Vehicular optical communications system

• US 20050129410A1
• Filed: 10/14/2004
• Published: 06/16/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Clifton Labs, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Clifton Labs, Inc.
• Inventors: Martin, Dale K., Beyette, Fred R. Jr., Wilsey, Philip A., Dieckman, Darryl S.
• Granted Patent: US 7,605,842 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 398/153
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/1143 Bidirectional transmission

Abstract

Described are a vehicle optical communications system and network to exchange high bandwidth optical data between vehicles or between a vehicle and a stationary host. The vehicle optical communications system includes a communications module and a sensor having pixels for detecting an image in a field of view. Each pixel can generate a pixel data signal responsive to an incident optical data signal that includes vehicle data transmitted from a remote optical transmitter. The communications module provides remote data in response to the pixel data signals. The vehicular communications system optionally includes an optical transmitter to enable bi-directional communication. Data can be transmitted through a multi-node network of vehicular communication systems deployed in vehicles or on stationary hosts located between or around the data transmitter and intended data receiver. Simultaneous data from multiple optical transmitters within the sensor field of view are processed concurrently and maintained as separate communication channels.

Claims

1. A vehicular optical communications system comprising:

a sensor having a plurality of pixels and detecting an image in a field of view, each pixel configured to generate a pixel data signal responsive to an optical data signal comprising vehicle data generated by a remote optical transmitter in a respective pixel field of view; and

a communications module in communication with the sensor, the communications module providing remote data in response to the pixel data signal generated by at least one of the pixels.

2. The vehicular optical communications system of claim 1 further comprising an optical transmitter in communication with the communications module, the optical transmitter generating an optical data signal comprising data for transmission from a vehicle to a remote sensor.

3. The vehicular optical communications system of claim 2 wherein the communications data comprise at least one of identification data, location data, routing data, commercial data, telephone data and self guidance data.

4. The vehicular optical communications system of claim 1 further comprising a vehicle guidance module in communication with the communications module, the vehicle guidance module generating at least one guidance signal for controlling operation of a vehicle in response to the pixel data signal.

5. The vehicular optical communications system of claim 2 wherein the optical transmitter generates an optical beam for transmission and the remote optical transmitter comprises a modulated reflector to receive the optical beam and reflect a modulated optical beam comprising the remote data.

6. The vehicular optical communications system of claim 1 further comprising a user interface in communication with the communications module to provide at least one of graphical data and audible data to a vehicle occupant.

7. A vehicular optical communications network, comprising:

a first optical transmitter for generating a first optical data signal comprising vehicle data;

a first sensor having a plurality of pixels and detecting an image in a first sensor field of view, each pixel of the first sensor configured to generate a pixel data signal responsive to the first optical data signal if the first optical transmitter is in a respective pixel field of view;

a communications module in communication with the first sensor, the communications module generating a data signal responsive to the pixel data signal generated by at least one of the pixels;

a second optical transmitter in communication with the communications module, the second optical transmitter generating a second optical data signal for transmission to a remote sensor; and

a second sensor having a plurality of pixels and detecting an image in a second sensor field of view, each pixel of the second sensor configured to generate a pixel data signal responsive to the second optical data signal if the second optical transmitter is in a respective pixel field of view.

8. The vehicular optical communications network of claim 7 wherein the vehicle data comprise at least one of identification data, location data, routing data, commercial data, telephone data and self guidance data.

9. The vehicular optical communications network of claim 7 wherein the first sensor, the communications module and the second optical transmitter are integrated in a single vehicle.

10. The vehicular optical communications network of claim 7 wherein the first sensor, the communications module and the second optical transmitter are integrated at a single stationary host.

