Methods and apparatus for transmitting data over graphic displays

• US 20020171639A1
• Filed: 04/16/2001
• Published: 11/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: See-Rt Limited
• Original Assignee: See-Rt Limited
• Inventors: Ben-David, Gal
• Application Number:
  US09/834,907
• Publication Number:
  US 20020171639A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/207
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1454 involving copying of the display data of a local workstation or window to a remote workstation or window so that an actual copy of the data is displayed simultaneously on two or more displays, e.g. teledisplay
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/1141 One-way transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/116 Visible light communication

Abstract

A method including downloading data from an information source by light transmission to a receiver, the information source being displayable on a scan display screen and a non-scan display screen

Claims

1. A method comprising:

downloading data from an information source by light transmission to a receiver, said information source being displayable on a scan display screen and a non-scan display screen.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein said downloading comprises collecting an emission of light from at least one of a scan display screen and a non-scam display screen, and filtering signals associated with emission of light from any combination of said scan and non-scan display screens to a common reception level.

3. The method according to claim 1 and further comprising modulating said light transmission of said data.

4. The method according to claim 3 wherein said modulating comprises at least one of pulse modulation (PM), pulse place modulation (PPM), pulse width modulation (PWM), amplitude modulation (AM), return to zero (RZ), non-return to zero (NRZ) and binary interval modulation.

5. The method according to claim 3 wherein said modulating comprises changing said light transmission between a plurality of gray levels displayable on a screen.

6. The method according to claim 5 wherein said modulating comprises representing a bit of data by at least one of a dark-to-light transition and a light-to-dark transition.

7. The method according to claim 6 wherein said modulating comprises representing said bit by a time interval between two adjacent transitions.

8. The method according to claim 1 and further comprising decoding said light transmission received by said receiver back to said data.

9. The method according to claim 5 wherein said light transmission is characterized by a transfer characteristic function, and further comprising decoding said light transmission back to said data by determining an inverse of said transfer characteristic fiction.

10. The method according to claim 5 wherein said determining comprises estimating said inverse of said transfer characteristic function by means of a Look-Up-Table (LUT).

11. The method according to claim 3 wherein said modulating comprises dithering said light transmission.

12. The method according to claim 3 wherein said modulating comprises separating said light transmission into a plurality of spectral colors.

13. The method according to claim 1 and further comprising downloading said data generally in parallel from a plurality of said information sources by light transmission to at least one receiver.

14. The method according to claim 1 wherein said light transmission comprises presenting a plurality of synthetic images that include said data.

15. The method according to claim 1 wherein said presenting comprises displaying said images on a screen synchronously with a refresh process of said screen.

16. The method according to claim 15 wherein said displaying comprises using a plurality of memory image-buffers, wherein contents of one of said buffers is displayed on the screen while contents of the other buffers are background updated.

17. The method according to claim 16 and further comprising switching between said buffers after background updating contents of the other buffers.

19. Apparatus according to claim 18 and fixer comprising a transmitter adapted to transmit said data on at least one of a scan display screen and a non-scan display screen.

20. Apparatus according to claim 19 wherein said transmitter comprises an encoder adapted to encode said data from said information source into at least one-dimensional image information.

21. Apparatus according to claim 20 wherein said transmitter comprises a screen driver adapted to display said at least one-dimensional image information on a screen.

22. Apparatus according to claim 21 wherein said screen driver comprises a cathode ray tube (CRT) driver.

23. Apparatus according to claim 22 and fiber comprising a CRT screen in communication with said screen driver.

24. Apparatus according to claim 21 wherein said screen driver comprises a liquid crystal display (LCD) driver.

25. Apparatus according to claim 22 and further comprising an LCD screen in communication with said screen driver.

26. Apparatus according to claim 18 wherein said receiver comprises a photo sensor adapted to collect an emission of light from at least one of a scan display screen and a non-scan display screen.

