OPTICAL TRANSMIT / RECEIVE UNIT AND SIGNAL TRANSMISSION DEVICE

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of signal transmission, in particular to optical data transmission via two components that are rotatably arranged relative to each other. Exemplary embodiments relate to an optical transmit / receive unit, in particular a rotatable short-range optical transmit / receive unit for optical wireless data transmission using a special optical design.

[0002] Various approaches to signal transmission are known in the prior art, for example, data transmission between two components that are rotatably mounted relative to each other. Either both components are rotatably mounted, or one component is rotatably mounted relative to the other. Conventional approaches solve the problem of data transmission across two rotating components by using cables, with slip rings or contact brushes being used to transmit the electrical signals at the point of rotation. Such contact-based signal transmission approaches are disadvantageous because the service life of the rotating component, and thus the service life of the overall system, is reduced or limited due to contact wear.Furthermore, the omnidirectional propagation of the electrical signal on the slip ring causes multipath propagation, which can lead to differences in the propagation time of the individual electrical signals, which can cause a limitation of the transmission bandwidth.

[0003] Other prior art approaches for avoiding the disadvantages of contact-based transmission techniques for signal transmission across a rotating component utilize optical, wireless data transmission with optical transmit / receive units or transceivers integrated into components arranged to rotate relative to each other. This optical approach has the advantage of being wear-free, thus not limiting the overall system's lifespan. Furthermore, it avoids the aforementioned multipath propagation of the signal, thereby preventing bandwidth limitations and enabling high data rates, such as 100 Mbit / s and above.

[0004] Fig. 1 shows a schematic representation of a conventional signal transmission device comprising two optical, wireless transmit / receive units, wherein Fig. 1(a) a position of the two optical transmit / receive units with an intact data connection or data link between them, and wherein Fig. 1(b) The two transmit / receive units are rotated relative to each other, so that the data connection is interrupted.

[0005] Fig. 1(a) Figure 1 shows a first transmit / receive device 100a, which includes an optical transmitter 102a and an optical receiver 104a. In Fig. 1(a) Furthermore, a rotational axis 106 is shown, about which the first transmit / receive unit 100a is rotatable. The optical transmitter 102a and the optical receiver 104a are arranged at a distance from the rotational axis 106 within the transmit / receive unit 100a. The optical transmitter 102a generates a first transmit beam 108a for optical data transmission, which is directed towards a second transmit / receive unit 100b. The second transmit / receive unit in turn comprises an optical transmitter 102b and an optical receiver 104b, which are arranged on both sides of the rotational axis 106. The second transmit / receive unit is rotatable about the rotational axis 106, as indicated by the arrow 106b. In the Fig. 1(a) In the example shown, the two transmit / receive units 100a and 100b are aligned such that the optical transmitter 102a in the first transmit / receive unit 100a is opposite the optical receiver 104b in the second transmit / receive unit 102b, and that the optical transmitter 102b of the second transmit / receive unit 100b is opposite the optical receiver 104a in the first transmit / receive unit 100a. The transmit beams 108a and 108b emitted by the optical transmitters 102a and 102b, respectively, are directed at the opposing optical receivers 104b and 104a. With an alignment of the two transmit / receive units 100a and 100b as shown in the illustration... Fig. 1(a) Is bidirectional data transmission possible, or is unidirectional data transmission possible when only one of the optical transmitters is used? In other words, is the data connection between the two transmit / receive units 100a and 100b intact?

[0006] The disadvantage of the based on the Fig. 1(a) The conventional device for optical, wireless data transmission via a rotating point, as depicted, consists in the requirement that the corresponding transmitters / receivers of the two rotatable or relative-to-each-rotatable transmit / receive units must be aligned so that, in other words, the transmitter and receiver are in line of sight to each other. However, if the transmit / receive units 100a, 100b rotate out of alignment, the transmission will be disrupted. Fig. 1(a) the depicted position relative to each other, for example in the case of a rotation of the first transmitting / receiving unit 100a relative to the second transmitting / receiving unit 100b by, for example, 180°, as shown in Fig. 1(b) As depicted, the transmitter and receiver are no longer opposite each other. Rather, as can be seen, the corresponding transmitters and receivers in the two transmit / receive units 100a and 100b are opposite each other. In other words, there is no line of sight between the transmitter and receiver in the two opposing transmit / receive units, or the line of sight is lost, so that the data connection is interrupted.

[0007] US 4,401,360 A describes an optical slip ring for optical communication between a pair of elements that can rotate freely relative to each other. These elements can be a pair of optical fibers, an electrical conductor and an optical fiber, or a pair of electrical conductors. One element is mounted on a first mounting fixture, and the other element is mounted on a second mounting fixture. One optical receiver is positioned in the center of the first mounting fixture on a common axis of rotation with respect to the second mounting fixture. The other optical receiver is located on the second mounting fixture on the same common axis of rotation. One optical emitter is mounted off-center on the first mounting fixture, and the other optical emitter is mounted off-center on the second mounting fixture.The optical transmitter mounted on the first mounting device is directed towards the optical receiver mounted on the second mounting device, and the optical transmitter mounted on the second mounting device is directed towards the optical receiver mounted on the first optical device.

[0008] US Patent 6,353,693 B1 describes an optical communication device for communication between a stator-side circuit and a rotor-side circuit. A pair of optical couplers is arranged between a stator and a rotor to enable bidirectional communication between the circuits. One optocoupler has a rotor-side light-receiving element located on the rotor with its axis of rotation passing through it, and a stator-side light-emitting element located on the stator at a position away from the axis of rotation. The other optocoupler has a stator-side light-receiving element with its axis of rotation passing through it, and a rotor-side light-emitting element located on the rotor at a position away from the axis of rotation.

