Communications and position location system and method

• US 7,606,496 B1
• Filed: 06/02/2005
• Issued: 10/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc. (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc. (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Mitchell, James P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vanderpuye; Ken N
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEUNG, WAI LUN
• Application Number:
  US11/143,549
• Time in Patent Office: 1,601 Days
• Field of Search: 398/125, 398/129, 398/118
• US Class Current: 398/125
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/1121 One-way transmission

Abstract

A laser communications and position location system has a laser transmitter with a laser array radiating modulated laser beams upward at convergence angles that determine altitude of a free space junction where the beams converge. The free space junction scatters the modulated laser beams and a laser receiver receives the scattered modulated laser beam light and recovers the data. A modulator modulates the laser array with data. The laser transmitter may include a data link to transmit the free space junction position to the laser receiver to aid in finding it. The laser receiver has an optical detector with an adjustable field of view and gain to minimize background light noise and to demodulate the received modulated scattered laser beams. The laser receiver determines a precise location of the laser transmitter upon finding the free space junction.

Claims

1. A laser communications and position location system for transmitting data and comprising a laser transmitter and a laser receiver,

said laser transmitter further comprising:

a laser array radiating a plurality of modulated laser beams upward at convergence angles, whereby the modulated laser beams converge at a free space junction at an altitude determined by the convergence angles, wherein said modulated laser beams are scattered at said free space junction, and wherein said laser receiver receives scattered modulated laser beam light and recovers the data, wherein the modulated laser beams form a convergence apex at the free space junction for providing a concentrated laser density area for promoting ability of the receiver to detect the scattered beams;

a modulator for modulating the laser array with the data to provide the modulated laser beams;

a data source for providing the data; and

wherein the laser transmitter further comprises a data link for transmitting an approximate position of the free space junction to the laser receiver to assist in finding the free space junction.

2. The communications and position location system of claim 1 wherein the laser array comprises a plurality of laser diodes arranged in a circular array.

3. The communications and position location system of claim 1 wherein the laser receiver comprises an optical detector with filters and with an adjustable field of view and gain to minimize background light noise and to demodulate the received modulated scattered laser beam light to recover the data.

4. The communications and position location system of claim 1 wherein the laser receiver determines a precise location of the laser transmitter upon finding the free space junction.

5. The communications and position location system of claim 1 wherein at least three laser receivers determine a precise position of the laser transmitter by sharing triangulation information.

6. A communications and position location system comprising:

a laser transmitter for radiating a plurality of laser beams upward at convergence angles whereby the laser beams converge at a multi-laser beam free space junction wherein said laser beams are scattered at said free space junction producing scattered laser beam light, the laser transmitter including a data link for transmitting a position of the free space junction; and

a laser receiver pointed at said free space junction to receive the scattered laser beam light, the laser receiver configured for receiving the transmitted position of the free space junction from the laser transmitter and for locating said free space junction based on said transmitted position, the laser receiver further configured for determining a precise location of the laser transmitter upon finding the free space junction;

wherein the plurality of laser beams form a convergence apex at the free space junction for providing a concentrated laser density area for promoting ability of the receiver to detect the scattered beams.

7. The communications and position location system of claim 6 wherein the convergence angles determine an altitude of the free space junction.

8. The communications and position location system of claim 6 wherein the plurality of laser beams are modulated by data at the laser transmitter thereby providing modulated scattered laser beam light received by the laser receiver.

9. The communications and position location system of claim 6 wherein the laser transmitter further comprises:

a laser array, said laser array further comprising a plurality of laser diodes arranged in a circular array;

a modulator for modulating the plurality of laser diodes with the data; and

a data source for providing the data.

10. The communications and position location system of claim 9 wherein the plurality of laser diodes comprises short wavelength laser diodes.

11. The communications and position location system of claim 9 wherein the laser transmitter transmits a unique identification code.

12. The communications and position location system of claim 6 wherein the laser receiver upon finding the free space junction rejects an unnecessary field of view to enhance signal-to-noise ratio.

13. The communications and position location system of claim 6 wherein the laser receiver upon finding the free space junction uses a filter to reject unnecessary light.

14. The communications and position location system of claim 6 wherein the laser receiver determines a precise location of the laser transmitter upon finding the free space junction.

15. The communications and position location system of claim 8 wherein the laser receiver comprises an optical detector with an adjustable optical field of view and gain to minimize background light noise and to demodulate the received modulated scattered laser beam light to recover the data.

16. A method of communicating and position locating with a laser communications and position location system comprising the steps of:

radiating with a laser transmitter a plurality of laser beams upward at convergence angles whereby the laser beams converge at a free space junction wherein a concentration and a scattering of said laser beams occurs at said free space junction thereby providing scattered laser beam light;

transmitting with a data link a position of the free space junction for the laser receiver to find the free space junction; and

pointing a laser receiver at said free space junction to receive the scattered laser beam light, wherein the plurality of laser beams form a convergence apex at the free space junction for providing a concentrated laser density area for promoting ability of the receiver to detect the scattered beams.

17. The method of communicating and position locating with a laser communications and position location system of claim 16 further comprising the step of setting an altitude of the free space junction with the convergence angles.

18. The method of communicating and position locating with a laser communications and position location system of claim 16 further comprising the steps of:

modulating the plurality of laser beams with data at the laser transmitter thereby providing modulated scattered laser beam light; and

receiving with the laser receiver the modulated scattered laser beam light.

19. The method of communicating and position locating with a laser communications and position location system of claim 16 further comprising the steps of:

modulating with a modulator the array of laser diodes with the data; and

providing the data from a data source.

20. The method of communicating and position locating with a laser communications and position location system of claim 16 further comprising the steps of:

rejecting an unnecessary field of view with the laser receiver upon finding the free space junction to enhance signal-to-noise ratio; and

filtering unwanted light.

21. The method of communicating and position locating with a laser communications and position location system of claim 16 further comprising the step of determining a precise location of the laser transmitter upon finding the free space junction.

22. The method of communicating and position locating with a laser communications and position location system of claim 18 further comprising the step of receiving the modulated scattered laser beam light with an optical detector in the laser receiver, said optical detector having an adjustable optical field of view and gain to minimize background light noise, and to demodulate the received modulated scattered laser beam light.