Patent ID: 7308207

Claim:
A method for an interrogator to identify an interrogated object, comprising the steps of providing an infrared light transceiver to the interrogator; associating a dynamic optical tag with the interrogated object, wherein the dynamic optical tag receives an infrared output light beam from the light transceiver and controllably reflects the output light beam back to the light transceiver as an input light beam, wherein the dynamic optical tag comprises a controllable light reflector that is controllable between a reflective state and a non-reflective state and has a modulation signal input, wherein the controllable light reflector includes a field-of-regard broadening structure overlying the controllable light reflector; wherein the field-of-regard broadening structure is operable in infrared wavelengths to provide a field of regard of the output light beam of greater than 90 degrees relative to the controllable light reflector; and a controller that provides the modulation signal input to the controllable light reflector; the interrogator transmitting an interrogation light beam from the light transceiver to the dynamic optical tag as the output light beam; the dynamic optical tag reflecting a modulated interrogation light beam back to the light transceiver as the input light beam; and the light transceiver receiving and analyzing the input light beam to determine an identity of the dynamic optical tag and the interrogated object.