{"schema_version":"1.0","canonical_url":"https://patentable.app/patents/US-10530478","patent":{"patent_number":"US-10530478","title":"Free-space optical communication module for small satellites","assignee":null,"inventors":[],"filing_date":"2017-11-06T00:00:00.000Z","publication_date":"2020-01-07T00:00:00.000Z","cpc_codes":["H04B","H04B","H04B","H04B"],"num_claims":18,"abstract":"Communication bottlenecks, particularly in the downlink direction, are a common problem for many CubeSat developers. As described herein, a CubeSat module for a CubeSat comprises an optical transmitter to transmit data to a remote terminal, a receiver to acquire an optical beacon from a remote terminal, and a fine-pointing module operably and directly coupleable to a coarse-pointing module of the CubeSat. The fine-pointing module is configured to point the optical transmitter toward the remote terminal with an accuracy range that overlaps with an accuracy range of the coarse-pointing module of the CubeSat so as to establish a communications link between the CubeSat and the remote terminal over a low-Earth-orbit (LEO) distance."},"analysis":{"summary":null,"layman_explanation":null,"technical_analysis":null,"business_analysis":null,"faqs":null,"topics":[],"tech_cluster":null},"seo":{"title":"Free-space optical communication module for small satellites","description":"Communication bottlenecks, particularly in the downlink direction, are a common problem for many CubeSat developers. As described herein, a CubeSat module for a CubeSat comprises an optical transmitte","keywords":[]},"attribution":{"source":"Patentable","source_url":"https://patentable.app","canonical_url":"https://patentable.app/patents/US-10530478","license":"CC-BY-4.0-like","license_terms":"AI-generated analysis on this page (summary, layman_explanation, technical_analysis, business_analysis, faqs) may be reused with attribution and a visible link back to the canonical URL above. Patent abstracts, claims, and bibliographic data are USPTO public domain.","required_link":"https://patentable.app/patents/US-10530478","citation_suggestion":"Patentable. \"Free-space optical communication module for small satellites\" (US-10530478). https://patentable.app/patents/US-10530478","copyright_holder":"Nomic Interactive Technology LLC"},"links":{"html":"https://patentable.app/patents/US-10530478","json":"https://patentable.app/api/llm-context/US-10530478","site":"https://patentable.app","llms_txt":"https://patentable.app/llms.txt"},"generated_at":"2026-05-30T15:25:52.444Z"}