Optical coupling device and method for bidirectional data communication over a common signal line
First Claim
1. An optical coupling device operative over a bidirectional data link between at least first and second communicating units, each operative to send and receive data along a common wire of said data transmission link, said device comprising:
- at least first and second optical coupling means, each comprising a photon flux source and a photon flux detector, wherein;
the photon flux source of said first optical coupling means is commanded in response to a data transmission by said first communicating unit, the photon flux source of said second optical coupling means is commanded in response to a data transmission by said second communicating unit, the photon flux detector of said first optical coupling means is operative to produce a signal on said data transmission link at said first communicating unit in response to a command of the photon flux source of said second optical coupling means from said second communicating unit, the photon flux detector of said second optical coupling means is operative to produce a signal on said data link at said second communicating unit in response to a command of the photon flux source of said first optical coupling means from said first communicating unit, first inhibiting means for inhibiting the photon flux source of said second optical coupling means in response to an activation of the photon flux source of said first optical coupling means, and second inhibiting means for inhibiting the photon flux source of said first optical coupling means in response to an activation of the photon flux source of said second optical coupling means.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Optical coupling device operates over a bidirectional data link between at least first and second communicators, each communicating data along a common wire of the data link. The device includes at least first and second optical couplers, each including a photon flux source and a photon flux detector. The photon flux source of the first and second optical couplers, respectively, is commanded by the first and second communicator, respectively. The photon flux detector of the first and second optical coupler, respectively, produces a signal on the data link at the first and second communicator, respectively, in response to the photon flux source of the second and first optical coupler, respectively, from the second and first communicator, respectively. An inhibitor inhibits the photon flux source of the second and first optical coupler, respectively, in response to an activation of the photon flux source of the first and second optical coupler, respectively.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. An optical coupling device operative over a bidirectional data link between at least first and second communicating units, each operative to send and receive data along a common wire of said data transmission link,
said device comprising: -
at least first and second optical coupling means, each comprising a photon flux source and a photon flux detector, wherein;
the photon flux source of said first optical coupling means is commanded in response to a data transmission by said first communicating unit, the photon flux source of said second optical coupling means is commanded in response to a data transmission by said second communicating unit, the photon flux detector of said first optical coupling means is operative to produce a signal on said data transmission link at said first communicating unit in response to a command of the photon flux source of said second optical coupling means from said second communicating unit, the photon flux detector of said second optical coupling means is operative to produce a signal on said data link at said second communicating unit in response to a command of the photon flux source of said first optical coupling means from said first communicating unit, first inhibiting means for inhibiting the photon flux source of said second optical coupling means in response to an activation of the photon flux source of said first optical coupling means, and second inhibiting means for inhibiting the photon flux source of said first optical coupling means in response to an activation of the photon flux source of said second optical coupling means. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 22)
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2. An optical coupling device operative over a bidirectional data link between at least first and second communicating units, each operative to send and receive data along a common wire of said data link,
said device comprising: -
at least first and second optical coupling means each comprising a photon flux source and a photon flux detector, wherein;
the photon flux source of said first optical coupling means is commanded in response to a data transmission by said first communicating unit, the photon flux source of said second optical coupling means is commanded in response to a data transmission by said second communicating unit, the photon flux detector of said first optical coupling means is operative to produce a signal on said data link at said first communicating unit in response to a command of the photon flux source of said second optical coupling means from said second communicating unit, the photon flux detector of said second optical coupling means is operative to produce a signal on said data link at said second communicating unit in response to a command of the photon flux source of said first optical coupling means from said first communicating unit, first inhibiting means for inhibiting the photon flux source of said second optical coupling means in response to an activation of the photon flux source of said first optical coupling means, and second inhibiting means for inhibiting the photon flux source of said first optical coupling means in response to an activation of the photon flux source of said second optical coupling means, wherein said bidirectional data link is normally biased to a first state when no data is present, data on said link being expressed by a forcing of said link to a second state, wherein at least one said communicating unit comprises;
