Optical communication device, optical communication system, and optical communication method

Abstract

The present application provides an optical communication device, an optical communication system, and an optical communication method. The optical communication device comprises a light beam deflector, a signal light detector, and a controller. The light beam deflector is used for receiving first signal light from a peer optical communication device and deflecting the first signal light so as to transmit the first signal light to the signal light detector. The signal light detector is used for detecting first position information of the first signal light reaching the signal light detector. The controller is used for adjusting, on the basis of the first position information, the angle at which the first signal light is deflected by the light beam deflector, thereby achieving light beam pointing and gradually reducing the divergence angle of the first signal light. According to the present application, the size of an optical communication device can be reduced, and the internal structure of the device can be simplified, thereby enabling the optical communication device to have low costs and be lightweight and achieving miniaturization of the optical communication device.

Description

Optical communication equipment, optical communication system, and optical communication method

[0001] This application claims priority to the Chinese patent application filed with the State Intellectual Property Office on November 28, 2023, with application number 202311614305.7 and application name “Optical communication equipment, optical communication system and optical communication method”, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference into this application. Technical Field

[0002] The present application relates to the field of communications, and more specifically, to an optical communication device, an optical communication system, and an optical communication method. Background Art

[0003] Free space optical communications (FSO) refers to a communication technology that uses light waves as carriers to transmit information in a vacuum or atmosphere. Among them, acquisition, tracking and pointing (ATP) technology is an important technology for realizing communication between two optical communication devices in a space optical communication system. In traditional space optical communication systems, optical communication equipment usually has two lasers. One of the lasers is used to emit beacon light that does not carry business information and has a large divergence angle, which is used to implement the ATP process. The large divergence angle of the beacon light will make the ATP process relatively easy. The other laser is used to emit signal light that carries business information and has a small divergence angle, which is used to implement the communication function. The small divergence angle of the signal light can reduce the propagation loss of light in space. In other words, the beacon light and the business light each use independent light sources, which makes the optical communication equipment complex in structure, large in size and high in cost.

[0004] Summary of the Invention

[0005] The embodiments of the present application provide an optical communication device, an optical communication system, and an optical communication method, which can reduce the volume of the optical communication device and simplify the internal structure of the device, thereby achieving low cost, lightweight, and miniaturization of the optical communication device.

[0006] In a first aspect, an optical communication device is provided, comprising a beam deflector, a signal light detector, and a controller, wherein the beam deflector is used to receive a first signal light from an opposite optical communication device and deflect the first signal light to transmit the first signal light to the signal light detector; the signal light detector is used to detect first position information of the first signal light arriving at the signal light detector; and the controller is used to adjust the deflection angle of the beam deflector to the first signal light according to the first position information to achieve beam alignment, and the divergence angle of the first signal light gradually decreases until it reaches a first set value.

[0007] In the optical communication device provided in an embodiment of the present application, a beam deflector deflects received first signal light to transmit the first signal light to a signal light detector. The signal light detector detects the position at which the first signal light reaches the signal light detector to obtain first position information, and feeds this first position information back to a controller. The controller adjusts the deflection angle of the beam deflector relative to the first signal light based on this first position information, thereby achieving beam alignment and completing the entire initial link establishment process.

[0008] Through the above settings, the optical communication equipment provided in the embodiment of the present application can perform ATP operations such as beam alignment through signal light, and the initial link establishment process can be completed through signal light, so that the optical communication equipment on the opposite end does not need to be additionally provided with a beacon light source and its supporting devices, thereby greatly simplifying the internal structure of the optical communication equipment, reducing the volume of the optical communication equipment, and reducing the weight and power consumption of the optical communication equipment. Since there is no need to additionally provide a beacon light detection module in the optical path structure, it is also possible to reduce the FOV requirements of the optical path structure, reduce the design complexity of the optical path structure and the difficulty of debugging the equipment. In addition, it is possible to achieve low cost, lightweight and miniaturization of the optical communication equipment, so that the optical communication equipment provided in the embodiment of the present application can match the scenario requirements of inter-satellite or satellite-to-ground communication services, and enable optical communication equipment to be more flexibly applied in more scenarios, which is conducive to the promotion and application of laser communication technology, thereby ensuring the implementation of wireless optical communication technology in the mobile communication industry.

[0009] Furthermore, during the initial link establishment process, the divergence angle of the signal light (i.e., the first signal light) received by the optical communication device is configured to gradually decrease until it reaches a first set value and then remain unchanged. This configuration balances alignment efficiency and alignment accuracy, ensuring both sufficient alignment efficiency (speed) and sufficient alignment accuracy.

[0010] Optionally, the beam deflector may be an optical phased array, a fast reflection mirror, a galvanometer, a micromirror or a rotating mirror, but is not limited thereto.

[0011] For example, the beam deflector may be a liquid crystal optical phased array, such as a liquid crystal on silicon phased array. In addition, the beam deflector may also be a MEMS-based optical phased array or an optical waveguide-based optical phased array.

[0012] Optionally, the signal light detector may be a position sensitive detector, a four-quadrant detector, a charge coupled device, or a complementary metal oxide semiconductor camera, but is not limited thereto.

[0013] Optionally, the controller may be an independent controller specifically configured to control the beam deflector, or may be a master controller within the optical communication device. In addition to the beam deflector, the controller may also control other components. In this case, the controller may be an integrated controller or comprised of multiple distributed control units, which is not limited in this application.

[0014] Optionally, the first signal light may or may not carry service information, which is not limited in this application. For example, the first signal light does not carry any service information, that is, the first signal light may only be used for ATP operations such as beam alignment.

[0015] Optionally, the divergence angle of the first signal light may gradually decrease, for example, in a discrete or step-wise manner.

[0016] For example, the sending (receiving) stage of the first signal light can be divided into two stages. The divergence angle of the first signal light sent in the first stage can be a first angle, that is, the divergence angle of the first signal light in the first stage is the first angle and remains unchanged. The divergence angle of the first signal light sent in the subsequent second stage can be a second angle (that is, a first set value), that is, the divergence angle of the first signal light in the second stage is the second angle and remains unchanged, and the first angle is greater than the second angle.

