A status detection unit for a wireless communication system

Abstract

A status detection unit 200 for a wireless communication system 202 comprises a first communication module 204 and a second communication module 206 to communicate through a barrier 208, wherein the status detection unit 200 determines an operational status of the wireless communication system 202. The first communication module 204 may comprise a first transmitter 210 to send data to a second receiver 216 of the second communication module 206 and the first communication module 204 may comprise a first receiver 212 to receive data from a second transmitter 214 of the second communication module 206. The first and second communication modules 204, 206 may comprise optical front ends (OFEs) or RF front ends. The status detection unit 200 may determine properties of the barrier 208, such as composition, thickness type of coating, temperature, etc. based on the determined operational status, which may be determined based on detection of a transmitted test signal reflected by the barrier 208. Optionally, a first power supply unit 218 of the first communication module 204 may wirelessly supply power to a second power supply unit 220 of the second communication module 206.

Description

The present disclosure relates to a status detection unit for a wireless communication system. In particular, the present disclosure relates to a status detection unit for a wireless communication system comprising two modules configured to communicate wirelessly through a barrier. BACKGROUND With the onset of satellite communication as well as terrestrial base stations that transmit data into homes and buildings wirelessly, there is now a need for reliable systems to send data signals into and out of buildings without the need for expensive retrofitting, e.g. drilling holes into walls for antennae. Figure 1 is a schematic of a system 100 for wireless optical and / or radio frequency transmission through glass windows. The system 100 comprises an internal module 102 and an external module 104, with a glass window 106 being sandwiched between the modules 102, 104. The opposing internal and external modules 102, 104 are attached to respective glass surfaces. The external module 104 acts as a transceiver and can send data from a base station to the internal opposing module which can send data into the room as well as send power to the external module through glass by induction. The external module 104 is coupled to an antenna 108 and the internal module 102 is coupled to a home network 110. However, there are several different types of glass used in windows (e.g. float, tempered, low emission glass or tinted glass) and windows also come in a variety of designs, for example, with two or more glass barriers separated by various thicknesses of air for insulation. All these aspects have negative impacts on data transfer rates and power transfer between each module. SUMMARY It is desirable to provide a device for improving wireless communication through barriers. According to a first aspect of the disclosure there is provided a status detection unit for a wireless communication system comprising a first communication module and a second communication module, the first and second communication modules being configured to communicate through a barrier, wherein the status detection unit is configured to determine an operational status of the wireless communication system. Optionally, the first and second communication modules are configured to be attached to opposing surfaces of the barrier. Optionally, the first communication module comprises a first transmitter configured to send data to the second communication module and / or a first receiver configured to receive data from the second communication module, and the second communication module comprises a second transmitter configured to send data to the first communication module and / or a second receiver configured to receive data from the first communication module. Optionally, the first communication module comprises a first optical front end (OFE) comprising the first transmitter and / or first receiver, and the second communication module comprises a second optical front end (OFE) comprising the second transmitter and / or second receiver. Optionally, the first transmitter and / or the second transmitter each comprise one or more light emitters, and / or the first receiver and / or the second receiver each comprise one or more photodetectors. Optionally, the one or more light emitters comprises one or more of a light emitting diode (LED), an array or an arrangement of LEDs, a laser, or a light-emitting plasma. Optionally, the one or more LEDs is one or more of an OLED or a micro LED. Optionally the laser is a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL). Optionally, the one or more photodetectors comprises one or more of a photodiode, an array or an arrangement of photodiodes, a silicon PIN photodiode, a silicon photomultiplier (SiPM), a single photon avalanche diode (SPAD), a Graphene-CMOS high-resolution sensor, an avalanche photodiode (APD), a positive-intrinsic-negative (PIN) device, a phototransistor, a photoresistor, or a light activated silicon controlled rectifier. Optionally, the first communication module comprises a first RF front end comprising the first transmitter and / or first receiver, and the second communication module comprises a second RF front end comprising the second transmitter and / or second receiver. Optionally, the first communication module comprises a first power supply unit, and the second communication module comprises a second power supply unit. Optionally, the first power supply unit is configured to wirelessly supply power to second power supply unit through the barrier. Optionally, the first power supply unit is configured to wirelessly supply power to second power supply unit through the barrier using inductive energy transfer, capacitive energy transfer, radio frequency energy transfer or laser power energy transfer. Optionally, the first communication module comprises a first digital receiver and / or a first digital transmitter, and the second communication module comprises a second digital receiver and / or a second digital transmitter. Optionally, the first digital receiver and / or the second digital receiver is one or more of an optical receiver, an electrical receiver or an optoelectrical receiver, and / or the first digital transmitter and / or the second digital transmitter is one or more of an optical transmitter, an electrical transmitter or an optoelectrical transmitter. Optionally, the first communication module comprises a first optical component for the first transmitter and / or a second optical component for the first receiver, and / or the second communication module comprises a third optical component for the second transmitter and / or a fourth optical component for the second receiver. Optionally, the first optical component comprises one or more diffusers and / or one or more lenses, and / or one or more lightpipes, and / or one or more waveguides, and / or one or more attenuators, and / or one or more filters, and / or one or more polarisers. Optionally, the second optical component comprises one or more diffusers and / or one or more lenses, and / or one or more lightpipes, and / or one or more waveguides, and / or one or more attenuators, and / or one or more filters, and / or one or more polarisers. Optionally, the third optical component comprises one or more diffusers and / or one or more lenses, and / or one or more lightpipes, and / or one or more waveguides, and / or one or more attenuators, and / or one or more filters, and / or one or more polarisers. Optionally, the fourth optical component comprises one or more diffusers and / or one or more lenses, and / or one or more lightpipes, and / or one or more waveguides, and / or one or more attenuators, and / or one or more filters, and / or one or more polarisers. Optionally, the first optical component comprises a first attenuator, and / or the second optical component comprises a second attenuator, and / or the third optical component comprises a third attenuator, and / or the fourth optical component comprises a fourth attenuator. Optionally, the first and / or second and / or third and / or fourth attenuator comprises one or more of a liquid lens, a liquid crystal display (LCD), a polarising filter, or a neutral density (ND) filter. Optionally, the first and / or second and / or third and / or fourth attenuators comprise an automatic gain control. Optionally, the first communication module comprises a first digital data interface and the second communication module comprises a second digital data interface. Optionally, the first digital data interface and the second digital data interface each comprise one or more of an ethernet interface, a USB interface or a PCle interface, an HDMI interface, an InfiniBand interface, a Thunderbolt cable interface, a channels for end points interface, a CAN bus interface, an SPI interface, an SD10 interface, a UART interface, a JESD204B