[0009] DE10 2014 225 097 A1 describes a device for optical data transmission between two components arranged on a common axis, wherein a first transmitting device is arranged on the first component and at least one first receiving device is arranged on the second component. The first transmitting device is coaxial with the common axis and the at least one first receiving device is arranged radially offset from the common axis.

[0010] US Patent 2007 / 140620 A1 describes a rotating hinge for the bidirectional or unidirectional transmission of an optical signal from one part to another in an electronic device, where these parts can rotate relative to each other. The optical signal can be transmitted from one side of the hinge to the other independently of light transmitted in the opposite direction. An emitted optical beam is directed toward a common axis of rotation. A receiving element that collects the optical beam is arranged coincident with the common axis of rotation on the receiving side.

[0011] Based on the prior art described above, the present invention aims to provide an improved transmit / receive unit and an improved device comprising the same, in which reliable data transmission can be ensured regardless of a relative rotational position with respect to another transmit / receive unit.

[0012] This problem is solved by an optical transmit / receive unit according to claim 1.

[0013] Advantageous embodiments are defined in the dependent claims.

[0014] According to the invention, it was recognized that the problem of data interruption in a conventional signal transmission device comprising two optical, wireless transmit / receive units occurs particularly when the distance d between the two transmit / receive units or transceivers is on the order of the transceiver size, for example, when the distance is smaller than a radius of the transmit / receive units. Such short distances d occur, for example, in applications where a data link is to be provided between printed circuit boards (PCBs), or when using the device made of Fig. 1 as an optical slip ring replacement on rotating machine parts. In other words, the small distance between the transmitting / receiving units means that the transmitted beam emitted by the corresponding optical transmitters does not spread sufficiently to reach the corresponding receiver of the opposite transmitting / receiving unit, even when the transmitting / receiving units are rotated relative to each other, so that the in Fig. 1(b) The situation described occurs, which, when the components on which the corresponding transmit / receive units 100a, 100b are arranged are rotated relative to each other, can lead to interruptions in data transmission, meaning that there is no continuous data connection between the two components via the Fig. 1 The conventional device shown is ensured.

[0015] The present invention is based on the understanding that the problem discussed above in conventional rotatable short-range optical transceivers for optical wireless data transmission lies in the arrangement of the optical transmitter and the optical receiver. In transmit / receive units such as those based on the Fig. 1 As explained, the optical transmitter comprises a light source, and the radiation pattern of the transmitted beam is shaped by transmitting optics. The optical receiver includes, for example, a photodiode, which in turn has its own receiving optics to collect the received transmitted beam, i.e., the received light signal. These two elementary components of the rotatable, short-range optical transceiver are arranged side by side, as can be seen from the Fig. 1 As explained above, the axis of rotation runs between the two units, namely the transmitter and the receiver. This design means that, with a small distance between the two transceivers compared to their size, rotation of the elements relative to each other is either impossible or only possible to a very limited extent. This is because excessive twisting or rotation of the two transceivers relative to each other leads to an interruption of the transmission, as the transmitters and receivers in the respective transceivers can no longer see each other.

[0016] To solve this problem, the present invention proposes an embodiment of an optical transmit / receive unit in which the conventional arrangement of transmitter and receiver as well as the conventional provision of separate receiving and transmitting optics are dispensed with, and instead a special optical design is provided which connects the receiving optics and the transmitting optics together, thereby enabling an arrangement of optical transmitter and optical receiver that allows reliable data transmission between two transmit / receive units, regardless of how they are rotated relative to each other.

[0017] The present invention provides an optical transmit / receive unit comprising: a carrier rotatable about an axis of rotation, an optical receiver arranged on the carrier on the axis of rotation to receive an optical receive signal from a first direction, an optical transmitter arranged adjacent to the optical receiver on the carrier to transmit an optical transmit signal in a second direction, and a transmit / receive optics arranged on the carrier on the axis of rotation above the optical receiver and extending over the optical receiver and the optical transmitter, wherein the transmit / receive optics comprise a receiving optics and a transmitting optics integrated into the receiving optics, wherein the receiving optics are configured to direct the optical receive signal incident on the transmit / receive optics towards the optical receiver on the axis of rotation, and wherein the transmitting optics are configured to direct the optical transmit signal emitted by the optical transmitter towards the axis of rotation.such that a transmitting beam propagates from the transmitting / receiving optics along the axis of rotation, characterized in that the transmitting optics are formed by a section of a surface of the receiving optics facing away from the optical receiver, the section is designed to deflect the optical transmitting signal received from a transmitting surface in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation, the section is formed by a recess in the surface of the receiving optics facing away from the optical receiver, and the function of the transmitting surface is realized by a suitable shaping of the surface of the receiving optics facing the optical receiver.

[0018] The present invention further provides a device for signal transmission, comprising at least one first optical transmitting / receiving unit according to one of the present invention, and at least one second optical transmitting / receiving unit according to one of the present invention, wherein the first and the second optical transmitting / receiving unit are arranged relative to each other such that a transmitting beam of one transmitting / receiving unit illuminates the receiver optics of an opposite transmitting / receiving unit.

