A technology is described for optical communication. An example of the technology can include receiving an event stream containing indications of independent events detected by pixels in an event camera. An event may be a change in brightness detected by a pixel in the pixel array, and the pixel independently generates an indication of the event in response to detecting the event. The event stream can be demultiplexed into a plurality of communication streams containing related events associated with a plurality of communication sources. The events contained in a communication stream can be aggregated based in part on an event proximity and an event time that associates an event with other events contained in the event stream. The plurality of communication streams can be demodulated to extract optically transmitted information from the plurality of communication streams, which can be sent to a data consumer.

This application provides an optical emission apparatus, an optical communication system, and an optical communication method. Light beams of N optical emission units in the optical emission apparatus are adjusted, so that an optical power of entering an optical receiving apparatus is maximized, and impact of a speckle caused by turbulence is minimized, thereby improving receiving efficiency of an optical antenna. The optical emission apparatus includes a first optical splitter and N optical emission units, where N is an integer greater than 1; the first optical splitter is configured to transmit received same signal light to the N optical emission units; and the N optical emission units are configured to output the signal light from the first optical splitter, to obtain light beams distributed based on a preset proportion.

A mobile device includes an image sensor separated from a processing component by an open space. The image sensor includes one or more light source modules and the processing component includes one or more light sensors aligned with the one or more light source modules. Image data from the image sensor may be transmitted to the processing component via light signals exchanged between the one or more light source modules and the one or more light sensors. In some embodiments, light signals transmitted between one or more light source modules of an image sensor and one or more light sensors of the processing component are used to determine positional and angular data about the image sensor.

This invention provides a contact laser encoding anti-theft lock, comprising: a key for generating a set of light signals with different pulse repetition frequencies; a signal processing module for receiving a set of optical pulse signals, in which the optical signals are converted to a set of voltage signals at different voltage values, and for comparing the voltage signals with a predetermined voltage (the voltage signals within the predetermined voltage range can be output as usual otherwise the output voltage is set to be zero); an electrically controlled lock, for opening or locking anti-theft doors according to the output voltage from the signal processing module; and a power supply for the signal processing module and the electrically controlled lock. The contact laser encoding anti-theft lock of this invention shows higher security and duplication of the keys is more difficult compared with prior anti-theft locks.

Disclosed herein are methods, structures, and devices for optical communications systems operating through turbulent media. More specifically, a spatial division multiplexing photonic integrated circuit is used in conjunction with digital signal processing systems to mitigate the effects of the turbulent media.

An adaptive optics compensation approach for an OAM multiplexed FSO communication system is described, in which a Gaussian beam is used to probe the turbulence-induced wavefront distortions and derive the correction pattern for compensating the OAM beams. Using this approach, we demonstrate simultaneous compensation of multiple OAM beams each carrying a 100-Gbit/s data channel through emulated atmospheric turbulence. The results indicate that the turbulence-induced crosstalk and power penalty could be efficiently mitigated by ˜12.5 dB and ˜11 dB respectively.

A technology is described for optical communication. An example of the technology can include receiving an event stream containing indications of independent events detected by pixels in an event camera. An event may be a change in brightness detected by a pixel in the pixel array, and the pixel independently generates an indication of the event in response to detecting the event. The event stream can be demultiplexed into a plurality of communication streams containing related events associated with a plurality of communication sources. The events contained in a communication stream can be aggregated based in part on an event proximity and an event time that associates an event with other events contained in the event stream. The plurality of communication streams can be demodulated to extract optically transmitted information from the plurality of communication streams, which can be sent to a data consumer.

Systems and methods presented herein provide for improved access to data. In one embodiment, a communication system includes an RF communication link that is operable to receive first communications from a mobile device (e.g., a cell phone, tablet computer, laptop computer, or other “user equipment”). The communication system also includes a processor operable to determine a location of the mobile device based on the first communications and a plurality of directional communication links. Each directional communication link is operable to transfer data to the mobile device based on the location of the mobile device as determined by the processor. The processor is also operable to coordinate the transfer of data from each of the directional communication links to the mobile device.

Precision docking is one of the most important tasks for drones and surface robots to charge themselves and load/unload packages. Without accurate docking, surface robots and drones will miss their charging pad or charging contacts and cannot automatically charge themselves for later tasks. Described is a system using coded light to guide the precision docking process for drones and ground robots. More specifically, the system uses projectors to project temporal identifiers for space partitioned by pixel projections. Different space partition gets a different identifier. By using a simple light sensor on a drone or a ground robot, the drone or the ground robot can know its precise location in the space and therefore knows where to move for a precise docking. Depending on docking precision requirement, the coded light precision may be adjusted by using projectors with different resolutions.

A pointing unit 102 is for use with a free space optical communications terminal 100 including an optical source 104. The pointing unit 102 includes a first portion 106 having a mirrored surface 108, the first portion 106 being orientatable relative to an optical beam 110 produced by the optical source 104 and incident on the mirrored surface 108 in use to direct a reflection 112 of the optical beam 110 from the mirrored surface 108 towards a target 107. The first portion 106 further includes a directional radio frequency antenna 114.