27. Apparatus according to claim 26 wherein said receiver comprises a filter adapted to filter emission from any combination of said scan and non-scan display screens to a common reception level.

28. Apparatus according to claim 19 wherein said transmitter is adapted to modulate said light transmission of said data.

29. Apparatus according to claim 28 wherein said transmitter is adapted to modulate said light transmission in accordance with at least one of pulse modulation (PM), pulse place modulation (PPM), pulse width modulation (PWM), amplitude modulation (AM), return to zero (RZ), non-return to zero (NRZ) and binary interval modulation.

30. Apparatus according to claim 28 wherein said transmitter is adapted to change said light transmission between a plurality of gray levels displayable on a screen.

31. Apparatus according to claim 30 wherein said transmitter is adapted to represent a bit of data by at least one of a dark-to-light transition and a light-to-dark transition.

32. Apparatus according to claim 31 wherein said transmitter is adapted to represent said bit by a time interval between two adjacent transitions.

33. Apparatus according to claim 18 wherein said receiver further comprises a decoder adapted to decode said light transmission received by said receiver back to said data.

34. Apparatus according to claim 33 wherein said light transmission is characterized by a transfer characteristic function, and said decoder is adapted to decode said light transmission back to said data by determining an inverse of said transfer characteristic function.

35. Apparatus according to claim 34 wherein said decoder is adapted to decode said light transmission back to said data by estimating said inverse of said transfer characteristic function by means of a Look-Up-Table (LUT).

36. Apparatus according to claim 28 wherein said transmitter is adapted to dither said light transmission.

37. Apparatus according to claim 28 wherein said transmitter is adapted to separate said light transmission into a plurality of spectral colors.

38. Apparatus according to claim 18 wherein said receiver is disposed in a component of at least one subscriber identity module (SIM) card of a mobile phone.

39. Apparatus according to claim 38 wherein said component comprises a battery of said at least one SIM card.

40. Apparatus according to claim 33 and further comprising a device in communication with said receiver, said device being operable by means of the data decoded by said decoder.

41. Apparatus according to claim 40 wherein said device comprises at least one of an irrigation controller, a smart card, a credit card, an electronic coupon, a programmable portable device, a controller, a toy, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a video verification device, a video watermarking device, a loadable greeting card and a loadable multimedia device.

42. Apparatus according to claim 18 wherein said receiver comprises a plurality of photo sensors adapted to collect an emission of light generally in parallel from a plurality of said information sources by light transmission to said photo sensors.

43. Apparatus according to claim 42 wherein said photo sensors comprise at least one of a one-dimensional photo sensor, a two dimensional photo sensor, and a CCD sensor.

18. Apparatus comprising:

an information source displayable on a scan display screen and a non-scan display screen; and

a receiver adapted to download data from said information source by light transmission thereto.

44. A method comprising:

receiving a plurality of signals from a scan screen, said signals comprising light segments; and

decoding the segments by deter a residual light effect of at least one of said light segments on a next light segment and subtracting said residual light effect from the received signals.

45. The method according to claim 44 wherein said determining comprises determining a segment pulse shape of one of said light segments.

46. The method according to claim 44 wherein said determining comprises determining a timing sequence of one of said light segments.

47. The method according to claim 45 wherein said determining said segment pulse shape comprises analyzing a pulse shape of at least one of said light segments by transmitting a single segment pulse with a known gray level, followed by transmitting a black screen.

48. The method according to claim 47 and further comprising decoding at least one of a shape and timing of said segment pulse with a pulse height and placement decoding unit.

49. The method according to claim 48 and her comprising storing said at least one of the shape and timing of said segment pulse in a decoded pulse FIFO (first in, first out) memory unit.

50. The method according to claim 49 and further comprising correcting non-linearity of at least one of said light segments.

51. The method according to claim 50 wherein said correcting comprises correcting wit a Look-Up-Table LUT).

52. The method according to claim 50 wherein said correcting comprises correcting by dithering at least one of said light segments.