[0017] For another example, the sending (receiving) stage of the first signal light can be divided into three stages. The divergence angle of the first signal light sent in the first stage can be a first angle, the divergence angle of the first signal light sent in the second stage can be a second angle, and the divergence angle of the first signal light sent in the third stage can be a third angle (i.e., a first set value). The first angle is greater than the second angle, and the second angle is greater than the third angle. In addition, the sending (receiving) stage of the first signal light can also be divided into 4, 5 or more stages. In this case, more stages correspond to more divergence angles one by one, which will not be repeated here.

[0018] Optionally, the divergence angle of the first signal light may be gradually decreased in a gradual transition manner until reaching a first set value. For example, the divergence angle of the first signal light may be gradually decreased at a certain slope, with the change in the divergence angle appearing as a straight line on the time-divergence angle coordinate axis; or the divergence angle of the first signal light may be gradually decreased in a smooth transition manner, with the change in the divergence angle appearing as a curve on the time-divergence angle coordinate axis.

[0019] Optionally, the first set value may be the divergence angle (denoted as the fourth angle) of the signal light sent by the opposite optical communication device for transmitting service information, that is, the first set value is equal to the fourth angle. Alternatively, the first set value may be greater than the fourth angle.

[0020] For example, after completing the initial link establishment process, the optical communication device receives a second signal light from the opposite optical communication device. The second signal light carries service information, and the divergence angle of the second signal light (ie, the fourth angle) is less than or equal to the first set value.

[0021] In one possible implementation, the optical communication device also includes a rotating platform and a motion sensor, wherein the rotating platform is used to carry the beam deflector and the signal light detector; the motion sensor is used to detect jitter information of the beam deflector when the beam deflector receives a second signal light from the opposite optical communication device, and the second signal light carries business information; the controller is also used to control the rotating platform to drive the beam deflector to move for jitter compensation according to the jitter information, thereby achieving coarse tracking of the second signal light.

[0022] Optical communication equipment is typically installed at high locations, such as towers, and is susceptible to jitter or vibration due to weather conditions (e.g., wind or rain). This jitter can affect beam alignment and, in turn, communication quality. In this embodiment, a motion sensor is provided to detect jitter information from the beam deflector. Based on this jitter information, jitter compensation can be performed, enabling coarse tracking of the beam in the absence of beacon light, thereby achieving stable data communication.

[0023] Optionally, the rotating platform may be a servo system or a universal mount, or a pan-tilt platform, such as a micro pan-tilt platform, which is helpful in reducing the overall volume of the optical communication device.

[0024] Optionally, the motion sensor includes but is not limited to a Hall sensor, a magnetic encoder, an accelerometer or a gyroscope.

[0025] In one possible implementation, the signal light detector is further used to detect second position information of the second signal light reaching the signal light detector; the controller is further used to adjust the deflection angle of the beam deflector to the second signal light according to the second position information to achieve precise tracking of the second signal light.

[0026] Through the above settings, it is possible to achieve precise tracking of the light beam in the absence of beacon light, compensate for the residual error of the coarse tracking of the rotating platform, and realize stable data communication.

[0027] In a possible implementation, the controller is further configured to control the rotating platform to drive the beam deflector to rotate according to the spatial position information of the opposite optical communication device, so that the beam deflector faces the opposite optical communication device.

[0028] Through the above settings, the initial alignment of the beam deflector and the opposite optical communication device can be completed, laying a good foundation for the subsequent process of beam alignment through the first signal light, and improving the efficiency of the subsequent alignment process.

[0029] In a possible implementation, the optical communication device further includes an optical splitter and a signal light transceiver, wherein the optical splitter is configured to transmit a portion of the second signal light to the signal light detector and transmit the remaining portion of the second signal light to the signal light transceiver.

[0030] In one possible implementation, the optical communication device further includes a signal light transceiver, wherein the signal light transceiver is used to provide a third signal light to the beam deflector; the beam deflector is further used to deflect the third signal light to send the third signal light to the opposite optical communication device, and the third signal light is used to align the beam with the opposite optical communication device, and the divergence angle of the third signal light gradually decreases until it reaches a second set value.

[0031] In one possible implementation, the signal light transceiver includes: a fiber core array for providing an initial optical signal; a collimator for collimating the initial optical signal; and a spatial light modulator for modulating the collimated initial optical signal to generate the third signal light.

[0032] In a possible implementation, the signal optical transceiver includes: a single-mode optical fiber, configured to provide an initial optical signal; and an optical phased array, configured to modulate the initial optical signal to generate the third signal light.

[0033] In a possible implementation, the beam deflector includes an optical phased array, a fast reflection mirror, or a galvanometer.

[0034] In a possible implementation, the signal light detector includes a position sensitive detector, a four-quadrant detector, a charge coupled device, or a complementary metal oxide semiconductor camera.

[0035] In a second aspect, an optical communication system is provided, comprising an optical communication device provided by any possible implementation of the first aspect and an opposite optical communication device, wherein the optical communication device communicates with the opposite optical communication device via spatial light.

[0036] In a third aspect, an optical communication method is provided, which is applied to an optical communication device, wherein the optical communication device includes a beam deflector, a signal light detector and a controller, and the optical communication method includes: the beam deflector receives a first signal light from an opposite optical communication device, and deflects the first signal light to transmit the first signal light to the signal light detector; the signal light detector detects first position information of the first signal light arriving at the signal light detector; the controller adjusts the deflection angle of the beam deflector to the first signal light according to the first position information to achieve beam alignment, and the divergence angle of the first signal light gradually decreases until it reaches a first set value.

[0037] In one possible implementation, the optical communication device also includes a rotating platform and a motion sensor, and the rotating platform is used to carry the beam deflector and the signal light detector. The optical communication method also includes: the motion sensor detects jitter information of the beam deflector during the process of the beam deflector receiving a second signal light from the opposite optical communication device, and the second signal light carries business information; the controller controls the rotating platform to drive the beam deflector to move for jitter compensation according to the jitter information, thereby achieving coarse tracking of the second signal light.

