PHOCI: Photonic Communications Imager

Clifton Labs, Inc. proposes to develop a fully functional opticalimaging system that is suitable for both image capture and receptionof optical communications data. The proposed system, called PHOCI(for Photonic Communications Imager) includes a novel image/datacapture chip that imbeds a high-speed optical data communicationsreceiver technology into the image capture array of a digital videocamera system. In addition to the development of a new image/datacapture chip, the proposed project includes the design of a hardwareinterface that allows the PHOCI system to pass both image and opticalcommunication data through a USB (or similar communications link) to aCOTS host computer. In addition to providing the device driversnecessary to communicate with the PHOCI hardware, the system softwareprovides the data structures and graphical user interface (GUI) thatallow a system operator to see the camera image along with thelocation and recent movement vector for communication sources in theimage. The GUI provides a point-and-click environment for viewing themost recent communication data or a communication history from anycommunication source identified in the imager field of view.The Phase II products include a high-speed data-integrated opticalcommunications and imaging sensor, a system board for managing sensorresources, communications data streams, and data source tracking, aswell as system software drivers and applications for interfacing thetechnology to a COTS host computer platform. The system will providea free-space optical communications network for large numbers of sensorsand distributed data sources. Potential applications include secure ad hocnetworks, industrial automation networks, and intelligent audio/visualprojection systems.