Wireless optical data probe

• US 20070053693A1
• Filed: 09/07/2005
• Published: 03/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Original Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Inventors: Alvizuri, Claudio, Houck, Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 7,616,896 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 398/117
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/1149 Arrangements for indoor wireless networking of information

Abstract

A portable data probe includes a portable housing, an optical transceiver circuit and a wireless communication circuit. The optical transceiver circuit is disposed substantially within the portable housing, but is also configured to be in optical communication with an exterior of the portable housing. The optical transceiver circuit is operable to convert between electrical signals and corresponding optical signals. The wireless communication circuit is also disposed substantially within the housing, and is operably coupled to the optical transceiver circuit. The wireless communication circuit is operable to communicate wireless signals to a remote wireless circuit.

Claims

1. A portable data probe, comprising:

a portable housing;

an optical transceiver circuit disposed substantially within the portable housing, the optical transceiver circuit operable to convert between electrical signals and corresponding optical signals, the optical transceiver circuit configured to be in optical communication with an exterior of the portable housing; and

a wireless communication circuit disposed substantially within the housing, the wireless communication circuit operably coupled to the optical transceiver circuit, the wireless communication circuit operable to communicate wireless signals to a remote wireless circuit.

2. The portable data probe of claim 1, wherein:

the housing includes an interface, the interface configured to pass optical signals from the optical transceiver circuit and the exterior of the housing.

3. The portable data probe of claim 2, wherein the interface includes a lens.

4. The portable data probe of claim 2, wherein the interface includes a sized opening in a wall of the housing.

5. The portable data probe of claim 2, further comprising a magnet disposed in the vicinity of the interface.

6. The portable data probe of claim 1, further comprising an energy storage device operably connected to provide energy to the optical communication circuit and the wireless communication circuit.

7. The portable data probe of claim 1, further comprising level conversion circuitry disposed between the wireless communication circuit and the optical communication circuit, the level conversion circuitry operable to convert a first maximum level digital signal to a second maximum level digital signal.

8. The portable data probe of claim 7, wherein the second maximum level digital signal is a TTL standard signal.

9. The portable data probe of claim 7, wherein the optical transceiver comprises:

an optical detector device operably coupled to a bias voltage source, the bias voltage source having a voltage level exceeding a maximum level of the second maximum level digital signal.

10. The portable data probe of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication circuit comprises a wireless modem integrated circuit.

11. The portable data probe of claim 1, wherein the wireless modem integrated circuit is configured to communicate using Bluetooth standard wireless signals.

12. A portable data probe, comprising:

a portable housing;

an optical transceiver circuit disposed substantially within the portable housing, the optical transceiver circuit operable to convert between electrical signals and corresponding optical signals, the optical transceiver circuit configured to be in optical communication with an exterior of the portable housing;

a digital processing circuit operably coupled to receive signals from the optical transceiver circuit, the digital processing circuit operable to generate signals for transmission;

a wireless communication circuit disposed substantially within the housing, the wireless communication circuit operably coupled to receive the signals for transmission from the digital processing circuit, the wireless communication circuit operable to communicate wireless signals to a remote wireless circuit.

13. The portable data probe of claim 12, wherein the digital processing circuit is further operable to:

receive the signals from the optical communication circuit at a first data rate; and

provide signals for transmission to the wireless communication circuit at a second data rate that is different from the first data rate.

14. The portable data probe of claim 12, wherein the digital processing circuit is further operable to generate a gain adjustment signal responsive to a detected power level value of the signals received from the optical communication circuit.

15. The portable data probe of claim 12, wherein the digital processing circuit is operable to:

receive a set of signals from the optical communication circuit;

determine whether the set of signals uses a first protocol;

convert the set of signals from the first protocol to a second protocol if the set of signals is determined to use the first protocol.

16. The portable data probe of claim 15, wherein the digital processing circuit is operable to convert the set of signals from the first protocol to the second protocol by inverting the set of signals.

17. A method, comprising:

a) communicating optical signals from a utility meter to an optical communication circuit of a probe, the optical signals including metering information;

b) communicating the metering information from a wireless communication circuit of the probe to a wireless communication circuit of a computing device;

c) storing the metering information in the computing device.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

prior to step a), establishing a wireless communication link between the computing device and the wireless communication circuit.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein establishing the wireless communication link further comprises transmitting from the computing device a wireless signal having information corresponding to the wireless communication circuit, the wireless communication circuit configured to establish the wireless communication link only after receiving the wireless signal having the information.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the information corresponding to the wireless communication circuit is unique to the wireless communication circuit.