Signalling system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A signalling system comprising first and second signalling devices, wherein:
- the first signalling device comprises a retro-reflecting modulator having a telecentric lens, a modulator and a reflector, and the retro-reflecting modulator being operable to receive a signal transmitted from said second signalling device and to modulate and reflect the received signal back to the second signalling device, to transmit a modulated signal to the second signalling device; and
wherein the second signalling device comprises;
a signal generator operable to generate a signal;
a transmitter operable to transmit the generated signal to said first signalling device;
a receiver operable to receive the modulated signal from said first signalling device; and
a processor operable to retrieve modulation data from the modulated signal.
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Abstract
A signalling system includes first and second signalling devices. The first signalling device including a retro-reflector modulator, having a lens, a modulator and a reflector, and being operable to receive, modulate and reflect the modulated signal back to the second signalling device. The second signalling device including a signal generator, a receiver for receiving the modulated signal from the first signalling device and a processor for retrieving modulation data from the received modulated signal. The lens of the first signalling device includes a telecentric lens.
217 Citations
109 Claims
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1. A signalling system comprising first and second signalling devices, wherein:
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the first signalling device comprises a retro-reflecting modulator having a telecentric lens, a modulator and a reflector, and the retro-reflecting modulator being operable to receive a signal transmitted from said second signalling device and to modulate and reflect the received signal back to the second signalling device, to transmit a modulated signal to the second signalling device; and
whereinthe second signalling device comprises;
a signal generator operable to generate a signal;
a transmitter operable to transmit the generated signal to said first signalling device;
a receiver operable to receive the modulated signal from said first signalling device; and
a processor operable to retrieve modulation data from the modulated signal.- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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46. A retro-reflector comprising:
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a telecentric lens for focusing signals received from a source; and
a reflector, located substantially at a back focal plane of said telecentric lens, operable to reflect said received signals back to said source. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74)
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75. A retro-reflector comprising a telecentric lens for receiving and focusing light from a light source and a reflecting means located substantially at the focal plane of said telecentric lens for reflecting said light back to said light source.
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76. An optical point to multipoint signalling system comprising a first signalling device and a plurality of second signalling devices, wherein:
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the first signalling device comprises a retro-reflector operable to receive light beams from the plurality of second signalling devices and to reflect the received light beams back to the respective second signalling devices; and
means for modulating the received light beams with respective modulation data for the second signalling devices; and
wherein each second signalling device comprises a light source for outputting a light beam towards said first signalling device; and
means for receiving the modulated light beam which is reflected back from said first signalling device; and
wherein said retro-reflector comprises a telecentric lens and a reflector. - View Dependent Claims (77, 78)
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79. A signalling device for use in a signalling system comprising:
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a telecentric lens for focusing signals received from a source;
a reflector operable to reflect said received signals back to said source; and
a modulator for modulating the received signals with modulation data. - View Dependent Claims (80)
a signal generator operable to generate a signal;
a transmitter operable to transmit the generated signal to said first signalling device;
a receiver for receiving the signal which is reflected back from the first signalling device; and
means for retrieving modulation data from the reflected signal.
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81. A data distribution system comprising a retro-reflector having a telecentric lens for focusing signals received from a source;
- and a reflector operable to reflect said received signals back to said source.
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82. An office communications network comprising a retro-reflector having a telecentric lens for focusing signals received from a source;
- and a reflector operable to reflect said received signals back to said source.
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83. A signalling method using first and second signalling devices, the method comprising the steps of:
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at the first signalling device;
providing a retro-reflecting modulator having a telecentric lens, a modulator and a reflector;
receiving a signal transmitted from said second signalling device; and
modulating and reflecting the received signal back to the second signalling device, to transmit a modulated signal to the second signalling device; and
at said second signalling device;
generating a signal;
transmitting the generated signal to the first signalling device;
receiving the modulated signal from the first signalling device; and
retrieving modulation data from the modulated signal.
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84. A signalling system comprising first and second signalling devices, wherein:
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the first signalling device comprises a retro-reflecting modulator having a telecentric lens, a modulator and a reflector, and the retro-reflecting modulator being operable to receive a signal transmitted from said second signalling device and to modulate and reflect the received signal back to the second signalling device, to transmit a modulated signal to the second signalling device;
wherein said second signalling device comprises;
means for generating a signal;
means for transmitting the generated signal to said first signalling device;
means for receiving the modulated signal from said first signalling device; and
means for retrieving modulation data from the modulated signal.- View Dependent Claims (85, 86)
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87. A signalling system comprising first and second signalling devices, wherein:
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the first signalling device comprises;
a telecentric lens for receiving a signal transmitted from the second signalling device;
a modulator for modulating the received signal with modulation data for the second signalling device; and
a reflector for reflecting the modulated signal back to the second signalling device;
wherein said second signalling device comprises a signal generator operable to generate a signal;
a transmitter operable to transmit the generated signal to the first signalling device;
a receiver operable to receive the modulated signal from the first signalling device; and
a processor operable to retrieve the modulation data from the modulated signal.- View Dependent Claims (88, 89)
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90. A signalling device for use in a signalling system, the signalling device comprising:
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a retro-reflector having;
a telecentric lens operable to focus signals received from a source; and
a reflector operable to reflect said signals focussed by said telecentric lens back to said source.- View Dependent Claims (91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109)
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Specification