Patent ID: 7593641
Filing Date: 2009-09-22
Classification: H04B

Abstract:
1. A system of free-space optical satellite communications comprising: a ground station including a transceiver for transmitting and receiving an optical communications signal, including adaptive optics at the ground station and operative with the transceiver for determining the shape of any distortions in the wavefront of the optical communications signal and compensating at the ground station for the distortions; a satellite including a transceiver for transmitting and receiving the optical communications signal, including adaptive optics at the satellite for determining the shape of any distortions in the waveform of the optical communications signal and compensating at the satellite for the distortions and comprising a deformable adaptive mirror; said satellite further comprising a beam splitter connected to said deformable adaptive mirror for receiving an optical communications signal from the deformable adaptive mirror and splitting a received optical communications signal into first and second paths; beam processing optics, a multiplexer/demultiplexer and single mode fiber connecting the beam processing optics and the multiplexer/demultiplexer within the first path for multiplexing and demultiplexing dense wavelength division multiplexed (DWDM) signals; an optical circulator within said single mode fiber for passing DWDM signals from a transmitter of said transceiver to the beam processing optics and passing DWDM signals from the beam processing optics into a receiver of said transceiver, and a multiplexer/demultiplexer for receipt or transmission of optical communications signals and wherein said multiplexer/demultiplexer is directly connected to said single mode fiber and said multiplexer/demultiplexer includes a demultiplexer that divides the DWDM optical communications signal into separate optical communications signals of different wavelengths, and a plurality of fixed, dedicated receivers that receive the optical communications signals at selected different wavelengths; and a wavefront sensor and analyzer and actuator circuit connected to said beam splitter and receiving signals therefrom in the second path and analyzing said signals and controlling in a feedback loop the deformable adaptive mirror and controlling and obtaining information from a reference beacon that determines distortions within the wavefront.