Laser Grid Emitter Arrays for High-Bandwidth Wireless Data Transfer
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current wireless data transfer methods face challenges in efficiently transferring large data files, such as lidar point clouds from autonomous vehicles to data centers, while maintaining high data transfer rates and requiring extensive storage solutions.
Innovation Solution
The use of low-cost, high-power semiconductor laser structures arranged as a light grid array for optical data transfer, enabling high-speed data transmission through photonic emitters and receivers, with multiplexing techniques to increase bandwidth and support virtually unlimited data transfer rates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional wireless data transfer methods are used, then data can be transferred wirelessly, but the data transfer rate is insufficient for large data files
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces conventional electrical/wireless data transfer mechanisms with optical laser-based communication. Multiple semiconductor lasers arranged in a grid array transmit data through light signals, achieving significantly higher bandwidth and transfer rates compared to traditional wireless methods. This substitution of the transmission medium (from electrical to optical) directly resolves the contradiction by enabling faster data transfer while maintaining wireless capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent divides the data transmission system into multiple parallel laser channels arranged in a grid array. Each laser element operates independently to transmit data streams simultaneously, effectively segmenting the total data flow across multiple pathways. This segmentation increases overall throughput and transfer rate, directly addressing the insufficiency of single-channel wireless transfer for large files.
2Productivity
If high data transfer rates are achieved using optical methods, then bandwidth is increased, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple semiconductor laser elements into a single integrated photonic emitter array. The lasers are arranged in a compact grid structure on a common substrate, sharing electrical connections and control circuitry. This merging approach achieves high bandwidth through parallel optical channels while reducing overall system complexity compared to using separate laser systems, as the array functions as a unified device with shared infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent designs the photonic emitter array to perform multiple functions: data transmission, beam steering, and signal modulation all through a single device structure. The same laser array can transmit data to multiple receivers simultaneously by controlling which lasers are active and adjusting beam directions. This multi-functionality increases effective bandwidth utilization while avoiding the need for separate specialized devices for each function, thereby managing system complexity.
3Productivity
If multiple laser regions are used in a single mesa structure, then data transfer capacity is increased, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates alignment features and reference structures during the epitaxial growth process itself, before the lasers are fully fabricated. Marker layers and alignment trenches are created in advance to guide subsequent processing steps. This preliminary action ensures that multiple laser regions within the mesa structure are precisely positioned relative to each other, achieving the required manufacturing precision through pre-planned alignment mechanisms rather than attempting post-fabrication adjustment.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution enables timely and efficient high-speed data transfers from vehicles to data centers, simplifying the connection process and reducing storage needs by achieving high bandwidth, allowing for the transfer of large data sets like lidar point clouds within a short time frame.
Implementation Method 1
the laser-emitting epitaxial structure includes a plurality of laser regions within a single mesa structure. These laser regions can be controllably activated to generate and emit variable laser signals that encode an input data signal
Implementation Method 2
generate and emit variable laser signals that encode an input data signal
Implementation Method 3
An optical data transceiver can receive this optical signal and convert it into a digital signal that represents the data set
Data Source
AI summary
Laser Grid Structures for Wireless High Speed Data Transfers Disclosed herein are various embodiments for high performance wireless data transfers. In an example embodiment, laser chips are used to support the data transfers using laser signals that encode the data to be transferred. The laser chip can be configured to (1) receive a digital signal and (2) responsive to the received digital signal, generate and emit a variable laser signal, wherein the laser chip comprises a laser-emitting epitaxial structure, wherein the laser-emitting epitaxial structure comprises a plurality of laser-emitting regions within a single mesa structure that generate the variable laser signal. Also disclosed are a number of embodiments for a photonics receiver that can receive and digitize the laser signals produced by the laser chips. Such technology can be used to wireless transfer large data sets such as lidar point clouds at high data rates.