US 5,193,201 AGranted

System for converting a received modulated light into both power for the system and image data displayed by the system

OwnerLaRoy Tymesinventor

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Abstract

A data processing system has a host computer which is coupled to a light source. The light source illuminates an area surrounding said light source and also transmits data sent to it by the host computer by modulating the light that it generates. A multiplicity of small data processing devices use photodiodes to receive both power and data from the light source. The photodiodes generate an electrical voltage which provide power to a microprocessor. A demodulator, coupled to that electrical voltage, detects peaks in the voltage which are interpreted by the microprocessor so as to regenerate the data transmitted by the light source. The microprocessor then interprets the received data and performs a task or command specified by the received data. In one embodiment, the microprocessor is coupled to an LCD display and the received data specifies what data is to be displayed on the LCD display.

Claims8

Dependent claims

A data processing device, comprising:

data processing means, including a data processor, for performing specified data processing tasks;
photodiode means, coupled to said data processing means, for receiving modulated light and converting said received modulated light into an electrical voltage which provides power to said data processing means;
and
demodulating means, coupled to said photodiode means and said data processing means, for demodulating said electrical voltage so as to generate a stream of data signals, and for transmitting said stream of data signals to said data processing means;
wherein said data processing tasks performed by said data processing means includes outputting image signals corresponding to said stream of data signals generated by said demodulating means;
said data processing device further including display means, coupled to said data processing means, for displaying images corresponding to said image signals output by said data processing means, said display means being coupled to said photodiode means, whereby said photodiode means powers said display means by said electrical voltage generated from said photodiode means.

3 more elements

A data processing system, comprising:

light source means for generating light and thereby illuminating an area surrounding said light source means, said light source means including means for transmitting a specified stream of data by modulating said generated light;
and
a data processing device, including:
data processing means, including a data processor, for performing specified data processing tasks;
photodiode means, coupled to said data processing means, for receiving said modulated light generated by said light source means and converting said received modulated light into an electrical voltage which provides power to said data processing means;
and
demodulating means, coupled to said photodiode means and said data processing means, for demodulating said electrical voltage so as to regenerate said stream of data transmitted by said means for transmitting and transmitting said regenerated stream of data to said data processing means;
said data processing means including means for receiving and interrupting said regenerated stream of data transmitted by said demodulating means;
wherein said data processing tasks performed by said data processing means includes outputting image signals corresponding to said regenerated stream of data transmitted by said demodulating means;
said data processing device further including display means, coupled to said data processing means and powered by said electrical voltage from said photodiode means, for displaying images corresponding to said image signals output by said data processing means.

7 more elements

A data processing system, comprising:

a host computer, including means for storing and transmitting data;
light source means coupled to said host computer for generating light which illuminates an area surrounding said light source means, said light source means including means for receiving said data transmitted by said host computer and for retransmitting said data by modulating said generated light;
and
a multiplicity of data processing devices, each said data processing device including:
data processing means, including a data processor, for performing specified data processing tasks;
photodiode means, coupled to said data processing means, for receiving said modulated light generated by said light source means and converting said received modulated light into an electrical voltage which provides power to said data processing means;
and
demodulating means, coupled to said photodiode means and said data processing means, for demodulating said electrical voltage, regenerating said data transmitted by said light source means, and transmitting said regenerated data to said data processing means;
said data processing means including means for receiving and interrupting said regenerated stream of data transmitted by said demodulating means;
wherein said data processing tasks performed by said data processing means includes outputting image signals corresponding to said regenerated data transmitted by said demodulating means;
each said data processing device further including display means, coupled to said data processing means, for displaying images corresponding to said image signals output by said data processing means, said display means being coupled to said photodiode means, whereby said photodiode means powers said display means by said electrical voltage generated from said photodiode means.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.