interface, a PON interface and / or a secondary access point interface, or the first digital data interface and the second digital data interface each comprise at least one USB-C gigabit ethernet interface, or the first digital data interface comprises a 24V DC jack and has an input between 50W and 100W, and the second digital data interface has an input between 5W and 30W. Optionally, the second digital interface is configured to be couplable to an electronic device. Optionally, the electronic device comprises a modem. Optionally, the modem comprises a duplexer, a transmitter, a receiver, an oscillator, an intermediate frequency (IF) unit, a decode and forward unit, and an optical coupler. Optionally, the decode and forward unit is a decode and forward baseband modem unit. Optionally, the barrier is substantially transparent to the wavelengths of the electromagnetic radiation used for communication between the first and second communication modules. Optionally, the barrier comprises one or more layers. Optionally, the barrier comprises one or more layers of a transparent glass, translucent glass, a transparent plastic or a translucent plastic. Optionally, the transparent plastic is acrylic or polycarbonate, and / or the translucent glass is one of float glass, low emission glass, laminated glass, obscured glass, insulated glass or tinted glass. Optionally, the barrier is between 5mm and 50mm thick. Optionally, the barrier is between 10mm and 40mm thick. Optionally, the barrier is between 20mm and 30mm thick. Optionally, the status detection unit is configured to adjust the first communication module and / or the second communication module based on the operational status. Optionally, the status detection unit is configured to determine an operational status of the wireless communication system based on the rate of communication between the first communication module and the second communication module. Optionally, the status detection unit is configured to determine one or more properties of the barrier based on the determined operational status. Optionally, the one or more properties comprises barrier composition, barrier thickness, number of barriers, distance between barriers, type of coating on the barrier, number of coating layers of each barrier, temperature, and intactness of the barrier. Optionally, the status detection unit comprises a test signal transmitter configured to transmit a test signal and a test signal sensor configured to detect the test signal from the transmitter after it is reflected by the barrier, the operational status and therefore the one or more properties of the barrier being determined based on the test signal. Optionally, the status detection unit is configured to perform a time of flight measurement using the test signal to determine the operational status. Optionally, the test signal is one of an optical signal or an acoustic signal. Optionally, the status determination unit is configured to determine the one or more properties of the barrier using software, algorithms, artificial intelligence with machine learning and / or pilot tones. Optionally, the status detection unit is configured to adjust the first communication module and / or the second communication module based on the determined one or more properties of the barrier. Optionally, the status detection unit is configured to determine an operational status of the wireless communication system based one or more of the rate of communication between the first communication module and the second communication module, the power exchange rate between the first power supply unit and the second power supply unit, and / or the temperature of one or both of the first communication module and the second communication module. Optionally, the status detection unit is configured to determine one or more properties of the barrier based on the determined operational status. Optionally, the one or more properties comprises barrier composition, barrier thickness, number of barriers, distance between barriers, type of coating on the barrier, number of coating layers of each barrier, temperature, and intactness of the barrier. Optionally, the status detection unit comprises a test signal transmitter configured to transmit a test signal and a test signal sensor configured to detect the test signal from the transmitter after it is reflected by the barrier, the operational status and therefore the one or more properties of the barrier being determined based on the test signal. Optionally, the status detection unit is configured to perform a time of flight measurement using the test signal to determine the operational status. Optionally, the test signal is one of an optical signal or an acoustic signal. Optionally, the test signal transmitter is a white light LED. Optionally, the status determination unit is configured to determine the one or more properties of the barrier using software, algorithms, artificial intelligence with machine learning and / or pilot tones. Optionally, the status detection unit is configured to adjust the first communication module and / or the second communication module based on the determined one or more properties of the barrier. Optionally, the status detection unit is configured to receive data relating to the efficiency and / or input-output voltage of the first power supply unit and the second power supply unit, and calculate the gain and / or attenuation of the first and second communication modules using the received data, and adjust the first communication module and / or the second communication module based on the calculated gain and / or attenuation. Optionally, the status detection unit comprises a first status detection module coupled to the first communication module and a second status detection module coupled to the second communication module. Optionally, the first status detection module and the second status detection module are configured to communicate through the barrier. Optionally, the first status detection module is configured to communicate the operational status to the second status detection module through the barrier and / or the second status detection module is configured to communicate the operational status to the first status detection module through the barrier. Optionally, the first status detection module and the second status detection module are configured to communicate using the Transmission Control Protocol. Optionally, the first status detection module and the second states detection module are configured to communication using optical wireless communication through the barrier. Optionally, the first status detection module and the second status detection module are configured to communicate reference clock data relating to their respective communication modules, and to synchronise their respective communication modules based on the reference clock data. Optionally, the first communication module comprises a first digital receiver and / or a first digital transmitter, and the second communication module comprises a second digital receiver and / or a second digital transmitter. Optionally, the first digital receiver and / or the second digital receiver is one or more of an optical receiver, an electrical receiver or an optoelectrical receiver, and / or the first digital transmitter and / or the second digital transmitter is one or more of an optical transmitter, an electrical transmitter or an optoelectrical transmitter. Optionally, the first communication module comprises a first optical component for the first transmitter and / or a second optical component for the first receiver, and / or the second communication module comprises a third optical component for the second transmitter and / or a fourth optical component for the second receiver. Optionally, the first optical component comprises one or more diffusers and / or one or more lenses, and / or one or more lightpipes, and / or one or more waveguides, and / or one or more attenuators, and / or one or more filters, and / or one or more polarisers. Optionally, the second optical component comprises one or more diffusers and / or one or more lenses, and / or one or more lightpipes, and / or one or more waveguides, and / or one or more attenuators, and / or one or more filters, and / or one or more polarisers. Optionally, the third optical component comprises one or more diffusers and / or one or more lenses, and / or one or more lightpipes, and / or one or more waveguides, and / or one or more attenuators, and / or one or more filters, and / or one or more polarisers. Optionally, the fourth optical component comprises one or more diffusers and / or one or more lenses, and / or one or more lightpipes, and / or one or more waveguides, and / or one or more attenuators, and / or one or more filters, and / or one or more polarisers. Optionally, the first optical component comprises a first attenuator, and / or the second optical component comprises a second attenuator, and / or the third optical component comprises a third attenuator, and / or the fourth optical component comprises a fourth