Electronic device including light detection circuit

• US 10,048,123 B2
• Filed: 01/08/2015
• Issued: 08/14/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eaton Intelligent Power Limited (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Original Assignee: Eaton Intelligent Power Limited (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Inventors: Haensgen, Gregg James, Formea, James Derek, Sowada, Andrew John, Lucas, Richard William, Heiden, Kyle, Sterjo, Denis
• Primary Examiner(s): Epps, Georgia Y
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILLIAMS, DON J
• Application Number:
  US14/592,352
• Publication Number:
  US 20160202116A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,314 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/44 Electric circuits for command of an exposure part G03B7/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/1141 One-way transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/43 using a single component as both light source and receiver, e.g. using a photoemitter as a photoreceiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0225 using monitoring of external events, e.g. the presence of a signal
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/195 the transmission using visible or infrared light
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

An electronic device including a component and a light circuit structured to detect light. The light circuit is structured to output a detection signal in response to detecting light and the detection signal is used to wake up or communicate with the component.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a component; and

a light circuit including a light emitting diode and being structured to have a first mode to generate light with the light emitting diode and a second mode to detect light with the light emitting diode;

a function selection circuit structured to control the light circuit to operate in the first mode or the second mode; and

a light control circuit structured to drive the light circuit to generate light with the light emitting diode when operating in the first mode,

wherein the light circuit is structured to output a detection signal in response to detecting light when operating in the second mode, and

wherein the detection signal is used to wake up or communicate with the component.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising:

a wake-up circuit structured to receive the detection signal and to output a wake-up signal in response to receiving the detection signal,

wherein the component is a wireless communication circuit structured to receive the wake-up signal and to wirelessly communicate with an external wireless device, and

wherein the wireless communication circuit is structured to wake-up in response to receiving the wake-up signal.

3. The electronic device of claim 2, wherein the wake-up circuit is structured to output the wake-up signal when the detection signal matches a predetermined pattern.

4. The electronic device of claim 2, wherein the wireless communication circuit is structured to wirelessly communicate with the external wireless device using Bluetooth or cellular communication protocol.

5. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the component is a control unit structured to receive the detection signal;

wherein the light circuit is structured to detect encoded light pulses including information; and

wherein the control unit is structured to decode the detection signal.

6. The electronic device of claim 5, wherein the control unit is structured to use the decoded detection signal to configure parameters of the electronic device.

7. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising:

a detection circuit structured to receive the detection signal from the light circuit and to process the detection signal.

8. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the detection circuit is structured to process the detection signal by at least one of amplifying and level-shifting the detection signal.

9. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the function selection circuit ties a cathode of the at least one light emitting diode to ground when the light circuit is operating in the first mode and ties the anode of the light emitting diode to ground when the light circuit is operating in the second mode.

10. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the function selection circuit includes a function control signal generator structured to output a function control signal having a first state or a second state, wherein the function selection circuit includes a first switch disposed between the cathode of the light emitting diode and ground and a second switch disposed between the anode of the light emitting diode and ground, and wherein the first switch and the second switch are controlled by the function control signal.

11. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein when the function control signal has the first state, the first switch is open and the second switch is closed, and when the function control signal has the second state, the first switch is closed and the second switch is open.

12. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a smart sensor.

13. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the light circuit is structured to detect light from a laser.

14. A method to wake up or communicate with a component of an electronic device, the method comprising:

providing the electronic device having a light circuit including a light emitting diode and being structured to have a first mode to generate light with the light emitting diode and a second mode to detect light with the light emitting diode;

selecting the first mode of the light circuit;

generating light with the light circuit using the light emitting diode;

selecting the second mode of the light circuit;

detecting light with the light circuit using the light emitting diode; and

waking up or communicating with the component based on the detected light.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the component is a wireless communication circuit;

wherein waking up or communicating with the component includes waking up the wireless communication circuit; and

wherein the method further comprises;

wirelessly communicating with an external wireless device using the wireless communication circuit.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein waking up the wireless communication circuit includes waking up the wireless communication circuit in response to detecting a light pattern matching a predetermined pattern.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the light detected by the light circuit is encoded light pulses including information, and wherein the method further comprises:

decoding the detected light with a control unit included in the electronic device.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

using the decoded detected light to configure parameters of the electronic device.