Free space communication system with common optics and fast, adaptive tracking

摘要

A free space optical data communications system, including transceiver nodes employing common optics in both the transmit and receive subsystem, is disclosed. Likewise, a beacon is disclosed utilizing some of the common optics as well. In one embodiment, a double-faced mirror cooperates with a beacon, a primary mirror, and the transmit and receive subsystems. In one other embodiment, the beacon is located in front of the primary mirror. In still another embodiment, the common optics includes TEM11 mode signal separation using phase plates. A tracking system in each embodiment maintains alignment of the optics with a second node by generating a correction vector responsive to the incoming signal from its companion node.