Optically crosslinked communication system (OCCS)
First Claim
1. A two-way optical communications switch system useful for a single elevated platform, said optical communication switch system capable of switching a large number of wide bandwidth channels, comprising:
- an elevated platform for hosting said optical communications switch system;
a receive antenna system for receiving a first set of N beams, each of said first set of N beams servicing M customers;
an electrical-to-optical modulator for forming a first set of N optical channels from respective ones of said N beams;
a frequency resolver for spreading each of said first set of N optical channels in one dimension for creating a first set of N×
M optical channel elements;
a beam splitter image concatenator for duplicating said first set of N×
M optical channel elements to create a substantially identical second set of N×
M optical channel elements, said first set of N×
M optical channel elements adjacent to said second set of N×
M optical channel elements to form a dual virtual array having N×
2M optical channel elements and M diagonals, each of said M diagonals comprising M optical channel elements;
a diagonal optical combiner for combining said M optical channel elements for each of said M diagonals into N optical outputs for forming a second set of N beams; and
a transmit antenna system for transmitting said second set of N beams, each servicing M customers simultaneously.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An optically-based communication system hosted on an elevated platform (e.g., a satellite a tower, or other platform having a substantial vantage point) that uses multiple spatially diverse transmit and receive beams that are optically cross coupled to fully reuse the spectrum and which will create a fully interactive, high bandwidth, high capacity, fully switched communication system. The elevated platform (i.e., satellite, orbiting or tethered vehicles, airborne platforms, towers, etc.) reuses its assigned bandwidth in each of (N) multiple beams (or sectors). The beams are formed by either RF or optical means. The specific users in each beam are then spatially separated in frequency by use of an optical "Bragg Cell." The separated signals are then duplicated through a half mirror and a full mirror and recombined optically to create outputs that are unique combinations of frequencies from each full set of input beams. The recombined signals are then shifted to the transmit band and retransmitted through the same (N) multiple beams. The entire communication system then becomes a single elevated platform which can fully switch a high bandwidth, high channel capacity network.
75 Citations
38 Claims
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1. A two-way optical communications switch system useful for a single elevated platform, said optical communication switch system capable of switching a large number of wide bandwidth channels, comprising:
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an elevated platform for hosting said optical communications switch system; a receive antenna system for receiving a first set of N beams, each of said first set of N beams servicing M customers; an electrical-to-optical modulator for forming a first set of N optical channels from respective ones of said N beams; a frequency resolver for spreading each of said first set of N optical channels in one dimension for creating a first set of N×
M optical channel elements;a beam splitter image concatenator for duplicating said first set of N×
M optical channel elements to create a substantially identical second set of N×
M optical channel elements, said first set of N×
M optical channel elements adjacent to said second set of N×
M optical channel elements to form a dual virtual array having N×
2M optical channel elements and M diagonals, each of said M diagonals comprising M optical channel elements;a diagonal optical combiner for combining said M optical channel elements for each of said M diagonals into N optical outputs for forming a second set of N beams; and a transmit antenna system for transmitting said second set of N beams, each servicing M customers simultaneously. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A two-way communications switch system useful for a single elevated platform, said communication switch system capable of switching a large number of wide bandwidth channels, comprising:
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a receive antenna system for receiving a first set of N beams, each of said first set of N beams servicing M customers; an elevated platform for hosting said communication switch system; a bank of frequency selective filters for forming a first set of N channels from respective ones of said N beams, each of said first set of N channels having M signals, each of said M signals separated by frequency; a set of summation devices for forming a second set of N channels, each of the channels comprising M signals, each of said M signals from a separate one of said first set of N channels; routing means for routing said M signals from each of said first set of N channels to said summation means; and a transmit antenna system for converting said N channels into said second set of N beams and transmitting said second set of N beams servicing M customers simultaneously. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A two-way optical communications switch system useful for a single elevated platform, said optical communication switch system capable of switching a large number of wide bandwidth channels, comprising:
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an elevated platform for hosting said optical communications switch system; means for receiving a first set of N beams, each of said first set of N beams servicing M customers; optical channel forming means for forming a first set of N optical channels from respective ones of said N beams; spreading means for spreading each of said first set of N optical channels in one dimension for creating a first set of N×
M optical channel elements;N×
M optical channel element duplicating means for duplicating said first set of N×
M optical channel elements to create a substantially identical second set of N×
M optical channel elements, said first set of N×
M optical channel elements and said second set of N×
M optical channel elements positioned to form a dual virtual array having N×
2M optical channel elements and M diagonals, each of said M diagonals comprising M optical channel elements;selective focusing means for combining said M optical channel elements for each of said M diagonals into a second set of N beams; and transmitting means for transmitting said second set of N beams, each servicing M customers simultaneously. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37)
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38. A method for simultaneously switching wideband signals of a first set of M users in each of a first set of N beams to any of a second set of M users each in of a second set of N beams, comprising the steps of:
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receiving a first set of N beams, each of said N beams servicing M customers; converting each of said N beams from electromagnetic energy into N electrical channels; converting said N electrical channels to a first set of N optical channels; focusing said N optical channels; collimating said first set of N optical channels; focusing said N optical channels on a Bragg Cell; converting said N optical channels into N×
M optical channels;collimating said N×
M optical channels;duplicating said N×
M optical channels for forming a dual virtual array having N×
2M optical channel elements and M diagonals, each of said M diagonals having M optical channel elements;combining said M optical channel elements of each of said M diagonals; forming a second set of N beams from the combined M optical channel elements of said M diagonals; and transmitting said second set of N beams to service a second set of M customers in each of said N beams.
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Specification