Systems and methods for ad-hoc networking in an optical narrowcasting system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9742492-B2
Application number	US-201615395840-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 30, 2016
Priority date	Dec 30, 2015
Publication date	Aug 22, 2017
Grant date	Aug 22, 2017

Abstract

Systems and methods for optical narrowcasting are provided for transmitting various types of content. Optical narrowcasting content indicative of the presence of additional information along with identifying information may be transmitted. The additional information (which may include meaningful amounts of advertising information, media, or any other content) may also be transmitted as optical narrowcasting content. Elements of an optical narrowcasting system may include optical transmitters and optical receivers which can be configured to be operative at distances ranging from, e.g., 400 meters to 1200 meters. Moreover, the elements can be implemented on a miniaturized scale in conjunction with small, user devices such as smartphones, thereby also realizing optical ad-hoc networking, as well as interoperability with other types of data networks. Optically narrowcast content can be used to augment a real-world experience, enhance and/or spawn new forms of social-media and media content.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
receiving, at an optical receiver assembly communicatively coupled to a mobile device, a first modulated optical beam transmitted by a source;
extracting information from the modulated optical beam;
displaying the extracted information on a graphical user interface of an application presented on the mobile device;
receiving data corresponding to user input at the graphical user interface selecting the displayed information;
in response to receiving the data corresponding to user input at the graphical user interface selecting the extracted descriptive data, generating digital data to be transmitted by an optical transmitter assembly communicatively coupled to the mobile device to the source, wherein each of the optical receiver assembly and the optical transmitter assembly is a component of the mobile device or a component of a case physically coupled to the mobile device;
transferring the digital data to the optical transmitter assembly;
displaying, on the graphical user interface, an augmented reality object corresponding to a transmitting emitting region covered by the optical transmitter assembly, wherein the augmented reality object provides a visual representation of a field of view in which the optical transmitter assembly transmits modulated optical beams;
displaying, on the graphical user interface, a visual representation of the source; and
transmitting a second modulated optical beam from the optical transmitter assembly to the source, wherein the second modulated optical beam is modulated with the digital data.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: prior to transmitting the second modulated optical beam, determining at the mobile device if an optical receiver assembly of the source is within a signal path of an optical transmitter of the optical transmitter assembly.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
displaying a prompt to position the mobile device such that the visual representation of the source is within the augmented reality object corresponding to the transmitting emitting region covered by the optical transmitter.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising: tilting the optical transmitter assembly such that the source's optical receiver assembly is within a signal path of the optical transmitter.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first modulated optical beam is an optical beacon, wherein the information extracted from the first modulated optical beam indicates that the source is an optical narrowcasting hotspot, and wherein the generated digital data is a request from the mobile device to access the hotspot.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first modulated optical beam is an optical signal.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the information extracted from the first modulated optical beam includes information associated with a product offered for sale by the source, and wherein the generated digital data is a request to conduct a transaction to purchase the product.

8. A system, comprising:
an optical receiver assembly communicatively coupled to a smartphone, the optical receiver assembly adapted to receive a modulated optical beam transmitted by a source and extract information from the modulated optical beam;
an optical transmitter assembly communicatively coupled to the smartphone, the optical transmitter assembly adapted to transmit optical beams modulated with digital data, wherein each of the optical receiver assembly and the optical transmitter assembly is a component of the smartphone or a component of a smartphone case physically coupled to the smartphone;
a non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, causes the smartphone to:
display the extracted information on a graphical user interface;
receive data corresponding to user input at the graphical user interface selecting the displayed information;
in response to receiving the data corresponding to user input at the graphical user interface selecting the extracted descriptive data, generating digital data to be transmitted by the optical transmitter assembly to an optical receiver assembly of the source;
transfer the digital data to the optical transmitter assembly;
display, on the graphical user interface, an augmented reality object corresponding to a transmitting emitting region covered by the optical transmitter assembly, wherein the augmented reality object provides a visual representation of a field of view in which the optical transmitter assembly transmits modulated optical beams; and
display, on the graphical user interface, a visual representation of the source.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the modulated optical beam is an optical beacon, wherein the information extracted from the modulated optical beam indicates that the source is an optical narrowcasting hotspot, and wherein the generated digital data is a request from the smartphone to access the hotspot.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the modulated optical beam is an optical signal.

11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the optical receiver assembly communicatively coupled to the smartphone is integrated into a smartphone case attached and communicatively coupled to the smartphone, wherein the optical receiver assembly communicatively coupled to the smartphone comprises a lenslet array visible on a surface of the smartphone case.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: displaying on a graphical user interface of the mobile device controls for configuring permitted optical communications between the mobile device and the source over an ad-hoc optical network, the permitted communications over the ad-hoc optical network comprising one or more of voice or video calling, text messaging, file transfer, or using an application.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first modulated optical beam is received over a distance of at least 400 m at a bit rate of at least 1 MHz.

14. The method of claim 5 , wherein the request from the mobile device to access the hotspot comprises a unique optical narrowcasting identification associated with the mobile device.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the optical receiver assembly comprises a lenslet array and an optical detector array, the method further comprising:
receiving the modulated optical beam at a plurality of lenslets of the lenslet array;
each of the plurality of lenslets concentrating collected flux onto at least one optical detector of the optical detector array;
amplifying signals received from the optical detector array to create an amplified signal; and
converting an optical format of the amplified signal to a digital signal.

16. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
converting the digital data to an optical format for optical transmission;
transmitting the converted data as light from a light-emitting element of the optical transmitter assembly to a collimator of the optical transmitter assembly;
receiving the light from the light-emitting element through an entrance pupil of the collimator; and
emitting the light from an exit pupil of the collimator.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising: homogenizing the light emitted from the exit pupil of the collimator using two or more lenslet arrays positioned in front of the exit pupil of the collimator.

18. The system of claim 8 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the smartphone to display on a graphical user interface controls for configuring permitted optical communications bet

Assignees

• Surefire Llc

Inventors

• Shatz Narkis E
• Bortz John C

Classifications

• H04B10/1143 Primary

  Bidirectional transmission · CPC title

• G02B27/30

  Collimators · CPC title

• H04W88/16

  Gateway arrangements · CPC title

• H04N5/272

  Means for inserting a foreground image in a background image, i.e. inlay, outlay · CPC title

• H04B10/60

  Receivers · CPC title