Opsistor transmitter data compression system

• US 6,020,593 A
• Filed: 11/25/1997
• Issued: 02/01/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alan Y. Chow
• Original Assignee: Alan Y. Chow
• Inventors: Chow, Alan Y., Chow, Vincent Y.
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, QUE TAN
• Application Number:
  US08/977,852
• Time in Patent Office: 798 Days
• Field of Search: 250/551, 250/214 LS, 250/208.1, 250/214.1, 250/214 R, 359/152, 359/154, 359/149, 348/222, 348/294, 348/311
• US Class Current: 250/551
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/08 in which radiation controls flow of current through the device, e.g. photoresistors
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/032 using working and protection systems H04J14/0287 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/46 by combining or binning pixels
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/76 Addressed sensors, e.g. MOS or CMOS sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/772 comprising A/D, V/T, V/F, I/T or I/F converters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 3/1506 with addressing of the image-sensor elements H04N3/1575 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 3/1512 for MOS image-sensors, e.g. MOS-CCD H04N3/1581 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 3/155 Control of the image-sensor operation, e.g. image processing within the image-sensor

Abstract

The present invention relates to a transmission method and device for efficient compression of digital data. The invention uses an optoelectronic coupler to receive light signals from a light transmitter at two bandwidths. A modulated signal generator is coupled to the transmitter which coverts voltage phase data signals to light signals. The data signals are modulated with a plurality of master profiles and subprofiles with different cycle time variations. The optoelectronic coupler has a pair of photodiodes. Light filters disposed on both diodes allow either the first or second bandwidth of light to pass. Conductors electrically couple the anode of the each photodiode to the cathode of the other photodiode which produce the voltage phase signal. A signal receiver is connected to the coupler and decodes the voltage-phase signal.

Claims

1. An optoelectronic coupler, for coupling a source of light signals to a receiver that can process voltage-phase signals, comprising:

a light transmitter capable of generating light signals of first and second bandwidths;

a switch receiver having at least one pair of first and second photodiodes;

a first conductor electrically connecting the anode of the first photodiode to the cathode of the second photodiode;

a second conductor electrically connecting the cathode of the first photodiode to the anode of the second photodiode;

a first light filter disposed on the photoactive surface of the first photodiode that allows the first bandwidth of light to pass;

a second light filter disposed on the photoactive surface of the second photodiode that allows the second bandwidth of light to pass, whereby the light transmitter signals utilizing the first and second bandwidths can be converted into voltage-phase signals across the first and second conductors;

a modulated signal generator for sending data signals to the said optoelectronic coupler'"'"'s two-wavelength light transmitter for transmission to the photodiodes, the data signals being modulated in a plurality of master profiles and subprofiles with different cycle time variations;

a signal receiver for receiving and decoding the voltage-phase signal from the said optoelectronic coupler'"'"'s two-wavelength optoelectronic switch receiver.

2. The optoelectronic coupler of claim 1 wherein the light transmitter comprises light emitting diodes.

3. The optoelectronic coupler of claim 1 wherein the light transmitter comprises infra red light emitters.

4. The optoelectronic coupler of claim 1 wherein the light transmitter comprises at least one laser.

5. The optoelectronic coupler of claim 1 wherein the first light filter is a horizontal polarizer and the second light filter is a vertical polarizer.

6. The optoelectronic coupler of claim 1 wherein the modulated signal generator further includes:

a digital input source generating digital data;

a signal processing circuit coupled to the digital input source and which encodes the received digital data;

a memory storing the master waveform profiles coupled to the signal processing circuit;

a variable clock coupled to the signal processing circuit;

a waveform generator coupled to the signal processing circuit, the variable clock and the memory, wherein the waveform generator generates an electrical signal using a selected master waveform at a clock rate set by the variable clock, the electrical signal driving the light transmitter.

7. The optoelectronic coupler of claim 1 wherein the modulated signal generator is a microprocessor.

8. The optoelectronic coupler of claim 1 wherein the switch receiver is fabricated on a monolithic silicon substrate and wherein the light transmitter comprises amorphous silicon light emitting diodes fabricated on the same monolithic silicon substrate.

9. The optoelectronic coupler of claim 1 wherein the data signal is modulated using a first master profile with a 25% positive voltage duty cycle, a second master profile with a 50% positive voltage duty cycle, and a third master profile with a 75% positive voltage duty cycle, and wherein the first, second and third master profiles have nine subprofiles which vary the corresponding profile by one quarter period increments.

10. The optoelectronic coupler of claim 9 wherein the data in the data signal is transmitted as 4 bit nibbles and 16 of the subprofiles each encode one of the 16 digital sequences for the 4 bit nibble.

11. The optoelectronic coupler of claim 10 wherein the remaining subprofiles encode single 0, single 1, single space and a multiplier factor.

12. The optoelectronic coupler of claim 11 wherein the multipliers are used to compress identical and continuous sequences of 4 bit nibbles.

13. The optoelectronic coupler of claim 1 wherein the modulated signal generator is a tone transmitter having an input source and a tone generator and wherein a data signal is encoded using carrier tone detection, and wherein the signal receiver decodes a tone signal.

14. The optoelectronic coupler of claim 1 further comprising a fiber optic cable in contact between the transmitter and switch receiver.

15. A method of transmitting and receiving digital data using a light transmitter generating light signals at two bandwidths, the method comprising the steps of:

modulating data signals with a plurality of master profiles and subprofiles with different cycle time variations;

generating light signals of first and second bandwidths representative of the data signals;

receiving the light signals by a switch receiver having at least one pair of first and second photodiodes;

a first conductor electrically connecting the anode of the first photodiode to the cathode of the second photodiode;

a second conductor electrically connecting the cathode of the first photodiode to the anode of the second photodiode;

a first light filter disposed on the photoactive surface of the first photodiode that allows the first bandwidth of light to pass;

a second light filter disposed on the photoactive surface of the second photodiode that allows the second bandwidth of light to pass;

converting the light signals into voltage-phase signals across the first and second conductors;

receiving and decoding the voltage-phase signal from the said optoelectronic coupler'"'"'s two-wavelength optoelectronic switch receiver.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the light transmitter comprises light emitting diodes.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the light transmitter comprises infra red light emitters.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein the light transmitter comprises at least one laser.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein the step of generating light signals includes filtering a light signal using a horizontal polarizer and filtering the light signal using a vertical polarizer.

20. The method of claim 15 further comprising the steps of:

modulating the data signal using a first master profile with a 25% positive voltage duty cycle, a second master profile with a 50% positive voltage duty cycle, and a third master profile with a 75% positive voltage duty cycle, and wherein the first, second and third master profiles have nine subprofiles which vary the corresponding profile by one quarter period increments.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprising the steps of:

transmitting the data in the data signal as 4 bit nibbles;

encoding one of 16 of the subprofiles to represent the logic sequence for the 4 bit nibble.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising the steps of:

encoding one of the remaining subprofiles as a single 0;

encoding one of the remaining subprofiles as a single 1; and

encoding one of the remaining subprofiles as a multiplier value.

23. The optoelectronic coupler of claim 22 further comprising the steps of:

identifying identical and continuous sequences of 4 bit nibbles;

selecting a multiplier value;

sending the identified identical and continuous nibble as a single nibble and the selected multiplier value.

24. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of encoding the data signal using carrier tone detection.