Method and apparatus for interconnecting multiple modular devices in a communication system
AssigneeMotorola, Inc.
InventorsJames K. Gehrke, Daniel R. Schroeder
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus (100), comprising multiple modular electrical devices (102, 104, 504) and an optical signal source (106), all coupled to an optical communication resource (108), and method for the interconnection of the multiple modular electrical devices (102, 104, 504) provides for a first modular electrical device (102) of the multiple modular electrical devices to locate a second modular electrical device (104) of the multiple modular electrical devices and to selectively address a communication among multiple modular electrical devices (102, 504).
Claims17
An apparatus for interconnecting a plurality of modular electrical devices in a communication system, the apparatus comprising:
- a first modular electrical device of the plurality of modular electrical devices, wherein the first modular electrical device comprises an optical signal transmitter that transmits a first optical signal;
- a second modular electrical device of the plurality of modular electrical devices, wherein the second modular electrical device comprises an optical signal receiver that is capable of receiving the first optical signal;
- an optical signal source that transmits a second optical signal, wherein the second optical signal blocks reception of the first optical signal in the optical signal receiver of the second modular electrical device;
- and
- an optical communication resource coupled to the first modular electrical device, the second modular electrical device, and the optical signal source.
A method executed by a communication system comprising a plurality of modular electrical devices, an optical signal source, and an optical communication resource, for selectively addressing a communication among the plurality of modular electrical devices, wherein the communication comprises a transmitted optical signal, the method comprising the steps of:
- identifying a first modular electrical device of the plurality of modular electrical devices, wherein the first modular electrical device is not a desired recipient of a transmitted optical signal;
- identifying the optical signal source, wherein the optical signal source is positioned opposite the first modular electrical device along the optical communication resource:
- activating the optical signal source;
- optically blocking reception by the first modular electrical device in response to the activation of the optical signal source;
- transmitting the optical signal on the optical communication resource;
- receiving, by a second modular electrical device of the plurality of modular electrical devices, the transmitted optical signal;
- and
- failing to receive, by the first modular electrical device, the transmitted optical signal.
A method comprising:
- transmitting, by an optical signal transmitter of a first modular electrical device, a first optical signal;
- transmitting, by an optical signal source, a second optical signal;
- and
- receiving, by an optical signal receiver of a second modular electrical device, the second optical signal, wherein the second optical signal blocks reception of the first optical signal in the optical signal receiver of the second modular electrical device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.