OPTICAL COMMUNICATIONS TRANSMITTER AND RECEIVER

摘要

An improved digital communications system is disclosed in which synchronization information is transmitted with the data. A start pulse, having a duration different than the other pulses in the transmitted digital data signal is used to mark the beginning of the frame of digital data. Preferably, a midpoint pulse is also transmitted with the start pulse to mark the midpoint of the frame to facilitate the generation of a local clock signal. Bit positions within the transmitted signal are sampled by sampling pulses which are generated by digital timers having time intervals keyed to the start and midpoint pulses.