Optical fiber link

• US 6,912,341 B2
• Filed: 04/10/2002
• Issued: 06/28/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Inventors: Tietjen, Byron W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, John R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gurzo, Paul M.
• Application Number:
  US10/119,653
• Publication Number:
  US 20030194177A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,175 Days
• Field of Search: 385/26, 385/27, 385/39, 359/850, 359/863, 359/866
• US Class Current: 385/26
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/08 for varying two co-ordinates of the orientation

Abstract

A system comprises at least one optical fiber that revolves around an axis when an array assembly that includes a radar array revolves around the axis. The optical fiber receives a light pattern that specifies information from the array assembly. A stationary device remains optically coupled to the optical fiber for receiving the light pattern while the optical fiber revolves around the axis.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a plurality of conical reflectors positioned at respectively different levels, wherein none of the plurality of reflectors is axially aligned with any other one of the plurality of reflectors;

a first plurality of optical paths, each facing the apex of a respective one of the conical reflectors; and

a second plurality of optical paths perpendicular to the first plurality of optical paths, wherein each of the second plurality of optical paths extends to a side surface of a respective one of the plurality of conical reflectors and has a 360 degree field of view.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein each first optical path includes a first optical fiber optically coupled to the conical reflector.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein at least one of the conical reflectors has a base diameter that is greater than a diameter of the first optical fiber.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the at least one of the first optical paths includes a tapered optical fiber coupler connecting the conical reflector to the first optical fiber.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the tapered optical fiber coupler includes a lens positioned between the conical reflector and the first optical fiber.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein each second optical path includes a respective transparent layer, each conical reflector having at least its apex located within the transparent layer.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein at least one of the conical reflectors is encapsulated within a respective one of thc transparent layers.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the one transparent layer is disk shaped.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the one transparent layer has a reflective annular layer on each flat surface thereof.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the movable optical fiber includes a first end that is radially aligned with a center of the one transparent layer.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the movable optical fiber revolves around the one transparent layer while maintaining the first end radially aligned with the center of the one transparent layer.

12. The system of claim 10, further comprising an optical encoding disk to which a second end of the movable optical fiber is optically coupled.

13. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one movable optical fiber capable of maintaining an optical coupling to a respective one of the second optical paths during movement of the movable optical fiber.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising a light source that transmits light through the corresponding first optical path, the corresponding second optical path and the movable fiber.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising an optical encoding disk to which a second end of the movable optical fiber is optically coupled.

16. The system of claim 13, further comprising an optical encoding disk and a fiber optic receiver that receives light from the optical encoding disk by way of the movable optical fiber, the corresponding second optical path and the corresponding first optical path.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein:

the at least one movable optical fiber includes a plurality of movable optical fibers, each capable of maintaining an optical coupling to a respective one of the second optical paths during movement of that movable optical fiber.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising an optical encoding disk having a plurality of patterns in respectively different bit positions, wherein respective bits are read from the optical encoding disk and transmitted by way of the plurality of movable optical fibers, the second plurality of paths, and the first plurality of paths.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising a fiber optic receiver, to which the respective bits are transmitted.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the optical encoding disk is coupled to rotate with a rotating radar array, and the bits indicate a roll angle of the radar array.