Meanwhile at the primary device, after the designations are determined as discussed above, the primary device initiates a primary search pattern by moving to a starting beacon position using the pointing hardware 260 of the primary device and staying in the starting beacon position for a second set amount of time. The one or more processors 210 of the primary device may determine the starting beacon position based on a best estimate of the location of the second optical system 250 of the secondary device. In particular, the starting beacon position may be where a beacon beam 24 transmitted by the primary device may be pointed at the best estimated location. For example, first communication device 200a, designated as the primary device, may determine a best estimate of where second optical system 250b of second communication device 200b is using data stored in memory 220a and point first optical system 250a and beacon beam 24a in the direction of the best estimated location of second optical system 250b to initiate the primary search pattern.

The primary search pattern may include a series of beacon positions forming concentric circles centered on the starting beacon position of the primary device. The primary search pattern may start from beacon positions in concentric circles having smaller radii to those in circles having larger radii. The radii of the concentric circles may be based on a size of the solid angle in space illuminated by the beacon beam 24. For example, the radii of the concentric circles may be multiples of the radius of the solid angle illuminated by the beacon beam 24.