attenuator. Optionally, the first and / or second and / or third and / or fourth attenuator comprises one or more of a liquid lens, a liquid crystal display (LCD), a polarising filter, or a neutral density (ND) filter. Optionally, the first and / or second and / or third and / or fourth attenuators comprise an automatic gain control. Optionally, the first communication module comprises a first digital data interface and the second communication module comprises a second digital data interface. Optionally, the first digital data interface and the second digital data interface each comprise one or more of an ethernet interface, a USB interface or a PCle interface, an HDMI interface, an InfiniBand interface, a Thunderbolt cable interface, a channels for end points interface, a CAN bus interface, an SPI interface, an SD10 interface, a UART interface, a JESD204B interface, a PON interface and / or a secondary access point interface, or the first digital data interface and the second digital data interface each comprise at least one USB-C gigabit ethernet interface, or the first digital data interface comprises a 24V DC jack and has an input between 50W and 100W, and the second digital data interface has an input between 5W and 30W. Optionally, the second digital interface is configured to be couplable to an electronic device. Optically the electronic device is a modem. Optionally, the modem comprises a duplexer, a transmitter, a receiver, an oscillator, an intermediate frequency (IF) unit, a decode and forward unit, and an optical coupler. Optionally, the decode and forward unit is a decode and forward baseband modem unit. Optionally, the barrier is substantially transparent to the wavelengths of the electromagnetic radiation used for communication between the first and second communication modules. Optionally, the barrier comprises one or more layers. Optionally, the barrier comprises one or more layers of a transparent glass, translucent glass, a transparent plastic or a translucent plastic. Optionally, the transparent plastic is acrylic or polycarbonate, and / or the translucent glass is one of float glass, low emission glass, laminated glass, obscured glass, insulated glass or tinted glass. Optionally, the barrier is between 5mm and 50mm thick. Optionally, the barrier is between 10mm and 40mm thick. Optionally, the barrier is between 20mm and 30mm thick. Optionally, the first OFE comprises a first plurality of transmitters comprising the first transmitter and / or a first plurality of receivers comprising the first receiver, and / or the second OFE comprises a second plurality of transmitters comprising the second transmitter and / or a second plurality of receivers comprising the second receiver. Optionally, each of the first plurality of transmitters are configured to transmit at the same wavelength. Optionally, each of the first plurality of transmitters are configured to transmit at different wavelengths. Optionally, each of the first plurality of receivers are configured to receive at the same wavelength. Optionally, each of the first plurality of receivers are configured to receive at different wavelengths. Optionally, each of the second plurality of transmitters are configured to transmit at the same wavelength. Optionally, each of the second plurality of transmitters are configured to transmit at different wavelengths. Optionally, each of the second plurality of receivers are configured to receive at the same wavelength. Optionally, each of the second plurality of receivers are configured to receive at different wavelengths. Optionally, the first communication module comprises one or more first additional optical front ends (OFE) each comprising a first additional transmitter and / or a first additional receiver, and the second communication module comprises one or more second additional optical front ends (OFE) each comprising a second additional transmitter and / or a second additional receiver. Optionally, the first transmitter and each of the first additional transmitters are configured to transmit at the same wavelength. Optionally, the first transmitter and each of the first additional transmitters are configured to transmit at different wavelengths. Optionally, the first receiver and each of the first additional receivers are configured to receive at the same wavelength. Optionally, the first receiver and each of the first additional receivers are configured to receive at different wavelengths. Optionally, the second transmitter and each of the second additional transmitters are configured to transmit at the same wavelength. Optionally, the second transmitter and each of the second additional transmitters are configured to transmit at different wavelengths. Optionally, the second receiver and each of the second additional receivers are configured to receive at the same wavelength. Optionally, the second receiver and each of the second additional receivers are configured to receive at different wavelengths. According to a second aspect of the disclosure there is provided a wireless communication system comprising the status detection unit of the first aspect, the first communication module of the first aspect, and the second communication module of the first aspect. It will be appreciated that the wireless communication system of the second aspect may include features set out in the first aspect and can incorporate other features as described herein. According to a third aspect of the disclosure there is provided a method of detecting the status of a wireless communication system using the status detection unit of the first aspect, the method comprising determining the operational status of the wireless communication system using the status detection unit. It will be appreciated that the wireless communication system of the third aspect may include providing and / or using features set out in the first aspect and can incorporate other features as described herein. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The disclosure is described in further detail below by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a schematic of a system for wireless optical and / or radio frequency transmission through glass windows; Figure 2(a) is a schematic of a status detection unit for a wireless communication system in accordance with a first embodiment of the present disclosure, Figure 2(b) is a schematic of a specific embodiment of the wireless communication system of Figure 2(a) in accordance with a second embodiment of the present disclosure, Figure 2(c) is a schematic of a further specific embodiment of the wireless communication system of Figure 2(a) in accordance with a third embodiment of the present disclosure, Figure 2(d) is a schematic of a further specific embodiment of the wireless communication system of Figure 2(a) in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the present disclosure, Figure 2(e) is a schematic of a further specific embodiment of the wireless communication system of Figure 2(a) in accordance with a fifth embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 3(a) is a schematic of a further specific embodiment of the status detection unit and the wireless communication system of Figure 2(a) in accordance with a sixth embodiment of the present disclosure, Figure 3(b) is a schematic of a further specific embodiment of the status detection unit and the wireless communication system of Figure 2(a) in accordance with a seventh embodiment of the present disclosure, Figure 3(c) is a schematic of a further specific embodiment of the status detection unit and the wireless communication system of Figure 2(a) in accordance with an eighth embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 3(d) is a schematic of a further specific embodiment of the status detection unit and the wireless communication system of Figure 2(a) in accordance with a ninth embodiment of the present disclosure, Figure 3(e) is a schematic of a further specific embodiment of the status detection unit and the wireless communication system of Figure 2(a) in accordance with a tenth embodiment of the present disclosure, Figure 3(f) is a schematic of a further specific embodiment of the status detection unit and the wireless communication system of Figure 2(a) in accordance with an eleventh embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 4(a) is a schematic of a further specific embodiment of the status detection unit and the wireless communication system of Figure 2(a) in accordance with an eleventh embodiment of the present disclosure, Figure 4(b) is a schematic of a further specific embodiment of the status detection unit and the wireless communication system of Figure 2(d) in accordance with an twelfth embodiment of the present disclosure; and Figure 5(a) is a schematic of the status detection unit and a wireless communication system in accordance with a thirteenth embodiment of the present disclosure, Figure 5(b) is a schematic of the status detection unit and a wireless communication system in accordance with a fourteenth embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Figure 