System and method for providing power from a standardized component without a power source output to an accessory component

• US 9,876,983 B2
• Filed: 05/29/2015
• Issued: 01/23/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Fasolino, Stephen T., Wheeler, Jason L., Mercer, Brian J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bolotin, Dmitriy
• Application Number:
  US14/726,134
• Publication Number:
  US 20160353051A1
• Time in Patent Office: 970 Days
• Field of Search: 345204-214
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 1/32 Night sights, e.g. luminescent optical aspects of sighting devices G02B23/00, G02B27/00
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 3/165 using a TV-monitor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/63 Generation or supply of power specially adapted for television receivers

Abstract

An accessory component for a standardized component without a power source output is provided. The standardized component includes a communication device. The accessory component includes a data input port and a power input port. The data input port is configured to receive a data signal from the standardized component. The power input port is configured to receive a transmit signal from the communication device. The accessory component is configured to process the data signal using power provided by the transmit signal.

Claims

1. An accessory component for a standardized component without a power source output, wherein the standardized component comprises a communication device, the accessory component comprising:

a data input port configured to receive a data signal from the standardized component; and

a power input port configured to (i) provide activity on a receive signal that is received by the communication device and (ii) after providing the activity on the receive signal, receive a transmit signal transmitted from the communication device in response to the activity on the receive signal, wherein the accessory component is configured to process the data signal using power provided by the transmit signal.

2. The accessory component of claim 1, wherein the communication device comprises a transmit port configured to provide the transmit signal and a receive port configured to receive the receive signal, and wherein the power input port is coupled to the transmit port and to the receive port.

3. The accessory component of claim 1, further comprising a low-power video transmitter and an antenna, wherein the data signal comprises video data, and wherein the low-power video transmitter is configured to process the data signal by wirelessly transmitting the video data via the antenna.

4. A data transmitter comprising:

a data input port configured to receive a data signal from a standardized component without a power source output, the standardized component comprising a communication device;

a power input port configured to (i) provide activity on a receive signal that is received by the communication device and (ii) after providing the activity on the receive signal, receive a transmit signal transmitted from the communication device in response to the activity on the receive signal; and

a low-power data transmitter configured to transmit the data signal using power provided by the transmit signal.

5. The data transmitter of claim 4, further comprising:

a diode coupled to the power input port; and

a filter capacitor coupled to the diode, wherein the diode and the filter capacitor are configured to generate a filtered signal based on the transmit signal.

6. The data transmitter of claim 5, further comprising a linear voltage regulator configured to generate a regulated voltage based on the filtered signal, wherein the low-power data transmitter is configured to transmit the data signal using power associated with the regulated voltage.

7. The data transmitter of claim 4, wherein the data signal comprises one of video data and audio data.

8. The data transmitter of claim 4, further comprising an antenna, wherein the low-power data transmitter is configured to transmit the data signal by wirelessly transmitting the data signal via the antenna.

9. The data transmitter of claim 4, wherein the communication device comprises a transmit port configured to provide the transmit signal and a receive port configured to receive the receive signal, and wherein the power input port is coupled to the transmit port and to the receive port.

10. The data transmitter of claim 4, wherein the standardized component comprises a thermal weapon sight.

11. The data transmitter of claim 10, wherein the communication device comprises an integrated circuit chip having an auto-shutdown feature that is defeated by the data transmitter so that an internal circuit of the integrated circuit chip provides the transmit signal to the data transmitter.

12. The data transmitter of claim 4, wherein the standardized component comprises enhanced night-vision goggles.

13. A method for providing power from a standardized component without a power source output to an accessory component, wherein the standardized component comprises a communication device, the method comprising:

providing activity on a receive signal that is received by the communication device;

receiving, at the accessory component, a transmit signal transmitted from the communication device in response to the activity on the receive signal; and

powering the accessory component with the transmit signal.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising coupling a power input port of the accessory component to a transmit port of the communication device, wherein the transmit signal is received from the transmit port at the power input port.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising coupling the power input port to a receive port of the communication device.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising coupling a data input port of the accessory component to a data output port of the standardized component to defeat auto-shutdown of the communication device.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

receiving a data signal from the data output port at the data input port; and

processing the data signal at the accessory component using power provided by the transmit signal.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the standardized component comprises a thermal weapon sight.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the communication device comprises an integrated circuit chip having an auto-shutdown feature that is defeated by the accessory component so that an internal circuit of the integrated circuit chip provides the transmit signal to the accessory component.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the standardized component comprises enhanced night-vision goggles.