Abstract: In order to provide a satellite information autonomous distribution satellite capable of collecting attribute information for satellites after failure or damage occurs at or to the satellite, an information collection device is operated by a second power supply provided independently from the first power supply operating the satellite bus system, is provided separately from the satellite bus system, and collects and stores attribute information. The light receiver is provided separately from the satellite bus system and forms a prescribed control signal when light sent from the information collection station is received.

Abstract: A dynamic optical tag system and method that allows for operation over a wide temperature range. A variable wavelength optical source, such as a dual wavelength fiber laser, is generated by combining the outputs from two distributed feedback lasers having separate operating wavelengths using a wavelength division multiplexer (WDM). A quantum well optical modulator mounted on the front surface of a retro-reflector in the remote receiver end of the communication link is biased to modulate one of the two laser wavelengths. At higher temperatures, the optical modulator can be biased to operate at the wavelength of one of the two lasers. At a lower temperature, the optical modulator can be biased to operate at the second of the two wavelengths. The DC bias required to tune the optical modulator is reduced by operating at two separate wavelengths depending on temperature.

Abstract: Systems and methods for encoding information in the topology of superpositions of helical modes of light, and retrieving information from each of the superposed modes individually or in parallel. These methods can be applied to beams of light that already carry information through other channels, such as amplitude modulation or wavelength dispersive multiplexing, enabling such beams to be multiplexed and subsequently demultiplexed. The systems and methods of the present invention increase the number of data channels carried by a factor of the number of superposed helical modes.

Abstract: The disclosed technology provides a dynamic interconnection system which allows to couple a pair of optical beams carrying modulation information. In accordance with the disclosed technology, two optical beams emanate from transceivers at two different locations. Each beam may not see the other beam point of origin (non-line-of-sight link), but both beams can see a third platform that contains the system of the disclosed technology. Each beam incident on the interconnection system is directed into the reverse direction of the other, so that each transceiver will detect the beam which emanated from the other transceiver. The system dynamically compensates for propagation distortions preferably using closed-loop optical devices, while preserving the information encoded on each beam.

Abstract: Embodiments of present system encompass: a plurality of laser sources that produce a plurality of respectively different optical wavelengths; a matrix switch having a plurality of inputs operatively coupled to the plurality of laser sources, each of the plurality of inputs receiving a respective optical wavelength; and the matrix switch having an output that produces a series of interleaved pulses of the different optical wavelengths.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method, apparatus and system for a protocol and line-rate transparent WDM passive optical network architecture that scales in terms of bandwidth and number of ONUs. Both an included optical line terminal and each of a plurality of ONUs use substantially the same reflective modulators to modulate respective wavelength channels to impart data thereto. In various embodiments of the present invention, the reflective modulators are composed of a SOA having on one facet a pigtailed fiber and the other facet coated with a highly reflective coating. In the WDM passive optical network of the present invention, the ONUs each comprises a separate wavelength for communication in the upstream and the downstream directions. The present invention allows for all-passive components to be placed in the field, thus, requiring no power between a central office and a user or subscriber's premises.

Abstract: An optical link module of the present invention for connecting light beams by deflection and including light-emitting devices arranged in a planar manner; an optical fiber bundle that is an optical waveguide for receiving the light beams from the light-emitting devices, and an optical turn which includes a plurality of aspherical lenses which are disposed between the light-emitting devices and the optical fiber bundle and are formed while corresponding to the number of the light-emitting devices and the number of optical fibers.

Abstract: A system includes multiple agents coupled to an optical bus for transmission of high speed signals and to an electrical bus for transmission of low speed signals. The agents can be memory modules, such as DIMMs. An optical connector housing for coupling the agent to the optical bus can include a reflective device such a mirror, a semi reflective mirror, a pellicle beamsplitter, or the like. The low speed signals can be, for example, power, ground, and supervisory signals. The high speed signals can be, for example, data, address, control, and clock signals.

Abstract: A security system for controlling access to an enclosed conduit along which runs fiber optic cable, the conduit having a cover for access to the cable, the system having a communications receiver and a modulator responsive to an output of the receiver for coupling non-intrusively to the fiber optic cable adjacent the cover, the communications receiver being responsive to the presence or absence of an access authorization signal from an operator to cause the modulator to introduce a signal to the fiber optic cable indicative of the authorization status.

Abstract: A method, a device and a system for communications to and from a retro-reflector device (302) is provided. The retro-reflector device (302) receives a first frame (400) encoded in an input beam (106). The retro-reflector device (302) creates and sends a second frame (420) in a first reflected beam (108) formed by the retro-reflector device (302) reflecting the input beam (106) along a path closely aligned with a path of the input beam. At least one of the first frame (400) and the second frame (420) includes medium access control information. In some implementations, the first frame (400) may include a data throughput rate (404, 406), a preamble (402) and an error correction code (412).