[0019] An advantage of the transmit / receive unit according to the invention is that a continuous or uninterrupted data connection between two such transmit / receive units is ensured, regardless of how the two transmit / receive units are arranged relative to each other about the optical axis, so that the interference associated with the Fig. 1 The problems of data transmission interruptions described above are avoided. In other words, the transmit / receive unit according to the invention ensures that, when used in a device for optical data transmission between two components that are rotatable relative to each other, a line of sight is maintained between the optical transmitter in one component and the optical transmitter in the other component, regardless of any rotation of the respective components relative to each other. This prevents unwanted or even safety-compromising interruptions in data transmission. Furthermore, an increase in the data transmission rate via an optical interface can be achieved.

[0020] According to exemplary embodiments, the transmitting optics shift the optical transmit signal emitted by the optical transmitter onto the axis of rotation in such a way that the transmitting beam leaves the transmitting / receiving optics centrally.

[0021] According to exemplary embodiments, the transmitting optics shift the optical transmit signal emitted by the optical transmitter onto the axis of rotation in such a way that the transmit beam is essentially parallel to the axis of rotation.

[0022] According to exemplary embodiments, the transmitting optics are formed in the receiving optics or integrated into the receiving optics.

[0023] According to exemplary embodiments, the first section is arranged above the optical transmitter.

[0024] According to exemplary embodiments, the second section is arranged on the axis of rotation or adjacent to the axis of rotation.

[0025] According to exemplary embodiments, the first section is formed by a projection in the surface of the receiving optics facing the optical receiver, and the second section is formed by a recess in the surface of the receiving optics facing away from the optical receiver.

[0026] According to exemplary embodiments, the recess has a first surface which extends into the receiving optics substantially parallel to the axis of rotation from the surface facing away from the optical receiver, and the recess has a second surface which adjoins the first surface and extends from the first surface at an angle of less than or equal to 90° with respect to the carrier to the surface facing away from the optical receiver.

[0027] According to exemplary embodiments, the angle is greater than 0° and smaller than the total reflection angle of the material used.

[0028] According to exemplary embodiments, the first surface is arranged adjacent to the axis of rotation, and the second surface intersects the axis of rotation, or the first surface is arranged adjacent to the axis of rotation, and the second surface extends away from the axis of rotation.

[0029] According to exemplary embodiments, the first section has a first transmitting surface which is arranged above the optical transmitter and directs the optical transmit signal emitted by the optical transmitter in the direction of the axis of rotation, and the second section has a second transmitting surface which is arranged centrally on the surface of the receiving optics facing away from the optical receiver and directs the optical transmit signal received from the first transmitting surface parallel to the axis of rotation.

[0030] According to exemplary embodiments, the first transmitting surface and the second transmitting surface each have a flat surface that is parallel to each other in order to cause a lateral displacement of the optical transmit signal to the axis of rotation.

[0031] According to exemplary embodiments, the first transmitting surface and the second transmitting surface are designed as spherical, aspherical or freeform optics in order to effect not only a lateral displacement of the optical transmit signal to the axis of rotation but also a beam shaping of the optical transmit signal in order to obtain a desired transmit beam.

[0032] According to exemplary embodiments, the first transmitting surface and the second transmitting surface are designed differently.

[0033] According to exemplary embodiments, the first section has a transmitting surface which is arranged above the optical transmitter and directs the optical transmit signal emitted by the optical transmitter in the direction of the axis of rotation, and the second section is designed to direct the optical transmit signal received by the first transmitting surface parallel to the axis of rotation.

[0034] According to exemplary embodiments, the first section is designed above the optical transmitter to direct the optical transmission signal emitted by the optical transmitter in the direction of the axis of rotation, and the second section has a transmission surface that is arranged centrally on the surface of the receiving optics facing away from the optical receiver and directs the optical transmission signal received from the first section parallel to the axis of rotation.

[0035] According to exemplary embodiments, the transmitting surface is designed as a spherical, aspherical or freeform optic to shape the optical transmit signal in order to obtain a desired transmitting beam.

[0036] According to exemplary embodiments, the support has a support surface from which the axis of rotation extends perpendicularly.

[0037] According to exemplary embodiments, the optical receiver and the optical transmitter are arranged on the substrate surface, or the optical receiver and the optical transmitter are arranged on the substrate surface at the same or different distances from the substrate surface.

[0038] According to exemplary embodiments, the optical transmit / receive unit comprises at least one further optical transmitter which is arranged adjacent to the optical receiver on the carrier, wherein the transmit / receive optics have at least one further transmitting optics which is arranged or integrated in the receiving optics.

[0039] According to exemplary embodiments, the optical receiver comprises a photodiode, PD, and the optical transmitter comprises a laser diode, LD, or a light-emitting diode, LED.

[0040] According to exemplary embodiments, one wavelength of the optical receiving signal and the optical transmitting signal lies in the ultraviolet range, the visible range or the infrared range.

[0041] According to exemplary embodiments, the receiving optics have a first receiving surface on the surface of the receiving optics facing the optical receiver and a second receiving surface on the surface of the receiving optics facing away from the optical receiver, wherein the first receiving surface and the second receiving surface are designed as spherical, aspherical or freeform optics.

[0042] According to exemplary embodiments, the first receiving surface and the second receiving surface are designed differently.

[0043] According to exemplary embodiments, the device is designed for bidirectional transmission in both directions or for unidirectional transmission in only one direction.

[0044] According to exemplary embodiments, the axes of rotation of the first and the second optical transmit / receive unit form a common axis, or the axes of rotation of the first and the second optical transmit / receive unit have a certain offset.

[0045] According to exemplary embodiments, the specified offset is between 0 and greater than a radius of the transmit / receive optics.

