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US 8,014,681 B1Granted
Device with optically transparent housing for conducting light signals and methods of manufacture and use
AssigneeNational Semiconductor Corporation
InventorGerard Dirk Smits
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A device can convert electrical signals into modulated light signals and conduct those modulated light signals between components within the device or between the device and another device through at least a portion of the housing of the device that is transparent to the light wavelength of the modulate light signals.
Claims20
A device, comprising:
- a housing, wherein at least a portion of the housing is transparent to light;
- a first light emitter disposed in the housing and configured to, when directed by a first electrical signal comprising a plurality of bits, emit light having a first value of a first characteristic as a first modulated light signal representing at least a first bit of the first electrical signal, wherein the device is configured to conduct the first modulated light signal through at least the portion of the housing that is transparent to light, and wherein the first characteristic is at least one of a first wavelength, a first polarization, and a first intensity;
- a second light emitter disposed in the housing and configured to, when directed by the first electrical signal, emit light having a second value of the first characteristic as a second modulated light signal representing at least a second bit of the first electrical signal, wherein the device is configured to conduct the second modulated light signal through at least the portion of the housing that is transparent to light;
- a first light receiver disposed in the housing and configured to receive at least a first portion of the first modulated light signal and at least a second portion of the second modulated light signal from the housing and convert at least the received first and second portions into at least first and second bits, respectively, of a second electrical signal;
- a first electronic component disposed in the housing and configured to provide the first electrical signal to the first light emitter;
- and
- a second electronic component disposed in the housing and configured to receive the second electrical signal from the first light receiver.
4 more elements
A system, comprising:
- a first device comprising:
- a housing, wherein at least a portion of the housing is transparent to light;
- a first light emitter disposed in the housing and configured to, when directed by a first electrical signal comprising a plurality of bits, emit light having a first value of a first characteristic as a first modulated light signal representing at least a first bit of the first electrical signal, wherein the first device is configured to conduct the first modulated light signal through at least the portion of the housing that is transparent to light, and wherein the first characteristic is at least one of a first wavelength, a first polarization, and a first intensity;
- a second light emitter disposed in the housing and configured to, when directed by the first electrical signal, emit light having a second value of the first characteristic as a second modulated light signal representing at least a second bit of the first electrical signal, wherein the first device is configured to conduct the second modulated light signal through at least the portion of the housing that is transparent to light;
- a first electronic component disposed in the housing and configured to provide the first electrical signal to the first light emitter and the second light emitter;
- and
- a port disposed in the housing;
- and
- a second device comprising:
- a connector configured to be coupled to the port of the first device and to receive the first modulated light signal and the second modulated light signal;
- a first light receiver configured to receive at least a first portion of the first modulated light signal and at least a second portion of the second modulated light signal from the housing and convert at least the received first and second portions into at least first and second bits, respectively, of a second electrical signal;
- and
- a second electronic component disposed in the second device and configured to receive the second electrical signal from the first light receiver.
10 more elements
A method of transmitting a signal between components of a device, the method comprising:
- converting a first electrical signal from a first electronic component disposed within the device into a first modulated light signal comprising light having a first value of a first characteristic, wherein the first electrical signal comprises a plurality of bits, the first modulated light signal represents at least a first bit of the first electrical signal, and the first characteristic is at least one of a first wavelength, a first polarization, and a first intensity;
- emitting the first modulated light signal into a housing of the device from a first light emitter disposed within the device;
- converting the first electrical signal into a second modulated light signal comprising light having a second value of the first characteristic, wherein the second modulated light signal represents at least a second bit of the first electrical signal;
- emitting the second modulated light signal into the housing of the device from a second light emitter disposed within the device;
- conducting the first and second modulated light signals through at least a portion of the housing;
- receiving at least a first portion of the first modulated light signal and at least a second portion of the second modulated light signal at a first light receiver disposed within the housing of the device;
- and
- converting at least the received first and second portions into at least first and second bits, respectively, of a second electrical signal.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.