| 摘要 |
This application concerns acquiring and maintaining optical alignment between a source transmitter and target receiver in a free-space optical communication system. The source includes a plurality of optical transmitters, such as a VCSEL array or an LED array. Light from each emitter passes through a lens and illuminates a different area in the vicinity of the target device. Optical alignment between the source and the target can be achieved by selecting the appropriate emitter to use. In more detail, the source emits an activation pattern in which the elements which are illuminated varies as a function of time. For example, they could be illuminated individually in sequence, or using an iterative scanning approach, such as that of Figure 4. The target device provides a wireless feedback signal to the source in response to the activation pattern, and this is used to deduce the optimum emitting element for alignment with the target. The wireless feedback signal may be RF or optical.
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