[0046] According to exemplary embodiments, the first and second optical transmit / receive units are arranged at a distance from each other that is small compared to the size of the transmit / receive units.

[0047] According to exemplary embodiments, the distance is smaller than the diameter of the transmitting / receiving units.

[0048] Preferred embodiments of the present application are explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. These show: Fig. 1 shows a schematic representation of a conventional signal transmission device comprising two optical, wireless transmit / receive units, wherein Fig. 1(a) a position of the two optical transmit / receive units with an intact data connection or data link between them, and wherein Fig. 1(b) The two transmit / receive units are rotated relative to each other, so that the data connection is interrupted; Fig. 2 shows the structure of a transmit / receive unit according to an embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 3 shows, based on the Fig. 3(a) bis Fig. 3(d) Various embodiments for the transmit / receive optics; Fig. 4 shows exemplary embodiments for the design of the transmit / receive unit in top view, wherein Fig. 4(a) a round or circular design of the transmit / receive unit 200 and Fig. 4(b) a rectangular or square configuration of the transmit / receive unit 200; Fig. 5 shows, based on the Fig. 5(a) und Fig. 5(b) Various embodiments for the arrangement of an optical transmitter / receiver on a carrier of the transmitting / receiving optics; Fig. 6 shows an embodiment for a signal transmission device which has two components rotatably arranged relative to each other, each of which is provided with a transmitting / receiving unit designed according to the invention; and Fig. 7 shows an embodiment of the transmitting / receiving unit according to the invention, in which the transmitting / receiving optics have a surface structure on one surface.

[0049] In the following description of the embodiments of the present invention, elements that have the same effect or are identical in the figures are provided with the same reference numerals.

[0050] Fig. 2 Figure 1 shows the structure of a transmitter / receiver unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. The transmitter / receiver unit 200 comprises an optical transmitter 202 and an optical receiver 204. The transmitter / receiver unit 200 is rotatably arranged about the axis of rotation 206, as indicated by arrow 207. Fig. 2 The transmitting beam 208, provided by the optical transmitter 202, is also shown. The optical receiver 204 is arranged such that its position coincides with a position of the axis of rotation 206. The optical receiver 204 receives an optical receive signal from a first direction, and the optical transmitter 202 transmits an optical transmit signal in a second direction, which is essentially opposite to the first direction. In the illustrated embodiment, the optical receiver 204, which can be formed, for example, by a photodiode, PD, comprises an active surface 209 for receiving incident light. The receiver 204 is arranged in the region of the axis of rotation 206 such that the axis of rotation 206 is centered on the active surface 209 and perpendicular to it. In the illustrated embodiment, the transmitting / receiving unit comprisesThe transceiver 200 further comprises a carrier 210, and in the illustrated embodiment, both the optical transmitter 202 and the optical receiver 204 are arranged on a surface 212 of the carrier. The optical transmitter 202 is offset from the axis of rotation 206 and spaced apart from the optical receiver 204. In other words, the optical receiver 204 is arranged centrally on the carrier 210 with respect to the axis of rotation 206, and the optical transmitter 206 is arranged off-center or eccentrically with respect to the axis of rotation 206 on the carrier 210. The distance a between the optical receiver 204 and the optical transmitter 202 can depend on the system design, according to exemplary embodiments.

[0051] The transmit / receive unit 200 further comprises a transmit / receive optic 214, which is arranged at a distance from the support surface 212 and thus at a distance from the optical transmitter 202 and the optical receiver 204. The transmit / receive unit 200 includes a support structure 216 for attaching / mounting the transmit / receive optic 214. The support structure 216 is arranged on the support surface 212 of the support 210 and extends as shown in Fig. 2 As shown, the transmit / receive optics are positioned upwards, so that they are spaced apart from the substrate surface 212. According to the exemplary embodiment, the transmit / receive optics are arranged at a distance d from the surface 212 of the substrate 210. This distance is determined, for example, by the beam angle of the transmitter, in order to prevent the area 220a from becoming too large. This beam angle is typically smaller than the radius of the optics 214 and can extend almost to the source. The distance d can lie in the range between the aforementioned lower limit and the diameter of the optics 214. The distance d is, as shown in Fig. 2 shown, measured along the axis of rotation 208 from the support surface 212 to the optics 214.

[0052] According to the invention, the transmit / receive optics 214 comprise a receiving optics 218 and a transmitting optics arranged within the receiving optics 218. In other words, the transmit / receive optics are primarily formed by the receiving optics 218, which is arranged on the axis of rotation 206 and extends over both the optical receiver 204 and the optical transmitter 202. The transmitting optics comprise a first section 220a, which is arranged on a first surface 218a of the receiving optics 218 facing the optical receiver 204. In the Fig. 2 In the illustrated embodiment, the first section 220a of the transmitting optics is formed by a section of the receiving optics 218 arranged above the optical transmitter 202 and convexly shaped with respect to the first surface 218a of the receiving optics. The transmitting optics further comprise a second section 220b, which is arranged on a second surface 218b of the receiving optics 218, facing away from the optical receiver 204. In the illustrated embodiment, the second section 220b of the transmitting optics is formed by a convex incision in the surface 218b in the region of the axis of rotation 206. The convex section 220b comprises a first surface 224a and a second surface 224b.The first surface 224a extends adjacent to the axis of rotation 206, essentially perpendicular to the surface 212 of the support 210 and parallel to the axis of rotation 206, into the receiving optics 218. It serves merely as a connecting surface to link the transmitting and receiving surfaces and has no optical function. A second surface 224b extends from the lower end of the first surface 224a, i.e., the end of the first surface 224a spaced from surface 218b, to surface 218b of the receiving optics 218. The second surface 224b extends at an angle to surface 212 of the support 210 in the second direction in which the optical signal 208 is emitted by the optical signal source 202. According to exemplary embodiments, this angle is greater than 0° and less than the angle of total internal reflection of the material used, i.e., the material of the transmitting / receiving optics.The angle can be between 30° and 45° and, according to one embodiment, is approximately 42°. In the case of... Fig. 2 In the illustrated embodiment, the second surface 224b of the second section 220b of the transmitting optics is convexly curved.