2(a) is a schematic of a status detection unit 200 for a wireless communication system 202 in accordance with a first embodiment of the present disclosure. The wireless communication system 202 comprises a communication module 204 and a communication module 206. The communication modules 204, 206 are configured to communicate wirelessly with each other through a barrier 208. During operation of the wireless communication system 202, the status detection unit 200 determines an operational status of the communication system 202. The operational status relates to one or more characteristics of the communication system 202 during its operation, and relating to its operation. By way of example, the rate of data transfer through the barrier 208 can provide an indication of the operational status of the communication system 202. A lower than expected data rate can be indicative of the communication system 202 underperforming. In such a case, the operational status may be represented by the data rate itself. In a further embodiment, the operational status may, for example, be represented by a numerical rating, with the rating being dependent on the rate of data transfer. The operational status may depend on several factors. The operational status may relate to one or both of the communication modules 204, 206. In use, the modules 204, 206 may be attached to opposing surfaces of the barrier 208. In further embodiments, one or both of the modules 204, 206 may be in close proximity to the respective barrier 208 surfaces, without being attached. The modules 204, 206 may be coupled to their respective surfaces magnetically, or using an adhesive. The modules 204, 206 may each comprise a seal (not shown) to exclude one or more of gas, particles, dust, oil or moisture from entering the interface space between the module 204, 206 and the barrier 208 surface. The seal may, for example, be a hermetic seal. Each of the modules 204, 206 may comprise a coupling device (not shown) to align the modules 204, 206 for their attachment to the surface of the barrier 208. The coupling device can enable an unskilled person to manually assemble the system 202 either side of the barrier 208 and to provide proper alignment of the modules 204, 206 during assembly of the system 202. The coupling device may comprise known visual tools such as optical spotting scopes with the aid of electrical metering of received signal strength indication (RSSI) signal to algin the modules, or an infrared emitter and infrared receiver that cooperate in known ways to indicate that alignment of the modules 204, 206 has been achieved. In a further embodiment, alignment may be manually achieved by a spacer block and window coordinates on both sides. The communication module 204 may be attached on the interior side of the barrier 208. For example, within an enclosed space such as a building, multistorey building, private dwelling, home, apartment, prefabricated house or mobile home. The communication module 206 may be attached on the exterior side of the barrier, being outside of the enclosed space. The modules 204, 206 may be applied to the either surface of the barrier 208 using an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) or drone. The drone may, for example, be single use after attachment to the barrier surface. The drones may comprise suitable components to enable alignment of the modules 204, 206 and also to couple the modules 204, 206 to their respective surfaces, for example by adhering to the surface using suction pads, magnets or adhesive. The external drone could detach if a storm is forecast or if the user no longer requires the system 202. The use of a UAV or drone can mitigate mounting alignment issues and can avoid parallax error. The attachment system may be a spring-loaded system, that after a good alignment indication is received by the UAV or drone, actuates a control to lock the module into place. The device may be assembled during the assembly of a framed window before installation in a house, either in a new building or as a replacement window, as is frequently done during house insulation upgrades. One or both of the modules 204, 206 may comprise one or more sensors (not shown). The one or more sensors may detect movement nearby and may use algorithms to predict interference or removal of a module. The system 202 may comprise a security alarm (not shown] to alert users to a fault or interference by a third party, as detected by a sensor. This may be particularly relevant for a module that is placed outdoors. • The system 202 may also comprise sensors to monitor one or more of the external and / or internal module: • temperature • alignment of both modules • functional and operational information • energy supply • device part authentication The module placed indoors (for example the module 204] may comprise status indicators (not shown], such as several LEDs for status. Another further LED may transmit data to the outside module (for example, the module 206] and may use a light pipe to direct light from the LED to the outside module. The data may relate to clock signals, and therefore may be used for clock synchronization of the modules 204, 206. The barrier 208 may be substantially transparent to the wavelengths of the electromagnetic radiation used for communication between the communication modules 204, 206. The barrier 208 may comprise one or more layers. The barrier 208 may comprise one or more layers of a transparent glass, translucent glass, translucent plastic or a transparent plastic. For example, the transparent plastic may be acrylic or polycarbonate, for example, the translucent glass may be float glass, low emission glass, laminated glass, obscured glass, insulated glass or tinted glass. The barrier 208 may be between 5mm and 50mm thick, for example between 10mm and 40mm thick, for example, between 20mm and 30mm thick. The modules 204, 206 may comprise FPGA to ASIC transition. Figure 2(b) is a schematic of a specific embodiment of the wireless communication system 202 of Figure 2(a) in accordance with a second embodiment of the present disclosure. In the present embodiment, the communication module 204 comprises a transmitter 210 configured to transmit data to the communication module 206, and a receiver 212 configured to receive data from the communication module 206. The communication module 206 comprises a transmitter 214 configured to transmit data to the communication module 204, and a receiver 216 configured to receive data from the communication module 204. The transmitter 210 is configured to transmit data wirelessly to the receiver 212, and the transmitter 214 is configured to transmit data wirelessly to the receiver 216. The end to end data rate between the modules 204, 206 may be between 500 Mbps and 10 Gbps. In the present embodiment, eachofthe communication modules 204,206 comprises one of the transmitters 210, 214 and one of the receivers 212, 216. The transmitter 210 and the receiver 212 may be collectively referred to as a transceiver. Similarly the transmitter 214 and the receiver may be collectively referred to as a transceiver. It will be appreciated that in further embodiments, the communication between the modules 204, 206 may be one way, such that one of the modules 204, 206 may comprise a transmitter with no receiver, with the other of the modules 204, 206 comprising a receiver and no transmitter. Embodiments described herein primarily relate to modules 204, 206 using bidirectional communication. It will be appreciated that in further embodiments of the present disclosure, any of the embodiments described herein using bidirectional communication may be adapted to provide one way communication in accordance with the understanding of the skilled person. In a specific embodiment, each of the communication modules 204, 206 may comprise an optical front end (OFE), with their respective transmitters and receivers being includes as part of the OFE. In the OFE, the transmitters 210, 214 and receivers 212, 216 are configured to transmit and receive and optical wavelengths, respectively. The optical wavelengths may include visible and / or infrared (for example near infrared) and / or ultraviolet wavelengths. Such systems may be referred to as optical wireless communication (OWC) systems. Each of the transmitters 210, 214 may comprise one or more light emitters. For example, the one or more light emitters may comprise one or more of a light emitting diode (LED), an array or an arrangement of LEDs, a laser, or a light-emitting plasma. The one or more LEDs may, for example, be one or more of an OLED or a micro LED. The laser may be a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL). Each of the receivers 212, 216 may comprise one or more photodetectors. For example, the one or more photodetectors may comprise one or more of a photodiode, an array or an arrangement of photodiodes, a silicon PIN diode, a silicon photomultiplier (SiPM), a single photon avalanche diode (SPAD), a Graphene-CMOS high-resolution sensor, an avalanche photodiode (APD), a positive-intrinsic-negative (PIN) device, a