Vehicle to fixed station infrared communications link
First Claim
1. An infrared communications link for optically transmitting and receiving information to control an automatically guided vehicle in an electromagnetically hostile environment, said link comprising:
- transmitting means disposed at a fixed location in said electromagnetically hostile environment for processing a signal into a pulsed data signal;
an infrared light source, disposed at said fixed location, having a plurality of infrared illumination devices disposed in a predetermined arc, and coupled to said transmitting means for converting the pulsed data signal into pulsed infrared energy, each of said infrared illumination devices for transmitting said pulsed infrared energy to a predetermined location in said hostile environment, said transmitting means including means for mounting said infrared illumination devices so that said predetermined locations overlap wherein said infrared illumination devices include a plurality of light emitting diodes disposed at predetermined locations on the outer surface of a half cylindrical pod;
infrared detecting means disposed on said vehicle for detecting the pulsed infrared energy of said infrared light source;
receiving means disposed on said vehicle and coupled to said infrared detecting means for recovering the pulsed data signal from the pulsed infrared energy;
an infrared light source and transmitting means disposed on said vehicle; and
infrared detecting means and receiving means disposed at said fixed location, said infrared detecting means including a plurality of photodiodes also disposed on the outer surface of said half cylindrical pod.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In an infrared communications link, a transmitter is connected to a plurality of infrared light emitting diodes disposed about an arcuate surface to illuminate a generally rectangular area with pulsed optical energy. When a receiver having a plurality of photodiodes is disposed within the generally rectangular area the information contained in the pulsed optical energy is recovered. The combination of the transmitter and receiver provide a transceiver that is ideally suited for providing two way communication between a fixed station and an automatically guided vehicle in an electromagnetically hostile environment such as a highly automated factory.
37 Citations
14 Claims
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1. An infrared communications link for optically transmitting and receiving information to control an automatically guided vehicle in an electromagnetically hostile environment, said link comprising:
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transmitting means disposed at a fixed location in said electromagnetically hostile environment for processing a signal into a pulsed data signal; an infrared light source, disposed at said fixed location, having a plurality of infrared illumination devices disposed in a predetermined arc, and coupled to said transmitting means for converting the pulsed data signal into pulsed infrared energy, each of said infrared illumination devices for transmitting said pulsed infrared energy to a predetermined location in said hostile environment, said transmitting means including means for mounting said infrared illumination devices so that said predetermined locations overlap wherein said infrared illumination devices include a plurality of light emitting diodes disposed at predetermined locations on the outer surface of a half cylindrical pod; infrared detecting means disposed on said vehicle for detecting the pulsed infrared energy of said infrared light source; receiving means disposed on said vehicle and coupled to said infrared detecting means for recovering the pulsed data signal from the pulsed infrared energy; an infrared light source and transmitting means disposed on said vehicle; and infrared detecting means and receiving means disposed at said fixed location, said infrared detecting means including a plurality of photodiodes also disposed on the outer surface of said half cylindrical pod. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification