Abstract:
The directional reception of extremely weak light signals without diverting a portion of the signal light into separate detectors for the purpose of obtaining an alignment signal is caused by the arrangement of several detector means (X, Y) which, when unmodulated light is superimposed on them, generate electrical output variables (x 1 , x 2 , y 1 , y 2 ) which, after they have been added in a network (I), result in an information signal which, when it is linked by multiplication with several difference signals (x, y) formed in the network (I), converts them into narrow-band signals, which reproduce an alignment error.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to a method for the detection of a light signal by means of a plurality of detection means which are spatially delimited from each other, by means of bringing together a sum signal, wherein narrow-band alignment signals are formed by means of multiplication or phase-sensitive rectification of differential signals formed from a plurality of detectors with the sum signal. The invention further relates to devices usable for executing the method. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In the near future, optical free space communication between satellites as well as between a satellite and a ground station will become an important and, on board of the satellites a weight-saving, complement to the existing microwave technology. So-called optical terminals consist of one or several telescopes, which reduce the angular range of the field of vision of an optical receiver in the direction toward the counter-station and also see to a directional dissemination of the signals to be transmitted. Furthermore, several movable mirrors are provided, by means of which the alignment of the transmitting and receiving directions is performed. Besides the direct detection of the optical output of the transmitter of the counter-station as the transmission method, the coherent superimposition of the received light with the light of the same frequency of a local oscillator laser plays an important role, since in the process the indifference to interferences by radiation in the background is advantageous, besides a great sensitivity to the signal to be detected. 
     The output of the light signal to be detected is in general very low with the above mentioned systems, accordingly it is intended to use the largest possible portion of the light signal in a receiver for detecting the transmitted data. For example, because of the narrowband character of an error signal from the alignment device of the optical portion of the receiver, it would be conceivable to conduct a very small portion of the light entering the receiver to a field of detector means, which are delimited in respect to each other and are arranged in a plane, in order to obtain a directional error signal by means of the detection of the respectively illuminated detector means. However, such a method is only used for the rough alignment during the establishment of the connection. Since the light sources used for data transmission operate at a considerably lower optical output than special optical beacon transmitters used for establishing the connection, a coherent detection method is needed, which requires additional light output from a laser oscillator provided for the superimposition of the received light signal, as well as additional electronic means. 
     OBJECT AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is accordingly the object of the invention hereinafter described to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art and to assure by means of a combined system the detection and demodulation of the information signal, along with the simultaneous derivation of a directional error signal, while making the best possible use of the output of the available light signal. 
     The present invention consists of detector means and several electronic modules arranged downstream thereof. Although only a single detection means is required for detecting of a, for example, phase-modulated light signal, into which both the light signal as well as an unmodulated light wave, which has the same mid-frequency or is relatively close to the mid-frequency of the light wave, are conducted, several detector means, which are delimited in respect to each other and are laterally offset, are used by the system in accordance with the invention. All detector means are illuminated in the same way by the locally generated, unmodulated light wave. The illumination by means of the light signal only takes place evenly as a function of the error in alignment of the optical receiving device in case of the disappearance, but in general is irregular. A mixing process takes place in each detector means by the squared conversion of the total amplitude of the light field into electrical current, from which a photo-flow with a mid-frequency arises, whose value corresponds to the difference between the optical mid-frequencies of the light signal and of the unmodulated light. A d.c. current is generated from this, which is proportionally added from the mean optical output of the light signals and of the unmodulated light. Since the optical output of the light signals falls below that of the unmodulated light by orders of magnitude, it is generally very difficult to generate a signal containing the alignment error from the d.c. current of the detector means. The signal current generated by multiplicative mixing is a proportional function of the output of the light signal impinging on the respective detection means, wherein the proportionality factor is correspondingly high because of the relatively high output of the unmodulated light. 
     The method in accordance with the invention contains the derivation of a signal corresponding to the alignment error from the signal flows of all detection means. By multiplying all signal flows with themselves, i.e. their squaring, it would be possible to generate a corresponding d.c. current from the individual signal flows. However, in this case there is no proportionality between the d.c. current and the optical output of the light signal in the individual detector means, and the sign of the error voltage would be lost. Furthermore, the error voltages would be a function of the strength of the incident light, i.e. of the transmission distance. It is now possible to remedy these two deficiencies by means of the invention, as will be described hereinafter. 
     The sum of all detector signals is formed, and their amplification is regulated by means of an amplifier, which can be adjusted in respect to an amplification factor in such a way that a signal level is created at the output, which is independent of the strength of all of the incident light. 
