Spatial Optical Communication Assembly for Precision Beam Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing satellite optical communication systems face challenges in precisely tracking and maintaining stable connections with ground stations due to environmental factors and satellite dynamics, leading to communication disruptions and reduced data transfer rates.
Innovation Solution
An assembly comprising an image sensor, optical emitter, beam splitter, and beam director (fast-steering mirror) with an optical attenuator, allowing for dynamic light redirection and control to track targets, cancel perturbations, and adjust integration time for different operational modes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a focused optical beam is used for communication, then data transfer rate is improved, but tracking precision is worsened due to narrow beam spread
Solution Approach 1:
The optical beam is segmented into multiple sub-beams or zones, allowing independent tracking adjustments for different portions of the beam. This enables precise tracking of the narrow beam while maintaining high data transfer rates through the focused optical communication channel.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the beam direction and focus in real-time using fast-steering mirrors and adaptive optics. This allows the narrow beam to be precisely redirected toward the ground station while compensating for satellite motion and atmospheric turbulence, maintaining both tracking precision and high data transfer rates.
2Stability of the object's composition
If environmental factors and satellite motion are compensated, then link stability is improved, but system complexity is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple compensation functions are merged into integrated subsystems. The vibration isolation platform, fast-steering mirror, and adaptive optics work as a coordinated unit rather than separate systems, reducing overall complexity while maintaining link stability against environmental factors and satellite motion.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses self-service mechanisms where the received optical signal itself provides feedback for automatic tracking and focus adjustment. The ground station's transmitted beacon is used to automatically calibrate and maintain the uplink beam, reducing the need for complex external control systems while ensuring link stability.
3Device complexity
If a single optical path is used for transmission and reception, then device complexity is reduced, but signal ambiguity is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses periodic time-division multiplexing where the single optical path alternates between transmission and reception modes in clearly defined time slots. This periodic switching eliminates signal ambiguity by ensuring that transmitted and received signals are temporally separated, while still using the same physical optical path to reduce device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The optical path maintains continuous readiness for communication by keeping the optical channel open and calibrated throughout operation. Rather than switching physical paths, the system maintains continuous optical alignment and readiness, reducing device complexity while using temporal gating and signal processing to prevent ambiguity between transmitted and received signals.
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
Enables reliable and robust optical communication links by accurately tracking ground stations, reducing signal ambiguity, and enhancing system stability against high-frequency noise and vibrations.
Implementation Method 1
The beam director is an optical component configured for dynamically redirecting light, either by reflection or by refraction
Implementation Method 2
The beam director is an optical component configured for dynamically redirecting light, either by reflection or by refraction
Implementation Method 3
The emitted light is split by the beam splitter into a calibration branch and an outgoing branch
Implementation Method 4
a fast-steering mirror is a mirror that is mounted on actuators, e.g. piezoelectric actuators/stage, to enable rapid and precise adjustments of their orientation
Implementation Method 5
The optical attenuator is an optical device/filter configured to reduce the intensity of the light passing therethrough
Data Source
AI summary
The application relates to an assembly for optical communication, in particular space communication, through a telescope, the assembly including an image sensor with an array of pixels, an optical emitter configured to emit an emitted light to transfer information, a beam splitter and a beam director; wherein the beam director is arranged to receive incoming light from a target transmitted through the telescope, and reflect incoming light towards the beam splitter; wherein the beam splitter is arranged to reflect or transmit incoming light reflected by the beam director towards the image sensor, such that the image sensor at least partially receives the incoming light; wherein the beam splitter is arranged to split the emitted light into a calibration branch and an outgoing branch, such that light of the calibration branch is received by the image sensor (24), and light of the outgoing branch is reflected by the beam director towards the telescope; wherein, in use, data from the image sensor is processed by a control unit and used to control the beam director to track the target and cancel high-frequency noise. The assembly further includes an optical attenuator arranged on an optical path of the calibration branch to reduce its intensity; wherein the image sensor is operable in a calibration mode or in a link mode by modifying an integration time parameter of the image sensor; wherein the image sensor and the optical attenuator are configured such that the calibration branch of the emitted light has a power which is higher than a minimum power for registration for the image sensor when the latter is in calibration mode; and wherein the image sensor and the optical attenuator are configured such that the calibration branch of the emitted light has a power which is lower than a minimum power for registration for the image sensor when the latter is in link mode.