Identification and communication systems using optical fibers

Abstract

In one aspect, identification and communication systems are described herein. An identification and communication system described herein, in some embodiments, comprises one or more query units and one or more response units, wherein at least one response unit comprises one or more detectors comprising one or more optical fibers operable to direct one or more signals received from at least one query unit to the one or more detectors. In some embodiments, at least one optical fiber is operable to receive a signal from at least one query unit through the side of the optical fiber. In some embodiments, at least one optical fiber comprises a fluorescent plastic fiber (FPF). In some embodiments, at least one optical fiber is disposed in a textile.

That which is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An identification and communication system comprising:
 one or more query units; and   one or more response units,   wherein at least one query unit is a handheld device comprising a query portion and a flashlight portion, the query portion comprising a query beam source and the flashlight portion comprising a flashlight beam source.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the handheld device is not a weapon and is not mounted on a weapon. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the query beam source comprises an LED. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the query beam source comprises a laser. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the handheld device comprises a dedicated switch operable to turn the flashlight beam source on and off. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the handheld device comprises a dedicated triggering mechanism operable to initiate, continue, or end a query. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the handheld device comprises a display screen. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the display screen is a two-dimensional display screen. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the handheld device comprises a query controller and the display screen is operable to display data provided by the query controller. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the data provided by the query controller comprises the location of one or more response units. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the data provided by the query controller comprises the location of a plurality of response units. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the display screen is a touch screen. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the query beam source is operable to emit a query beam and at least one response unit comprises at least one detector comprising an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) comprising an amplifier operable to amplify the query beam. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one response unit comprises at least one detector capable of detecting incident radiation having a power of 100 pW or less. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one response unit comprises one or more detectors comprising one or more optical fibers operable to direct one or more signals received from at least one query unit to the one or more detectors. 
     
     
         16 . An identification and communication system comprising:
 one or more query units; and   one or more response units,   wherein at least one query unit is a handheld device comprising a stylus, the stylus comprising a query beam source.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the query beam source is operable to emit a query beam from a first end of the stylus. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the stylus further comprises a triggering mechanism operable to initiate, continue, or end a query. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the handheld device further comprises a smart phone, a personal digital assistant, a tablet personal computer, or an ultra-mobile PC in communication with the stylus.