The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 18, 2003
Filed:
Jan. 13, 2000
Todd L. Mendenhall, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA (US);
Michael L. Narigon, Redondo Beach, CA (US);
TRW Inc., Redondo Beach, CA (US);
Abstract
A communication system employing an optical beam suitable for transmission of data between a first terminal and a second terminal . The apparatus aligns beam from terminal with a beam receptor located in terminal within a first uncertainty region TU which enables tracking of data with beam . Optics enables receipt of beam and transmission of the beam along a path . A positioning mechanism points the optics to the location of the terminal within a second uncertainty region TU. An acquisition sensor receives at least a portion of beam and locates the terminal within a third uncertainty region, such as the region represented by detector quadrant AQ , which is larger than region TU but smaller than region RU . A controller responsive to locating of terminal causes positioning mechanism to move at least a portion of optics to successively adjust the position of the beam path relative to acquisition sensor . As a result, the size of the third uncertainty region TU to facilitate the commencement of tracking of beam