Optical commuincation system for a portable computing device and method of use

• US 20020149822A1
• Filed: 08/10/2001
• Published: 10/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Eric M. Stroud
• Original Assignee: Eric M. Stroud
• Inventors: Stroud, Eric M.
• Application Number:
  US09/927,651
• Publication Number:
  US 20020149822A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 398/118
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/114 Indoor or close-range type systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/40 Transceivers

Abstract

An optical communication system is provided for hand holdable computing devices. The optical communication system facilitates the data communication distance of the hand holdable computing device by using electromagnetic radiation between 200 nanometers and 1500 nanometers to pass data. The radiation is generated by the system using light emitting diodes or one or more lasers. The system is optically coupled to the infrared data communications port an existing hand holdable computing device or is electrically integrated into the computing device. Once coupled, the system allows the hand holdable computing device to communicate with remote optical communication devices up to 1000 meters away. The system finds application with personal digital assistants, cellular telephones, and portable computers.

Claims

1. An optical communication system for increasing line of sight communication between a portable hand holdable computing device and a remote optical device, the computing device having a central processing unit, an electromagnetic transmitter, and an electromagnetic receiver, said optical communication system comprising:

(a) transmitting elements including;

(1) an electromagnetic receiver unit for receiving data from the computing device central processing unit via the computing device electromagnetic transmitter;

(2) an electromagnetic transmitter operating between any wavelength of 200 nanometers and 1500 nanometers for generating a light beam containing the data received from the computing device;

(b) receiving elements including;

(1) an electromagnetic receiver operating between any wavelength of 200 nanometers and 1500 nanometers for converting an optical data signal received from the remote optical device to an electrical signal;

(2) an electromagnetic transmitter unit connected to said electromagnetic receiver for transmitting the electrical signal to the computing device central processing unit via the computing device electromagnetic receiver; and

, said communication system removably connectable to the hand holdable computing device.

2. An optical communication system according to claim 1 wherein the computing device is packaged in a first housing, further including:

said optical communication system packaged in a second housing, said second housing removably connectable to the first housing.

3. An optical communication system according to claim 1 wherein the computing device electromagnetic transmitter and the electromagnetic receiver include an infrared port, said communication system further including:

said electromagnetic receiver unit and said electromagnetic transmitter unit optically communicating with the infrared port of the computing device

4. An optical communication system according to claim 1, the computing device including an encoder disposed between the central processing unit and the electromagnetic transmitter and a decoder disposed between the electromagnetic receiver and the central processing unit, the encoder and decoder being IrDA compatible, said communication system further including:

a decoding unit disposed between said electromagnetic receiver unit for decoding the data received from the computing device, said decoding unit being IrDA compatible; and

,

an encoding unit disposed between said electromagnetic receiver and said electromagnetic transmitter unit for encoding the electrical signal, said encoding unit being IrDA compatible.

5. An optical communication system according to claim 1, further including:

said electromagnetic transmitter being a laser device producing 0.1 milliwatt or greater optical output power

6. An optical communication system according to claim 5, further including:

wherein said optical communication system facilitates communication when the computing device is separated from the remote optical device by a line of sight distance of between about two meters and about 1000 meters.

7. An optical communication system according to claim 1, further including:

said electromagnetic transmitter including at least two light emitting diodes each producing 5 milliwatt or greater radiant optical output power

8. An optical communication system according to claim 7, further including:

wherein said optical communication system facilitates communication when the computing device is separated from the remote optical device by a line of sight distance of between about two meters and about 1000 meters.

9. An optical communication system according to claim 1 wherein the computing device is one of a personal data assistant, a hand holdable computer, and a mobile telephone.

10. An optical communication system according to claim 1, further including:

collimating optics cooperating with said electromagnetic transmitter for focusing said light beam;

11. An optical communication system according to claim 1, further including:

optical elements cooperating with said electromagnetic receiver for receiving the optical data signal from the remote optical device.

12. An optical communication system according to claim 11, wherein said optical elements include at least one of an optical window, gathering optics, and an optical filter.

14. An optical communication system according to claim 13, further including

said electromagnetic transmitter being a laser device producing 0.1 milliwatt or greater optical output power

15. An optical communication system according to claim 13, further including:

said electromagnetic transmitter including at least two light emitting diodes, each producing 5 milliwatts or greater radiant optical output power.

16. An optical communication system according to claim 15, further including:

wherein said line of sight distance is between about two meters and about 1000 meters.

17. An optical communication system according to claim 13 wherein said computing device is one of a personal data assistant, a hand holdable computer, and a mobile telephone.

18. An optical communication system according to claim 13, further including:

collimating optics cooperating with said electromagnetic transmitter for focusing said light beam;

19. An optical communication system according to claim 13, further including:

optical elements cooperating with said electromagnetic receiver for receiving the optical data signal from the remote optical device.

13. An optical communication system for facilitating line of sight communication between a portable hand holdable computing device and a remote optical device, the computing device including a central processing unit, said optical communication system comprising:

(a) transmitting elements including;

(1) electromagnetic transmitter operating between any wavelength of 200 nanometers and 1500 nanometers connected to said modulator for generating a light beam containing the data generated by the central processing;

(b) receiving elements including;

(1) an electromagnetic receiver operating between any wavelength of 200 nanometers and 1500 nanometers for converting an optical data signal received from the remote optical device to an electrical signal and delivering the electrical signal to the central processing unit;

said communication system co-packaged with the computing device; and

,

wherein said optical communication system facilitates communication when the computing device is separated from the remote optical device by a line of sight distance of between about two meters and about 1000 meters.

20. A method of optically communicating between a computing device and a remote optical device, comprising:

providing a remote optical device;

providing the computing device including a central processing unit;

providing an optical communication system for facilitating line of sight communication between the computing device and the remote optical, said optical communication system including;

(a) transmitting elements including;

(1) a modulator connected to the central processing unit for modulating data received from the central processing unit, and (2) an electromagnetic transmitter operating between any wavelength of 200 nanometers and 1500 nanometers connected to said modulator for generating a light beam containing the data generated by the central processing unit;

(b) receiving elements including;

(1) an electromagnetic receiver operating between any wavelength of 200 nanometers and 1500 nanometers for converting an optical data signal received from the remote optical device to an electrical signal and delivering the electrical signal to the central processing unit;

activating said optical communication system, the computing device, and the remote optical device;

causing said light beam to be directed toward the remote optical device; and

,

causing out going data to be sent a distance of between about two meters and about 1000 meters on said light beam from the computing device to the remote optical device via said communication system.