Interferometric communication

• US 8,126,141 B2
• Filed: 02/21/2007
• Issued: 02/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Wu, Kuohua (Angus), Van Brocklin, Andrew L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Barron, Jr., Gilberto
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gregory, Shaun
• Application Number:
  US11/708,872
• Publication Number:
  US 20080199188A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,833 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 380/54
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/001 based on interference in an adjustable optical cavity interference filters G02B5/28; devices or arrangements using multiple reflections in spectrometry or monochromators G01J3/26

Abstract

Embodiments of interferometric communication are disclosed.

Claims

1. An interferometric communication system, comprising:

a fabry-perot microelectromechanical system (MEMS) array;

a light source to illuminate the MEMS array; and

a controller configured to drive the light source and to drive the MEMS array to form a sequence of a plurality of security-related images

together representing information comprising one or more of;

a password, a username, and an access code, where any one of the security-related images has an insufficient information-carrying capacity to convey the information completely,

wherein the MEMS array is to spatially modulate light transmitted by the light source to form the sequence of the security-related images.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the MEMS array, the light source, and the controller are disposed on an access card.

3. The system of claim 1 further comprising a memory accessible by the controller and storing array data indicative of the at least one security-related image.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the controller is configured to decrypt data used by the controller to drive the MEMS array.

5. The system of claim 1 further comprising a light sensor to detect ambient light, such that the controller is configured to drive the light source and to drive the MEMS array responsive to the light sensor detecting the ambient light.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprising a user-actuatable switch for initiating generation of the at least one security-related image.

7. The system of claim 1 further comprising an inductive coupler configured to initiate generation of the at least one security-related image.

8. An interferometric communication method, comprising:

illuminating a fabry-perot microelectromechanical system (MEMS) array using a light source driven by a controller;

driving the MEMS array, by the controller, to form a sequence of a plurality of security-related images

together representing information comprising one or more of;

a password, a username, and an access code, where any one of the security related images has an insufficient information-carrying capacity to convey the information completely; and

,

spatially modulating light transmitted by the light source, by the MEMS array responsive to being driven by the controller, to form the sequence of the security-related images.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising detecting ambient light using a light sensor, such that illuminating the MEMS array and driving the MEMS array are performed responsive to the ambient light having been detected.

10. The method of claim 8 further comprising accessing a memory storing array data indicative of the at least one security-related image for driving the MEMS array.

11. The method of claim 8 further comprising forming the at least one security-related image receiving in response to user actuation of a switch.

12. The method of claim 8 further comprising decrypting data used for driving the MEMS array to form the at least one security-related image.

13. The method of claim 8 further comprising initiating generation of the at least one security-related image in response to detecting an inductive coupling.

14. An interferometric communication system, comprising:

a fabry-perot microelectromechanical system (MEMS) array;

a light source to illuminate the MEMS array; and

means for controlling the light source and for controlling the MEMS array to form a sequence of a plurality of security-related images

together representing information comprising one or more of;

a password, a username, and an access code, where any one of the security-related images has an insufficient information-carrying capacity to convey the information completely,

wherein the MEMS array is to spatially modulate light transmitted by the light source to form the sequence of the security-related images.

15. The system of claim 14 further comprising means for decrypting data indicative of the at least one security-related image and used for driving the MEMS array means.

16. The system of claim 14 further comprising means, actuatable by a user, for initiating generation of the at least one security-related image.

17. The system of claim 14 further comprising a light sensor to detect ambient light, such that the means is to drive the light source and to drive the MEMS array responsive to the light sensor detecting the ambient light.