[0053] The first surface 218a of the receiving optics 218, facing the optical receiver 204, is also referred to as the first receiving surface, and the second surface 218b of the receiving optics 218, facing away from the optical receiver 204, is also referred to as the second receiving surface. According to exemplary embodiments, the first receiving surface and / or the second receiving surface are designed as spherical, aspherical, or freeform optics.

[0054] The transmitting beam 208 emitted by the optical transmitter 202 strikes the first section 220a of the transmitting optics, which causes a deflection of the beam towards the second section 220b in the direction of the axis of rotation 206, as shown in Fig. 2 The deflected beam 208' is represented by the deflected beam 208'. The beam 208' strikes the second section 220b of the transmitting optics, more precisely the second surface 224b, which in turn causes a deflection of the beam 208' in the direction of the axis of rotation 206, resulting in an output beam 226 that propagates essentially along the axis of rotation 206. In other words, according to the invention a transmitting optic is provided which comprises the first section 220a, which is also referred to as the first transmitting surface, and the second section 220b, which is also referred to as the second transmitting surface, wherein the two transmitting surfaces 220a, 220b are integrated into the receiving optic 218 such that the output beam 226 is shifted onto the axis of rotation 206, i.e. the transmitting beam 208, 208' leaves the transmitting / receiving optic 214 substantially in the middle or centrally.The transmitting beam 208 is tilted by the first transmitting surface 220a in the direction of the axis of rotation 206 and directed onto the second transmitting surface 220b, which is formed or arranged centrally on the upper surface 218b of the transmitting / receiving unit 214. The second transmitting surface 220b, in turn, tilts the deflected transmitting beam 208' in the direction of the axis of rotation, resulting in the output beam 226 arranged parallel to the axis of rotation 206. The embodiment according to the invention causes the light source 202 and the photodiode 204 to appear virtually on the axis of rotation 206, thus enabling a 360° rotation of the arrangement 200 without interrupting the connection. According to exemplary embodiments, deviations from parallelism to the axis of rotation are possible, so that the output beam 226 is essentially parallel to the axis of rotation 206.

[0055] According to exemplary embodiments, the first transmitting surface 220a and the second transmitting surface 220b are formed by a flat surface, preferably arranged parallel to each other, to effect the lateral displacement of the transmitting beam 208 to generate the output beam 226, thus creating an optical design for a rotatable short-range optical transceiver for wireless optical data transmission based on the principle of a plane-parallel plate. According to other exemplary embodiments, the transmitting surfaces 220a, 220b can be designed as spherical, aspherical, or freeform optics, which opens up the possibility, in addition to the aforementioned displacement, of shaping the transmitting beam 208, 208' to obtain an output beam 226 with the desired shape.According to further embodiments, it is provided that only one of the transmitting surfaces 220a, 220b is provided, and the function of the other transmitting surface is realized by a suitable shaping of the surfaces 218a or 218b of the receiving optics 218 at least at the points where the transmitting beam 208, 208' is received.

[0056] According to the invention, the receiving optics 218 and the transmitting optics 220 are integrated in such a way that a common or single transmit / receive optic or transceiver optic 214 is formed, wherein the receiving optics 218 constitute the largest part of the transmit / receive optic 214. As will be explained in more detail below, the inventive design of the transmit / receive unit allows for the provision of a data transmission device for transmitting data between components that can be rotated relative to each other and have a rotational capability for 360° rotation even at very short distances. This ensures reliable and continuous data transmission and avoids the problems encountered in conventional designs of transmit / receive units, as explained above. According to the invention, the electrical receiver element orThe optical receiver 204, which includes, for example, a photodiode, is located on the rotating axis 206, and the receiving optics 218 are also located on the rotating axis 206 above the photodiode 204, as shown in . Fig. 2 The photodiode is shown. For example, a PIN diode, an avalanche diode, a metal-semiconductor-metal diode, or similar device is used. The light source or optical transmitter 202 is located off-center, i.e., at a distance from the axis of rotation 206, adjacent to the photodiode 204, i.e., in close proximity to it. The optical transmitter 202 can be a laser source, such as a laser diode (LD), or an incoherent light source, such as a light-emitting diode (LED).

[0057] Fig. 2 Figure 1 shows an embodiment in which the first section 220a of the transmitting optics is defined by a convex section of the lower surface 218a of the receiving optics 218, which faces the light source 202, whereas the second section 220b of the transmitting optics is formed by a recess in the upper surface 218b of the transmitting optics 218, the recess being centrally located. The present invention is not limited to the configuration of the transmitting / receiving optics 214 according to the one described in Figure 2. Fig. 2 The illustrated embodiment is limited; rather, the transmitting / receiving unit can also be designed differently. Fig. 3(a) bis Fig. 3(d) show further embodiments for the transmit / receive optics 214.

