Optical link for illuminated traveling message display sign system

{
  "publication_number": "US3838412A",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "A",
  "title": "Optical link for illuminated traveling message display sign system",
  "abstract": "An optical link between display panels of an illuminated traveling message display sign system includes a time-share transmitter having an optical transmitter connected to the output thereof and an optical receiver located remote from the optical transmitter and a time-share receiver connected to the output thereof. The optical transmitter includes a light emitting diode and the optical receiver includes a photoelectric device for detecting the optical output of the optical transmitter and converting the detected output into serial electrical pulse form. The time-share receiver converts the output of the optical receiver to data in parallel electrical pulse form.",
  "claims": [
    "1. In an illuminated traveling message display sign system the combination of a predetermined number of lamps mounted in a desired arrangement on a first display panel, a predetermined number of lamps mounted in said desired arrangement on a second display panel located remote from said first panel, and means for providing an optical link between said first and second display panels whereby logic representing a moving illuminated display on said first panel is transferred to said second panel by wireless means, said optical means comprising a time-share transmitter including a triggered pulse generator circuit for converting data including the moving illuminated display logic in parallel electrical pulse form to serial electrical pulse form, an optical transmitter including a light emitting diode, input to said diode connected to an output of the pulse generator circuit whereby the data in serial electrical pulse form is transmitted by said diode in optical pulse form, an optical receiver located remote from said optical transmitter, said optical receiver including a photoelectric device for detecting the optical output of said optical transmitter and converting the detected output into serial electrical pulse form, and a time-share receiver connected to an output of the photoelectric device for converting the output thereof to data in parallel electrical pulse form.",
    "2. In the illuminated traveling message display sign system set forth in claim 1 wherein said time-share transmitter comprises a first one-shot multivibrator circuit, a first flip-flop circuit which is triggered into oscillatory operation by said first multivibrator circuit, a second one-shot multivibrator circuit, said second multivibrator circuit connected to an output of said first flip-flop circuit, a multistage parallel-to-serial converter for converting data in parallel electrical pulse form to serial electriclal pulse form, output of said second multivibrator circuit connected to said parallel-to-serial converter for advancing the converter one stage at a time, a first logic AND circuit, output of said first flip-flop circuit connected to a first input of said AND circuit, output of said converter connected to a second input of said AND circuit, and said triggered pulse generator circuit provided with a first and second input, output of said first flip-flop circuit connected to said first pulse generator circuit input for supplying receiver synchronizing pulses thereto, output of said first AND circuit connected to said second pulse generator circuit input for supplying the data in serial electrical pulse form thereto wherein the receiver synchronizing pulses and data pulses are time separated.",
    "3. In the illuminated traveling message display sign system set forth in claim 1 wherein said time-share receiver comprises a third one-shot multivibrator circuit, said third multivibRator circuit coupled to the output of said photoelectric device, output of said third multivibrator circuit including time separated receiver synchronizing and data pulses, a fourth one-shot multivibrator circuit, said fourth multivibrator circuit triggered into operation by the receiver synchronizing pulse output from said third multivibrator circuit, a second flip-flop circuit which is reset by the output of said fourth multivibrator circuit and is set by the output of said third multivibrator circuit, a second logic AND circuit, output of said third multivibrator circuit connected to a first input of said second AND circuit, output of said second flip-flop circuit connected to a second input of said second AND circuit, and a multistage serial-to-parallel converter, output of said second AND circuit comprising time separated data pulses connected to the serial input of said serial-to-parallel converter, output of said second flip-flop circuit connected to said serial-to-parallel converter for advancing the converter one stage at a time whereby the output of said serial-to-parallel converter comprises data in parallel electrical pulse form.",
    "4. A light emitting diode optical link system comprising a time-share transmitter including a triggered pulse generator circuit for converting data in parallel electrical pulse form to serial electrical pulse form, an optical transmitter including a light emitting diode, input to said diode connected to an output of the pulse generator circuit whereby the data in serial electrical pulse form is transmitted by said diode in optical pulse form, an optical receiver located remote from said optical transmitter, said optical receiver including a photoelectric device for detecting the optical output of said optical transmitter and converting the detected output into serial electrical pulse form, and a time-share receiver connected to an output of the photoelectric device for converting the output thereof to data in parallel electrical pulse form, said time-share tranmitter comprising a first one-shot multivibrator circuit, a triggered square-wave generator circuit which is triggered into oscillatory operation by said first multivibrator circuit, a second one-shot multivibrator circuit, said second multivibrator circuit connected to an output of said triggered square-wave generator circuit, a multistage parallel-to-serial converter for converging data in parallel electrical pulse form to serial electrical pulse form, output of said second multivibrator circuit connected to said parallel-to-serial converter for advancing the converter one stage at a time, a first logic AND circuit, output of said triggered square-wave generator circuit connected to a first input of said AND circuit, output of said converter connected to a second input of said AND circuit, and said triggered pulse generator circuit provided with a first and second input, output of said triggered square-wave generator circuit connected to said first pulse generator circuit input for supplying receiver synchronizing pulses thereto, output of said first AND circuit connected to said second pulse generator circuit input for supplying the data in serial electrical pulse form thereto wherein the receiver synchronizing pulses and data pulses are time separated.",
    "5. A light emitting diode optical link system comprising a time-share transmitter including a triggered pulse generator circuit for converting data in parallel electrical pulse form to serial electrical pulse form, an optical transmitter including a light emitting diode, input to said diode connected to an output of the pulse generator circuit whereby the data in serial electrical pulse form is transmitted by said diode in optical pulse form, an optical receiver located remote from said optical transmitter, said optical receiver including a photoelectric device for detecting the optical output of said optical transmitter anD converting the detected output into serial electrical pulse from, and a time-share receiver connected to an output of the photoelectric device for converting the output thereof to data in parallel electrical pulse form, said time-share receiver comprising a first one-shot multivibrator circuit, said first multivibrator circuit coupled to the output of said photoelectric device, output of said first multivibrator circuit including time separated receiver synchronizing and data pulses, a second one-shot multivibrator circuit, said second multivibrator circuit triggered into operation by the receiver synchronizing pulse output from said first multivibrator circuit, a first flip-flop circuit which is reset by the output of said second multivibrator circuit and is set by the output of said first multivibrator circuit, a first logic AND circuit, output of said first multivibrator circuit connected to a first input of said first AND circuit, output of said first flip-flop circuit connected to a second input of said first AND circuit, and a multistage serial-to-parallel converter, output of said first AND circuit comprising time separated data pulses connected to the serial input of said serial-to-parallel converter, output of said first flip-flop circuit connected to said serial-to-parallel converter for advancing the converter one stage at a time whereby the output of said serial-to-parallel converter comprises data in parallel electrical pulse form."
  ],
  "cpc": [
    "H04N 5/70",
    "G09G 3/004",
    "G09G 3/24",
    "H04L 25/45"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "G09G 3/00",
    "G09G 3/24",
    "H04L 25/45",
    "H04N 5/70"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "General Electric Co"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "C Jones",
    "J Harnden"
  ],
  "filing_date": "1972-09-05",
  "publication_date": "1974-09-24",
  "grant_date": "1974-09-24",
  "priority_date": "1965-04-19",
  "application_number": "US-28636072-A",
  "family_id": "27378764",
  "cited_by_count": 18,
  "citations": [
    "US2123459A",
    "US2852767A",
    "US3243592A",
    "US3401385A"
  ]
}