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:
Apr. 20, 2004
Filed:
Jun. 20, 2001
Robert Michael Pierce, Woodinville, WA (US);
Chace Howard Fadlovich, Edmonds, WA (US);
Nicholas Eichhorn Bratt, Edmonds, WA (US);
Terabeam Corporation, Kirkland, WA (US);
Abstract
An apparatus for a free space optical communication system includes an element having a front surface and a back surface. A holographic optical element (HOE) is disposed to receive a light signal from the free space optical communication system, and to angularly direct the light signal, having a certain wavelength, towards one of the surfaces of the element to allow the light signal to propagate between the front and back surfaces of the element via total internal reflection. The internally reflected light signal eventually converges and is received at an optical detector circuit. At the same time, light having other wavelengths, including visible background light, passes through the HOE, thereby giving the apparatus an appearance of being transparent and unobtrusive.