[0058] Fig. 3(a) shows a configuration of the transmit / receive optics 214, in which the second section 220b is designed as shown by the Fig. 2 As explained, however, section 220b of the transmitting optics is no longer centrally located in the area of ​​the receiving optics 218, but is laterally offset with respect to the axis of rotation 206. The first section 220a of the transmitting optics is located in the Fig. 3(a) The illustrated embodiment is designed similarly to the second section 220b, namely by a first surface 228a extending parallel to the axis of rotation 206 and perpendicularly from the lower surface 218a of the receiving optics 218. A second surface 228b extends from the lower end of the first surface 228a to the lower surface 218a of the receiving optics 218. Similar to the surface 224a mentioned above, the surface 228a is also merely a connecting surface to link the transmitting and receiving surfaces, but has no optical function. Preferably, the surfaces 224b and 228b of the two sections 220a, 220b of the transmitting optics are aligned parallel to each other in order to cause the transmitting beam 208' to tilt in the direction of the axis of rotation 206 and to generate the output beam 226, which extends along the axis of rotation in close proximity to or partially overlapping with the axis of rotation 206, so that even in the case of the Fig. 3(a) In the illustrated embodiment, the light source 202 and the optical receiver 204 appear virtually overlapping in a common area around the axis of rotation 206.

[0059] Fig. 3(b) Figure 1 shows a further embodiment for the transmit / receive optics 214, in which the first section 220a of the transmit optics is designed as shown by the Fig. 3(a) The second section 220b of the transmitting optics is formed centrally in the upper surface 218b of the receiving optics 218 by a convex depression.

[0060] Fig. 3(c) Figure 214 shows another embodiment of the transmit / receive optics, in which the transmit optics include additional sections, for example when the arrangement 200 is shown according to Figure 214. Fig. 2 additional light sources, In Fig. 3(c) The respective sections 220a, 220a' and 220b, 220b' of the transmitting optics are arranged offset from the axis of rotation 206 and have a structure as shown by the Fig. 2 was explained.

[0061] Fig. 3(d) Figure 1 shows yet another embodiment for the transmit / receive optics 214, in which the first section 220a of the transmit optics is designed as shown in the figure. Fig. 2 as explained, and the second section 220b of the transmitting optics is designed as shown by the Fig. 3(b) was explained.

[0062] Based on the Fig. 2 and Fig. 3(b) In the embodiments described up to Fig. (d), the first and / or the second section 220b of the transmitting optics is designed to effect beam shaping in addition to deflecting the transmitting beam, in order to produce a desired shape of the output beam 226.

[0063] With regard to the exemplary embodiments described above for the design or shaping of the two sections 220a, 220b of the transmitting optics, it should be noted that the respective configurations can also be combined in other ways, so that the present invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments shown.

[0064] The in Fig. 2 The depicted transmit / receive unit 200 can have different shapes in top view. Fig. 4 shows two exemplary embodiments for the design of the transmitting / receiving unit in top view, wherein Fig. 4(a) a round or circular design of the transmit / receive unit 200 and Fig. 4(b) The transmitting / receiving unit 200 is shown to have a rectangular or square shape. It is obvious to a person skilled in the art that the transmitting / receiving unit 200 can have any shape, e.g., polygonal.

[0065] Fig. 4(a) Figure 1 shows a circular transmit / receive unit 200, with a radius r measured from the axis of rotation 206 to the circularly designed mount 216 for the transmit / receive optics 214 (not shown). Fig. 4(a) Furthermore, another embodiment is indicated, according to which one or more additional optical transmitters 202', 202" can be provided at the same or a different distance from the optical receiving device 204. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 4(a) In the illustrated embodiment, the bracket 216 is shown as a circumferential mount, but can also be designed by individual supports or similar means to mount the transmit / receive optics 214.

[0066] If, according to exemplary embodiments, one or more additional optical transmitters 202', 202" are provided, the transmit / receive optics 214 designed according to the invention comprise additional transmit optics which are integrated into the receive optics 218, as is exemplified in the Fig. 3(c) The additional transmitting optics are arranged above the optical transmitter 220' and comprise sections 220a' and 220b' for tilting / deflection and, if necessary, beam shaping of the transmitted beam provided by the additional optical transmitting unit 202'. According to other embodiments, the additional transmitting optics can be designed similarly to the transmitting optics 220, i.e., in the form of the [missing information]. Fig. 3(a), Fig. 3(b) oder Fig. 3(d) illustrated examples.

[0067] Fig. 4(b) Figure 1 shows a rectangular configuration of the transmit / receive unit 200, where the distance from the axis of rotation 206 to the edge of the unit 200 is referred to as the radius r. In this embodiment, the bracket 216 for supporting the transmit / receive optics 214 comprises four supports 216a to 216d arranged at the corners, which can of course be arranged differently in other embodiments.

[0068] In the one based on the Fig. 2 In the illustrated embodiment, the optical transmitter 202 and the optical receiver 204 are both arranged on the surface 212 of the carrier 210. However, the present application is not limited to such an arrangement; rather, the elements 202, 204 can be arranged at the same or different distances from the surface 212. Fig. 5 shows possible embodiments for such a design, wherein Fig. 5(a) This embodiment represents an embodiment in which the optical transmitter 202 is spaced away from the carrier surface 212 by means of a suitable spacer element 224, whereas the optical receiver 204 is located on the carrier surface 212. Fig. 5(b) Figure 1 shows another embodiment in which the optical receiver 204 is arranged at a distance from the surface 212 of the carrier 210 using a suitable spacer 224, whereas the optical transmitter 202 is arranged on the surface 212. In yet other embodiments, as mentioned, both the optical transmitter 202 and the optical receiver 204 can be arranged at a distance from the surface of the carrier using a suitable spacer 224, with the distances for the optical transmitter and for the optical receiver being the same or different.

