Self identifying modulated light source

Abstract

In one aspect, the present disclosure relates to a self identifying light source including an emitter that produces visible light; and an autonomous modulator in electrical communication with the emitter that automatically and continually modulates the visible light produced by the emitter, wherein the modulated visible light represents an identification code of the light source. In some embodiments, the emitter is a light emitting diode (LED) and further comprises an LED driver that provides a specified voltage and current to each LED in the light source.

1 - 23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . A system, comprising:
 a visible light communication (VLC)-enabled device, coupled to the server, the visible light communication-enabled device comprising:
 a light source configured to 1) provide illumination to an area, and 2) output modulated visible light communication signals in response to control signals; 
 a networking interface that couples the VLC device to a network allowing the exchange of data with a server on the network; 
 uplink hardware coupled to the network interface, wherein the uplink hardware is configured to receive data from a computing device; and 
 transmitting hardware configured to:
 generate modulated control signals in response to data received from the server; and 
 apply the modulated control signals to the light source, 
 wherein the light source responds to the modulated control signals by emitting modulated visible light as downlink signals; and 
 
   a computing device comprising:
 receiving circuitry coupled to receive the downlink signals from the VLC-enabled device; 
 a processing unit coupled to extract the data from the downlink signals, 
 computing device transmitting hardware coupled to generate light source control signals in response to data extracted from the downlink signals; and 
   a computing device light source configured to output modulated visible light communication signals in response to control signals provided by the computing device transmitting hardware,   wherein the computing device is configured to:
 receive via the receiving circuitry the downlink signals output by the VLC-enabled device light source, 
 extract by the processing unit data by decoding the received downlink signal; 
 generate, by the computing device transmitting hardware in response to the data extracted from the received downlink signal, control signals to modulate light emitted by the computing device light source; and 
 emit, by the computing device light source, light as an uplink signal based on the generated control signals, wherein the uplink signal conveys data for delivery to the VLC-enabled device. 
   
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the modulated control signals generated by the transmitting hardware, convey digital data or analog data in response to the data received from the network interface. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the transmitting hardware further comprises:
 a microcontroller; and   a modulator coupled to the microcontroller and the light source that modulates power applied to the light source based on the data received from the network interface.   
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the transmitting hardware is configured to:
 generate modulated control signals that cause the light source to emit the downlink signals forming an information packet, the information packet containing a sequence of starting bits indicating the start of the information packet and followed by bits forming information packet data.   
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 27 , wherein the information packet data includes an ID code providing a general indication of the location of the VLC-enabled device. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the uplink hardware is configured to communicate via a specific communication protocol needed for a given application executing on the computing device. 
     
     
         30 . A visible light communication (VLC)-enabled device, comprising:
 a network interface coupled to a network, wherein the network interface receives communication data and light source control commands;   transmitting hardware coupled to the network interface;   a light source configured to provide illumination light and communication data, and coupled to the transmitting hardware, the light source being configured to emit modulated visible light as a downlink signal to a visible light communication-enabled computing device remote from the VLC-enabled device, wherein the downlink signal conveys the communication data in response to control signals received from the transmitting hardware and operates according to control commands received via the network interface; and   uplink hardware coupled to the network interface, wherein the uplink hardware is configured to receive visible light communication signals from the visible light communication-enabled computing device remote from the VLC-enabled device.   
     
     
         31 . The VLC-enabled device of  claim 30 , wherein the VLC-enabled device is configured to:
 receive, via the network interface, communication data from the server;   generate, by the transmitting hardware in response to the received VLC data, control signals for modulating light emitted by the light source; and   emit by the light source modulated light that contains a downlink VLC signal, wherein the downlink VLC signal is modulated light containing an information packet having a sequence of bits corresponding to starting bits and a subsequent sequence of bits corresponding to the received communication data.   
     
     
         32 . The VLC-enabled device of  claim 31 , wherein the information packet further contains an error detection code. 
     
     
         33 . The VLC-enabled device of  claim 30 , wherein the transmitting hardware is further configured to:
 generate modulated control signals that cause the light source to emit the downlink signals forming an information packet, the information packet containing a sequence of starting bits indicating the start of the information packet followed by information packet data.   
     
     
         34 . The VLC-enabled device of  claim 33 , wherein the information packet data includes an ID code providing a general indication of the location of the VLC-enabled device. 
     
     
         35 . The VLC-enabled device of  claim 30 , wherein the uplink hardware is configured to communicate via a specific communication protocol needed for a given application executing on the computing device. 
     
     
         36 . The VLC-enabled device of  claim 30 , wherein the uplink hardware is configured to communicate via a specific communication protocol needed for a given application executing on the computing device. 
     
     
         37 . A visible light communication (VLC)-enabled lighting device, comprising:
 a light source configured to 1) provide illumination and 2) output modulated VLC signals in response to control signals;   a networking interface that exchanges data with a server via a coupling to the server;   transmitting hardware configured to:
 generate modulated control signals in response to data received from the server; and 
 apply the modulated control signals to the light source, 
 wherein the light source responds to the modulated control signals by emitting modulated visible light as downlink signals; and 
   uplink hardware coupled to the network interface and comprising VLC receiver circuitry, wherein the uplink hardware is configured to forward data received from the VLC receiver circuitry to the server.   
     
     
         38 . The VLC-enabled device of  claim 37 , wherein the uplink hardware is configured to communicate via a specific communication protocol needed for a given application executing on the computing device. 
     
     
         39 . The VLC-enabled device of  claim 37 , wherein the transmitting hardware comprises:
 a microcontroller; and   a modulator coupled to the microcontroller and the light source that modulates power applied to the light source based on the data received from the network interface.