Patent ID: 7783397
Filing Date: 2010-08-24
Classification: B61L

Abstract:
1. A communication system comprising: an operator control unit (OCU) comprising a transmitter further comprising a first transmitter processor and a second transmitter processor for embedding media access data and application data respectively into a message; the operator control unit comprising an actuator coupled to independent first and second switches, the first switch coupled to the first transmitter processor and the second switch coupled to the second transmitter processor, the first and the second switches simultaneously operable responsive to operation of the actuator; the first transmitter processor for encoding a first data string into a media access data portion of the message, the first data string responsive to a condition of the first switch; the second transmitter processor for encoding a second data string into an application data portion of the message, the second data string responsive to a condition of the second switch; the first and the second switches and the first and the second transmitter processors comprising parallel data paths to a free-space communications link over which the message is sent; a control unit comprising a receiver further comprising a first receiver processor and a second receiver processor each separately receiving and separately decoding the media access data and application data respectively from the message; a first device responsive to the first receiver processor for performing a function upon receipt of the first data string; a second device, redundant to the first device, responsive to the second receiver processor for performing a function upon receipt of the second data string; and the first and the second receiver processors and the first and the second devices comprising independent parallel data paths from the communications link.