destinations, as said outgoing optical signals, and wherein four optical beam expanders perform optical communication with two nearest neighboring satellites, one of each side, and two next nearest neighboring satellites, one on each side. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for free space optical communication, the method comprising:
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receiving incoming optical signals from ground sites and neighboring satellites; optically preamplifying the received optical signals; optically amplifying the preamplified optical signals; optically directing respective amplified optical signals to respective destinations via a respective optical beam expander; and using four optical beam expanders for optical communication associated with two nearest neighboring satellites, one of each side, and two next nearest neighboring satellites, one on each side, wherein respective amplified optical signals are inputted to a respective optical beam expander for transmission to said respective destinations, as outgoing optical signals. - View Dependent Claims (19)
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Specification