[0038] In one possible implementation, the optical communication method further includes: the signal light detector detecting second position information of the second signal light reaching the signal light detector; and the controller adjusting the deflection angle of the beam deflector to the second signal light according to the second position information to achieve precise tracking of the second signal light.

[0039] In one possible implementation, before the beam deflector receives the first signal light from the opposite optical communication device, the optical communication method further includes: the controller controls the rotating platform to drive the beam deflector to rotate according to the spatial position information of the opposite optical communication device, so that the beam deflector is directed toward the opposite optical communication device.

[0040] In one possible implementation, the optical communication device further includes a signal light transceiver, and the optical communication method further includes: the signal light transceiver provides a third signal light to the beam deflector; the beam deflector deflects the third signal light to send the third signal light to the opposite optical communication device, the third signal light is used to align the beam with the opposite optical communication device, and the divergence angle of the third signal light gradually decreases until it reaches a second set value. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0041] FIG1 is a schematic structural diagram of an optical communication system provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0042] FIG2 is a schematic structural diagram of an example of an optical communication device provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0043] FIG3 is a schematic structural diagram of another example of an optical communication device provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0044] FIG4 is a schematic structural diagram of another example of an optical communication device provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0045] FIG5 is a flow chart of an optical communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0046] Figure numerals: 10, beam deflector; 20, signal light detector; 30, controller; 40, rotating platform; 50, motion sensor; 60, spectrometer; 70, signal light transceiver; 71, fiber core array; 72, collimator; 73, spatial light modulator; 74, single-mode optical fiber; 75, optical phased array; 100, optical communication equipment; 200, optical communication equipment; 300, optical communication equipment; 400, iron tower. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0047] The embodiments of the present application are described in detail below, and examples of the embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals throughout represent the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain the present application, and should not be understood as limiting the present application.

[0048] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, the terms "installed" and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, they can refer to fixed connections, detachable connections, or integral connections; they can refer to mechanical connections, electrical connections, or mutual communication; they can refer to direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediate medium; they can refer to internal communication between two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0049] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "upper", "lower", "side", "front", "rear", etc. indicate orientations or positional relationships based on the installation, and are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be understood as a limitation on this application.

[0050] It should also be noted that, in the embodiments of the present application, the same figure mark represents the same component or the same part. For the same parts in the embodiments of the present application, the figure may only mark one of the parts or components as an example. It should be understood that the figure mark also applies to other identical parts or components.

[0051] With the large-scale commercialization of fifth-generation (5G) communications, research on sixth-generation (6G) communications technology has been widely launched. Among them, China officially identified U6G as the flagship spectrum for 6G communications, while North America chose centimeter waves as the main spectrum for 6G communications. These all mean greater bandwidth and more streams, bringing the expected base station traffic to the order of 100Gbps. For wireless backhaul services of this volume, traditional microwave backhaul capabilities are difficult to sustainably evolve. In addition, the industry is widely discussing the feasibility of evolving from distributed-radio access networks (D-RAN) to centralized access networks (D-RAN), and there are clear technical requirements for wireless fronthaul. Therefore, research on larger-capacity wireless backhaul and fronthaul technologies has broad application prospects.

[0052] In this technological context, lightwaves offer significant bandwidth advantages over microwave bands, enabling the continued evolution of wireless backhaul and fronthaul capacity, becoming the prime spectrum for the 6G era. Free-space optical communications (FSO) refers to communications technology that uses lightwaves as a carrier to transmit information in a vacuum or atmosphere. Acquisition, tracking, and pointing (ATP) technology is crucial for enabling communication between two optical communication devices in a space optical communication system.

[0053] In traditional space optical communication systems, optical communication equipment typically has two lasers. One laser emits beacon light, which carries no service information and has a large divergence angle, to facilitate the ATP process. The larger divergence angle of the beacon light facilitates the ATP process. The other laser emits signal light, which carries service information and has a smaller divergence angle, to facilitate communication. The smaller divergence angle of the signal light reduces light propagation losses in space. In other words, the beacon light and service light each use independent light sources, resulting in a complex structure, large size, and high cost for optical communication equipment, making it difficult to meet the requirements of inter-satellite or satellite-to-ground communication scenarios.

[0054] In view of this, the embodiments of the present application provide an optical communication device that can perform ATP operations such as beam alignment through signal light. The initial link establishment process can be completed through signal light, so that the optical communication device does not need to be equipped with an additional beacon light source and its supporting devices. This can greatly simplify the internal structure of the optical communication device, reduce the volume of the optical communication device, and reduce the weight and power consumption of the optical communication device. The low cost, lightweight and miniaturization of the optical communication device are achieved, so that the optical communication device provided by the embodiments of the present application can match the scenario requirements of inter-satellite or satellite-to-ground communication services, and can enable more flexible application of optical communication equipment in more scenarios, which will help promote the application of laser communication technology, thereby ensuring the implementation of wireless optical communication technology in the mobile communication industry.

[0055] The optical communication device provided in the embodiment of the present application can be applied to an optical communication system. The optical communication device can be, for example, any device such as a communication satellite, base station, access point (AP) or station (STA) in the optical communication system. The optical communication system is first introduced below.

[0056] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the optical communication system provided in an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG1 , the optical communication system includes an optical communication device 100, an optical communication device 200, and an optical communication device 300. The optical communication device 100 may be a ground device capable of optically communicating with the optical communication device 200 or the optical communication device 300 located in space. The optical communication device 100 may be, for example, a base station, an AP, or a STA, and the optical communication device 200 and the optical communication device 300 may be, for example, communication satellites. The optical communication device 100 may be set at the top of an iron tower 400, a high-rise building, or a utility pole to obtain a better communication field of view. Since the optical communication device 100 is located on the ground and the optical communication device 200 and the optical communication device 300 are located in space, the communication between the optical communication device 100 and the optical communication device 200 may be referred to as satellite-to-ground communication, and the communication between the optical communication device 200 and the optical communication device 300 may be referred to as inter-satellite communication.