[0069] The following are exemplary embodiments of a signal transmission device using the transmit / receive units according to the invention, as illustrated, for example, by the Fig. 2 bis Fig. 5 explained, described in more detail. Fig. 6 Figure 1 shows an embodiment of a signal transmission device 300, which has two components 302, 304 rotatably arranged relative to each other, each of which is provided with a transmit / receive unit 200 1 or 200 2 designed according to the invention in order to enable wireless, optical data transmission between the two components 302, 304 rotatably arranged relative to each other. Fig. 6 are based on the Fig. 2 The described elements of the transmit / receive unit 200 1 are shown, and the reference symbols are marked with the subscript "1" and are not described again. Likewise, the transmit / receive unit 200 2, which is assigned to the second component 304, is shown, and the corresponding elements are described based on the Fig. 2 The components described above are identified with the same reference symbols and the subscript "2" and are not described again. During data transmission, one or both transceivers can be permanently rotated relative to each other.

[0070] Fig. 6 Figure 1 shows an example of data transmission from the first component 302 to the second component 304, i.e., a unidirectional connection or link, whereby, according to other embodiments, simultaneous transmission in both directions is also possible. As shown in Fig. 6 As shown, sections 220a and 220b 1 of the transmitting optics of the transmitting transmit / receive unit 200 1 are designed to shape the transmit beam 208 into the output beam 226 such that the output beam 226 leaves the transmitting / receive optics 214 1 of the transmitting transmitting / receive unit 200 1 in a central area around the axis of rotation and is directed towards the transmitting / receive optics 214 2 of the received transmitting / receive unit 200 2 or illuminates the transmitting / receive optics. According to exemplary embodiments, the received transmit / receive unit 200 2, which can also be referred to as the receiving transceiver, can be displaced from the optical Z-axis, with which the rotational axis 206 coincides, in the X-direction and / or Y-direction, the degree of displaceability depending on the precise design of the transmitting and receiving optics. According to exemplary embodiments, the offset can be between 0 and greater than a radius of the transmitting / receiving optics. The transmitting transceiver orThe beam 226, provided by the transmitting transmit / receive unit 200 1 and directed towards the receiving optics 218 2, is collected by the transceiver optics 214 2 of the receiving transceiver 200 2 and directed or focused by the first receiving surface 218a 2 and the second receiving surface 218b 2 towards the photodiode 204b, whereby the area of ​​the second section 202b 2 of the transmitting optics cannot be used for focusing. The first section 202a 2 of the transmitting optics is arranged at a distance from the axis of rotation 206 and has no influence on the focusing. Fig. 6 Figure 2 shows the received beam 230 generated by the transmit / receive optics 214 2, which is focused on the photodiode 204 2. In other embodiments, the first section 202a 2 lies within the utilized area of ​​the receiving surface 218a 2, which may lead to a slight and therefore acceptable reduction in the received power. The beam deflected by the receiving surface 220b 2 is not shown.

[0071] In Fig. 6 An arrangement of the two transmit / receive units 200 1 and 200 2 is shown, such that both units lie on the same optical axis, namely the one in Fig. 6 The common optical axis or common rotation axis 206 shown. However, the present invention is not limited to such configurations. Each transceiver has its own rotation axis. These rotation axes can be identical (see Fig. 6 ), typically, however, the axes of rotation are not identical. The two axes of rotation can be shifted or tilted relative to each other within a certain range, so that, according to further embodiments, the transmit / receive units 200 1 , 200 2 are offset from each other, meaning that they do not have a common optical axis or a common axis of rotation. Fig. 7 shows a design similar to the one in Fig. 6 , where identical elements are assigned the same reference symbols and are not described again. In the case of the Fig. 7 In the illustrated embodiment, the transmit / receive units 2001 and 2002 are arranged with an offset from each other, as indicated by reference numeral 350. For example, the second transmit / receive unit 2002 is tilted in the X and Y directions, so that the optical axes or rotation axes 2061 and 2062 of the two units no longer coincide and have a corresponding offset. The optical axis or rotation axis 2061 of the first transmit / receive unit 2001 is offset with respect to the optical axis or rotation axis 2062 of the second transmit / receive unit 2002, as shown in the figure. Fig. 7 as is evident.

[0072] The distance between the transmit / receive units 200 1 , 200 2 , which are in a device according to the Fig. 6 and Fig. 7The dimensions of the transmitter / receiver units can be kept small, unlike in the prior art, for example smaller than the diameter of the transmitter / receiver units, since, due to the inventive design of the transmitter / receiver units, even at small distances and with rotation of the transmitter / receiver units 200 1 , 200 2 relative to each other, the transmitting beam 226, which is provided by the transmitting unit, always hits the receiving optics of the received unit, which directs the incident light onto the photodiode, so that even at smaller distances and with rotation, a reliable data transmission or data connection is ensured.

[0073] The embodiments described above merely illustrate the principles of the present invention. It is understood that modifications and variations of the arrangements and details described herein will be obvious to other people skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that the invention be limited only by the scope of protection set forth in the following claims and not by the specific details presented herein by way of description and explanation of the embodiments.

