US 12,316,376 B1
Broadband impulsive coding with amplified spontaneous emission source for free space optical communications
Thomas M. Chaffee, Lexington, VA (US); and Wayne H. Knox, Rochester, NY (US)
Assigned to Attochron, LLC, Lexington, VA (US)
Filed by Attochron, LLC, Lexington, VA (US)
Filed on Jan. 6, 2025, as Appl. No. 19/011,489.
Application 19/011,489 is a continuation in part of application No. 18/922,680, filed on Oct. 22, 2024, granted, now 12,250,021.
Int. Cl. H04B 10/112 (2013.01); H04B 1/04 (2006.01); H04B 10/50 (2013.01)
CPC H04B 10/1129 (2013.01) [H04B 1/0475 (2013.01); H04B 10/502 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A free-space optical system for transmitting a beam of light through a variably refractive medium, the free-space optical system comprising:
an optical source configured to generate a first beam of light;
a modulator system, the modulator system including:
a driver configured to generate a driver signal; and
at least one modulator configured to:
receive the driver signal and the first beam of light, and
time slice and encode data on the first beam of light to generate a second beam of light,
wherein an optical spectrum of the first beam of light is matched to a wavelength range of the at least one modulator;
an amplifier configured to amplify the second beam of light to generate a third beam of light,
wherein the free-space optical system transmits the third beam of light through a variably refractive medium,
wherein the driver comprises: a first signal generator configured to generate a first signal at a first frequency; a second signal generator configured to generate a second signal at a second frequency; and a third signal generator configured to generate a third signal at a third frequency, and
wherein the driver further comprises a microwave mixer configured to combine the first signal, the second signal, and the third signal to produce the driver signal.