[0057] In an embodiment of the present application, the optical communication device 100 is capable of receiving a first signal light sent by the optical communication device 200, and completing ATP operations such as beam alignment through the first signal light, thereby completing the initial link establishment process. The first signal light can have a large divergence angle to facilitate rapid beam alignment, and the first signal light can be used only for ATP operations without carrying any business information. After the link is established, the optical communication devices at both ends can use a light beam with a smaller divergence angle to transmit business information to reduce the propagation loss of light in space. For example, the optical communication device 100 can receive a second signal light from the optical communication device 200, the second signal light carrying business information, and the divergence angle of the second signal light is smaller than the divergence angle of the first signal light.

[0058] Furthermore, the optical communication device 100 continuously receives the first signal light from the optical communication device 200 during the entire initial link establishment process. During this process, the divergence angle of the first signal light is not fixed. In the embodiment of the present application, the communication system or protocol can be pre-configured or agreed upon so that the divergence angle of the first signal light received by the optical communication device 100 gradually decreases until it reaches a first set value. This configuration can achieve a balance between alignment efficiency and accuracy.

[0059] Specifically, in the initial stage, the divergence angle of the first signal light received by the optical communication device 100 is relatively large. The large divergence angle will cause the first signal light to have a larger light spot. The large light spot can reduce the probability of missed scanning during the light beam scanning process. At this time, the optical communication device 100 can quickly capture the first signal light and achieve coarse alignment of the light beam. In the subsequent stage, the divergence angle of the first signal light received by the optical communication device 100 is relatively small. The small divergence angle will cause the first signal light to have a smaller light spot. The smaller light spot is conducive to improving the alignment accuracy. At this time, the optical communication device 100 can achieve fine alignment of the light beam. As the sending process continues, the divergence angle of the first signal light gradually decreases until it reaches a first set value, and the divergence angle remains unchanged. The first set value can be the divergence angle of the signal light when it is used to transmit business information. For example, the first set value can be the divergence angle of the aforementioned second signal light. The gradual decrease in the divergence angle of the first signal light can be, for example, a discrete or step-by-step decrease.

[0060] Similarly, during the aforementioned initial link establishment process, optical communication device 100 can transmit a third signal light to optical communication device 200. This third signal light is used for beam alignment by optical communication device 200. This third signal light can be used solely for ATP operations and does not carry any service information. The divergence angle of this third signal light gradually decreases until it reaches a second set value, thereby ensuring a balance between alignment efficiency and alignment accuracy for optical communication device 200. The second set value can be the same as or different from the first set value, and this can be specified by the communication system or communication protocol.

[0061] The specific structure of the optical communication device in the embodiment of the present application will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and taking the optical communication device 100 as an example. FIG2 is a schematic diagram of the structure of an example of the optical communication device 100 provided in the embodiment of the present application.

[0062] As shown in FIG2 , the optical communication device 100 provided in an embodiment of the present application includes a beam deflector 10, a signal light detector 20, and a controller 30. The beam deflector 10 is configured to receive a first signal light from an opposite optical communication device (e.g., the optical communication device 200) and deflect the first signal light to transmit the first signal light to the signal light detector 20. The signal light detector 20 is configured to detect first position information of the first signal light arriving at the signal light detector 20. The controller 30 is configured to adjust the deflection angle of the first signal light by the beam deflector 10 based on the first position information to achieve beam alignment, gradually reducing the divergence angle of the first signal light until it reaches a first set value.

[0063] Specifically, the controller 30 can control the beam deflector 10 to perform beam scanning (e.g., spiral scanning) until the first signal light sent by the opposite optical communication device is detected. The beam deflector 10 deflects the received first signal light to transmit the first signal light to the signal light detector 20. The signal light detector 20 detects the position where the first signal light reaches the receiving field of view of the signal light detector 20 to obtain first position information, and feeds the first position information back to the controller 30. The controller 30 adjusts the deflection angle of the beam deflector 10 for the first signal light based on the first position information so that the light spot of the first signal light can gradually approach or reach the position center of the receiving field of view of the signal light detector 20.

[0064] The signal light detector 20 detects the first position information of the first signal light within the receiving field of view, and the controller 30 adjusts the deflection angle of the first signal light by the beam deflector 10 based on the first position information. This can be performed continuously over multiple cycles or rounds, i.e., beam alignment is gradually completed during a dynamic adjustment process. During the entire alignment process, the focal length corresponding to the receiving field of view can be gradually increased, i.e., the uncertainty region is continuously narrowed. Furthermore, the deflection angle can be continuously adjusted based on the position information, i.e., the position of the first signal light within the receiving field of view is continuously adjusted, thereby continuously improving the alignment accuracy until the alignment accuracy threshold is reached, completing the entire beam alignment process, i.e., completing the entire initial link establishment process.

[0065] Furthermore, in the embodiment of the present application, the divergence angle of the first signal light received by the optical communication device 100 gradually decreases until it reaches a first set value.

[0066] In this way, in the initial stage, the divergence angle of the first signal light received by the optical communication device 100 is relatively large. The large divergence angle will cause the first signal light to have a larger light spot. The large light spot can reduce the probability of missing the scan during the light beam scanning process. At this time, the optical communication device 100 can quickly capture the first signal light and achieve coarse alignment of the light beam. In the subsequent stage, the divergence angle of the first signal light received by the optical communication device 100 is relatively small. The small divergence angle will cause the first signal light to have a smaller light spot. The smaller light spot is conducive to improving the alignment accuracy. At this time, the optical communication device 100 can achieve fine alignment of the light beam. As the sending process continues, the divergence angle of the first signal light gradually decreases until it reaches the first set value, and the divergence angle of the first signal light remains unchanged. The above setting can take into account both alignment efficiency and alignment accuracy, that is, while ensuring sufficient alignment efficiency (speed), it can also ensure sufficient alignment accuracy.

[0067] According to the optical communication device 100 provided in the embodiment of the present application, the beam deflector 10 deflects the received first signal light to transmit the first signal light to the signal light detector 20. The signal light detector 20 detects the position where the first signal light arrives at the signal light detector 20 to obtain first position information and feeds this first position information back to the controller 30. The controller 30 adjusts the deflection angle of the beam deflector 10 with respect to the first signal light based on the first position information, thereby achieving beam alignment and completing the entire initial link establishment process.

