How Satellites Use Lasers and Colors to Send Data Fast
This patent describes a satellite communication system that uses two low-orbit satellites linked by a high-speed laser beam, which splits light into different colors to send massive amounts of data quickly between ground stations or aircraft.
Original patent title: “Extensible high bandwidth global space communication network”
This patent describes a satellite communication system that uses two low-orbit satellites linked by a high-speed laser beam, which splits light into different colors to send massive amounts of data quickly between ground stations or aircraft. Granted to Raytheon in 2014 with 26 claims and 2 forward citations, and it is expected to expire in 2031.
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
The patent describes a communication system using two satellites in low or medium Earth orbit (LEO/MEO) to relay data. A first satellite talks to a ground station or an aircraft (a "first transceiver" per claimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1 and 2) using a radio or laser link (claim 14). This first satellite then sends data to a second satellite using a special "laser communication crosslink" (claim 1). This laser link is very fast because it uses "wavelength division multiplexing" (WDM), meaning it sends data on multiple different colors of light at the same time (claim 1). The second satellite then sends the data down to another ground station (a "second transceiver" per claim 1 and 5). For example, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) could send surveillance data to a first satellite, which beams it via laser to a second satellite, which then sends it to a ground control station in near real-time (claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more → 4, 8, 9).
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Communication systems where satellites are only linked by radio frequency (RF) signals, as it specifically requires a "laser communication crosslink" (claimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1).
- Laser communication crosslinks that do not use "wavelength division multiplexing" (WDM) to increase data rate (claimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1).
- Satellite systems where both satellites are in geostationary orbit, as it specifies LEO or MEO below 36,000 km (abstractabstractA short summary at the front of the patent describing the invention. Not legally binding.Read more →).
- Systems where the satellites cannot autonomously compute a data route, as claimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 16 describes this as an optional feature.
- Systems that do not achieve low latency (less than 100 ms) or high data rates (greater than 1 gigabit per second) as specified in claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more → 9, 10, and 11.
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
Key facts
What made this novel
The noveltynoveltyThe requirement that an invention be different from anything publicly known before its priority date.Read more → lies in combining low-Earth orbit satellites with high-bandwidth laser communication crosslinks that specifically use wavelength division multiplexing. This allows for extremely fast, secure data transfer between satellites, overcoming the limitations of traditional radio links and enabling rapid relay from mobile platforms to ground stations.
The Patent Drawing
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
Starlink's inter-satellite laser links
Project Kuiper's planned inter-satellite laser links
Military secure data relay networks
High-bandwidth communication for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs)
Why it matters
The bigger picture
This patent from Raytheon focuses on creating a robust, high-speed communication network for applications requiring fast data transfer, particularly for military or intelligence operations involving airborne assets like UAVs. The use of laser crosslinks and WDM allows for much higher bandwidth and lower latency than traditional radio frequency satellite links. This technology is foundational for secure, real-time data relay in challenging environments, supporting critical missions.
Filed
May 27, 2011
Granted
April 8, 2014
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
Companies like SpaceX (Starlink), Amazon (Project Kuiper), and OneWeb are actively deploying large constellations of LEO satellites that utilize inter-satellite laser links for high-speed data transfer. Traditional aerospace and defense contractors like Raytheon (now Raytheon Technologies) continue to develop advanced satellite communication systems for government and military applications.
Market impact
This patent contributed to the foundational understanding and protection of high-bandwidth satellite communication architectures. The principles of inter-satellite laser links with WDM have become central to the design of modern LEO satellite constellations, enabling global, low-latency broadband internet and secure data networks. It helped pave the way for a new era of space-based internet services and advanced military communication capabilities.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
The patent describes a communication system using two satellites in low or medium Earth orbit (LEO/MEO) to relay data. A first satellite talks to a ground station or an aircraft (a "first transceiver" per claim 1 and 2) using a radio or laser link (claim 14). This first satellite then sends data to a second satellite using a special "laser communication crosslink" (claim 1). This laser link is very fast because it uses "wavelength division multiplexing" (WDM), meaning it sends data on multiple different colors of light at the same time (claim 1). The second satellite then sends the data down to another ground station (a "second transceiver" per claim 1 and 5). For example, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) could send surveillance data to a first satellite, which beams it via laser to a second satellite, which then sends it to a ground control station in near real-time (claims 4, 8, 9).
The clever bit
The novelty lies in combining low-Earth orbit satellites with high-bandwidth laser communication crosslinks that specifically use wavelength division multiplexing. This allows for extremely fast, secure data transfer between satellites, overcoming the limitations of traditional radio links and enabling rapid relay from mobile platforms to ground stations.
What it does not cover
- Communication systems where satellites are only linked by radio frequency (RF) signals, as it specifically requires a "laser communication crosslink" (claim 1).
- Laser communication crosslinks that do not use "wavelength division multiplexing" (WDM) to increase data rate (claim 1).
- Satellite systems where both satellites are in geostationary orbit, as it specifies LEO or MEO below 36,000 km (abstract).
- Systems where the satellites cannot autonomously compute a data route, as claim 16 describes this as an optional feature.
- Systems that do not achieve low latency (less than 100 ms) or high data rates (greater than 1 gigabit per second) as specified in claims 9, 10, and 11.
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Application published, typically 18 months after filing
Patent officially issued
Patent enters public domain
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Early stage
Citation count
10/40
Early citations
Claim breadth
17/20
Very broad protection
Recency
5/20
Granted 10–20 years ago
Assignee scale
0/20
Independent or smaller assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$38K – $122K
Midpoint $76K · 4.6 yr remaining · industry ×1.4
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
Claim text not yet imported for this patent
The original legal language
Original claims
26 claims as filed with the patent office.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
McSpadden, J., JR., C. T. H., SILNY, J. F., Miniscalco, W. J., & COLEMAN, G. D. (2014). How Satellites Use Lasers and Colors to Send Data Fast (U.S. Patent No. 8,693,947). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/8693947/extensible-high-bandwidth-global-space-communication-network
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does How Satellites Use Lasers and Colors to Send Data Fast cover?
This patent describes a satellite communication system that uses two low-orbit satellites linked by a high-speed laser beam, which splits light into different colors to send massive amounts of data quickly between ground stations or aircraft.
Who owns patent US 8693947?
Raytheon owns this patent, granted in 2014.
When does this patent expire?
This patent is expected to expire on May 27, 2031, when the invention enters the public domain.
What is patent US 8693947 cited by?
This patent has been cited by 2 later patents that build on its ideas.
What problem does this patent solve?
This patent from Raytheon focuses on creating a robust, high-speed communication network for applications requiring fast data transfer, particularly for military or intelligence operations involving airborne assets like UAVs. The use of laser crosslinks and WDM allows for much higher bandwidth and lower latency than traditional radio frequency satellite links. This technology is foundational for secure, real-time data relay in challenging environments, supporting critical missions.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Communication systems where satellites are only linked by radio frequency (RF) signals, as it specifically requires a "laser communication crosslink" (claim 1).
Patent monitoring