Optical communication apparatus for a vehicle

• US 4,691,385 A
• Filed: 09/05/1985
• Issued: 09/01/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/1985
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Industrial Incorporated Mentor Ohio
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Tupman, David J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Orsino, Jr., Joseph A.
• Application Number:
  US06/773,141
• Time in Patent Office: 726 Days
• Field of Search: 455/606, 455/607, 455/617, 455/69, 455/608, 455/604, 356/141, 356/152, 356/138, 356/153, 340/825.54
• US Class Current: 398/109
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/1143 Bidirectional transmission

Abstract

A communication apparatus for controllably bidirectionally transferring information between a vehicle and a docking station advantageously utilizes pulsed radiant energy for effecting the information transfer. A first radiant energy emitting device and a first radiant energy detecting device is located on the vehicle and a second radiant energy emitting device and a second radiant energy detecting device is located on the docking station. A first frequency control device recieves electrical signals from the first radiant energy detecting device, produces pulse control signals having a nominal frequency which is variable within a predetermined frequency range, and controllably delivers the produced pulse control signals at the nominal frequency to the first radiant energy emitting device located on the vehicle. A second frequency control device receives electrical signals from the second radiant energy detecting device, produces pulse control signals having a nominal frequency which is variable within a predetermined frequency range, and controllably delivers the produced pulse control signals at the nominal frequency to the second radiant energy emitting device located on the docking station. The frequency of the produced pulse control signals is automatically adaptively modified in response to receiving the electrical signals.

Claims

1. Communication apparatus for controllably bidirectionally transferring information between a vehicle and a docking station, comprising:

first and second radiant energy emitting means for producing pulsed radiant energy in response to receiving respective pulse control signals, one of said first and second radiant energy emitting means being located on said vehicle and the other on said docking station;

first and second radiant energy detecting means for producing electrical signals responsive to received radiant energy, one of said first and second radiant energy detecting means being located on said vehicle and the other on said docking station;

first frequency control means for receiving said electrical signals from said one of said first and second radiant energy detecting means located on said vehicle, producing pulse control signals having a nominal frequency which is variable within a predetermined frequency range, controllably delivering said produced pulse control signals at said nominal frequency to said one of said first and second radiant energy emitting means located on said vehicle in the absence of receiving said electrical signals, and automatically adaptively modifying the frequency of said respective produced pulse control signals in response to receiving said electrical signals;

second frequency control means for receiving said electrical signals from said one of said first and second radiant energy detecting means located on said docking station, producing pulse control signals having a nominal frequency which is variable within a predetermined frequency range, controllably delivering said produced pulse control signals at said nominal frequency to said one of said first and second radiant energy emitting means located on said docking station in the absence of receiving said electrical signals, and automatically adaptively modifying the frequency of said respective produced pulse control signals in response to receiving said electrical signals; and

wherein said vehicle includes first trigger means for controllably delivering a transmit trigger signal to said first frequency control means in response to predetermined status conditions of said vehicle, said docking station includes second trigger means for controllably delivering a transmit trigger signal to said second frequency control means in respose to predetermined status conditions of said docking station, and each of said first and second frequency control means include logic means for receiving said respective transmit trigger signal and blocking delivery of said respective pulse control signals to said respective one of said first and second radiant energy emitting means in response to the absence of said transmit trigger signal.

2. Communication apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of said first and second frequency control means includes a respective phase locked loop circuit having an input terminal connected to said respective one of said first and second radiant energy detecting means, and an output terminal connected to said respective one of said first and second radiant energy emitting means.

3. Communication apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of said first and second radiant energy detecting means includes respective pulse discrimination means for passing electrical signals produced by said respective one of said first and second radiant energy detecting means in response to receiving pulsed radiant energy having a pulse frequency greater than a predetermined frequency, and blocking electrical signals produced in response to said respective radiant energy detecting means receiving radiant energy having a pulse frequency less than said predetermined frequency.

4. Communication apparatus for controllably bidirectionally transferring information between a vehicle and a docking station, each of said vehicle and said docking station having a respective computer associated therewith, comprising:

a first light emitting diode positioned on said vehicle;

a first phototransistor positioned on said vehicle;

a first phase locked loop having a frequency input terminal connected to said first phototransistor, a frequency output terminal connected to said first light emitting diode, and a signal output terminal connected to said vehicle;

a second light emitting diode positioned on said docking station;

a second phototransistor positioned on said docking station;

a second phase locked loop having a frequency input terminal connected to said second phototransistor, a frequency output terminal connected to said second light emitting diode, and a signal output terminal connected to said docking station computer;

a first logic gate serially connected between said first light emitting diode and said first phase locked loop frequency output terminal and having a trigger input terminal connected to said vehicle computer, and a second logic gate serially connected between said second light emitting diode and said second phase locked loop frequency output terminal and having a trigger input terminal connected to said docking station computer; and

wherein respective ones of said first and second light emitting diodes and said first and second phototransistors are adapted to be in optical alignment with one another in response to said vehicle being positioned at a predetermined location relative to said docking station.

5. Communication apparatus, as set forth in claim 4, including a first filter circuit serially connected between said first phototransistor and said first phase locked loop frequency input terminal, and a second filter circuit serially connected between said second phototransistor and said second phase locked loop frequency input terminal.

6. Communication apparatus for controllably bidirectionally transferring information between a vehicle and a docking station, comprising:

first and second radiant energy emitting means for producing pulsed radiant energy in response to receiving respective pulse control signals, one of said first and second radiant energy emitting means being located on said vehicle and the other on said docking station;

first and second radiant energy detecting means for producing electrical signals responsive to received radiant energy, one of said first and second radiant energy detecting means being located on said vehicle and the other on said docking station;

first frequency control means for receiving said electrical signals from said one of said first and second radiant energy detecting means located on said vehicle, producing pulse control signals having a nominal frequency which is variable within a predetermined frequency range, controllably delivering said produced pulse control signals at said nominal frequency to said one of said first and second radiant energy emitting means located on said vehicle in the absence of receiving said electrical signals, and automatically adaptively modifying the frequency of said respective produced pulse control signals to be substantially equal to but out of phase with said respective received electrical signals in response to receiving said respective electrical signals;

second frequency control means for receiving said electrical signals from said one of said first and second radiant energy detecting means located on said docking station, producing pulse control signals having a nominal frequency which is variable within a predetermined frequency range, controllably delivering said produced pulse control signals at said nominal frequency to said one of said first and second radiant energy emitting means located on said docking station in the absence of receiving said electrical signals, and automatically adaptively modifying the frequency of said respective produced pulse control signals to be substantially equal to but out of phase with said respective received electrical signals in response to receiving said electrical signals; and

wherein said vehicle includes first trigger means for controllably delivering a transmit trigger signal to said first frequency control means in response to predetermined status conditions of said vehicle, said docking station includes second trigger means for controllably delivering a transmit trigger signal to said second frequency control means in response to predetermined status conditions of said docking station, and each of said first and second frequency control means include logic means for receiving said respective transmit trigger signal and blocking delivery of said respective pulse control signals to said respective one of said first and second radiant energy emitting means in response to the absence of said transmit trigger signal.