Patent ID: 6091528
Filing Date: 2000-07-18
Classification: H04B

Abstract:
An optical communication system comprising:an optical antenna, mounted on a space vehicle, for receiving and transmitting light for use in an optical communication from and to a communication counterpart station;coarsely tracking means for controlling said optical antenna based on a tracking command by moving an I/O (input/output) optical path of said optical antenna, so as to coarsely track the communication counterpart station;a precisely tracking optical system configured to control the I/O optical path of said optical antenna based on an angle of light transmitted from the communication counterpart station coarsely tracked by said coarsely tracking means, so as to precisely track the communication counterpart station;a receiving optical system configured to receive the light which is transmitted from the communication counterpart station to said optical antenna whose I/0 optical path is controlled by said precisely tracking optical system;a light receiving section configured to receive the light received by said receiving optical system;a first optical fiber cable configured to guide the light received by said receiving optical system to said light receiving section, said first optical fiber cable having one end located opposite to said receiving optical system such that said one end of said first optical fiber cable is adjustably movable;a first position adjusting means for adjusting a relative position of said one end of said first optical fiber cable to said receiving optical system based on an intensity of light input from said one end of said first optical fiber cable;a light transmitting section configured to output light for use in optical communication;a transmitting optical system configured to guide the light output from said light transmitting section to said optical antenna whose I/O optical path is controlled by said precisely tracking optical system, so that the light is transmitted from said optical antenna to the communication counterpart station;a second optical fiber cable configured to guide the light output from said light transmitting section to said transmitting optical system, said second optical fiber cable having one end which is located opposite to said transmitting optical system such that said one end of said second optical fiber cable is adjustably movable;a second position adjusting means for adjusting a relative position of said one end of said second optical fiber cable to said transmitting optical system based on an angle of light from said one end of said second optical fiber cable and a point ahead angle between the space vehicle and the communication counterpart station; andbeacon beam transmitting means for transmitting a beacon beam to the communication counterpart station.