     This amplification regulation (AGC—automatic gain control) takes place, for example, on the basis of the comparison of the sum output signal with a reference variable. By the application of the same amplification factor, which is a function of the size of the sum signal, to the two difference signals x and y, the characteristic of the error signals (as a function of the amount of deviation of the light beam from the specified position) becomes independent of distance. It is therefore essential that the amplification regulation characteristics of the difference channels and the sum channel are matched to each other, which requires appropriate measures in accordance with switching technology. The actual formation of the narrow-band error signals now takes place by multiplying the AGC—regulated difference signals with the sum signal of a constant size. However, the so-called phase-sensitive rectification of the difference signals with the aid of the sum signal as the reference clock (so-called balanced modulation) offers itself as a more robust variant. Both alternatives basically realize the same function of the sign-correct demodulation of the error signal. 
     A large advantage results in that, besides the proportionality of the alignment error-dependent variable of the individual detector means obtained by this, its detection also is assured even with only very weak illumination of an individual detector means by the light signal. A further advantage resides in that because of the derivation of narrow-band error signals from the actual information signal, the highly sensitive coherent detection technique used in connection with the latter is also employed here, wherein furthermore no portion of the light signal is removed from conveying useful data. The multiple use of the electronic devices used for signal processing should be stressed, wherein the total dependability of the system is increased, in particular when used in satellite systems. 
     Further details, characteristics and advantages of the invention ensue not only from the claims and the characteristics which can be derived from them singly and/or in combination, but also from the following description of a preferred exemplary embodiment. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a device usable for executing the method, 
     FIG. 2 is a block circuit diagram of a transimpedance amplifier, 
     FIG. 3 shows a difference stage, 
     FIG. 4 shows a Gilbert cell, 
     FIG. 5 shows a structure of a differential impedance load, 
     FIG. 6 shows a level displacement device, 
     FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a difference channel, 
     FIG. 8 is a block diagram of a sum channel. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     As detector means, the device in accordance with FIG. 1 includes four photodiodes  1 ,  2 ,  3 ,  4  combined in pairs in the form of arrangements X and Y. These are respectively located in pairs on an appropriate semiconductor substrate which, for example, is provided with a circular detector surface, which is divided into two semicircularly shaped zones. Both arrangements X and Y have borders which are respectively orthogonal in respect to each other between the two zones of the photodiodes, and in the aligned state they are respectively illuminated both by a portion of the signal light as well as by unmodulated laser light. The splitting of the signal light beam is performed by means of a beam splitter and deflection mirrors. All photo currents ip generated in the arrangements X and Y enter a transimpedance amplifier T, by means of which they are converted into output voltages x 1 , x 2 , y 1  and y 2 . With a coherent reception of the signal light, a relatively strong d.c. current is generated because of the superimposed unmodulated laser light, which is independent of the optical output of the signal light radiated on the arrangements X and Y. In the described device the separation of d.c. current components by means of the use of capacitors is omitted for technological reasons and in place of this a special embodiment of the transimpedance amplifier is used, which is represented in FIG.  2 . 
     The transimpedance amplifier (TIA) known from the prior art consists of an inverting amplifier A with high no-load amplification and a negative feedback resistor R connected between the output and the input, which determines the conversion of the input current i into an outlet voltage u in accordance with u=i R. In accordance with the invention, this known TIA is expanded by an integrator Int into the negative feedback resistor R. 
     The integrator Int receives its input signal in the form of the difference of the mean output signal of the TIA in respect to a reference voltage U ref . The output current of the integrator provides the compensation of the low-frequency current components at the TIA input, and relieves the TIA in particular of the relatively strong d.c. current of the photodiode employed as the mixing element. Simultaneously such TIAS, which are referenced to the same reference voltage, force the same output d.c. voltage in all TIAs, which is imperative for the subsequent further processing of the high-frequency signal portions without coupling capacitors. 
     The negative signs of the voltages—y 1 , y 2  at the output of the y-TIA in FIG. 1 take into consideration the fact that, based on the peculiarities of the optical system, the output signals of the diode pair arranged in the y direction are phase-shifted by  180  in respect to those in the x direction. The high-frequency output voltages x 1 , x 2 , y 1 , y 2  are passed on via a distributor network I in different combinations to three blocks. FIG. 1 formally shows the operations performed by these blocks. The signal differences x 1 −x 2 , or respectively y 1 −y 2 , are respectively pro performed in a difference channel block D 1 , or respectively D 2 , in which the operations of amplification regulation and phase-sensitive rectification; or respectively multiplication with the phase-correct sum signal x 1 +x 2 +y 1 +y 2  are also performed. The so-called sum channel block S consists of a regulated amplifier, followed by a line adaptation stage B. The sum signal is now provided on the one hand as information carrier to a signal modulator and amplification regulation voltage generator (not represented in FIG. 1) via the lines connected downstream of the output, on the other hand directly to the error voltage-generating multiplicators of the difference channels. 