Claims

1. An optical transmission / reception unit (200), comprising: a carrier (210) rotatable around an axis of rotation (206), an optical receiver (204) arranged at the carrier (210) on the axis of rotation (206) so as to receive an optical reception signal (226) from a first direction, an optical transmitter (202) arranged at the carrier (210) adjacent to the optical receiver (204) so as to emit an optical transmission signal (208) in a second direction, and transmission / reception optics (214) arranged at the carrier (210) on the axis of rotation (206) above the optical receiver (204) and extending across the optical receiver (204) and the optical transmitter (202), wherein the transmission / reception optics (214) include reception optics (218) and transmission optics integrated in the reception optics (218), wherein the reception optics (218) are configured to guide the optical reception signal (226) striking the transmission / reception optics (214) towards the optical receiver (204) on the axis of rotation (206), and wherein the transmission optics are configured to guide the optical transmission signal (208) emitted by the optical transmitter (202) onto the axis of rotation (206) so that a transmission beam (226) propagates from the transmission / reception optics (214) along the axis of rotation (206), characterized in that the transmission optics are formed by a portion (220b) of a surface (218a) of the reception optics (218) facing away from the optical receiver (204), the second portion (220b) is configured to deflect the optical transmission signal (208) received from a transmission face (228b) in parallel to the axis of rotation (206), the portion (220b) is formed by a recess in the surface (218a) of the reception optics (218) facing away from the optical receiver (204), and the function of the transmission face (228b) is realized by suitable shaping of the surface (218a) of the reception optics (218) facing away from the optical receiver (204).

2. The optical transmission / reception unit (200) according to claim 1, wherein the transmission optics are further formed by a further portion (220a) of a surface (218a) of the reception optic (218) facing the optical receiver (204), wherein the further portion (220a) is configured to deflect the optical transmission signal (208) emitted by the optical transmitter (202) towards the axis of rotation (206), and to direct the same onto the portion (220b).

3. The optical transmission / reception unit (200) according to claim 2, wherein the further portion (220a) is arranged to be spaced apart from the optical transmitter (202) in a direction along which the optical transmitter (202) emits the optical transmission signal (208).

4. The optical transmission / reception unit (200) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the portion (220b) is arranged on the axis of rotation (206) or adjacent to the axis of rotation (206).

5. The optical transmission / reception unit (200) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the further portion (220a) is formed by a projection in the surface (218a) of the reception optic (218) facing the optical receiver (204).

6. The optical transmission / reception unit (200) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the recess comprises a first surface (224a) extending, starting from the surface (218b) facing away from the optical receiver (204), in parallel to the axis of rotation (206) into the reception optics (218), and the recess comprises a second surface (224b) adjacent to the first surface (224a) and extending, starting from the first surface (224a), at an angle of less than or equal to 90° with respect to the carrier (210) towards the surface (218b) facing away from the optical receiver (204).

7. The optical transmission / reception unit (200) according to claim 6, wherein the first surface (224a) is arranged adjacent to the axis of rotation (206) and the second surface (224b) intersects the axis of rotation (206), or the first surface (224a) is arranged adjacent to the axis of rotation (206) and the second surface (224b) extends away from the axis of rotation (206).

8. The optical transmission / reception unit (200) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the further portion (220a) comprises the transmission face (228b) arranged above the optical transmitter and guiding the optical transmission signal (208) emitted by the optical transmitter (202) towards the axis of rotation (206), and the portion (220b) comprises a further transmission face (224b) arranged centrally on the surface (218b) of the reception optic (218) facing away from the optical receiver (204) and guiding the optical transmission signal (208) received from the transmission face (228b) in parallel to the axis of rotation (206).

9. The optical transmission / reception unit (200) according to claim 8, wherein the transmission face (228b) and the further transmission face (224b) each comprise a plane face in parallel with each other so as to cause a lateral displacement of the optical transmission signal (208) towards the axis of rotation (206).

10. The optical transmission / reception unit (200) according to claim 8, wherein the transmission face (228b) and the further transmission face (224b) are configured as spherical, aspherical or free-form optics so as to also cause, beside a lateral displacement of the optical transmission signal (208) towards the axis of rotation (206), beam shaping of the optical transmission signal (208) in order to obtain a desired transmission beam (226).

11. The optical transmission / reception unit (200) according to any of claims 1 to 7, wherein the further portion (220a) comprises the transmission face (228b) arranged above the optical transmitter and guiding the optical transmission signal (208) emitted by the optical transmitter (202) towards the axis of rotation (206).

12. The optical transmission / reception unit (200) according to claim 11, wherein the transmission face (228b) is configured as spherical, aspherical or free-form optics so as to cause beam shaping of the optical transmission signal (208) in order to obtain a desired transmission beam (226).

13. The optical transmission / reception unit (200) according to any of the preceding claims, comprising at least one further optical transmitter (202', 202") arranged at the carrier (210) adjacent to the optical receiver (204), wherein the transmission / reception optics (214) comprise at least one further transmission optics arranged in the reception optics (218) or integrated therein.

14. The optical transmission / reception unit (200) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the reception optics comprise a first reception face on the surface (218a) of the reception optic (218) facing the optical receiver (204), and a second reception face on the surface (218b) of the reception optic (218) facing away from the optical receiver (204), wherein the first reception face and the second reception face are configured as spherical, aspherical or free-form optics.

15. An apparatus (300) for a signal transfer, comprising at least one first optical transmission / reception unit (200a) according to any of the preceding claims; and at least one second optical transmission / reception unit (200b) according to any of the preceding claims; wherein the first and second optical transmission / reception units (200a, 200b) are arranged in such a way with respect to each other that a transmission beam (226) of a transmission / reception unit (200a) illuminates the receiver optics of an opposite transmission / reception unit (200b).