Wireless connectors

Abstract

A wireless connector is disclosed that includes a first communication device configured to wirelessly transmit, by radiative coupling, a modulated signal including a carrier signal modulated with a digital signal. The wireless connector also includes a second communication device configured to receive the modulated signal. The first and second communication devices are coupled to one another through at least one wired connection that carries a signal used to demodulate the modulated signal.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A wireless connector comprising:
 a first communication device configured to wirelessly transmit, by radiative coupling, a modulated signal comprising a carrier signal modulated with a digital signal; and   a second communication device configured to receive the modulated signal, the first and second communication devices coupled through at least one wired connection that carries a signal used to demodulate the modulated signal.   
     
     
         2 . The wireless connector of  claim 1 , wherein the wireless connector is associated with a connector space between the first communication device and the second communication device through which the first communication device and the second communication device are communicatively coupled by the radiative coupling, the wireless connector further comprising at least one structure configured to reflect signals originating from a source external to the space that would otherwise enter the connector space, to reflect signals originating from a source internal to the connector space that would otherwise exit the connector space, or both. 
     
     
         3 . The wireless connector of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first communication device is disposed on a first PCB substantially enclosed within a housing; and   the second communication device is disposed on a second PCB.   
     
     
         4 . A wireless transceiver system, comprising:
 a first printed circuit board (PCB) comprising a first transceiver assembly disposed thereon, the first transceiver assembly comprising:
 a first modulator for modulating a first carrier signal with a first digital signal to generate a first modulated carrier signal; and 
 a first transmitter for wirelessly transmitting the first modulated carrier signal; and 
   a second PCB comprising a second transceiver assembly disposed thereon, the second transceiver assembly comprising:
 a first receiver for wirelessly receiving the wirelessly transmitted first modulated carrier signal; and 
 a first demodulator for demodulating the received first modulated carrier signal to extract the first digital signal, 
   wherein the first transceiver assembly and the second transceiver assembly are connected through at least one wired connection that carries a signal used in demodulating the received first modulated carrier signal.   
     
     
         5 . The wireless transceiver system of  claim 3 , wherein the first PCB is electrically connected to the second PCB by one or more connectors. 
     
     
         6 . An electronic system comprising:
 a plurality of printed circuit boards (PCBs) disposed within a housing of the electronic system, each PCB comprising a plurality of transceivers configured to wirelessly transmit and receive modulated carrier signals; and   each transceiver in the system is configured to receive signals transmitted by every other transceiver in the system.   
     
     
         7 . An electronic system comprising:
 a housing with multiple sections within the housing;   a plurality of transceivers arranged within each of the multiple sections, the plurality of transceivers disposed on one or more printed circuit boards (PCBs), each of the transceivers of the plurality of transceivers configured to transmit and receive modulated carrier signals modulated by digital data through space within the housing, wherein each of the plurality of transceivers arranged with-in each section is configured to receive modulated carrier signals transmitted by each of the other transceivers of the plurality of transceivers; and   at least one structure disposed within the housing configured to substantially isolate signals transmitted by the plurality of transceivers in one of the multiple sections from signals transmitted by the plurality of transceivers in another one of the multiple sections.   
     
     
         8 . An electronic system comprising:
 a plurality of printed circuit boards (PCBs), each PCB comprising a first transceiver configured to wirelessly transmit a first carrier signal modulated by a first signal; and   a cable spaced apart from each PCB in the plurality of PCBs and comprising a plurality of spaced apart radiation points disposed thereon, each radiation point being adapted to wirelessly transmit a second carrier signal modulated by a second digital signal and to receive the first carrier signal modulated by the first digital signal.   
     
     
         9 . The electronic system of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the cable comprises an electrical cable configured to carry the second digital signal; and   the radiation points comprise transceivers configured to modulate the second carrier signal with the second digital signal and to demodulate the first carrier signal modulated with the first digital signal.   
     
     
         10 . The electronic system of  claim 7 , further comprising structures configured to substantially isolate the plurality of transceivers in one of the multiple sections from signals transmitted by any of the plurality of transceivers in another one of the multiple sections. 
     
     
         11 . The electronic system of  claim 8 , wherein the cable is an optical cable and a plurality of opto-electrical devices are disposed on the cable.