A system and method for transmitting data using an autonomous vehicle's LIDAR system. The autonomous vehicle may transmit the data by disengaging the LIDAR system's transmitters and receivers from operating to detect external objects. The autonomous vehicle may also rotate the LIDAR system to locate one of a plurality of receivers external to the autonomous vehicle. Data stored within the autonomous vehicle may then be transmitted to an external system using a light-based communication path established between at least one of the LIDAR system's transmitters and an external receiver. The LIDAR system's transmitters and receivers may then be re-engaged so as to be operable to detect external objects.

Disclosed herein is a system and method for facilitating estimation of a spatial profile of an environment based on a light detection and ranging (LiDAR) based technique. By repurposing the optical energy for communications needs, the present disclosure facilitates spatial profile estimation by optical means while facilitating free-space optical communication.

Disclosed herein is a system and method for facilitating estimation of a spatial profile of an environment based on a light detection and ranging (LiDAR) based technique. By repurposing the optical energy for communications needs, the present disclosure facilitates spatial profile estimation by optical means while facilitating free-space optical communication.

A free-space optical (FSO) terminal may include a controller and an alignment sensor. The alignment sensor includes a set of detectors. Each detector generates a signal responsive to receiving electromagnetic radiation at a detection surface. The set of detectors includes an inner set of detectors and an outer set of detectors. The detection surfaces of the inner detectors and the outer detectors may be aligned in a plane. The outer set of detectors surround the inner set of detectors (e.g., in the plane) and have larger detection surfaces than the inner set of detectors. During a tracking mode, the controller is configured to adjust an orientation of the FSO terminal based on signals from the inner set of detectors. During an acquisition mode, the controller is configured to adjust the orientation of the FSO terminal based on signals from the outer set of detectors.

A free-space optical (FSO) terminal may include a controller and an alignment sensor. The alignment sensor includes a set of detectors. Each detector generates a signal responsive to receiving electromagnetic radiation at a detection surface. The set of detectors includes an inner set of detectors and an outer set of detectors. The detection surfaces of the inner detectors and the outer detectors may be aligned in a plane. The outer set of detectors surround the inner set of detectors (e.g., in the plane) and have larger detection surfaces than the inner set of detectors. During a tracking mode, the controller is configured to adjust an orientation of the FSO terminal based on signals from the inner set of detectors. During an acquisition mode, the controller is configured to adjust the orientation of the FSO terminal based on signals from the outer set of detectors.

A vehicle is provided that includes a battery management system with an energy storage device configured to power the vehicle. The energy storage device includes a battery module with: at least one sensor, a processor, and an optical transceiver. The battery management system also includes a control unit to control the energy storage device, and a control unit optical transceiver configured for bidirectional free-space optical communication with the battery module optical transceiver via a free-space optical communication link. The battery module processor is configured to receive sensor readings and transmit them to the control unit via the free-space optical communication link. Based on the sensor readings, the control unit sends commands to the battery module processor via the free-space optical communication link.

A plurality of electromagnetic radiation capture units are positioned under a focusing unit such as a dome, such that incoming electromagnetic radiation incident on the dome is deflected by it, to reach each of the capture units with a different timing and intensity. The profile for the timings and intensities can be determined for a given transmitter using a calibration signal, and the profile is then used to extra data from data signals transmitted by the transmitter.

A plurality of electromagnetic radiation capture units are positioned under a focusing unit such as a dome, such that incoming electromagnetic radiation incident on the dome is deflected by it, to reach each of the capture units with a different timing and intensity. The profile for the timings and intensities can be determined for a given transmitter using a calibration signal, and the profile is then used to extra data from data signals transmitted by the transmitter.

An optical wireless communication system and method An optical wireless communication (OWC) system comprises: a multiple input multiple output (MIMO) device configured to provide a plurality of signals each representing a respective data stream; conditioning circuitry configured to receive the plurality of signals from the MIMO device and process the plurality of signals to produce at least one conditioned signal representative of the data stream(s) and suitable for transmission using an OWC transmission device; an OWC transmission device comprising at least one transmitter for transmitting light and configured to be responsive to the at least one conditioned signal to transmit light representative of the data stream(s) using the at least one transmitter.

An object of the present disclosure is to inform a user of a safe evacuation guidance route in real time using smart lightings without deploying dedicated evacuation guidance facilities.

The present disclosure is a wireless communication system including: one or more wireless base stations that wirelessly communicate with a terminal; a plurality of optical base stations that transmit an optical signal to the terminal; and a base station control device that controls the optical signal transmitted by the optical base stations, wherein the base station control device collects environment information around the optical base stations, detects a disaster around the optical base stations using the collected environment information, and when detecting a disaster, causes the optical base station installed at a position close to a disaster occurrence location and the optical base station installed at a position far from the disaster occurrence location to output light of different colors.