photo transistor, a photoresistor, or a light activated silicon controlled rectifier. The OFE may comprise a light access module. In a further embodiment, each of the communication modules 204, 206 may comprise an RF front end, with their respective transmitters and receivers being includes as part of the RF front end. In the RF front end, the transmitters 210, 214 and receivers 212, 216 are configured to transmit and receive and radio frequency (RF) wavelengths, respectively. Figure 2(c) is a schematic of a further specific embodiment of the wireless communication system 202 of Figure 2(a) in accordance with a third embodiment of the present disclosure. With reference to the embodiment presented in Figure 2(b), the communication module 204 further comprises a power supply unit 218 and the communication module 206 further comprises a power supply unit 220. The power supply units 218, 220 are arranged to enable power to be supplied to their respective modules 204, 206. For example, one or both of the power supply units 218, 220 may comprise a battery holder for holding a battery to power its module 204, 206. In a further embodiment, one or both of the power supply units 218, 220 may comprise a connector for coupling to a mains power supply or other power source. In a specific embodiment, where the module 204 is within an enclosed space, such as a house, it may be powered by the power supply unit 218 being coupled to a mains power supply, which is available within the house. The module 206, being outside the house, may be powered by the power supply unit 220 holding a battery, with the mains supply not being readily available outside. In a specific embodiment, the power supply unit 218 may be configured to wirelessly supply power to the power supply unit 220. This will be of particular benefit for the above example where the module 204 is placed within a property with access to a mains power supply, which is not easily accessibly for the exterior module 206. The power may, for example, be supplied through the barrier 208 using inductive energy transfer, capacitive energy transfer, radio frequency energy transfer or laser power energy transfer. The status detection unit 200 may be implemented within one or both of the power supply units 218, 220. One or both of the power supply units 218, 220 may monitor their received voltages and if necessary rectify the voltage on power channel. Figure 2(d) is a schematic of a further specific embodiment of the wireless communication system 202 of Figure 2(a) in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the present disclosure. With reference to the embodiment presented in Figure 2(c), the communication module 204 further comprises a digital transceiver 222, and the communication module 206 comprises a digital transceiver 224. It will be appreciated that each of the digital transceivers 222, 224 comprises a digital transmitter and a digital receiver. As discussed previously, for embodiments having single direction communication, there may be provided only one of the digital transmitter or the digital receiver for one of the modules 204, 206, and the other of the digital transmitter or the digital receiver for the other of the modules 204, 206 in accordance with the understanding of the skilled person. The digital transceivers 222, 224 are each configured to receive and transmit digital signals received from their respective transmitters and receivers. For example, the digital transceiver 222 may receive a digital signal, convert the digital signal to an analog signal that is suitable for transmission, and then provide the analog signal to the transmitter 210 for wireless transmission. The digital transceiver 222 may receive an analog signal, as provided by the receiver 212, convert the analog signal to a digital signal, and then output the digital signal. The digital transceiver 224 will function similarly, as will be clear to the skilled person. Each of the digital transceivers 222, 224 may be one or more of an optical transceiver, an electrical transceiver or an optoelectrical transceiver. One or more of the transmitters 210, 214 and / or the receivers 212, 216 may have optical components. The optical components may comprise one or more of a diffuser, a lens, a lightpipe, a waveguide, an attenuator, a filter, and / or a polariser. Polarisers are particularly useful with multiple OFEs / transmitters to provide separation between signals. The communication modules 204,206 may comprise attenuators 226, 228,230, 232 that are configured to attenuate signals. The attenuation by the attenuators may be used to prevent saturation of the optical, electrical or optoelectrical signals. Each of the attenuators 226, 228, 230, 232 may comprise one or more a liquid lens, a liquid crystal display (LCD), or a filter such as a polarising filter or a neutral density (ND) filter. Each of the attenuators 226, 228, 230, 232 may comprise automatic gain control that automatically adjusts the attenuation to acquire the desired gain. Each of the filters may differ from each other if the transmitters / receivers operate on different wavelengths. The communication module 204 comprises a digital data interface 234 and the communication module 26 comprises a digital data interface 236. In a specific embodiment, each of the digital data interfaces 234, 236 may comprise one or more of an ethernet interface, a universal serial bus (USB) interface, a peripheral component interconnect (PCle) interface, an HDMI interface, an InfiniBand interface, a Thunderbolt cable interface (for example Thunderbolt 3), a channels for end points interface, a CAN bus interface, an SP1 interface, an SD1O interface, a UART interface, a JESD204B interface, a PON interface, and / or a secondary access point interface. The ethernet interface may be, for example, a 40GB ethernet interface. In a further embodiment, each of the digital data interfaces 234, 236 may comprise a USB-C gigabit ethernet interface. In a further embodiment the digital data interface 234 comprises a 24V DC jack and has an input between 50W and 100W, and the digital interface 236 comprises an input between 5W and 30W, preferably 20W. The digital interface 236 may be configured to be couplable to an electronic device such as a modem 238. The modem 238 may be an external modem. The modem 238 is arranged to convert the digital data into an appropriate format for transmission, for example via an RF antenna. The modem 238 may be arranged to be battery powered. The modem 238 may comprise a duplexer, a transmitter, a receiver, an oscillator, an intermediate frequency (IF) unit, a decode and forward unit, and an optical coupler. The decode and forward unit may be a decode and forward baseband modem unit. The decode and forward unit amplifies signals in addition to signal forwarding thereby obviating the need to decode received signals at point of reception (antenna), providing optimal signal reception and transmission which in turn reduces the error rate of received and transmitted signals. The interface 234 may be couplable to an electronic device 240, such as a network, such as a home network. The wireless communication system 202 of Figure 2(d) can permit communication in and out of an enclosed space through the barrier 208. Figure 2(e) is a schematic of a further specific embodiment of the wireless communication system 202 of Figure 2(a) in accordance with a fifth embodiment of the present disclosure. It will be appreciated that the additional features of the present embodiment may be applied to any of the other embodiments described herein in accordance with the understanding of the skilled person. In the present embodiment, the status detection unit 200 is configured to adjust the one or both of the communication module 202,204 based on the operational status. For example, where the operational status is dependent on the rate of communication between the modules 202,204, a lower than expected data rate may be indicative of issues arising due to the barrier 208. An adjustment may be applied to the control of the communication modules 202, 204 to compensate for the lower than expected data rate, thereby resolving issues with known systems. The adjustment may, for example relate to a correction of the power provided by one or both of the power supplies 218, 220 and / or signal levels of the communication signal between modules 204, 206. In a further embodiment, the operational status may relate to the power transfer between power supply units 218, 220. In a further embodiment, the operational status of one set of components may be inferred from the operation of another component, such as a communication rate between optical / RF front ends may be used to infer the operational status of the power supply units 218, 220. The status detection unit 200 may be configured to determine one or more properties of the barrier 208 based on the determined operational status. For example, a specific power transfer rate and / or data communication rate may be indicative of the barrier type. The one or more properties of the barrier 208 may include barrier