Apparatus with two housings including a rotatable optical data communication coupling

An apparatus comprising:

• a first housing;
• a second housing rotationally coupled to the first housing, wherein the second housing rotates with respect to the first housing about an axis of rotation;
• a first optical transmitter coupled to the first housing, the first optical transmitter configured to transmit light;
• a second optical transmitter coupled to the second housing, the second optical transmitter configured to transmit light in substantially the opposite direction from the first optical transmitter;
• a first lightguide coupled to the second housing including a first first lightguide end substantially at the axis of rotation, the first lightguide including a first second lightguide end located at a first distance from the axis of rotation, wherein the first second lightguide end is optically coupled to the first optical transmitter;
• a second lightguide including a second first lightguide end substantially at the axis of rotation, the second lightguide including a second second lightguide end located at a second distance from the axis of rotation, wherein the second second lightguide end is optically coupled to the second optical transmitter;
• a first optical receiver coupled to the second housing substantially at the axis of rotation, the first optical receiver also optically coupled to the first lightguide at the first first lightguide end, the first optical receiver facing a substantially opposite direction from the first optical transmitter;
• and
• a second optical receiver coupled to the first housing substantially at the axis of rotation, the second optical receiver also optically coupled to the second lightguide at the second first lightguide end, the second optical receiver facing a substantially opposite direction from the second optical transmitter,
• wherein the first lightguide comprises a first disk-shaped lightguide having a first planar surface and the second lightguide comprises a second disk-shaped lightguide having a second planar surface, and
• wherein the first planar surface is substantially parallel with the second planar surface.

An apparatus comprising:

• a first housing;
• a second housing rotationally coupled to the first housing, wherein the second housing rotates 360 degrees with respect to the first housing about an axis of rotation;
• a first optical transmitter coupled to the first housing, the first optical transmitter configured to transmit light;
• a second optical transmitter coupled to the second housing, the second optical transmitter configured to transmit light in substantially the opposite direction from the first optical transmitter;
• a first disk-shaped lightguide coupled to the second housing, the first disk-shaped lightguide including a first planar surface, a first first lightguide end substantially at the axis of rotation, and a first second lightguide end located at a first distance from the axis of rotation, wherein the first second lightguide end is optically coupled to the first optical transmitter;
• a second disk-shaped lightguide coupled to the first housing, the second disk-shaped lightguide including a second planar surface substantially parallel with the first planar surface, a second first lightguide end substantially at the axis of rotation, and a second second lightguide end located at a second distance from the axis of rotation, wherein the second second lightguide end is optically coupled to the second optical transmitter;
• a first optical receiver coupled to the second housing substantially at the axis of rotation, the first optical receiver also optically coupled to the first disk-shaped lightguide at the first first lightguide end, the first optical receiver facing a substantially opposite direction from the first optical transmitter;
• and
• a second optical receiver coupled to the first housing substantially at the axis of rotation, the second optical receiver also optically coupled to the second disk-shaped lightguide at the second first lightguide end, the second optical receiver facing a substantially opposite direction from the second optical transmitter,
• wherein the first optical transmitter, the lightguide, and the first optical receiver provide for uninterrupted optical data communication between the first housing and the second housing throughout the entire 360 degrees.