Methods and apparatus for communicating information using visible light signals and/or radio signals
First Claim
1. A method of operating a user equipment (UE) device, comprising:
- processing an output of a photodiode to detect receipt of an information signal from a light transmitter; and
in response to detecting receipt of the information signal from the light transmitter while operating in a first mode of operation, changing from the first mode of device operation to a second mode of device operation, said second mode of device operation being a higher power consumption mode of operation than said first mode of device operation, said changing from the first mode of device operation to said second mode of device operation includes changing a reverse bias voltage applied to said photodiode from a first non-zero reverse bias voltage to a second non-zero reverse bias voltage which is higher than said first non-zero reverse bias.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A user equipment (UE) device includes a VLC receiver including a photodiode and a radio receiver. The UE device supports a plurality of alternative technologies, communications protocols, and/or frequencies. During a first mode of operation, e.g., a discovery mode, a low reverse bias voltage value is applied to the photodiode. The low reverse bias voltage is adequate to support the recovery of small amounts of communicated information, and the power consumed by the battery of the UE device is relatively low. During discovery, information communicated includes, e.g., a light transmitter ID, an access point ID, services available at the access point, configuration information for a light receiver and/or for an auxiliary radio receiver. During a second mode of operation, e.g., a data traffic mode, the reverse bias voltage applied to the photodiode is set to a high reverse bias voltage to support higher data rate using VLC.
26 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of operating a user equipment (UE) device, comprising:
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processing an output of a photodiode to detect receipt of an information signal from a light transmitter; and in response to detecting receipt of the information signal from the light transmitter while operating in a first mode of operation, changing from the first mode of device operation to a second mode of device operation, said second mode of device operation being a higher power consumption mode of operation than said first mode of device operation, said changing from the first mode of device operation to said second mode of device operation includes changing a reverse bias voltage applied to said photodiode from a first non-zero reverse bias voltage to a second non-zero reverse bias voltage which is higher than said first non-zero reverse bias. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A user equipment (UE) device, comprising:
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means for converting visible light signals into electrical signals; means for processing an output of said means for converting visible light signals into electrical signals to detect receipt of an information signal from a light transmitter; and means for changing from a first mode of device operation to a second mode of device operation in response to detecting receipt of the information signal from the light transmitter, said second mode of device operation being a higher power consumption mode of operation than said first mode of device operation, said means for changing from a first mode of device operation to said second mode of device operation include means for changing a reverse bias voltage, applied to said means for converting visible light signals into electrical signals, from a first non-zero reverse bias voltage to a second non-zero reverse bias voltage which is higher than said first non-zero reverse bias. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A computer program product for use in a user equipment (UE) device, the computer program product comprising:
a non-transitory computer readable medium comprising; code for causing at least one computer to process an output of a photodiode to detect receipt of an information signal from a light transmitter; and code for causing said at least one computer to change from a first mode of device operation to a second mode of device operation in response to detecting receipt of the information signal from the light transmitter, said second mode of device operation being a higher power consumption mode of operation than said first mode of device operation, said changing from the first mode of device operation to said second mode of device operation including changing a reverse bias voltage applied to said photodiode from a first non-zero reverse bias voltage to a second non-zero reverse bias voltage which is higher than said first non-zero reverse bias.
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17. A user equipment (UE) device comprising:
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at least one processor configured to; process an output of a photodiode to detect receipt of an information signal from a light transmitter; and change from a first mode of device operation to a second mode of device operation in response to detecting receipt of the information signal from the light transmitter, said second mode of device operation being a higher power consumption mode of operation than said first mode of device operation, said processor being configured to change a reverse bias voltage applied to said photodiode from a first non-zero reverse bias voltage to a second non-zero reverse bias voltage which is higher than said first non-zero reverse bias, as part of being configured to change from the first mode of device operation to said second mode of device operation; and memory coupled to said at least one processor. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification