Illumination and communication device

• US 5,670,942 A
• Filed: 12/13/1994
• Issued: 09/23/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Original Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Inventors: Lewis, Michael L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery
• Assistant Examiner(s): LIEU, JULIE BICHNGOC
• Application Number:
  US08/354,993
• Time in Patent Office: 1,015 Days
• Field of Search: 340/555, 340/556, 359/159, 359/172, 359/181, 372/18, 372/19, 362/DIG. 800
• US Class Current: 340/555
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/11 Arrangements specific to free-space transmission, i.e. transmission through air or vacuum

Abstract

A transparent and impervious sphere containing encapsulated within the elronics and power source for providing non-visible infrared illumination and communication in various military and non-military applications and denied-access environments. The illumination and communication light source is invisible infrared provided by light emitting diodes mounted near and equally spaced about the circumference of each of two orthogonally intersecting circular-shaped and fully encapsulated printed circuit boards. The autonomous encapsulated power source is rechargeable using an inductively coupled probe introduced to a port in the sphere. An external magnet operates encapsulated magnetic field switches to change mode of operation of the invention, including "ON", "OFF", CONTINUOUS, STROBE, and Morse modes, and to change the Morse coding.

Claims

1. A multi-mode apparatus for providing spherical illumination and communication after introduction in a denied-access environment, said apparatus comprising:

an environmentally impervious containment means having the capacity to pass light spherically, and comprising a sphere of a transparent solid plastic material prepared from catalytically cured polyester styrene clear casting compound;

a light producing means disposed within said containment means to provide a source of light for spherical passage from said apparatus, said light producing means comprising a plurality of light emitting diodes substantially equally spaced from each other circumferentially about and equidistant from the center of said sphere, at the radial extremities of two orthogonally intersecting planes;

a magnetically operated means for switching from one operating mode of said apparatus to another including the "ON" and "OFF" conditions of said apparatus, said switching means being disposed in said containment means close to the external environment so that an external magnet may be brought in operative juxtaposition with said switching means;

a means for providing autonomous power to said activating and mode changing means and said light producing means, said power providing means being disposed within said containment means;

programmable means disposed within said containment means for operating on said light producing means to produce continuous, strobe and coded light output from said light producing means, said programmable means also connected to said power producing means and said activating and mode changing means; and

an LED mode indicator and a mode circuit disposed in said containment means, said circuit connected to said switching means and said LED mode indicator.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said containment means comprises of sphere of a transparent solid plastic material prepared from catalytically cured polyester styrene clear casting compound.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said light producing means is comprised of a plurality of light emitting diodes substantially equally spaced from each other circumferentially about and equi-distant from the center of said sphere, at the radial extremities of two orthogonally intersecting planes.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said magnetically operated switching means is selected from the group consisting of a magnetic reed switch and a Hall effect device.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means for providing autonomous power comprises:

an electrical storage means affixed within said containment means;

a means connected to said storage means within said containment means and extending outward therefrom for coupling externally supplied power to said storage means for charging and recharging thereof;

external means for coupling said externally supplied power to said internal coupling means;

a means for indicating status of charge of said storage means, said indicating means operatively disposed in said containment means and connected between said internal coupling means and said storage means.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said internal coupling means is inductive.

7. A multi-mode apparatus for providing spherical illumination and communication after introduction in a denied-access environment, said apparatus comprising:

an environmentally impervious containment means having the capacity to pass light spherically, and comprising a sphere of a transparent solid plastic material prepared from catalytically cured polyester styrene clear casting compound;

a spine of two circular-shaped printed circuit boards, said boards intersecting orthogonally along a diameter of each and fully contained within the encapsulating material of said sphere;

a light producing means disposed within said sphere to provide a source of light for spherical passage from said apparatus, said light producing means comprising a plurality of light emitting diodes substantially equally spaced from each other circumferentially about and equi-distant from the center of said sphere, at the radial extremities of two orthogonally intersecting planes comprising said spine;

a means for providing autonomous power to said activating and mode changing means and said light producing means, said power providing means being disposed within said sphere;

a charging circuit connected to said power providing means internal to said sphere and having a coupling port penetrating the surface of said sphere for coupling external power to said charging circuit for recharging said power providing means;

a magnetically operated means for activating and changing the mode of operation of said apparatus by switching from one operating mode of said apparatus to another including the "ON" and "OFF" conditions of said apparatus, said switching means being disposed in said containment means close to the external environment so that an external magnet may be brought in operative juxtaposition with said switching means; and

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programmable means disposed within said sphere for operating on said light producing means to produce continuous, strobe and coded light output from said light producing means, said programmable means also connected to said power producing means and said activating and mode changing means; and

an LED mode indicator and a mode circuit disposed in said sphere, said circuit connected to said switching means and said LED mode indicator.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said light producing devices are non-visible infrared producing light emitting diodes.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising a means connected to said light emitting diodes for indicating that said diodes are receiving power for operation and the mode of operation of said diodes, including continuous, strobe, and coded operation.

10. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said storage-type power source is selected from the group consisting of a storage type battery and a capacitive type storage device.

11. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said charging circuit includes a constant current supply means.

12. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said coupling port includes a means for inductively coupling external power to said charging circuit.

13. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said charging circuit further comprises a means for indicating that charging is occurring.