X Development LLC

Google Inc.

Loon LLC

Edward Allen Keyes

Baris Ibrahim Erkmen

Thad Eugene Starner

Nam-hyong Kim

Oliver Edward Bowen

Bruce Moision

Robert Todd Belt

Hayes Solos Raffle

Paul Csonka

Martin F Schubert

Michael Patrick Johnson

Bo Wu

Devin Brinkley

Yong Zhao

Sylvia Joan Smullin

Cliff L Biffle

Eric Teller

Richard Wayne Devaul

Joshua L Weaver

Waleed Kadous

Kyle Brookes

Josh Weaver

Nam-Hyong Kim

Cliff Biffle

The disclosure provides for a system that includes a plurality of stations equipped for free-space optical communications (FSOC) in a network and a central control system. At least one station in the plurality of stations includes a wavelength selectable switch, an OEO module, and one or more first processors. The one or more first processors are configured to control the wavelength selectable switch, process an electrical signal that is extracted using the OEO module, and communicate with the central control system. The central control system includes one or more second processors that are configured to receive data regarding FSOC communication conditions at the plurality of stations, determine a path between stations through the network based on the received data, and transmit instructions to the plurality of stations.

Free-space optical communications network

The disclosure may provide for a communication method and system. A transmitter of the communication system may include an interleaver and a first encoder for determining parity bits. The transmitter also may include a multiplexer for joining the parity bits with the data. A second encoder may be positioned after the multiplexer for implementing an error correcting code. A receiver of the communication system may include a decoder followed by an interleaver. When errors are detected in received data at the decoder, one or more processors of the receiver may be configured to correct portions of the received data and combine the corrected portions with the received data.

Communication method and system with on demand temporal diversity

Aspects of the disclosure provide for a method of forming a communication link between two communication devices using a primary search pattern and a secondary search pattern. A misalignment between a first optical system of a first communication device and a second optical system of a second communication device is detected. The first optical system is rotated according to the primary search pattern, and the second optical system according to the secondary search pattern. At the second communication device, a set of frames is captured. Then, it is determined whether a beacon beam transmitted from the first communication device is detected in the one or more of the captured frames. When it is determined that the beacon beam is detected, the communication link is formed between the first communication device and the second communication device.

Method of communication link acquisition using search pattern

Aspects of the disclosure provide techniques for automatic repeat request (ARQ) in a free-space optical communication (FSOC) architecture. These techniques, including block-selective ARQ, adaptive retransmission delay, and random seed scrambling, can be used individually or in combination to combat problems involving frame loss or corruption. These techniques enable the system to rapidly recover by streamlining the retransmission process. For instance, block-selective ARQ acknowledges variable length blocks of frames in the return stream from the receiver to the transmitter. Adaptive retransmission delay allows the retransmission delay to grow in the absence of feedback by the receiver, up to some defined limit. And with random seed sampling, a scrambling sequence is incorporated to aid with frame syncing, which avoids the need for a line code. These aspects of the technology provide a robust communication process, and also reduce overhead costs associated with unnecessary retransmissions.

Efficient automatic repeat request for free space optical communication

An optical communication terminal is configured to operate in two different complementary modes of full duplex communication. In one mode, the terminal transmits light having a first wavelength and receives light having a second wavelength along a common free space optical path. In the other mode, the terminal transmits light having the second wavelength and receives light having the first wavelength. The terminal includes a steering mirror that directs light to and from a dichroic element that creates different optical paths depending on wavelength, and also includes spatially separated emitters and detectors for the two wavelengths. A first complementary emitter/detector pair is used in one mode, and a second pair is used for the other mode. The system also includes at least two ferrules. Each ferrule operates with a single emitter/detector pair. The ferrules are designed to operate interchangeably with either emitter/detector pair.

Free-space optical communication dual-fiber ferrule

The technology relates to the design and placement of beacon transmission optics for free space optical communications ('FSOC'). One aspect of the disclosure provides an FSOC device with a beam steering mechanism, a beam column with a beam expander, an optical bus, and beacon transmission optics. The beacon transmission optics includes a prism that directs outgoing beacon beams into the beam column, and toward the beam steering mechanism. In one embodiment, the outgoing beacon beams do not need to travel through the beam expander of the beam column. As a result, backscatter is minimized and incoming or outgoing beams can be controlled with a single beam-steering mechanism.

Free-space optical communications beacon source architecture

Disclosed herein are embodiments of a balloon-based positioning system and method. In one example embodiment, a system includes at least three balloons, with each balloon including a position-determining module (PDM) and a position-broadcasting module (PBM). Each PDM is configured for determining a position of the respective balloon and each PBM is configured for broadcasting a balloon signal containing balloon-positioning data of the respective balloon. The balloon-positioning data includes the determined position of the respective balloon and a corresponding time of broadcast.

Balloon-based positioning system and method

A wearable computing device such as a head-mounted display (HMD) may be equipped with a magnetometer for detecting presence and motion of a hand-wearable magnet (HWM). The HMD may analyze magnetic field measurements of the magnetometer to determine when the HWM moves within a threshold distance of the magnetometer, and may thereafter determine one or more patterns of motion of the HWM based the magnetic field measurements. The HMD may operate in a background detection state in order to determine a background magnetic field strength and to monitor for magnetic disturbances from the HWM. Upon occurrence of a trigger event corresponding to magnetic disturbance above a threshold level, the HMD may transition to operating in a gesture detection state in which it analyzes magnetometer measurements for correspondence with known gestures. Upon recognizing a known gesture, the HMD may carry out one or more actions based on the recognized known gesture.

Magnetometer-based gesture sensing with a wearable device

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Mountain View, CA, United States of America

Edward Allen Keyes