Manufacturing system and method using IR communications link
First Claim
1. A system providing an infrared communications link between a host system and a portable device, the system comprising:
- a portable device comprising;
a first optical transmitter,a first optical receiver, anda laser radiation source configured to emit laser radiation test pulses,a host system comprising;
a cradle configured to physically receive the portable device, the cradle comprising;
a second optical transmitter,a second optical receiver, anda photodetector configured to detect the laser radiation test pulses from the laser radiation source of the portable device,wherein the cradle is configured to;
physically align the first optical receiver and second, optical transmitter as a first pair for free space communication, and the second optical receiver and first optical transmitter being aligned as a second pair for free space communication, andlocate the photodetector relative to the portable device to detect test pulses emitted by the laser radiation source of the portable,testing electronics configured to analyze laser radiation test pulses emitted by the laser radiation source and detected by the photodetector, anda signal generator for generating data signals including identification data, encoding the data signals onto an optical signal, and transmitting the encoded data signals via the second optical transmitter of the cradle to the first optical receiver of the portable device.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An automated test system for testing devices being manufactured comprises an infrared communications link for free space communications between a host and a device under test. The communications link is asymmetric and instructions from the host are acknowledged by the device. The instructions cause the device to operate, and the output of the device is monitored, logged, and compared to acceptance criteria. The host can then generate calibration messages to the device, to change the device operating characteristics as appropriate. The communications link uses an unmodulated data stream together with asynchronous handshaking and a robust checksum algorithm to ensure accurate communication.
42 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A system providing an infrared communications link between a host system and a portable device, the system comprising:
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a portable device comprising; a first optical transmitter, a first optical receiver, and a laser radiation source configured to emit laser radiation test pulses, a host system comprising; a cradle configured to physically receive the portable device, the cradle comprising; a second optical transmitter, a second optical receiver, and a photodetector configured to detect the laser radiation test pulses from the laser radiation source of the portable device, wherein the cradle is configured to; physically align the first optical receiver and second, optical transmitter as a first pair for free space communication, and the second optical receiver and first optical transmitter being aligned as a second pair for free space communication, and locate the photodetector relative to the portable device to detect test pulses emitted by the laser radiation source of the portable, testing electronics configured to analyze laser radiation test pulses emitted by the laser radiation source and detected by the photodetector, and a signal generator for generating data signals including identification data, encoding the data signals onto an optical signal, and transmitting the encoded data signals via the second optical transmitter of the cradle to the first optical receiver of the portable device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A system providing an infrared communications link between a host system and a portable device, the system comprising:
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a portable device comprising; a first optical transmitter, a first optical receiver, and a radiation source distinct from the first optical transmitter and configured to emit test radiation pulses, a host system comprising; a cradle configured to physically receive the portable device, the cradle comprising; a second optical transmitter, a second optical receiver, and a photodetector configured to detect the test radiation pulses from the radiation source of the portable device, wherein the cradle is configured to; physically align the first optical receiver and second optical transmitter as a first pair for free space communication, and the second optical receiver and first optical transmitter being aligned as a second pair for free space communication, and locate the photodetector relative to the portable device to detect test pulses emitted by the laser radiation source of the portable device, testing electronics configured to analyze test radiation pulses emitted by the radiation source and detected by the photodetector, a signal generator for generating a data signal, encoding the data signal onto an optical signal, and transmitting the encoded data signal via the second optical transmitter of the cradle to the first optical receiver of the portable device, the portable device further comprising a controller for receiving and interpreting the encoded data signal and causing the portable device to operate in response thereto, and wherein the host system and the portable device are configured to perform a handshaking process with each other that includes communicating and evaluating identifier data. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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15. A system providing a wireless communications link between a host system and a portable device, the system comprising
a portable device comprising: -
a first optical transmitter, and a first optical receiver, a host system comprising; a second optical transmitter, a second optical receiver, and a physical structure configured to physically align the first optical receiver and second optical transmitter as a first pair for free space wireless communication, and the second optical receiver and first optical transmitter being aligned as a second pair for free space wireless communication, wherein the portable device further comprises a signal generator for generating data signals, encoding the data signals onto an optical signal using baseband, no-carrier signaling without modulation, and transmitting the encoded unmodulated data signals via the first optical transmitter to the second optical receiver of the host system, and wherein the wireless communications link between a host system and the portable device is an asymmetric communications link having at least one of the following characteristics; the second optical transmitter of the host system has a significantly higher transmission power than the first optical transmitter of the portable device, and the second optical receiver of the host system includes more complex signal conditioning electronics than the first optical receiver of the portable device, thereby enabling the host system to receive the lower-power transmissions of the from the portable device. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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Specification