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:
Dec. 06, 2016
Filed:
Apr. 29, 2015
Florida Institute of Technology, Inc., Melbourne, FL (US);
Syed H. Murshid, Palm Bay, FL (US);
Michael F. Finch, Melbourne, FL (US);
Florida Institute of Technology, Inc., Melbourne, FL (US);
Abstract
A free space optical receiver comprising a photodetector and a fiber bundle. The fiber bundle comprises a plurality of optical fibers splayed apart at one of their ends to receive free space optical energy from multiple directions. The splayed apart ends of the plurality of optical fibers may create a hemispherical shape. Each of the plurality of optical fibers has an acceptance cone for which it couples optical energy into the splayed end of the optical fiber. The acceptance cones of the splayed ends of the plurality of optical fibers may overlap to form an omnidirectional acceptance zone. The other, non-splayed ends of the plurality of optical fibers are communicatively coupled to the photodetector, which is positioned to receive the free space optical energy from the non-splayed ends of the plurality of optical fibers. An optical communication system including the free space optical receiver is also described.