Multichannel fiber optic control system

A multichannel fiber optic transmission system, comprising:

• first UART circuit means for receiving a plurality of signals on separate input terminals and for providing said signals consecutively at a single output terminal;
• second means connected to said output terminal and responsive to the consecutive signals received therefrom for providing consecutive light signals corresponding to said consecutive signals;
• optical waveguide means coupled to said light output means for conducting said consecutive light signals;
• third means for receiving said light signals and in response thereto for providing consecutive electrical signals corresponding to the light signals;
• fourth means for receiving said consecutive electrical signals and in response thereto providng said signals simultaneously and separately at a plurality of output terminals whereby the first and second means are electrically isolated from the third and fourth means and the system is substantially unaffected by electromagnetic radiation due to the inherent dielectric characteristics of the optical waveguide means, said fourth means also generating error signals in the event of certain signal errors;
• and
• logic means responsive to the error signals to provide a disable signal to the fourth means which, in response thereto, is disabled, said logic means including an activity timer means for providing the disable signal in the event that a continuous flow of signals is not received by the fourth means, whereby improper signal flow is prevented.

A multichannel fiber optic transmission system, comprising:

• first UART circuit means for receiving a plurality of signals on separate input terminals and for providing said signals consecutively at a single output terminal;
• second means connected to said output terminal and responsive to the consecutive signals received therefrom for providing consecutive light signals corresponding to said consecutive signals;
• optical waveguide means coupled to said light output means for conducting said consecutive light signals;
• third means for receiving said light signals and in response thereto for providing consecutive electrical signals corresponding to the light signals;
• fourth means for receiving said consecutive electrical signals and in response thereto providing said signals simultaneously and separately at a plurality of output terminals whereby the first and second means are electrically isolated from the third and fourth means and the system is substantially unaffected by electromagnetic radiation due to the inherent dielectric characteristics of the optical waveguide means, said fourth means also generating error signals in the event of certain signal errors;
• and
• logic means responsive to the error signals to provide a disable signal to the fourth means which, in response thereto, is disabled, said logic means includes a penalty timer means that sustains the disable signal for a predetermined time after the cessation of all error signals, so that improper signal flow is prevented.

A multichannel fiber optic transmission system, comprising:

• first means including UART circuit means for receiving a plurality of signals on separate input terminals and for providing said signals consecutively at a single output terminal;
• second means connected to said output terminal and responsive to the consecutive signals received therefrom for providing consecutive light signals corresponding to said consecutive signals;
• optical waveguide means coupled to said light output means for conducting said consecutive light signals;
• third means for receiving said light signals and in response thereto for providing consecutive electrical signals corresponding to the light signals;
• fourth means including UART circuit means for receiving said consecutive electrical signals and in response thereto providing said signals simulanteously and separately at a plurality of output terminals whereby the first and second means are electrically isolated from the third and fourth means and the system is substantially unaffected by electromagnetic radiation due to the inherent dielectric characteristics of the optical waveguide means;
• and
• logic means responsive to outputs of the fourth means for providing a disable signal to the means in the event of improper signal flow, said logic means including an activity timer responsive to an interruption in the flow of signals through the fourth means to provide the disable signal.

A multichannel fiber optic transmission system, comprising:

• first means including UART circuit means for receiving a plurality of signals on separate input terminals and for providing said signals consecutively at a single output terminal;
• second means connected to said output terminal and responsive to the consecutive signals received therefrom for providing consecutive light signals corresponding to said consecutive signals;
• optical waveguide means coupled to said light output means for conducting said consecutive light signals;
• third means for receiving said light signals and in response thereto for providing consecutive electrical signals corresponding to the light signals;
• fourth means including UART circuit means for receiving said consecutive electrical signals and in response thereto providing said signals simultaneously and separately at a plurality of output terminals whereby the first and second means are electrically isolated from the third and fourth means and the system is substantially unaffected by electromagnetic radiation due to the inherent dielectric characteristics of the optical waveguide means;
• and
• logic means responsive to outputs of the fourth means for providing a disable signal to the fourth means in the event of improper signal flow, said logic means including a penalty timer means for sustaining the disable signal for a predetermined time after cessation of an improper signal flow.

