H.J. Wendt - Expired Patents And Free Research

Content:

1. Introduction

2. What is OPTICOS ?

3. Areas of application

4. System description

5. Example for recording measurements

6. Advantages and Benefits

7. Outlook

8. Patentinformation
 
 
 
 

1.Introduction

OPTICOS arose from an approach toward developing hardware for data

transmission and processing which is failsafe and

interference-resistant.

The most frequent causes for systems failures in information-technical

systems have the following distribution spread (Source: Wirtschaftswoche

Nr. 27/25.6.98):

* Software 22,3%

* User error 5,9%

* Hardware 71,8% (incl. communication and memory storage)

(e.g. A system failure in the media sector costs ~ 150 tsd US$/h)

OPTICOS was intended to improve the situation in the hardware sector

through the use of a patented technology.

Interested firms and institutions are free to use this technology as described by the expired patents.

2.What Is OPTICOS?

OPTICOS ...

* is a system for data transmission and the recording of

measurements in sensitive environments

* is based on the linkage of optical data transmission with

electronic data processing and optical energy supply.

* is comprised of a grouping of intelligent nodes (chips) which

communicate with each other via optical conductors and receive

their energy supply through an influx of light.

* is encapsulated to give complete protection against stray

interference and undesired monitoring.

* is conceived of as the system for maintenance-free deployment as:

o facility for recording measurements in sectors where the

danger of explosion exists

o data transmission system in environments which are

electromagnetically and electrostatically contaminated

o Local Optical Network (LON) for data processing and

transmission

* functions using the fiber-to-chip technology and is an intelligent

optical network
 
 OPTICOS

* as a system free of external current, is suitable for

deployment as a sensor network under critical environmental

conditions.
 
 

3.Areas of Application

* Hazardous goods sector

Safe recording and processing of measurement data through omission

of the components for electrical energy supply (no

current-conducting metal circuitry and circuitry connections in

that sector where explosions are a factor)

* Optical communication

Optical nets become more compact, maintenance-free and save

operating costs through the use of intelligent optical nodes as an

encapsulated OPTICOS element. Conventional electronic components

with large volumes (e.g. Eurocards) are omitted via the

"fiber-to-chip" principle

* Bugproof data transmission and processing free of stray

interference

The exclusive use of optical conductors for the supply and

conduction of the data and energy supply safeguards the OPTICOS

system's stray interference-free mode of operation.

* Recording of measurements in electrical facilities

The disturbance-free recording and processing of measurements is

possible with the use of the OPTICOS system in electrical

facilities in which strong, self-created fields have an impact.
 
 
 
 

4.System description

OPTICOS is short for OPTical Integrated COmputer System

- in other words, today's highly integrated, electronic microprocessor

chip (as the "central brain" of every data transmission and processing

unit) communicates according to this technology by means of light and

receives its energy from light.

* There are no longer any classic electrical conduction paths

outside the chip. The basic principle behind OPTICOS is thereby

the creation of an "Opto-Electronic Black-Box" which is completely

electromagnetically, electrically and electrostatically capsuled

from the outside world.

* Using this method, the micro-miniaturization of electronic

functions on a chip is being employed in a most compact form

receiving no interference from the outside world.

* A great many of the function cells allow for integration in terms

of both surface area and spatial volume in compact form into an

"Optronic Network".

* The chip cell itself possesses an optronic transmission and

reception unit (comprised of optical laser transmission and

reception diodes for the transmission and reception of data along

the optical fibers) and is linked with the central microprocessor

via an interface circuit.

* The chip cell contains a photovoltaic energy converter as energy

supply. It converts inbound light from the optical fiber into

electrical energy via photoelectric cells to operate the

microprocessor and its communication periphery.
 
 
 
 

5.Example for recording measurements

OPTICOS is an innovative approach for the recording, transmission

and processing of data for areas with an explosion factor:

6.Operational advantages and benefits

Interestet firms and institutions can bring this specific know how into the

framework of an own product development for their particular area of

application:

* Maintenance-free

* Fail-safe

* EMC-durability

* No short-circuit and leakage current flows

* Explosion-proof

* Bugproof, stray interference-resistant as well as lightning-proof
 
 
 
 
 
 

7.Outlook

OPTICOS was part of a research - project and the

principal functions have been verified.

Deployment advantages in the following areas are a result of OPTICOS'

anticipated capabilities:

* Recording of measurements in hazardous goods sectors

* Recording of measurements in electrical facilities

* Optical communication

* Data transmission and processing, bugproof and free of stray

interference
 
 
 
 
 
 

8.Patentinformation:

The OPTICOS-Patents consists of the following protection rights and are now free to use: