Patent ID: 9729234
Date: 2017-08-08
CPC Classifications: H04B,H04L,H04Q

Claim:
1. A method for a plurality of nodes in a free space optical communications network, the method comprising: using a bent pipe channel to relay data between at least some of the nodes of the network; and using a pilot channel for pointing, acquisition and tracking to continuously maintain line-of-sight between all of the nodes even when the bent pipe channel is not active; receiving, at a node of the of the free space optical communications network, an optical bent pipe-in signal on the bent pipe channel and an optical pipe-in signal on the pilot channel from a first companion node; bleeding portion of the optical-in signal on the pilot channel to an aperture control processor for performing pointing, acquisition and tracking; transmitting a remainder of the optical pilot-in signal with the optical bent pipe-in signal after bleeding the portion of the optical pilot-in signal; separating the remainder of the optical pilot-in signal from the optical bent pipe-in signal; processing the remainder of the optical pilot-in to produce an optical pilot-out signal; combining the optical pilot-out signal with the optical bent pipe-in signal; and transmitting the combined optical pilot-out signal and optical bent pipe-in signal to a second companion node.