A multichannel fiber optic transmission system, comprising:

• first means including UART circuit means for receiving a plurality of signals on separate input terminals and for providing said signals consecutively at a single output terminal;
• second means connected to said output terminal and responsive to the consecutive signals received therefrom for providing consecutive light signals corresponding to said consecutive signals;
• optical waveguide means coupled to said light output means for conducting said consecutive light signals;
• third means for receiving said light signals and in response thereto for providing consecutive electrical signals corresponding to the light signals;
• fourth means including UART circuit means for receiving said consecutive electrical signals and in response thereto providing said signals simultaneously and separately at a plurality of output terminals whereby the first and second means are electrically isolated from the third and fourth means and the system is substantially unaffected by electromagnetic radiation due to the inherent dielectric characteristics of the optical waveguide means;
• and
• logic means responsive to outputs of the fourth means for providing a disable signal to the fourth means in the event of improper signal flow, said logic means including a plurality of inverter circuits and a dual timer integrated circuit.

A multichannel fiber optic transmission system, comprising:

• first means including UART circuit means for receiving a plurality of signals on separate input terminals and for providing said signals consecutively at a single output terminal;
• second means connected to said output terminal and responsive to the consecutive signals received therefrom for providing consecutive light signals corresponding to said consecutive signals;
• optical waveguide means coupled to said light output means for conducting said consecutive light signals;
• third means for receiving said light signals and in response thereto for providing consecutive electrical signals corresponding to the light signals;
• and
• fourth means including UART circuit means for receiving said consecutive electrical signals and in response thereto providing said signals simultaneously and separately at a plurality of output termnals whereby the first and second means are electrically isolated from the third and fourth means and the system is substantially unaffected by electromagnetic radiation due to the inherent dielectirc characteristics of the optical waveguide means, said fourth means provides a parity error output in the event of a parity error, a framing error output in the event of a framing error, a data ready output when signals are fully loaded in the fourth means and includes a receive register disable input for disabling a plurality of receive buffer registers upon receipt of a signal, and additionally includes logic means responsive to a parity error output, a frame error output or the absence of a data ready output signal for a predetermined period of time to provide a disable signal to the receive register disable input to disable the fourth means.

A transmitter for a multichannel transmission system, comprising:

• first UART circuit means for receiving a plurality of signals on separate independent terminals and for providing said signals consecutively at a single output terminal, said UART including:
• a transmit register empty (TRE) output which provides a one-level signal when the transmit register of the UART is empty;
• a transmit buffer register load input (TBRL) which causes an input buffer register to load upon receipt of a one-level signal;
• and
• an RC delay circuit that charges when the transmit register empty output provides a one-level signal and after a predetermined time delay provides a one-level signal to the transmit buffer register load input, whereby the transmit buffer register will load a predetermined time after the transmit register is emptied;
• and
• second means connected to said output terminal and responsive to the consecutive signals received therefrom for providing consecutive light signals corresponding to said consecutive signals.

A receiver for use in a system of the type that transmits consecutive light signals of a slow digital nature over a single optical waveguide, comprising:

• first means for receiving said light signals and in response thereto for providing consecutive electrical signals corresponding to the light signals;
• UART circuit means for receiving said consecutive electrical signals and in response thereto providing said signals simultaneously and separately at a pluraltiy of output terminals, said UART circuit means generates error signals in the event of certain signal errors;
• and
• logic means responsive to the error signals to provide a disable signal to the UART circuit means which, in response thereto, is disabled, said logic means including an activity timer means for providing the disable signal in the event that a continuous flow of signals is not received by the UART circuit means, so that improper signal flow is prevented.

A multichannel fiber optic transmission system, comprising

• first UART circuit means for receiving a plurality of signals on separate input terminals and for providing said signals consecutively at a single output terminal;
• second means connected to said output terminal and responsive to the consecutive signals received therefrom for providing consecutive light signals corresponding to said consecutive signals;
• optical waveguide means coupled to said light output means for conducting said consecutive light signals;
• third means for receiving said light signals and in response thereto for providing consecutive electrical signals corresponding to the light signals;
• fourth means for receiving said consecutive electrical signals and in response thereto providing said signals simultaneously and separately at a plurality of output terminals and for generating error signals in the event of certain signal errors;
• logic means responsive to the error signals to provide a disable signal to the fourth means which, in response thereto, is disabled to prevent improper signal flow;
• and
• penalty timer means for sustaining the disable signal for a predetermined time after cessation of all error signals, whereby the first and second means are electrically isolated from the third and fourth means and the system is substantially unaffected by electromagnetic radiation due to the inherent dielectric characteristics of the optical waveguide means and the system is disabled in response to the occurrence of certain signal errors and remains disabled for a predetermined time after cessation of the error signals.

