Communication module for a system for transferring data by light beams and system for transferring data by light beams

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12481102-B2
Application number	US-202218279909-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 7, 2022
Priority date	Mar 2, 2021
Publication date	Nov 25, 2025
Grant date	Nov 25, 2025

Abstract

A communication module for a system for transferring data by light beams includes a transmitter for emitting a light beam in which data to be transferred are encoded, and a receiver for receiving a light beam. The transmitter includes a light source, and the receiver includes a light sensor. The transmitter and receiver are disposed offset from each other in a vertical direction. The transmitter emits a light beam in a longitudinal direction. The receiver has a mirror, which can be pivoted about a pivot axis extending in the vertical direction between a folded-out position and a folded-in position. The mirror is disposed such that a light beam incident from the longitudinal direction is deflected toward the light sensor by the mirror in the folded-out position. A system for transferring data by light beams includes at least one first communication module and at least one second communication module.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A communication module for a system for transferring data by light beams, comprising:
a transmitter including a light source and adapted to emit a first light beam having encoded data; a receiver including a light sensor and adapted to receive a second light beam; wherein the transmitter and the receiver are arranged offset from each other in a first direction; wherein the transmitter is adapted to emit the first light beam in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction; wherein the receiver includes a mirror pivotable about a pivot axis, extending in the first direction, between a folded-out position and a folded-in position; wherein, in the folded-out position, the mirror is adapted to deflect the second light beam, incident from the second direction toward the light sensor; and wherein, in the folded-out position, the mirror is adapted to deflect the second light beam, incident from the second direction, into a third direction orthogonal to the first and second directions.

2 . The communication module according to claim 1 , wherein the transmitter includes a contact surface that is inclined to the second direction and inclined to a transverse direction transverse to the second direction, the contact surface adapted to pivot a mirror of a receiver of a second communication module in response to the communication modules moving past each other in the second direction.

3 . The communication module according to claim 1 , wherein the receiver includes a spring adapted to pivot the mirror about the pivot axis into the folded-out position.

4 . The communication module according to claim 1 , wherein the receiver includes an optical element, a lens, and/or a lens system adapted to focus the second light beam deflected by the mirror onto the light sensor.

5 . The communication module according to claim 1 , wherein the transmitter includes a contact surface that is inclined to the second direction and inclined to a transverse direction transverse to the second direction.

6 . The communication module according to claim 1 , wherein the transmitter includes a collimator adapted to collimate light generated by the light source into the first light beam.

7 . The communication module according to claim 1 , wherein the communication module is movable along the second direction.

8 . The communication module according to claim 1 , wherein the communication module is movable relative to a second communication module along the second direction.

9 . The communication module according to claim 1 , wherein the first direction is vertical.

10 . The communication module according to claim 1 , wherein the mirror is spring-biased to pivot the mirror about the pivot axis toward the folded-out position.

11 . A system for transferring data by light beams, comprising:
at least one first communication module including:
a transmitter including a light source and adapted to emit a first light beam having encoded data;
a receiver including a light sensor and adapted to receive a second light beam;
wherein the transmitter and the receiver of the first communication module are arranged offset from each other in a first direction;
wherein the transmitter of the first communication module is adapted to emit the first light beam in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction;
wherein the receiver of the first communication module includes a mirror pivotable about a pivot axis, extending in the first direction, between a folded-out position and a folded-in position; and
wherein, in the folded-out position, the mirror of the first communication module is adapted to deflect the second light beam, incident from the second direction toward the light sensor of the first communication module;
at least one second communication module including;
a transmitter including a light source and adapted to emit the second light beam having encoded data;
a receiver including a light sensor and adapted to receive the first light beam;
wherein the transmitter and the receiver of the second communication module are arranged offset from each other in the first direction;
wherein the transmitter of the second communication module is adapted to emit the second light beam in the second direction;
wherein the receiver of the second communication module includes a mirror pivotable about a pivot axis, extending in the first direction, between a folded-out position and a folded-in position; and
wherein, in the folded-out position, the mirror of the second communication module is adapted to deflect the first light beam, incident from the second direction toward the light sensor of the second communication module;
wherein the communication modules are configured such that, in the folded-out positions, the mirrors are adapted to deflect the first light beam, emitted by the transmitter of the first communication module, onto the light sensor of the second communication module, and to deflect the second light beam, emitted by the transmitter of the second communication module, onto the light sensor of the first communication module; wherein a contact surface of the transmitter of the first communication module is adapted to pivot the mirror of the receiver of the second communication module into the folded-up position in response to the communication modules moving past each other in the second direction, and a contact surface of the transmitter of the second communication module is adapted to pivot the mirror of the receiver of the first communication module into the folded-up position in response to the communication modules moving past each other in the second direction.

12 . The system according to claim 11 , wherein the communication modules are arranged such that the transmitter of the first communication module is aligned in the first direction with the mirror of the second communication module, and the transmitter of the second communication module is aligned in the first direction with the mirror of the first communication module.

13 . The system according to claim 11 , wherein the first communication module and the second communication module are movable relative to each other in the second direction and are arranged offset from each other in a transverse direction transverse to the second direction.

14 . The system according to claim 11 , wherein, in the folded-out position, the mirror of the first communication module is adapted to deflect the second light beam, incident from the second direction, into a third direction orthogonal to the first and second directions, and/or, in the folded-out position, the mirror of the second communication module is adapted to deflect the first light beam, incident form the second direction, into the third direction.

15 . The system according to claim 11 , wherein the receiver of at least one of the communication modules includes a spring adapted to pivot the mirror about the pivot axis into the folded-out position.

16 . The system according to claim 11 , wherein the receiver of the first communication module includes an optical element, a lens, and/or a lens system adapted to focus the second light beam deflected by the mirror of the first communication module onto the light sensor of the first communication module, and/or the receiver of the second communication module includes an optical element, a lens, and/or a lens system adapted to focus the first light beam deflected by the mirror of the second communication module onto the light sensor of the second communication module.

17 . The system accordin

Assignees

• Sew Eurodrive Gmbh & Co Kg

Inventors

• Hua Zhidong
• SCHäFER THOMAS
• Wanjek Andreas
• Ermert Michael

Classifications

• H04B10/112 Primary

  Line-of-sight transmission over an extended range · CPC title

• G02B6/4214

  the intermediate optical element having redirecting reflective means, e.g. mirrors, prisms for deflecting the radiation from horizontal to down- or upward direction toward a device (G02B6/4246 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G02B6/3512 Primary

  the optical element being reflective, e.g. mirror · CPC title