composition, barrier thickness, number of barriers, distance between barriers, type of coating on the barrier, number of coating layers of each barrier, temperature, and intactness of the barrier. The status detection unit 200 may be configured to adjust one or both of the communication modules 202, 204 based on the barrier property or properties, thereby adjusting based on the operational status. In a specific embodiment, a control signal may be provided by the status detection unit 200 to control the appropriate component or components to apply the adjustment to one or both the communication modules 202, 204. If the status detection unit 200 is located on the opposite side of the barrier to the module 202, 204 to be controlled, the control signal may be transmitted wirelessly through the communication link between the modules 202, 204 or through a separate wireless communication system having modules on either side of the barrier 208. Figure 3(a) is a schematic of a further specific embodiment of the status detection unit 200 and the wireless communication system 202 of Figure 2(a) in accordance with a sixth embodiment of the present disclosure. It will be appreciated that the additional features of the present embodiment may be applied to any of the other embodiments described herein in accordance with the understanding of the skilled person. The status detection unit 200 comprises a test signal transmitter 300 configured to transmit a test signal 302 and a test signal sensor 304 configured to detect the test signal 302 after reflection by the barrier 208. The operational status may be determined by analysing the test signal 304 after reflection, and the one or more properties of the barrier 208 may be determined based on the operational status determined from the test signal 304. As shown in the schematic, in a specific embodiment, the test signal 302 may be reflected from both interfaces of the barrier 208. The status detection unit 200 may be configured to perform a time of flight measurement using the test signal 302 to determine the operational status. The status detection unit 200 may measure the thickness of the barrier 208 by sending out the test signal 302 and measuring the time of flight of the reflection from either 1) the furthest away glass-barrier surface, e.g. if the barrier surface is double or triple glazed windows; or 2) an opposing module. Reflection from each module may be achieved by coating one or both modules with a reflective material. The test signal 302 may be one or both of an optical or acoustic signal. Preferably, the test signal 302 is optical when the barrier 208 is glass or low emission class, in particular double or triple glazed low emission glass windows. In such an embodiment, the transmitter 300 may be a white light LED. Preferably if the barrier 208 is glass, white light LED may be irradiated onto the glass barrier surface to provide a spectral reflectance curve. This spectral reflectance curve can identify the type of glass, for example soft low-Emission coated glass or hard low-E coated glass. The status determination unit 200 may be configured to determine the one or more properties of the barrier 208 using software, algorithms, artificial intelligence with machine learning and / or pilot tones. The status detection unit 200 may be configured to adjust one or both of the communication modules 202, 204 based on the barrier property or properties, for example by providing feedback control to the internal power supply units 218, 220 to ensure sufficient power is transferred through the barrier 208, for example, with an inductive power transfer system by changing the power coil size. The status detection unit 200 may correlate signal output and the reflected signal strength to barrier numbers. Figure 3(b ) is a schematic of a further specific embodiment of the status detection unit 200 and the wireless communication system 202 of Figure 2(a) in accordance with a seventh embodiment of the present disclosure. It will be appreciated that the additional features of the present embodiment may be applied to any of the other embodiments described herein in accordance with the understanding of the skilled person. In the present embodiment, the status detection unit 200 is configured to determine an operational status of the communication system 202 based on the power exchange rate between the power supply unit 218 and the power supply unit 220. Figure 3(c) is a schematic of a further specific embodiment of the status detection unit 200 and the wireless communication system 202 of Figure 2(a) in accordance with an eighth embodiment of the present disclosure. It will be appreciated that the additional features of the present embodiment may be applied to any of the other embodiments described herein in accordance with the understanding of the skilled person. In the present embodiment, the status detection unit 200 is configured to determine an operational status of the communication system 202 based on the rate of communication between the communication modules 204, 206. Figure 3(d) is a schematic of a further specific embodiment of the status detection unit 200 and the wireless communication system 202 of Figure 2(a) in accordance with a ninth embodiment of the present disclosure. It will be appreciated that the additional features of the present embodiment may be applied to any of the other embodiments described herein in accordance with the understanding of the skilled person. In the present embodiment, the module 204 comprises a temperature sensor 306, and / or the module 206 comprises a temperature sensor 308. The status detection unit 200 is configured to determine an operational status of the communication system 202 based on the temperature of one or both of the communication modules 204, 206. The operational status may be one or more of the rate of communication, the power exchange, or the temperature of one or both of the modules 204, 206. In a further embodiment, the operational status may be derived from one or more of the rate of communication, the power exchange, or the temperature of one or both of the modules 204, 206. Figure 3(e) is a schematic of a further specific embodiment of the status detection unit 200 and the wireless communication system 202 of Figure 2(a) in accordance with a tenth embodiment of the present disclosure. It will be appreciated that the additional features of the present embodiment may be applied to any of the other embodiments described herein in accordance with the understanding of the skilled person. In the present embodiment, the status detection unit 200 is configured to receive data relating to the efficiency and / or input-output voltage of the power supply unit 218 and the power supply unit 220, and calculate the gain and / or attenuation of the communication modules using the received data, and adjust the communication module 204 and / or the communication module 206 based on the calculated gain and / or attenuation. By doing this calculation, the status detection unit 200 can optimise communication across the barrier 208. Communication of the status detection unit 200 with the power supply units 218, 220 may be by an analog or a digital signal. Figure 3(f) is a schematic of a further specific embodiment of the status detection unit 200 and the wireless communication system 202 of Figure 2(a) in accordance with an eleventh embodiment of the present disclosure. It will be appreciated that the additional features of the present embodiment may be applied to any of the other embodiments described herein in accordance with the understanding of the skilled person. In the present embodiment, the status detection unit 200 comprises a status detection module 310 coupled to the communication unit 204, and a status detection module 312 coupled to the communication unit 206. The detection modules 310, 312 are configured to communication through the barrier 208, for example bidirectionally, and for example, using the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP). Data may be communicated between modules 310, 312 using a method that guarantees data is received, or using a method that does not guarantee data is received. The detection modules 310, 312 may communicate using wireless transmission, for example optical or RF transmission. In a specific embodiment, and as discussed previously, a control signal may be provided by the status detection unit 200 to control the appropriate component or components to apply the adjustment to one or both the communication modules 202,204. If the status detection unit 200 is located on the opposite side of the barrier to the module 202, 204 to be controlled, the control signal may be transmitted wirelessly through the communication link between the modules 202, 204 or through a separate wireless communication system having modules on either side of the barrier 208, as may be provided by the modules 310, 312. In a specific embodiment, the status detection modules 310, 312 are configured to communicate reference clock data relating to their respective communication modules 204, 206, and to