Abstract: An interrogator identifies an interrogated object using a light transceiver and a dynamic optical tag associated with the interrogated object. The dynamic optical tag receives an output light beam from the light transceiver and controllably reflects the light beam back to the light transceiver as an input light beam. The dynamic optical tag includes a controllable light reflector that is controllable between a reflective state and a non-reflective state and having a modulation signal input, and a controller that provides the modulation signal input to the controllable light reflector. In operation, the interrogator transmits an interrogation light beam from the light transceiver to the dynamic optical tag, the dynamic optical tag reflects a modulated interrogation light beam back to the light transceiver as the input light beam, and the light transceiver receives and analyzes the input light beam to determine an identity of the dynamic optical tag and the interrogated object.

Abstract: A system and method of remotely extracting information from a communications station by interrogation with a low power beam. Nonlinear phase conjugation of the low power beam results in a high power encoded return beam that automatically tracks the input beam and is corrected for atmospheric distortion. Intracavity nondegenerate four wave mixing is used in a broad area semiconductor laser in the communications station to produce the return beam.

Abstract: A redundant optical signal transmission and reception system enables information exchange via an optical communications network without data loss in the event of optical transmitter or receiver failure. In one embodiment, the redundant optical signal system includes a primary transmission link comprising a plurality of optical transmitters and a multiplexor for modulating and combining electrical signals into a primary multiplexed optical signal. In the event of failure of an optical transmitter, a backup transmission link is activated to compensate for the malfunctioning transmitter. The backup transmission link utilizes a backup optical transmitter to modulate the electric signal formerly received by the malfunctioning optical transmitter. The backup transmission link combines the backup optical signal with the primary multiplexed optical signal to form a complete optical signal for transmission over the optical network.

Abstract: An optical tag, having a photo-detector, a controller, a piezoelectric translator, a battery and a retro-reflective tape. The photo-detector is responsive to an optical energy at a predetermined wavelength, and the controller is connected to the output of the photo-detector. The piezoelectric translator connected to controller is also connected to the battery when the photo-detector responds to the optical energy. The retro-reflective tape is directly mounted on the piezoelectric translator. When the connection between the piezoelectric translator and the battery is established, a pulse is generated and applied to the retro-reflective tape. Therefore, the optical energy incident on the retro-reflective tape is modulated by the pulse and retro-reflected by the retro-reflective tape.

Abstract: A telemetry system includes a plurality of acoustic sensors for receiving acoustic information and generating analog signals based on the received acoustic information. A first plurality of subsystems is coupled to at least a subset of the plurality of acoustic sensors. The first plurality of subsystems is configured to receive the analog signals from the acoustic sensors and generate digital values based on the received analog signals. The system includes a first optical splitter. A first optical transmitter transmits a first set of optical pulses to the first optical splitter. The first optical splitter is configured to transmit the first set of optical pulses to each subsystem in the first plurality of subsystems. Each subsystem in the first plurality of subsystems is configured to modulate the first set of optical pulses based on the generated digital values and thereby generate a modulated optical pulse stream.

Abstract: An optical transmission system of the present invention includes input ports to which laser beams are respectively input, condensing, input optical elements, input reflectors corresponding one-to-one to the input optical elements each, output reflectors, output optical elements, and output ports. Assume that maximum one and minimum one of optical distances between the input optical elements and the output optical elements are DL and DS, respectively. Then, the beam waist position Q of the laser beam output from the input optical element closest to the input port satisfies a relation: 0.9(DL+DS)/4?Q?1.1(DL+DS)/4.

Abstract: A multi-channel optical communication system includes an optical transmitting apparatus and an optical receiving apparatus. The optical transmitting apparatus has a retroreflector and a modulator for modulating light reflected by the retroreflector according to a transmission signal. The light receiving apparatus has a light source and a demodulating circuit for demodulating the transmission signal modulated by the modulator from the light emitted from the light source and reflected from the retroreflector. The modulator includes a plurality of optical reflection devices arranged on a reflection plane of the retroreflector and capable of controlling optical reflection independently of each other and a circuit for separately controlling each of the optical reflection devices. The demodulating circuit includes a CCD having a plurality of photoreceptors arranged correspondingly to the arrangement of the optical reflection devices.

Abstract: An optical communication system for communicating through a turbulent medium is disclosed. It includes an optical transmitter and an optical receiver. The optical receiver receives an optical signal containing information that fluctuates as it passes through a turbulent medium. It comprises a reflector for collecting the optical signal and for focusing it, a probe laser for generating an optical probe beam, an optical device having an OTM responsive to the focused optical signal and the probe beam and operative to change a characteristic of the probe beam, and optoelectronic detector means responsive to the changed characteristic and, operative to develop an output electrical signal representative of the information contained in the received optical signal.