公开(公告)号：US20210159978A1

公开(公告)日：2021-05-27

申请号：US16697541

申请日：2019-11-27

Applicant: X Development LLC

Inventor： Nam-hyong Kim ,  Baris Erkmen ,  Andrei Kazmierski ,  Devin Brinkley ,  John Moody ,  Markus Demartini ,  Wei-cheng Lai ,  Halleh Balch

IPC: H04B10/112 ,  H04B10/67

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide an optical communication system. The system may include a receiver lens system configured to receive a light beam from a remote optical communication system and direct the light beam to a photodetector. The system may also include the photodetector. The photodetector may be configured to convert the received light beam into an electrical signal, and the photodetector may be positioned at a focal plane of the receiver lens system. The system may also include a phase-aberrating element arranged with respect to the receiver lens system and the photodetector such that the phase-aberrating element is configured to provide uniform angular irradiance at the focal plane of the receiver lens system.

公开(公告)号：US09720243B1

公开(公告)日：2017-08-01

申请号：US14986036

申请日：2015-12-31

Applicant: X Development LLC

Inventor： Robert Todd Belt ,  Nam-hyong Kim ,  Baris Ibrahim Erkmen ,  Edward Allen Keyes

IPC: H04B10/00 ,  G02B27/14 ,  G02B17/04 ,  H04B10/572 ,  H04B10/508

CPC classification number: G02B27/145 ,  G02B17/04 ,  G02B27/141 ,  H04B10/508 ,  H04B10/572

Abstract: An example beam splitting apparatus is assembled from multiple prisms that are assembled together along respective mating surfaces to form a single monolithic optical device. The beam splitting apparatus includes optical features, such as dichroic and reflective surfaces, that define optical paths for light that enters the beam splitting apparatus. The optical features allow photons in the light to be directed along different optical paths based on their wavelengths. The optical features in the beam splitting apparatus are provided by coatings, films, and/or surface treatments applied to any of the faces of the prisms. In particular, coatings, films, and/or surface treatments are applied to the mating surfaces of the prisms so that the optical features are internal to the assembled monolithic optical device. The beam splitting apparatus may be implemented in a communication terminal that exchanges data modulated light according to frequency-division duplex communications.

公开(公告)号：US20220206234A1

公开(公告)日：2022-06-30

申请号：US17697581

申请日：2022-03-17

Applicant: X Development LLC

Inventor： Nam-hyong Kim ,  Andrei Kazmierski ,  Paul Epp

IPC: G02B6/42

Abstract: A method of calibrating a collimating lens system includes transmitting, using an optical transmitter, a beam out of an optical fiber and through a collimating lens of the collimating lens system. The beam is reflected off a perfect flat mirror positioned at an output of the collimating lens and back towards the collimating lens, and received, via the collimating lens, at a power meter connected to the optical fiber. The method also includes adjusting a position of a tip of the optical fiber proximal to the collimating lens while tracking a power reading using the power meter, selecting a calibration position of the optical fiber corresponding to a highest power reading, and securing the optical fiber relative to the collimating lens using the calibration position.

公开(公告)号：US11307367B2

公开(公告)日：2022-04-19

申请号：US16994927

申请日：2020-08-17

Applicant: X Development LLC

Inventor： Nam-hyong Kim ,  Andrei Kazmierski ,  Paul Epp

IPC: H04B10/00 ,  G02B6/42 ,  G02B27/30

Abstract: A method of calibrating a collimating lens system includes transmitting, using an optical transmitter, a beam out of an optical fiber and through a collimating lens of the collimating lens system. The beam is reflected off a perfect flat mirror positioned at an output of the collimating lens and back towards the collimating lens, and received, via the collimating lens, at a power meter connected to the optical fiber. The method also includes adjusting a position of a tip of the optical fiber proximal to the collimating lens while tracking a power reading using the power meter, selecting a calibration position of the optical fiber corresponding to a highest power reading, and securing the optical fiber relative to the collimating lens using the calibration position.

公开(公告)号：US20180172915A1

公开(公告)日：2018-06-21

申请号：US15861073

申请日：2018-01-03

Applicant: X Development LLC

Inventor： Nam-hyong Kim ,  Robert Todd Belt ,  Baris Ibrahim Erkmen ,  Edward Allen Keyes

IPC: G02B6/293 ,  H04L5/14 ,  H04Q11/00 ,  G02B6/26 ,  G02B27/14

CPC classification number: G02B6/29395 ,  G02B6/262 ,  G02B6/29361 ,  G02B27/141 ,  H04B10/1125 ,  H04B10/1129 ,  H04B10/118 ,  H04L5/14 ,  H04Q11/0005 ,  H04Q2011/0016 ,  H04Q2011/0026

Abstract: 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.