[0068] Through the above settings, the optical communication device 100 provided in the embodiment of the present application can perform ATP operations such as beam alignment through signal light, and the initial link establishment process can be completed through signal light, so that the optical communication device on the opposite end does not need to be additionally provided with a beacon light source and its supporting devices, thereby greatly simplifying the internal structure of the optical communication device, reducing the volume of the optical communication device, and reducing the weight and power consumption of the optical communication device. Since there is no need to additionally provide a beacon light detection module in the optical path structure, the field of view (FOV) requirements of the optical path structure can also be reduced, reducing the design complexity of the optical path structure and the difficulty of debugging the equipment. In addition, the low cost, lightweight and miniaturization of the optical communication equipment can be achieved, so that the optical communication equipment provided in the embodiment of the present application can match the scene requirements of inter-satellite or satellite-to-ground communication services, and can enable optical communication equipment to be more flexibly applied in more scenarios, which is conducive to the promotion and application of laser communication technology, thereby ensuring the implementation of wireless optical communication technology in the mobile communication industry.

[0069] Furthermore, since the divergence angle of the signal light (i.e., the first signal light) received by the optical communication device 100 during the initial link establishment process is configured to gradually decrease until it reaches a first set value and then remains unchanged, the above configuration can balance alignment efficiency and alignment accuracy, that is, sufficient alignment efficiency (speed) and sufficient alignment accuracy can be ensured.

[0070] Optionally, the beam deflector 10 may be an optically phased array (OPA), a fast steering mirror (FSM), a galvanometer, a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) micromirror, or a rotating mirror, but is not limited thereto.

[0071] As shown in FIG2 , in an embodiment of the present application, the beam deflector 10 may be a liquid crystal optical phased array (LC-OPA), such as a liquid crystal on silicon phased array. In other embodiments, the beam deflector 10 may also be a MEMS-based optical phased array or an optical waveguide-based optical phased array.

[0072] Optionally, the signal light detector 20 may be a position sensitive detector (PSD), a quadrant detector (QD), a charge-coupled device (CCD), or a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) camera, but is not limited thereto.

[0073] Optionally, the controller 30 may be an independent controller specifically configured to control the beam deflector 10, or may be a master controller in the optical communication device 100. In addition to the beam deflector 10, the controller 30 may also control other devices. In this case, the controller 30 may be an integrated controller or may be composed of multiple distributed control units, which is not limited in this application.

[0074] Optionally, the first signal light may or may not carry service information, which is not limited in this application. For example, the first signal light does not carry any service information, that is, the first signal light may only be used for ATP operations such as beam alignment.

[0075] In the embodiment of the present application, the divergence angle of the first signal light is not kept constant. As the transmission process continues, the divergence angle of the first signal light gradually decreases until it reaches a first set value, and then the divergence angle remains constant.

[0076] Optionally, the divergence angle of the first signal light may gradually decrease, for example, in a discrete or step-wise manner.

[0077] For example, the sending (receiving) stage of the first signal light can be divided into two stages. The divergence angle of the first signal light sent in the first stage can be a first angle, that is, the divergence angle of the first signal light in the first stage is the first angle and remains unchanged. The divergence angle of the first signal light sent in the subsequent second stage can be a second angle (that is, a first set value), that is, the divergence angle of the first signal light in the second stage is the second angle and remains unchanged, and the first angle is greater than the second angle.

[0078] For another example, the sending (receiving) stage of the first signal light can be divided into three stages. The divergence angle of the first signal light sent in the first stage can be a first angle, the divergence angle of the first signal light sent in the second stage can be a second angle, and the divergence angle of the first signal light sent in the third stage can be a third angle (i.e., a first set value). The first angle is greater than the second angle, and the second angle is greater than the third angle. In addition, the sending (receiving) stage of the first signal light can also be divided into 4, 5 or more stages. In this case, more stages correspond to more divergence angles one by one, which will not be repeated here.

[0079] Optionally, the divergence angle of the first signal light may be gradually decreased in a gradual transition manner until reaching a first set value. For example, the divergence angle of the first signal light may be gradually decreased at a certain slope, with the change in the divergence angle appearing as a straight line on the time-divergence angle coordinate axis; or the divergence angle of the first signal light may be gradually decreased in a smooth transition manner, with the change in the divergence angle appearing as a curve on the time-divergence angle coordinate axis.

[0080] Optionally, the first set value may be the divergence angle (denoted as the fourth angle) of the signal light sent by the opposite optical communication device for transmitting service information, that is, the first set value is equal to the fourth angle. Alternatively, the first set value may be greater than the fourth angle.

[0081] For example, after completing the initial link establishment process, the optical communication device 100 receives a second signal light from the opposite optical communication device. The second signal light carries service information, and the divergence angle of the second signal light (ie, the fourth angle) is less than or equal to the first set value.

[0082] Furthermore, as shown in FIG2 , the optical communication device 100 further includes a rotating platform 40 and a motion sensor 50, wherein components such as the beam deflector 10 and the signal light detector 20 are carried (mounted) on the rotating platform 40. The motion sensor 50 is used to detect jitter information of the beam deflector 10 during the process of the beam deflector 10 receiving the second signal light from the opposite optical communication device. The controller 30 is also used to control the rotating platform 40 to drive the beam deflector 10 to move based on the jitter information to perform jitter compensation, thereby achieving coarse tracking of the second signal light.

[0083] Specifically, the beam deflector 10 and the signal light detector 20 are both fixedly mounted on a rotating platform 40, with their positions relatively fixed. The rotating platform 40 can drive the beam deflector 10 and the signal light detector 20 mounted thereon to rotate. The motion sensor 50 can detect jitter information of the beam deflector 10 and feed this jitter information back to the controller 30. The controller 30 calculates reverse motion data (i.e., jitter compensation data) based on the jitter information and sends this reverse motion data to the rotating platform 40, thereby controlling the rotating platform 40 to drive the beam deflector 10 to perform reverse motion (e.g., reverse rotation) based on the reverse motion data, thereby achieving jitter compensation and coarse tracking of the beam, thereby ensuring sufficient stability of data communication.

