Patent ID: 8478126

Claim:
An apparatus comprising: a first optical transmitter in a first platform, wherein the first optical transmitter is configured to transmit first optical signals; a first optical detector associated with the first platform, wherein the first optical detector is configured to receive optical signals comprising at least second optical signals, wherein the second optical signals comprise a one second beacon with a one fifteen Hertz sinewave followed by twenty-eight thirty Hertz sinewaves; a sensor associated with the first platform; a phase-locked loop circuit that locks onto the thirty Hertz sinewaves in the second optical signals, wherein the phase-locked loop circuit is configured to indicate a presence of the second optical signals in the optical signals indicating a time interval to transmit information in the first optical signals; a first processor unit associated with the first platform, wherein the first processor unit is electrically connected to the first optical detector, the first optical transmitter, and the sensor, wherein the first processor unit is associated with the phase-locked loop circuit, and wherein the first processor unit is configured to transmit the information in the first optical signals using the first optical transmitter during the time interval, the information comprising information from the sensor; and a receiver a second platform; a second optical detector associated with the second platform, wherein the second optical detector is configured to change the first optical signals into first electrical signals; a second optical transmitter associated with the second platform, wherein the second optical transmitter is configured to change second electrical signals into the second optical signals; and a second processor unit associated with the second platform, wherein the second processor unit is configured to transmit the second electrical signals indicating the time interval during which the information is transmitted by the sensor unit to the receiver.