a first connection path for connecting said data link to a source at said second state, said first path having interposed therealong a switch controlled by a data signal to be sent by said unit, whereby said data link can be forced to said second state in response to said data signal to be sent, a second connection path for connecting said data link to a source at said second state, said second path having interposed therealong a said photon flux detector responsive to a photon flux from another communicating unit sending data to said communicating unit, said photon flux detector blocking said second path in the absence of a photon flux and making said second path connect said transmission link to said source at said second state in the presence of a photon flux, a said photon flux source operative in response to said data signal to be sent by said communicating unit, said photon flux source being active when biased at a level above a threshold value and being connected between a driving power source and said source at said second state via said switch of said first conduction path, said photon flux source thereby being biased above said threshold value when said switch is conducting, and wherein said inhibiting means comprises means for forcing the biasing level of said photon flux source to be below said threshold value when said second connection path is made to connect said data link to said source at said second state, in the presence of said photon flux on said photon flux detector. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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17. A method of providing an optical coupling over a bidirectional data link between at least first and second communicating units, each operative to send and receive data along a common wire of said data transmission link, comprising the steps of:
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providing at least first and second optical coupling means each comprising a photon flux source and a photon flux detector, wherein;
commanding the photon flux source of said first optical coupling means in response to a data transmission by said first communicating unit, commanding the photon flux source of said second optical coupling means in response to a data transmission by said second communicating unit, causing the photon flux detector of said first optical coupling means to produce a signal on said data transmission link at said first communicating unit in response to a command of the photon flux source of said second optical coupling means from said second communicating unit, causing the photon flux detector of said second optical coupling means to produce a signal on said data link at said second communicating unit in response to a command of the photon flux source of said first optical coupling means from said first communicating unit, inhibiting the photon flux source of said second optical coupling means in response to an activation of the photon flux source of said first optical coupling means, and inhibiting the photon flux source of said first optical coupling means in response to an activation of the photon flux source of said second optical coupling means. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26)
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18. A method of providing an optical coupling over a bidirectional data link between at least first and second communicating units, each operative to send and receive data along a common wire of said data link, comprising the steps of:
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providing at least first and second optical coupling means each comprising a photon flux source and a photon flux detector, wherein;
commanding the photon flux source of said first optical coupling means in response to a data transmission by said first communicating unit, commanding the photon flux source of said second optical coupling means in response to a data transmission by said second communicating unit, causing the photon flux detector of said first optical coupling means to produce a signal on said data link at said first communicating unit in response to a command of the photon flux source of said second optical coupling means from said second communicating unit, causing the photon flux detector of said second optical coupling means to produce a signal on said data link at said second communicating unit in response to a command of the photon flux source of said first optical coupling means from said first communicating unit, inhibiting the photon flux source of said second optical coupling means in response to an activation of the photon flux source of said first optical coupling means, and inhibiting the photon flux source of said first optical coupling means in response to an activation of the photon flux source of said second optical coupling means, normally biasing said bidirectional data transmission link to a first state when no data is present, data on said link being expressed by a forcing of said link to a second state, for at least one said communicating unit;
creating a first connection path for connecting said data link to a source at said second state, said first path having interposed therealong a switch controlled by a data signal to be sent by said unit, whereby said data link is forced to said second state in response to said data signal to be sent, creating a second connection path for connecting said data link to a source at said second state, said second path having interposed therealong comprising a said photon flux detector responsive to a photon flux from another communicating unit sending data to said communicating unit, said photon flux detector blocking said second path in the absence of a photon flux and making said second path connect said data link to said source at said second state in the presence of a photon flux, operating said photon flux source in response to said data signal to be sent by said communicating unit, said photon flux source being active when biased at a level above a threshold value and being connected between a driving power source and said source at said second state via said switch of said first conduction path, said photon flux source thereby being biased above said threshold value when said switch is conducting, and said inhibiting step comprising forcing the biasing level of said photon flux source to be below said threshold value when said second connection path is connecting said link to said source at said second state, in the presence of said photon flux on said photon flux detector. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 23, 24)
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Specification