[0084] Optical communication equipment 100 is typically installed at a high location, such as a tower 400, and is susceptible to jitter or vibration due to weather conditions (e.g., wind or rain). This jitter can affect beam alignment and, in turn, communication quality. In this embodiment, a motion sensor 50 is provided to detect jitter information of the beam deflector 10. Based on this jitter information, jitter compensation can be performed, achieving coarse tracking of the beam in the absence of beacon light, thereby achieving stable data communication.

[0085] Optionally, since the beam deflector 10 and the rotating platform 40 are fixedly connected, the motion sensor 50 detects the jitter information of the beam deflector 10, or the jitter information of the rotating platform 40, or the overall jitter information of the optical communication device 100, or the jitter information of the signal light detector 20.

[0086] Optionally, the rotating platform 40 may be a servo system or a universal mount, or a pan-tilt platform, such as a micro pan-tilt platform, which helps to reduce the overall volume of the optical communication device 100 .

[0087] Optionally, the motion sensor 50 includes but is not limited to a Hall sensor, a magnetic encoder, an accelerometer or a gyroscope.

[0088] Furthermore, in an embodiment of the present application, the signal light detector 20 is also used to detect second position information of the second signal light reaching the signal light detector 20; the controller 30 is also used to adjust the deflection angle of the beam deflector 10 to the second signal light according to the second position information, so as to achieve precise tracking of the second signal light.

[0089] Specifically, the signal light detector 20 detects the position where the second signal light reaches the receiving field of view of the signal light detector 20 to obtain second position information, and feeds the second position information back to the controller 30. The controller 30 adjusts the deflection angle of the second signal light by the beam deflector 10 based on the second position information, so that the light spot of the second signal light can gradually approach or reach the center of the receiving field of view of the signal light detector 20, thereby achieving precise tracking of the light beam.

[0090] Through the above arrangement, it is possible to achieve precise tracking of the light beam in the absence of beacon light, compensate for the residual error of the coarse tracking of the rotating platform 40, and realize stable data communication.

[0091] Furthermore, as shown in FIG2 , the optical communication device 100 further includes an optical splitter 60 and a signal light transceiver 70 , wherein the optical splitter 60 is configured to transmit a portion of the second signal light to the signal light detector 20 and transmit the remaining portion of the second signal light to the signal light transceiver 70 .

[0092] The optical signal transceiver 70 is used to provide signal light to be transmitted and to receive signal light, such as a second signal light, from an optical communication device at the opposite end. The optical splitter 60, for example, can be a spectroscope, which can transmit (e.g., reflect) a small portion of the second signal light to the optical signal detector 20, thereby enabling the optical signal detector 20 to achieve precise tracking based on the second signal light. The optical splitter 60 can also transmit (e.g., transmit) the remaining majority of the second signal light to the optical signal transceiver 70, which receives the second signal light carrying service information, thereby achieving communication functionality.

[0093] Furthermore, in the embodiment of the present application, at the beginning of the initial link establishment, the controller 30 is further configured to control the rotating platform 40 to rotate the beam deflector 10 based on the spatial position information (e.g., spatial coordinates) of the opposite optical communication device, so that the light incident surface of the beam deflector 10 faces the opposite optical communication device. This arrangement enables preliminary alignment of the beam deflector 10 with the opposite optical communication device, laying a solid foundation for subsequent beam alignment using the first signal light and improving the efficiency of the subsequent alignment process.

[0094] Optionally, the spatial position information can be obtained through global positioning system (GPS) navigation or Beidou navigation, or in other words, the spatial position information can be GPS positioning information or Beidou positioning information. The spatial position information can be pre-configured in the memory of the optical communication device 100, or can also be obtained from other locations through wireless communication means.

[0095] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 2, the optical communication device 100 also includes a signal light transceiver 70, wherein the signal light transceiver 70 is used to provide a third signal light to the beam deflector 10; the beam deflector 10 is also used to deflect the third signal light to send the third signal light to the opposite optical communication device, and the third signal light is used to align the beam with the opposite optical communication device, and the divergence angle of the third signal light gradually decreases until it reaches a second set value.

[0096] The third signal light is used to align the optical communication device at the opposite end. The specific alignment process is the same as the process of optical communication device 100 using the first signal light to align the optical beam (aiming), which will not be repeated here. The third signal light can be used only for ATP operation without carrying any business information. The divergence angle of the third signal light gradually decreases until it reaches the second set value, thereby being able to take into account the alignment efficiency and alignment accuracy of the optical communication device at the opposite end. The second set value can be the same as the first set value.

[0097] As shown in FIG2 , in this embodiment of the present application, the signal optical transceiver 70 includes a fiber core array 71, a collimator 72, and a spatial light modulation (SLM) 73. The fiber core array 71 is used to provide an initial optical signal; the collimator 72 is used to collimate the initial optical signal; and the spatial light modulator 73 is used to modulate the collimated initial optical signal to generate a third signal light.

[0098] Specifically, the fiber core array 71 is connected to a laser (not shown in the figure) for generating the initial signal light. The fiber core array 71 is composed of multiple cores, one of which (for example, the core located at the center position) can provide the initial light signal. The collimator 72 receives the initial light signal and performs collimation processing on it. The spatial light modulator 73 receives the collimated initial light signal and performs wavefront phase control on it to achieve beam width modulation, that is, to modulate the divergence angle of the light beam, for example, adaptively generate a wide divergence angle beam, and then generate a third signal light that meets the requirements.

[0099] The present application uses a fiber core array 71 to transmit and receive light beams. If the atmospheric channel is stable, the received signal light will be focused on the core at the center of the fiber core array, which is equivalent to a single-mode optical fiber. If the atmospheric channel is unstable, the light spot of the signal light will be distorted. At this time, multiple cores can be used to receive the signal light together, that is, the fiber core array can be used to receive and improve the coupling efficiency. In other words, the present application can not only meet the purpose of common optical fiber for signal light transmission and reception through the above-mentioned setting, but also solve the problem of low coupling efficiency under the influence of atmospheric turbulence.