11. A vehicular optical communications network, comprising:

a vehicle optical transmitter for generating a vehicle optical data signal comprising vehicle data;

a vehicle sensor having a plurality of pixels and detecting an image in a vehicle sensor field of view, each pixel configured to generate a pixel data signal responsive to a remote optical data signal if a remote optical transmitter is in a respective pixel field of view;

a vehicle communications module in communication with the vehicle sensor, the vehicle communications module generating a data signal responsive to the pixel data signal generated by at least one of the pixels of the vehicle sensor;

a remote optical transmitter for generating a remote optical data signal comprising remote data;

a remote sensor having a plurality of pixels and detecting an image in a remote sensor field of view, each of the pixels of the remote sensor configured to generate a pixel data signal responsive to the vehicle optical data signal if the vehicle optical transmitter is in a respective pixel field of view; and

a remote communications module in communication with the remote sensor, the remote communications module generating a data signal responsive to the pixel data signal generated by at least one of the pixels of the remote sensor.

12. The vehicular optical communications network of claim 11 wherein the vehicle communications module is in communication with the vehicle optical transmitter.

13. The vehicular optical communications network of claim 11 wherein the remote communications module is in communication with the remote optical transmitter.

14. The vehicular optical communications network of claim 11 wherein the vehicle data comprise at least one of identification data, location data, telephone data and self guidance data.

15. The vehicular optical communications network of claim 11 wherein the remote data comprise at least one of identification data, location data, routing data, commercial data, telephone data and self guidance data.

16. The vehicular optical communications network of claim 11 further comprising a vehicle guidance module in communication with the vehicle communications module, the vehicle guidance module generating at least one guidance signal for controlling operation of a vehicle in response to the remote data.

17. A vehicular optical communications system comprising:

a plurality of sensors each having a plurality of pixels, each pixel detecting an image in a field of view, each pixel configured to generate a pixel data signal responsive to an optical data signal comprising vehicle data generated by a remote optical transmitter in the respective pixel field of view; and

a communications module in communication with each of the sensors, the communications module providing remote data in response to the pixel data signal generated by at least one of the pixels of at least one of the sensors.

18. A vehicular optical communications system comprising:

a plurality of sensors each having a plurality of pixels, each pixel detecting an image in a field of view, each pixel configured to generate a pixel data signal responsive to an optical data signal comprising vehicle data generated by a remote optical transmitter in the respective pixel field of view; and

a plurality of communications modules, each communications module being in communication with at least one of the sensors and providing remote data in response to the pixel data signal generated by at least one of the pixels of the at least one of the sensors.

19. A vehicular optical communications system comprising:

a plurality of optical detectors each adapted to sense an optical data signal comprising vehicle data from a remote optical transmitter in a field of view, each optical detector configured to provide a field of view in a predetermined direction, each optical detector generating a data signal responsive to the optical data signal; and

a communications module in communication with the plurality of optical detectors, the communications module providing remote data in response to the data signal generated by at least one of the optical detectors.

20. The vehicular optical communications system of claim 19 wherein the fields of view are contiguous.

21. The vehicular optical communications system of claim 19 further comprising an imaging system in communication with each of the optical detectors to generate the respective field of view.

22. A method for vehicular communication, the method comprising:

transmitting an optical data signal comprising vehicle data from a vehicle to a remote sensor having a plurality of pixels;

generating a pixel data signal at the remote sensor in response to the transmitted optical data signal; and

determining the vehicle data based on the pixel data signal.

23. The method of claim 22 further comprising generating reply data in response to the vehicle data.

24. The method of claim 23 further comprising transmitting a remote optical data signal comprising the reply data to the vehicle.

25. A method for vehicular communication, the method comprising:

transmitting an optical data signal comprising vehicle data to a first vehicle having a sensor including a plurality of pixels;

determining that the optical data signal incident on at least one of the pixels of the sensor is intended for a second vehicle; and

transmitting the optical data signal from the first vehicle to a sensor including a plurality of pixels at the second vehicle.

26. A vehicular optical communications system comprising:

detecting means for detecting an image in a field of view and detecting at least one optical data signal generated by a remote optical transmitter in the field of view, the detecting means generating a pixel data signal for each detected optical data; and

processing means in communication with the detecting means and providing remote data in response to each pixel data signal generated by the detecting means.