Patent ID: 8315526

Claim:
A system comprising: a transmitter including: a beam source that produces a beam that represents information; and an optical element in a path of the beam, wherein the optical element alters the beam so that the beam has a uniform intensity over a cross-sectional area; and a receiver separated from the transmitter by free space through which the beam propagates and having an expected displacement path relative to the transmitter corresponding to vibrations in the system, the receiver including an active area positioned to receive a portion of the beam that the receiver converts into a received signal representing the information, wherein: the cross-sectional area of the beam is larger than the active area by an amount that accommodates a range of misalignment of the receiver with the transmitter; and the cross-sectional area is patterned so that the active area of the receiver receives light from the cross-sectional area of the beam when the receiver moves along the expected displacement path.