Analog and digital electronic receivers for dual-use wireless data networks

• US 6,504,633 B1
• Filed: 04/14/1999
• Issued: 01/07/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Philips Lighting BV (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Talking Lights
• Inventors: Leeb, Steven B., Lupton, Elmer C., Hovorka, George B., Jackson, Deron
• Primary Examiner(s): PASCAL, LESLIE C
• Application Number:
  US09/292,126
• Time in Patent Office: 1,364 Days
• Field of Search: 359/141, 359/142, 359/144, 359/145, 359/152, 359/172, 359/161
• US Class Current: 398/183
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/1143 Bidirectional transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/116 Visible light communication

Abstract

Transceiver system including a transmitter and receiver. The transmitter transmits radiation having a varying operating frequency. It is preferred that the radiation be visible light. The operating frequency is varied in a way that eliminates visible flicker. A receiver receives the encoded radiation, decodes the coded data, and delivers the decoded data signal to an output stage. The output may be audio information textural information or graphical information. A two level coding scheme is preferred.

Claims

1. Transceiver system comprising:

a transmitter for transmitting coded data at a data rate of 250 bits per second or greater and less than 5 million bits per second by varying the operating frequency of a source of radiation having a primary and secondary utility; and

a receiver for receiving the encoded radiation at a data rate of 250 bits per second or greater and less than 5 million bits per second, decoding the coded data, and delivering the decoded data signal to an output stage, wherein the data is encoded to avoid application unacceptable flicker in the transmitted radiation.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the receiver is provided with adjustable lock-in characteristics.

3. The system of claim 1 in which sensory perceptible flicker is avoided.

4. The system of claim 3 in which visually perceptible flicker is avoided.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the receiver includes a non linear detector to optimize reception performance.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the receiver includes means for internal data storage in which the stored data can be cued by signals from the transmitted radiation.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the receiver includes an adjustable detector to lock onto different transmitted channels or carrier waves.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the receiver provides an audio output.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the receiver provides a text output.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the receiver provides a graphical output.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the receiver includes a split or multi-window graphical output for displaying multiple data sources or synchronized data windows.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the receiver produces a digital output.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein the receiver provides a graphical output for presenting sign language.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein the transmitter transmits data that is band limited to avoid flicker, sideband encoded digital data or orthogonal block frequency code data other than tri-level code data.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the transmitter transmits data that is band limited to avoid flicker or sideband encoded digital data.

16. The system of claim 1 including transmitter means for compressing data and receiver means for expanding data.

17. The system of claim 1 including transmitter means for encrypting data and receiver means for decrypting data for security.

18. The system of claim 1 wherein the transmitter transmits coded data at a data rate of 1030 bits per second or greater and the receiver receives the encoded radiation at a data rate of 1030 bits per second or greater.

19. The system of claim 1 wherein the data rate is 250 bits per second or greater and 1030 bits per second or less.