公开(公告)号：US11777603B2

公开(公告)日：2023-10-03

申请号：US16436278

申请日：2019-06-10

Applicant: X DEVELOPMENT LLC

Inventor： Nam-hyong Kim ,  Andrei Kazmierski ,  Devin Brinkley

IPC: H04B10/112 ,  H04B10/116 ,  G02B27/00 ,  H04B10/40 ,  G02B5/20 ,  G02B13/14

CPC classification number: H04B10/116 ,  G02B5/208 ,  G02B13/14 ,  G02B27/0025 ,  H04B10/112 ,  H04B10/1123 ,  H04B10/1125 ,  H04B10/40

Abstract: The disclosure provides for a free-space optical communication system that includes a first lens group, a field corrector lens, and a second lens group. The first lens group is configured to receive light received from a remote free-space optical transmitter. The first lens group has a first focal plane. The field corrector lens is positioned between the first lens group and the first focal plane of the first lens group and positioned closer to the first focal plane than the first lens group. The first lens group also is made of material having an index of refraction of at least 2.0, and has a second focal plane. The second lens group is positioned at the second focal plane of the field corrector lens and is configured to couple light to a sensor.

公开(公告)号：US20230350139A1

公开(公告)日：2023-11-02

申请号：US18219853

申请日：2023-07-10

Applicant: X DEVELOPMENT LLC

Inventor： Nam-hyong Kim ,  Andrei Kazmierski ,  Paul Epp

IPC: G02B6/42

CPC classification number: G02B6/4221 ,  G02B6/4225 ,  G02B27/30

Abstract: A method of calibrating a collimating lens system includes transmitting, using an optical transmitter, a beam out of an optical fiber and through a collimating lens of the collimating lens system. The beam is reflected off a perfect flat mirror positioned at an output of the collimating lens and back towards the collimating lens, and received, via the collimating lens, at a power meter connected to the optical fiber. The method also includes adjusting a position of a tip of the optical fiber proximal to the collimating lens while tracking a power reading using the power meter, selecting a calibration position of the optical fiber corresponding to a highest power reading, and securing the optical fiber relative to the collimating lens using the calibration position.

公开(公告)号：US20200241208A1

公开(公告)日：2020-07-30

申请号：US16818183

申请日：2020-03-13

Applicant: X DEVELOPMENT LLC

Inventor： Andrei Kazmierski ,  Nam-hyong Kim ,  Devin Brinkley ,  Baris Ibrahim Erkmen

IPC: G02B6/32 ,  F21V8/00 ,  G02B9/04 ,  G02B27/09

Abstract: An optical communication device is provided that includes a first lens having a first surface and a second surface, a second lens having a third surface and a fourth surface, an optical fiber configured to output light including a plurality of ray bundles, and a photodetector located at the fourth surface of the second lens. The first lens is configured to cause the light output from the optical fiber to form an image at an image plane located at the third surface of the second lens. The second lens is configured to cause subsets of the ray bundles received at the third surface of the second lens to intersect or overlap at the photodetector in a smaller cross-sectional area than at the third surface of the second lens.

公开(公告)号：US20200228202A1

公开(公告)日：2020-07-16

申请号：US16436278

申请日：2019-06-10

Applicant: X DEVELOPMENT LLC

Inventor： Nam-hyong Kim ,  Andrei Kazmierski ,  Devin Brinkley

IPC: H04B10/116 ,  G02B27/00 ,  G02B13/14 ,  G02B5/20 ,  H04B10/40

Abstract: The disclosure provides for a free-space optical communication system that includes a first lens group, a field corrector lens, and a second lens group. The first lens group is configured to receive light received from a remote free-space optical transmitter. The first lens group has a first focal plane. The field corrector lens is positioned between the first lens group and the first focal plane of the first lens group and positioned closer to the first focal plane than the first lens group. The first lens group also is made of material having an index of refraction of at least 2.0, and has a second focal plane. The second lens group is positioned at the second focal plane of the field corrector lens and is configured to couple light to a sensor.

公开(公告)号：US10476592B1

公开(公告)日：2019-11-12

申请号：US15633971

申请日：2017-06-27

Applicant: X Development LLC

Inventor： Nam-hyong Kim ,  Robert Todd Belt

IPC: H04B10/112 ,  H04B10/077 ,  H04B10/079

Abstract: A fully-passive optical system creates a counter-propagating reference beam, which may be used to evaluate a misalignment between a receive beam, a transmit beam, and a tracking beam. The system can be mated to a motorized tip-tilt stage, and can measure power of received signals and automatically adjust the tip-tilt stage in response. Thus, the system would always maintain bore-sight with the received beam regardless of mechanical shift over time.