An active mode image sensor for optical non-uniformity correction (NUC) of an active mode sensor uses a Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) Micro-Mirror Array (MMA) having tilt, tip and piston mirror actuation to form and scan a laser spot that simultaneously performs the NUC and illuminates the scene so that the laser illumination is inversely proportional to the response of the imager at the scan position. The MEMS MMA also supports forming and scanning multiple laser spots to simultaneously interrogate the scene at the same or different wavelengths. The piston function can also be used to provide wavefront correction. The MEMS MMA may be configured to generate a plurality of fixed laser spots to perform an instantaneous NUC.

An optical communications terminal including a polarizing element responsive to a first linearly polarized optical beam and rotating the first linearly polarized optical beam in a first linear direction, a beam separator responsive to and passing the first linearly polarized optical beam, and a circular polarizing element responsive to the first linearly polarized optical beam from the beam separator and circularly polarizing the first linearly polarized optical beam for transmission, where the circular polarizing element is switchable between two orthogonal switching states. The terminal receives a circularly polarized optical beam from another terminal and linearly polarizes the circularly polarized optical beam from the other terminal in a second linear direction that is orthogonal to the first linear direction and the beam separator directs the circularly polarized optical beam from the other terminal in a direction away from the polarizing element.

An optical communication system includes an optical transmitter and one or more processors. The optical transmitter is configured to output an optical signal, and includes an average-power-limited optical amplifier, such as an erbium-doped fiber amplifier (EDFA). The one or more processors are configured to receive optical signal data related to a received power for a communication link from a remote communication system and determine that the optical signal data is likely to fall below a minimum received power within a time interval. In response to the determination, the one or more processors are configured to determine a duty cycle of the optical transmitter based on a minimum on-cycle length and a predicted EDFA output power and operate the optical transmitter using the determined duty cycle to transmit an on-cycle power that is no less than the minimum required receiver power for error-free operation of the communication link.

An optical wireless communication system (1) for wirelessly transmitting a signal beam (L) between optical communication units (2) and (3) located at two points apart from each other includes an aiming mechanism (4) that is provided in each of the optical communication units (2) and (3) located at the two points and has an aiming line (S), which is parallel to an optical axis (O) and has a predetermined interval from the optical axis (O), with the optical axis (O) of the signal beam (L) of each of the optical communication units (2) and (3) located at the two points aligned in a straight line, and a first front sight that is provided in each of the optical communication units (2) and (3) and provided at a position that is off the optical axis (O) and the aiming line (S) and has a predetermined interval from the optical axis (O) and a predetermined interval from the aiming line (S).

In an optical wireless communication system including: an optical wireless communication apparatus that moves along with a first optical wireless station; and a second optical wireless station opposed to the first optical wireless station, the optical wireless communication apparatus includes at least one reference light transmitting unit that transmits reference light to the second optical wireless station with a position in front in a moving direction of the first optical wireless station defined as a transmission position, the second optical wireless station includes a reference light receiving unit that receives the reference light transmitted from the at least one reference light transmitting unit, an estimation unit that estimates an influence of atmospheric air on transmission of signal light based on a reception state of the reference light received by the reference light receiving unit, a compensation unit that performs compensation processing on the signal light based on the influence of the atmospheric air estimated by the estimation unit, and a signal light transmitting unit that transmits the signal light on which the compensation processing has been performed by the compensation unit in an arrival direction of the reference light.

A system and method for communicating with deep space spacecraft are provided. A near-Earth space based communications system satellite, which may be deployed in a deep space stable-looking orbit around the Earth, provides two-way communication with the deep space spacecraft, including transmission and reception of commands and data. The near-Earth space based communications system satellite may store data received from the deep space spacecraft and transmits the data to commercial communication satellites and ground terminals. This system and method may be utilized to communicate to the outer planets with a deep-space space based communications system spacecraft at the Earth-Moon Lagrange points, Sun-Earth Lagrange Points, Sun-Mars Lagrange points and extending out to the outer boundary of the solar system. The system and method are further enhanced with the use of free space optical laser communications and x-ray communications to increase data volume from any deep space spacecraft to Earth.

The present disclosure provides an inter-vehicle communication system configured to detect a vehicle as a communication target of DSRC to properly establish an automatic driving system. In the inter-vehicle communication system configured to perform communication between a plurality of vehicles using DSRC, each of vehicles includes an identification code (ID) of the vehicle in information to be transmitted by a DSRC unit. Each vehicle includes: an individual communication unit (optical communication unit) for optical communication, which is configured to transmit/receive IDs of vehicles through communication between individual vehicles; and a unit configured to detect information having a corresponding ID by collating the ID received by the individual communication unit with the ID included in the information received by the DSRC unit. Through ID collation, a communication counterpart vehicle of DSRC is detected.

An example device may include an optical modulator configured to generate an optical beam encoding network data, an optical power amplifier configured to adjust a transmitted power of the optical beam, and a transmit beam angle mechanism configured to adjust a beam direction of the optical beam and to transmit the optical beam to a remote receiver over a free-space optical link. Example devices may include a controller configured to receive backchannel data from the remote receiver and modify a characteristic of the optical beam based on the backchannel data. Various other devices, systems, and methods are also disclosed.

Techniques for determining an alternative communication mode for vehicle-to-vehicle communication at a host vehicle can include monitoring the primary mode of RF communication to ensure it is effectively communicating and, if not, intelligently selecting a backup communication mode comprising one or more other sensors and/or systems of the vehicle. The selection of the backup communication mode may take into account various factors that can affect the various modes of communication from which the backup communication mode is selected.

An apparatus is provided that includes a modulator and an optical transmitter coupled to the modulator and configured to emit an optical beam that the modulator is configured to modulate with data. The optical transmitter may thereby be configured to emit the optical beam carrying the data and without artificial confinement for receipt by an optical receiver configured to detect and recover the data from the optical beam. The optical transmitter may be configured to emit the optical beam with a divergence angle greater than 0.1 degrees, and with a photonic efficiency of less than 0.05%. The photonic efficiency may relate a number of photons of the optical beam detectable by the optical receiver, to a number of photons of the optical beam emitted by the optical transmitter.