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:
Nov. 04, 2003
Filed:
Sep. 29, 2000
Howard D. Helms, Morris, NJ (US);
Dominick J. Imbesi, Somerset, NJ (US);
Steven R. Johnson, Monmouth, NJ (US);
Gerald Nykolak, Nassau, NY (US);
Dennis M. Romain, Morris, NJ (US);
Paul F. Szajowski, Morris, NJ (US);
Lucent Technologies Inc., Murray Hill, NJ (US);
Abstract
In the method and apparatus for controlling the power level of a laser signal in free space communication, a communication terminal transmits an output laser beam into free space and also receives information, through a channel that is not free space laser based, about the power of the output laser beam measured at a distance and at different times. The terminal determines whether a drop in the power of the output laser beam measured at the distance is due to atmospheric effects based on the received information. The terminal increases the power level of the output laser beam to a desired level if the power drop is determined to be due to atmospheric effects. On the other hand, the terminal lowers the power of the output laser beam to a predetermined level if the power drop is determined to be due to blockage thus avoiding harm to accidental observers that might intrude into the path of the laser beams.