synchronise their respective communication modules 204, 206 based on the reference clock data. The status detection modules 310, 312 may communication any correlation between an optical and an electrical channel activity. The status detection modules 310, 312 may communicate data relating to time of flight of test signals 304 and reflection received optical and voltage power. In a specific embodiment, the rate of communication between the status detection modules 310, 312 may be used to determine the operational status. For example, the operational status of the power units 218, 220 may be determined by the rate of communication between the modules 310,312. The operational status from the rate of communication, as determined, may be used to determine one or more barrier 208 properties, as discussed previously. Data may be communicated between modules 310, 312 using a method that guarantees data is received, or using a method that does not guarantee data is received. Figure 4(a) is a schematic of a further specific embodiment of the status detection unit 200 and the wireless communication system 202 of Figure 2(a) in accordance with an eleventh embodiment of the present disclosure. The status detection unit 200 may be implemented in accordance with any of the embodiments described herein, and in accordance with the understanding of the skilled person. Figure 4(b) is a schematic of a further specific embodiment of the status detection unit 200 and the wireless communication system 202 of Figure 2(d) in accordance with an twelfth embodiment of the present disclosure. The status detection unit 200 may be implemented in accordance with any of the embodiments described herein, and in accordance with the understanding of the skilled person. In further specific embodiments, one or both of the OFEs of any of the embodiments described herein may each comprise a plurality of transmitters and / or a plurality of receivers. Each of the plurality of transmitters of each OFE may transmit electromagnetic radiation at the same, or at different wavelengths. Each of the plurality of receivers of each OFE may detect electromagnetic radiation at the same, or at different wavelengths. In further specific embodiments, one or both of the modules 204, 206 of any of the embodiments described herein may each comprise a plurality of OFEs, where each of the OFEs comprises one or more transmitters and / or one or more receivers. The transmitters may transmit electromagnetic radiation at the same, or at different wavelengths. The receivers may detect electromagnetic radiation at the same, or at different wavelengths. Figure 5(a) is a schematic of the status detection unit 200 and a wireless communication system 500 in accordance with a thirteenth embodiment of the present disclosure. The status detection unit 200 may function as described for any of the embodiments described herein, and in accordance with the understanding of the skilled person. In the present example, an OFE 501 comprises a plurality of transmitters comprising the transmitter 210 and a transmitter 502. It will be appreciated that in further embodiments, the OFE 501 may comprise more than two transmitters. In the present example, the OFE 501 comprises a plurality of receivers comprising the receiver 212 and a receiver 504. It will be appreciated that in further embodiments, the OFE 126 may comprise more than two receivers. Each of the transmitters and / or receivers of the OFE 501 may function at the same wavelength, for example by transmitting / receiving the same wavelength of electromagnetic radiation. In further embodiments, each of the transmitters and / or receivers of the OFE 501 may function at different wavelengths, for example by transmitting / receiving different wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation. In the present example, an OFE 503 comprises a plurality of transmitters comprising the transmitter 214 and a transmitter 506. It will be appreciated that in further embodiments, the OFE 503 may comprise more than two transmitters. In the present example, the OFE 503 comprises a plurality of receivers comprising the receiver 216 and a receiver 508. It will be appreciated that in further embodiments, the OFE 503 may comprise more than two receivers. Each of the transmitters and / or receivers of the OFE 503 may function at the same wavelength, for example by transmitting / receiving the same wavelength of electromagnetic radiation. In further embodiments, each of the transmitters and / or receivers of the OFE 503 may function at different wavelengths, for example by transmitting / receiving different wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation. It will be appreciated that each of the plurality of transmitters and / or receivers of each of the OFEs 501, 503 may function substantially as described for the individual transmitters and receivers of the embodiments described herein. Additional embodiments having a plurality of transmitters and / or receivers may include additional features outlined in relation to the other embodiments described herein, in accordance with the understanding of the skilled person. Figure 5(b) is a schematic of the status detection unit 200 and a wireless communication system 505 in accordance with a fourteenth embodiment of the present disclosure. The status detection unit 200 may function as described for any of the embodiments described herein, and in accordance with the understanding of the skilled person. In the present example, the module 204 comprises an additional OFE 510 comprising the transmitter 502 and the receiver 504, and the module 206 comprises an additional OFE 512 comprising the transmitter 506 and the receiver 508. It will be appreciated that in further embodiments there may be provided more than two OFEs in one or both of the modules 204, 206, with each of the OFEs comprising at least one transmitter and / or at least one receiver. Additional embodiments havinga plurality of OFEs for each of the modules 204,206 may include additional features outlined in relation to the other embodiments described herein, in accordance with the understanding of the skilled person. In specific embodiments of the present disclosure, the or each transmitter may comprise a light source, optionally a light emitting diode (LED), an array of LEDS, a laser, for example a VCSEL (vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser), a VCSEL array, or a laser diode, or an LEP (light-emitting plasma). The or each transmitter may be configured to transmit infra-red light and / or visible light and / or ultra-violet light and / or any wavelength(s) of light suitable for OWC communication. The OWC communication may comprise LiFi communication. The OWC communication may be full-duplex and / or half-duplex. The OWC transmission device may comprise or form part of an OWC transceiver device comprising OWC transmitters) and receiver(s). The or each transmitter may comprise or form part of an OWC transceiver. In specific embodiments of the present disclosure, the optical front end may comprise a photodetector configured to receive light and to produce detection signals in response to the received light. In specific embodiments of the present disclosure, the optical front end may further comprise receiver circuitry configured to receive and process the detection signals to produce the receiver signals. In specific embodiments of the present disclosure, the optical front end may be configured to detect light and optical wireless communication signals carried by light and produce electrical receiver signals based on the detected light. In specific embodiments of the present disclosure, a transmitter and receiver may form a transceiver. The transceiver may have an OWC transmitter optical front end module and an OWC receiver optical front end module. The transmitter optical front end module may also be referred to as the transmitter optical front end. The receiver optical front end module may also be referred to as the receiver optical front end. The transmitter optical front end module and the receiver optical front end module may form part of an optical front end of a transceiver. The receiver optical front end module may have a photodetector and associated receiver optical front end circuitry. Each transceiver may have an optical front end that includes the components of receiver optical front end module and the transmitter optical front end module. In summary, embodiments of the present disclosure may be used to determine the operational status of a wireless communication system used to communicate through a barrier. The operational status may then be used to determine an appropriate corrective action to apply to correct the issues, for example relating to non-optimal data transfer rates and / or non-optimal power transfer rates, between communication modules. Specific embodiments may then be used to correct for these issues by adjusting the control of the communication modules appropriately. Various improvements and modifications can be made to the above without departing from the scope of the disclosure.

Claims

1. A status detection unit for a wireless communication system comprising a first communication module and a second communication module, the first and second communication modules being configured to communicate through a barrier; wherein:the status detection unit is configured to determine an operational status of the wireless communication system.

2. The status detection unit of claim 1, wherein:the first communication module comprises:a first transmitter configured to send data to the second communication module and / or a first receiver configured to receive data from the second communication module; andthe second communication module comprises:a second transmitter configured to send data to the first communication module and / or a second receiver configured to receive data from the first communication module.

3. The status detection unit of claim 2, wherein:the first communication module comprises a first optical front end (OFE) comprising the first transmitter and / or first receiver; andthe second communication module comprises a second optical front end [OFE] comprising the second transmitter and / or second receiver.

4. The status detection unit of claim 3, wherein:the first transmitter and / or the second transmitter each comprise one or more light emitters; and / orthe first receiver and / or the second receiver each comprise one or more photodetectors.

5. The status detection unit of any of claims 1 or 2, wherein:the first communication module comprises a first RF front end comprising the first transmitter and / or first receiver; andthe second communication module comprises a second RF front end comprising the second transmitter and / or second receiver.

6. The status detection unit of any preceding claim, wherein:the first communication module comprises a first power supply unit; and the second communication module comprises a second power supply unit.

7. The status detection unit of claim 6, wherein:the first power supply unit is configured to wirelessly supply power to second power supply unit through the barrier.

8. The status detection unit of any preceding claim, wherein the:the first communication module comprises a first digital receiver and / or a first digital transmitter; andthe second communication module comprises a second digital receiver and / or a second digital transmitter.

9. The status detection unit of claim 8, wherein:the first communication module comprises a first optical component for the first transmitter and / or a second optical component for the first receiver; and / orthe second communication module comprises a third optical component for the second transmitter and / or a fourth optical component for the second receiver.

10. The status detection unit of claim 8 or 9, wherein the first communication module comprises a first digital data interface and the second communication module comprises a second digital data interface.

11. The status detection unit of claim 10, wherein:the first digital data interface and the second digital data interface each comprise one or more of an ethernet interface, a USB interface or a PCle interface, an HDMI interface, an InfiniBand interface, a Thunderbolt cable interface, a channels for end points interface, a CAN bus interface, an SPI interface, an SD10 interface, a UART interface, a JESD204B interface, a PON interface and / or a secondary access point interface; orthe first digital data interface and the second digital data interface each comprise at least one USB-C gigabit ethernet interface; orthe first digital data interface comprises a 24V DC jack and has an input between SOW and 100W, and the second digital data interface has an input between 5W and 30W.

12. The status detection unit of any preceding claim configured to adjust the first communication module and / or the second communication module based on the operational status.

13. The status detection unit of any preceding claim, wherein the status detection unit is configured to determine an operational status of the wireless communication system based on the rate of communication between the first communication module and the second communication module.

14. The status detection unit of any preceding claim configured to determine one or more properties of the barrier based on the determined operational status.

15. The status detection unit of claim 14 wherein the one or more properties comprises barrier composition, barrier thickness, number of barriers, distance between barriers, type of coating on the barrier, number of coating layers of each barrier, temperature, and intactness of the barrier.

16. The status detection unit of claim 14 or 15 comprising a test signal transmitter configured to transmit a test signal and a test signal sensor configured to detect the test signal from the transmitter after it is reflected by the barrier, the operationalstatus and therefore the one or more properties of the barrier being determined based on the test signal.

17. The status detection unit of any of claims 14 to 16, wherein the status determination unit is configured to determine the one or more properties of the barrier using software, algorithms, artificial intelligence with machine learning and / or pilot tones.

18. The status detection unit of any of claims 14 to 17 configured to adjust the first communication module and / or the second communication module based on the determined one or more properties of the barrier.

19. The status detection unit of claim 8, wherein the status detection unit is configured to determine an operational status of the wireless communication system based one or more of:the rate of communication between the first communication module and the second communication module;the power exchange rate between the first power supply unit and the second power supply unit; and / orthe temperature of one or both of the first communication module and the second communication module.

20. The status detection unit of claim 19 configured to determine one or more properties of the barrier based on the determined operational status.

21. The status detection unit of claim 20, configured to adjust the first communication module and / or the second communication module based on the determined one or more properties of the barrier.

22. The status detection unit of claim 21 configured to:receive data relating to the efficiency and / or input-output voltage of the first power supply unit and the second power supply unit; andcalculate the gain and / or attenuation of the first and second communication modules using the received data; andadjust the first communication module and / or the second communication module based on the calculated gain and / or attenuation.

23. The status detection unit of any of claims 19 to 22 comprising a first status detection module coupled to the first communication module and a second status detection module coupled to the second communication module.

24. A wireless communication system comprising:the status detection unit of any preceding claim;the first communication module of any preceding claim; and the second communication module of any preceding claim.

25. A method of detecting the status of a wireless communication system using the status detection unit of any preceding claim, the method comprising:determining the operational status of the wireless communication system using the status detection unit.41

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