     Each one of the two difference channel blocks D 1 , or respectively D 2  has a structure shown in more detail in FIG.  7 . It comprises a difference stage  11  in accordance with FIG. 3, followed by a Gilbert cell  12  as the multiplicator X in accordance with FIG. 4, a transimpedance load L 1  in accordance with FIG. 5, level displacement devices P 1 , P 2  in accordance with FIG. 6, a further difference stage in accordance with FIG. 3, a further Gilbert cell  14  as multiplicator X in accordance with FIG. 4 as well as a further differential transimpedance load L 2  in accordance with FIG. 5, which is followed by a low bandpass filter  15  for separating a.c. current portions. While the Gilbert cell  12 , the first viewed from the left, is used for regulating the amplification factor, wherein the difference voltage V v  can be identified as the regulation voltage AGC in FIG. 1, the Gilbert cell  14 , which is the second viewed from the left, is used for the multiplication of the difference voltage Δx, or respectively Δy, with the phase-correct sum signal x 1 +x 2 +y 1 +y 2 , or respectively the phase-sensitive rectification. 
     The difference stage, represented in FIG. 3 in the form of a greatly simplified diagram, is a device which essentially includes a current source Q 1  and a transistor T 1  and a transistor T 2 . The two transistors T 1  and T 2  respectively generate an output current i 3 , or respectively i 4 , each of which is respectively proportional to the difference of the voltages U 1 , or respectively U 2  appearing as input variables, since both transistors T 1  and T 2  competitively pick up the current generated by a current source Q 1 . In most cases a series resistor for increasing the input impedance is switched into both emitter lines. 
     The device, which is represented in greatly simplified form in FIG. 4, is composed of two devices in accordance with FIG. 3, two input currents i 1  and i 2  are used as the replacement for the current source Q 1 , and a difference voltage ΔU existing between the transistors T 1  and T 2  replaces the difference between the voltages U 1  and U 2 , which is effective in the device in accordance with FIG.  3 . Resultant output currents i 3  and i 4  are proportional to the product of the difference voltage ΔU and the difference between the input currents i 1  and i 2 , and they differ by their sign. This arrangement is called a Gilbert cell in the technical literature. 
     The device represented in a greatly simplified form in FIG. 5 contains a current source Q 2 , whose current is competitively picked up by two transistors T 3  and T 4 . The transistors T 3  and T 4  amplify currents i 3  and i 4  appearing as input variables, because of which the current generated by the current source Q 2  is split into two portions, whose amplitude with respectively opposite signs is proportional to the difference between that of the currents i 3  and i 4 . Voltages U 3  and U 4 , which are proportional to these currents, are taken from this device as output variables. 
     A level displacement device P represented in FIG. 6 is primarily used for matching the d.c. current levels of successive amplifier stages and for the reduction of the output impedances of the circuits upstream of the point  10 . The current amplified in the transistor T 11  flows, into the circuit output point  2 . With a sufficiently high-resistance load at the point  20 , it follows in accordance with the signal voltage the point  10  (emitter sequence concept) with an approximately constant d.c. current offset. The transistor T 12 , provided in series with the emitter of T 11  and switched as a diode, increases this voltage offset in respect to the simple emitter sequence. 
     A further design of a sum channel S in accordance with FIG. 1 in combination with corresponding elements of the network I in accordance with FIG. 1 is represented in FIG.  8 . 
     The signals x 1  and x 2 , or respectively y 1  and y 2 , are of opposite phase in respect to each other because of peculiarities of the upstream placed optical components. The summation of the signals is then formed with the use of difference amplifiers as follows: by means of supplying a suitable combination of TIA output pairs to the inputs of two difference stages of the type represented in FIG. 3, and suitable output lines, the inputs of the downstream connected Gilbert cell can be charged with two oppositely phased sum signals, which are then, multiplied with the AGC signal at the output of the Gilbert cell, available as differential currents and which are converted in the differential load circuit into corresponding voltages. 
     A so-called buffer amplifier B with a voltage amplifier approximately =1 for impedance matching to two 50 lines follows this amplifier block in the sum channel after a level displacement circuit. 
     The devices  5  and  6  in FIG. 1 may be multiplication means or, e.g., a phase. sensitive demodulation means. Since the second difference channel block is similar to the first one, its configuration is illustrated by existing FIG.  7 . The sum channel block S according tc FIG. 8 comprises a controlled amplifier AMP having a pair of difference stages  21 ,  22  connected via two adders  23 ,  24  to a further Gilbert cell  25  having two outputs which are connected to the inputs of a line adaptation stage B via a differential transimpedence load Lax and a pair of following level displacement devices P 3 , P 4 . The outputs of said line adaptation stage supply a positive and a negative sum signal for said multiplication means. A preferred application of the method and device according to the present invention is for receiving a phase modulated light signal and for the detection of alignment errors of said light signal.