US 8,478,126 B1Granted

Phase lock loop for optical wireless network

AssigneeThe Boeing Company

InventorDaniel N. Harres

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Abstract

An apparatus comprises a platform, an optical transmitter associated with the platform, an optical detector associated with the platform, a sensor associated with the platform, a phase-locked loop circuit, and a processor unit associated with the platform. The optical transmitter is configured to transmit first optical signals. The optical detector is configured to receive optical signals. The phase-locked loop circuit is configured to indicate a presence of second optical signals in the optical signals indicating a time interval to transmit information in the first optical signals. The processor unit is electrically connected to the optical detector, the optical transmitter, and the sensor. The processor unit is associated with the phase-locked loop circuit. The processor unit is configured to transmit the information in the first optical signals using the optical transmitter during the time interval.

Claims18

Dependent claims

An apparatus comprising:

a first optical transmitter in a first platform, wherein the first optical transmitter is configured to transmit first optical signals;
a first optical detector associated with the first platform, wherein the first optical detector is configured to receive optical signals comprising at least second optical signals, wherein the second optical signals comprise a one second beacon with a one fifteen Hertz sinewave followed by twenty-eight thirty Hertz sinewaves;
a sensor associated with the first platform;
a phase-locked loop circuit that locks onto the thirty Hertz sinewaves in the second optical signals, wherein the phase-locked loop circuit is configured to indicate a presence of the second optical signals in the optical signals indicating a time interval to transmit information in the first optical signals;
a first processor unit associated with the first platform, wherein the first processor unit is electrically connected to the first optical detector, the first optical transmitter, and the sensor, wherein the first processor unit is associated with the phase-locked loop circuit, and wherein the first processor unit is configured to transmit the information in the first optical signals using the first optical transmitter during the time interval, the information comprising information from the sensor;
and
a receiver a second platform;
a second optical detector associated with the second platform, wherein the second optical detector is configured to change the first optical signals into first electrical signals;
a second optical transmitter associated with the second platform, wherein the second optical transmitter is configured to change second electrical signals into the second optical signals;
and
a second processor unit associated with the second platform, wherein the second processor unit is configured to transmit the second electrical signals indicating the time interval during which the information is transmitted by the sensor unit to the receiver.

8 more elements

An apparatus comprising:

a number of sensor units, wherein a sensor unit within the number of sensor units comprises a first processor unit a first optical detector configured to receive optical signals a first optical transmitter configured to transmit first optical signals and a sensor, wherein the first processor unit is electrically connected to the first optical detector, the first optical transmitter, and the sensor, and wherein the first processor unit is configured to transmit the information in the first optical signals using the first optical transmitter during a time interval, wherein the first optical signals comprise a one second beacon with a one fifteen Hertz sinewave followed by twenty-eight thirty Hertz sinewaves;
and
a receiver system comprising, a second processor unit, a second optical detector, and a second optical transmitter, wherein the receiver system is configured to transmit second optical signals identifying a time interval during which information is transmitted by the number of sensor units and to receive the information in the first optical signals from the number of sensor units wherein the second optical signals comprise a one second beacon with a one fifteen Hertz sinewave followed by twenty-eight thirty Hertz sinewaves.

A method for transmitting information, the method comprising:

receiving optical signals at a first optical detector in a sensor unit, wherein the sensor unit comprises a first optical transmitter configured to transmit the information in first optical signals, a sensor, a phase-locked loop circuit, and a first processor unit electrically connected to the optical detector, the optical transmitter, and the sensor and in which the processor unit is connected to the phase-locked loop circuit;
and wherein the phase-locked loop circuit is configured to indicate a presence of second optical signals in the optical signals indicating a time interval to transmit the information, wherein the first optical signals and the second optical signals each comprise a one second beacon with a one fifteen Hertz sinewave followed by twenty-eight thirty Hertz sinewaves;
responsive to an indication of the presence of the second optical signals, transmitting the information in the first optical signals using the optical transmitter during the time interval;
and
sending the second optical signals, by a receiver system, to the sensor unit, wherein the receiver system comprises a second optical detector configured to change the first optical signals into first electrical signals a second optical transmitter, wherein the second optical transmitter is configured to change second electrical signals into the second optical signals, and a processor unit configured to transmit the second electrical signals indicating the time interval during which the information is transmitted by the sensor unit to the receiver system.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.