A receiver for use in a system of the type that transmits consecutive light signals of a slow digital nature over a single optical waveguide, comprising:

• first means for receiving said light signals and in response thereto for providing consecutive electrical signals corresponding to the light signals;
• second means for receiving said consecutive electrical signals and in response thereto providing said signals simultaneously and separately at a plurality of output terminals and for generating error signals in the event of certain signal errors;
• logic means responsive to the error signals to provide a disable signal to the second means which, in response thereto, is disabled;
• and
• penalty timer means for sustaining the disable signal for a predetermined time after the cessation of all error signals, whereby improper signal flow is prevented during the presence of certain signal errors and for a predetermined time after the cessation of said signal errors.

A receiver for use in a system of the type that transmits consecutive light signals of a slow digital nature over a single optical waveguide, comprising:

• first means for receiving said light signals and in response thereto for providing consecutive electrical signals corresponding to the light signals;
• UART circuit means for receiving said consecutive electrical signals and in response thereto providing said signals simultaneously and separately at a plurality of output terminals, said UART circuit means generates error signals in the event of certain signal errors;
• and
• logic means responsive to the error signals to provide a disable signal to the UART circuit means which, in response thereto, is disabled, said logic means includes a penalty timer means that sustains the disable signal for a predetermined time after cessation of all error signals, so that improper signal flow is prevented.

A receiver for use in a system of the type that transmits consecutive light signals of a slow digital nature over a single optical waveguide, comprising:

• first means for receiving said light signals and in response thereto for providing consecutive electrical signals corresponding to the light signals;
• UART circuit means for receiving said consecutive electrical signals and in response thereto providing said signals simultaneously and separately at a plurality of output terminals;
• clock means for providing a clock signal to the UART circuit means;
• and
• logic means responsive to outputs of the UART circuit means for providing a disable signal to the UART circuit means in the event of improper signal flow, said logic means including an activity timer responsive to an interruption in the flow of signals through the UART to provide the disable signal.

A receiver for use in a system of the type that transmits consecutive light signals of a slow digital nature over a single optical waveguide, comprising:

• first means for receiving said light signals and in response thereto for providing consecutive electrical signals corresponding to the light signals;
• UART circuit means for receiving said consecutive electrical signals and in response thereto providing said signals simultaneously and separately at a plurality of output terminals;
• clock means for providing a clock signal to the UART circuit means;
• and
• logic means responsive to outputs of the UART circuit means for providing a disable signal to the UART circuit means in the event of improper signal flow, said logic means including a penalty timer means for sustaining the disable signal for a predetermined time after cessation of an improper signal flow.

A receiver for use in a system of the type that transmits consecutive light signals of a slow digital nature over a single optical waveguide, comprising:

• first means for receiving said light signals and in response thereto for providing consecutive electrical signals corresponding to the light signals;
• UART circuit means for receiving said consecutive electrical signals and in response thereto providing said signals simultaneously and separately at a plurality of output terminals;
• clock means for providing a clock signal to the UART circuit means;
• and
• logic means responsive to outputs of the UART circuit means for providing a disable signal to the UART circuit means in the event of improper signal flow, said logic means includes a plurality of inverter circuits and a dual timer integrated circuit.

A receiver for use in a system of the type that transmits consecutive light signals of a slow digital nature over a single optical waveguide, comprising:

• first means for receiving said light signals and in response thereto for providing consecutive electrical signals corresponding to the light signals;
• UART circuit means for receiving said consecutive electrical signals and in response thereto providing said signals simultaneously and separately at a plurality of output terminals, said UART circuit means includes a parity error output for providing a signal in the event of a parity error, a framing error output for providing a signal in the event of a framing error, and a data ready output for providing a signal when the UART circuit means has received signals;
• clock means for providing a clock signal to the UART circuit means;
• and
• logic means responsive to outputs of the UART circuit means for providing a disable signal to the UART circuit means in the event of improper signal flow, said logic means being responsive to a signal at either the parity error output or the framing error output or the absence of signals at the data ready output to disable the UART circuit means.

A receiver for use in a system of the type that transmits consecutive light signals of a slow digital nature over a single optical waveguide, comprising:

• first means for receiving said light signals and in response thereto for providing consecutive electrical signals corresponding to the light signals;
• UART circuit means for receiving said consecutive electrical signals and in response thereto providing said signals simultaneously and separately at a plurality of output terminals, said UART circuit means also provides a parity error output in the event of a parity error, a framing error output in the event of a framing error, a data ready output when signals are fully loaded in the UART circuit means and further includes a receive register disable input for disabling a plurality of receive buffer registers upon receipt of a signal;
• and
• logic means responsive to a parity error output, a frame error output or the absence of a data ready output signal for a predetermined period of time to provide a disable signal to the receive register disable input to disable the UART circuit means.