[0100] Optionally, if the atmospheric channel is unstable, the light spot of the signal light will be distorted. In this case, the spatial light modulator 73 can be activated to compensate for part of the phase distortion to improve the coupling efficiency of the fiber core array 71 to the light beam.

[0101] Alternatively, if the atmospheric channel is unstable, the third signal light generated by the spatial light modulator 73 may have a non-Gaussian waveform. For example, in this case, the third signal light may be modulated into a structured beam to improve transmission performance. The structured beam may be, for example, a sharp beam, a Matthew beam, an Airy beam, or a Bessel beam.

[0102] Optionally, the spatial light modulator 73 may be a liquid crystal SLM or an electro-optical SLM, but is not limited thereto.

[0103] Optionally, the optical communication equipment 100 provided in the embodiment of the present application may also include other optical elements not listed, for example, at least one optical lens may be arranged between the signal light detector 20 and the spectrometer 60, and at least one (for example, two) optical lenses may be arranged between the spectrometer 60 and the beam deflector 10, etc., so as to meet specific optical requirements, which is not limited in the present application.

[0104] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the structure of another example of an optical communication device 100 provided in an embodiment of the present application. As shown in Figure 3, in this embodiment of the present application, a signal optical transceiver 70 includes a single-mode optical fiber 74 and an optical phased array 75. The single-mode optical fiber 74 is used to provide an initial optical signal; the optical phased array 75 is used to modulate the initial optical signal to generate a third signal light.

[0105] Specifically, single-mode fiber 74 provides an initial optical signal, and optical phased array 75 includes multiple optical phase shifters and multiple optical antennas, with each phase shifter corresponding to each of the multiple optical antennas. After receiving the initial optical signal, optical phased array 75 performs wavefront phase control to modulate the beam width, specifically the divergence angle of the optical beam, for example, adaptively generating a wide-divergence beam, thereby generating a desired third signal light.

[0106] The present application transmits and receives light beams through a single-mode optical fiber 74. If the atmospheric channel is stable, the received signal light will be efficiently focused into the single-mode optical fiber 74. If the atmospheric channel is unstable, the optical phased array 75 can be used to compensate for the light spot phase to improve the coupling efficiency of the single-mode optical fiber 74.

[0107] FIG4 is a schematic structural diagram of another example of an optical communication device 100 provided in an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG4 , in this embodiment of the present application, the beam deflector 10 can be a fast mirror or a galvanometer mirror. In this case, multiple optical lenses can be provided at the front end of the beam deflector 10 to achieve beam reduction processing. That is, the signal light from the opposite optical communication device can first undergo beam reduction processing before entering the beam deflector 10.

[0108] As shown in FIG4 , in an embodiment of the present application, the controller 30 may be composed of multiple distributed control units. One of the control units is integrated into the signal light detector 20 , enabling the signal light detector 20 to directly control the beam deflector 10 based on the detected position information to achieve beam alignment or precise tracking. Another control unit is integrated into the rotating platform 40 , enabling the rotating platform 40 to rotate directly based on the jitter information from the motion sensor 50 to achieve jitter compensation.

[0109] In conjunction with the optical communication devices provided in the above embodiments, embodiments of the present application also provide an optical communication method, which can be applied to the optical communication devices provided in the above embodiments, or applied within a chip of the optical communication devices. The following is a method embodiment provided by the present application, which corresponds to the product (device) embodiment described above.

[0110] FIG5 is a flow chart of an optical communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application. The optical communication method is applied to an optical communication device, which includes a beam deflector 10, a signal light detector 20, and a controller 30. In conjunction with the relevant contents of FIG2-FIG4, the optical communication method includes the following steps:

[0111] In step 510 , the beam deflector 10 receives a first signal light from an opposite optical communication device and deflects the first signal light to transmit the first signal light to the signal light detector 20 .

[0112] In step 520 , the signal light detector 20 detects first position information of the first signal light arriving at the signal light detector 20 .

[0113] In step 530 , the controller 30 adjusts the deflection angle of the first signal light by the beam deflector 10 according to the first position information to achieve beam alignment, and the divergence angle of the first signal light gradually decreases.

[0114] Optionally, the optical communication device further includes a rotating platform 40 and a motion sensor 50, wherein the rotating platform 40 is used to carry the beam deflector 10 and the signal light detector 20, and the optical communication method further includes:

[0115] The motion sensor 50 detects jitter information of the beam deflector 10 when the beam deflector 10 receives the second signal light from the opposite optical communication device, where the second signal light carries service information;

[0116] The controller 30 controls the rotating platform 40 to drive the beam deflector 10 to move according to the jitter information to perform jitter compensation, thereby achieving coarse tracking of the second signal light.

[0117] Optionally, the optical communication method further includes:

[0118] The signal light detector 20 detects second position information of the second signal light arriving at the signal light detector 20 ;

[0119] The controller 30 adjusts the deflection angle of the second signal light by the beam deflector 10 according to the second position information, so as to achieve precise tracking of the second signal light.

[0120] Optionally, before the beam deflector 10 receives the first signal light from the opposite optical communication device, that is, before step 510, the optical communication method further includes:

[0121] The controller 30 controls the rotating platform 40 to drive the beam deflector 10 to rotate according to the spatial position information of the opposite optical communication device, so that the beam deflector 10 faces the opposite optical communication device.

[0122] Optionally, the optical communication device further includes a signal optical transceiver 70, and the optical communication method further includes:

[0123] The signal light transceiver 70 provides the third signal light to the beam deflector 10;

[0124] The beam deflector 10 deflects the third signal light to send the third signal light to the opposite optical communication device. The third signal light is used for beam alignment with the opposite optical communication device, and the divergence angle of the third signal light gradually decreases.

[0125] For the introduction and description of the optical communication method shown in FIG5 , please refer to the description of the corresponding content above, which will not be repeated here.

