TR2003-35

Very Low-Cost Sensing and Communication Using Bidirectional LEDs


    •  Dietz, P.H., Yerazunis, W.S., Leigh, D.L., "Very Low-Cost Sensing and Communication Using Bidirectional LEDs", ACM International Conference on Ubiquitous Computing (UbiComp), October 2003.
      BibTeX TR2003-35 PDF
      • @inproceedings{Dietz2003oct,
      • author = {Dietz, P.H. and Yerazunis, W.S. and Leigh, D.L.},
      • title = {Very Low-Cost Sensing and Communication Using Bidirectional LEDs},
      • booktitle = {ACM International Conference on Ubiquitous Computing (UbiComp)},
      • year = 2003,
      • month = oct,
      • url = {https://www.merl.com/publications/TR2003-35}
      • }
  • MERL Contact:
  • Research Area:

    Communications

Abstract:

A novel microprocessor interface circuit is described which can alternately emit and detect light using only an LED, two digital I/O pins and a single current limiting resistor. This technique is first applied to create a smart illumination system that uses a single LED as both light source and sensor. We then present several devices that use an LED as a generic wireless serial data port. An important implication of this work is that every LED connected to a microprocessor can be thought of as a wireless two-way communication port. We present this technology as a solution to the "last centimeter problem", because it permits disparate devices to communicate with each other simply and cheaply with minimal design modification.

 

  • Related News & Events