Optical Color Modulation for Efficient Data Transmission

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing spatial optical transmission systems require significant processing load to decode multivalued information, and conventional binary modulation methods are inefficient, particularly when using common frame rates and cameras, leading to prolonged information reproduction times.

Innovation Solution

The system employs color modulation using three primary colors (red, blue, and green) with a specific signal format that includes a header pulse and data pulses, allowing for three-value modulation, which reduces processing load by using a color filter and converting RGB to HSV space for efficient data extraction and decoding.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If binary modulation method is used for optical transmission, then device complexity is reduced, but information transmission efficiency deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemodulation methodVSAvoidinformation transmission efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the modulation parameter from binary (2 states) to multivalued (5 or more states) by varying light intensity levels. This allows multiple bits of information to be transmitted per pulse, significantly improving transmission efficiency without requiring more complex receiving equipment, as the camera can naturally detect multiple intensity levels.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Productivity

If multivalued optical transmission is implemented, then information transmission efficiency is improved, but processing load on receiving device increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinformation transmission efficiencyVSAvoidprocessing load
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent leverages the inherent capabilities of standard cameras and human visual perception to process multivalued signals. The camera's natural frame rate and pixel response automatically capture the light intensity variations, and the human eye can distinguish multiple brightness levels, eliminating the need for specialized high-speed photodetectors or complex processing hardware.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses variations in light intensity (brightness changes) as the basis for multivalued modulation. By encoding multiple bits per pulse through different intensity levels rather than using color changes, the system achieves high-efficiency transmission while maintaining compatibility with standard grayscale-capable cameras and reducing processing complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #32Color changes

3Ease of operation

If common frame rate camera is used for receiving, then ease of operation is improved, but information reproduction time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecamera compatibilityVSAvoidinformation reproduction time
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs periodic light pulses with durations and intervals optimized for standard camera frame rates (e.g., 30fps). Each pulse represents multiple bits of information, and the timing is synchronized to be captured within a single or few frames, enabling efficient data transmission without requiring high-speed specialized cameras.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This approach enables the transmission of 14 bits or more in nine pulses, significantly reducing processing requirements and minimizing response time for information acquisition, while effectively decoding multivalued optical transmission without increasing the processing load on the receiving device.

Implementation Method 1

a light receiving section (9) having an image sensor (110) and a color filter (120)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectColor filter separation: Filter (optical)

Implementation Method 2

modulates the light in accordance with the selection result; and transmits the modulated light

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLight modulation: Light

Implementation Method 3

the light intensity is detected by a photodiode other than that of the image sensor being added

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPhotoelectric detection: Photoelectric Effect

Data Source

PatentEP2538584B1Information Transmission System, and Information Transmission Method
Publication Date: 2018.12.05 CASIO COMPUTER CO LTD
  • EP2538584B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2538584B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2538584B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3B

AI summary

An information transmission system (1) is constituted by: an information sending device (2) including a light emitting section (5) that emits light in a plurality of colors, a modulating section (7) that modulates information to be transmitted into signals composed of changes in color, and a light emission control section (7) that controls the light emitting section (5) to emit light while changing color temporally based on the signals generated by the modulating section (7) ; and a receiving device (3) including a camera (9) that captures an image having color, and a control and communication section (12) that detects a temporal color change of the light emitting section (5) emitting light by light emission control by the light emission control section (7), from images consecutively captured by the camera (9), decodes the detected color change into information, and outputs the generated information to a display section (11).