[0126] An embodiment of the present application further provides a computer-readable storage medium, on which a computer program is stored. When the computer program is run on an optical communication device, the optical communication device executes the optical communication method provided in the aforementioned embodiment.

[0127] An embodiment of the present application further provides a computer program product, comprising: a computer program code, which, when executed on an optical communication device, enables the optical communication device to execute the optical communication method provided in the aforementioned embodiment.

[0128] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of the present application, but the scope of protection of the present application is not limited thereto. Any changes or substitutions that can be easily conceived by a person skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in this application should be included in the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be based on the scope of protection of the claims.

Claims

1. An optical communication device, characterized in that: It comprises a beam deflector (10), a signal light detector (20) and a controller (30), wherein: The beam deflector (10) is used to receive a first signal light from an opposite-end optical communication device and deflect the first signal light so as to transmit the first signal light to the signal light detector (20); The signal light detector (20) is used to detect first position information where the first signal light reaches the signal light detector (20); The controller (30) is used to adjust the deflection angle of the first signal light by the beam deflector (10) according to the first position information, so as to achieve beam alignment, and the divergence angle of the first signal light gradually decreases.

2. The optical communication device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The optical communication device further comprises a rotating platform (40) and a motion sensor (50), wherein: The rotating platform (40) is used to carry the light beam deflector (10) and the signal light detector (20); The motion sensor (50) is used to detect jitter information of the beam deflector (10) when the beam deflector (10) receives a second signal light from the opposite optical communication device, wherein the second signal light carries service information; The controller (30) is further used to control the rotating platform (40) to drive the light beam deflector (10) to move according to the jitter information to perform jitter compensation, thereby achieving coarse tracking of the second signal light.

3. The optical communication device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The signal light detector (20) is further used to detect second position information where the second signal light reaches the signal light detector (20); The controller (30) is further used to adjust the deflection angle of the beam deflector (10) to the second signal light according to the second position information, so as to achieve precise tracking of the second signal light.

4. The optical communication device according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that: The controller (30) is further used to control the rotating platform (40) to drive the light beam deflector (10) to rotate according to the spatial position information of the opposite optical communication device, so that the light beam deflector (10) faces the opposite optical communication device.

5. The optical communication device according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that: The optical communication device further comprises an optical splitter (60) and a signal light transceiver (70), wherein the optical splitter (60) is used to transmit a portion of the second signal light to the signal light detector (20), and to transmit the remaining portion of the second signal light to the signal light transceiver (70).

6. The optical communication device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The optical communication device further comprises a signal optical transceiver (70), wherein: The signal light transceiver (70) is used to provide a third signal light to the light beam deflector (10); The beam deflector (10) is also used to deflect the third signal light so as to send the third signal light to the opposite optical communication device. The third signal light is used to align the beam with the opposite optical communication device, and the divergence angle of the third signal light gradually decreases.

7. The optical communication device according to claim 6, characterized in that: The signal optical transceiver (70) comprises: A fiber core array (71), used for providing an initial optical signal; A collimator (72), used for collimating the initial optical signal; The spatial light modulator (73) is used to modulate the collimated initial light signal to generate the third signal light.

8. The optical communication device according to claim 6, characterized in that: The signal optical transceiver (70) comprises: A single-mode optical fiber (74), used for providing an initial optical signal; An optical phased array (75) is used to modulate the initial optical signal to generate the third signal light.

9. The optical communication device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that: The beam deflector (10) comprises an optical phased array, a fast reflection mirror or a galvanometer.

10. The optical communication device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that: The signal light detector (20) comprises a position sensitive detector, a four-quadrant detector, a charge coupled device or a complementary metal oxide semiconductor camera.

11. An optical communication system, characterized in that: The optical communication device comprises the optical communication device according to any one of claims 1 to 10 and an opposite optical communication device, wherein the optical communication device communicates with the opposite optical communication device through spatial light.

12. An optical communication method, characterized in that: Applied to an optical communication device, the optical communication device comprises a beam deflector (10), a signal light detector (20) and a controller (30), and the optical communication method comprises: The beam deflector (10) receives a first signal light from an opposite-end optical communication device and deflects the first signal light so as to transmit the first signal light to the signal light detector (20); The signal light detector (20) detects first position information of the first signal light arriving at the signal light detector (20); The controller (30) adjusts the deflection angle of the first signal light by the beam deflector (10) according to the first position information to achieve beam alignment, and the divergence angle of the first signal light gradually decreases.

13. The optical communication method according to claim 12, characterized in that: The optical communication device further comprises a rotating platform (40) and a motion sensor (50), wherein the rotating platform (40) is used to carry the light beam deflector (10) and the signal light detector (20), and the optical communication method further comprises: The motion sensor (50) detects jitter information of the beam deflector (10) during the process in which the beam deflector (10) receives a second signal light from the opposite optical communication device, wherein the second signal light carries service information; The controller (30) controls the rotating platform (40) to drive the light beam deflector (10) to move according to the jitter information to perform jitter compensation, thereby achieving coarse tracking of the second signal light.

14. The optical communication method according to claim 13, characterized in that: The optical communication method further comprises: The signal light detector (20) detects second position information where the second signal light reaches the signal light detector (20); The controller (30) adjusts the deflection angle of the beam deflector (10) on the second signal light according to the second position information, so as to achieve precise tracking of the second signal light.

15. The optical communication method according to claim 13 or 14, characterized in that: Before the beam deflector (10) receives the first signal light from the opposite end optical communication device, the optical communication method further comprises: The controller (30) controls the rotating platform (40) to drive the light beam deflector (10) to rotate according to the spatial position information of the opposite optical communication device, so that the light beam deflector (10) faces the opposite optical communication device.

16. The optical communication method according to any one of claims 12 to 15, characterized in that: The optical communication device further comprises a signal optical transceiver (70), and the optical communication method further comprises: The signal light transceiver (70) provides a third signal light to the beam deflector (10); The beam deflector (10) deflects the third signal light to send the third signal light to the opposite optical communication device. The third signal light is used for beam alignment with the opposite optical communication device, and the divergence angle of the third signal light gradually decreases.

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