Abstract: There is a photovoltaic (PV) panel 10 including an array of photovoltaic (PV) elements (12). Each PV element (12) is stand alone and can be electronically addressed individually. The PV panel (10) also includes a number of spectral filters (14), in this example, a red filter (14r), a green filter (14g) and a blue filter (14b) arranged over some of the PV elements (12) to filter out the red, green and blue spectral components from white (combined red, green and blue) light emitted from a red-green-blue (RGB) transmitter. Data can be transmitted by modulating the spectral components of the RGB transmitter such that the data in each of the spectral components can be recovered from the electrical signal generated by the PV elements (12).

Abstract: There is a photovoltaic (PV) panel 10 including an array of photovoltaic (PV) elements (12). Each PV element (12) is stand alone and can be electronically addressed individually. The PV panel (10) also includes a number of spectral filters (14), in this example, a red filter (14r), a green filter (14g) and a blue filter (14b) arranged over some of the PV elements (12) to filter out the red, green and blue spectral components from white (combined red, green and blue) light emitted from a red-green-blue (RGB) transmitter. Data can be transmitted by modulating the spectral components of the RGB transmitter such that the data in each of the spectral components can be recovered from the electrical signal generated by the PV elements (12).

Abstract: A receiver system (100) having at least one receiver (101) for receiving optical communications signals (103b) that encode or transmit information; wherein the receiver system (100) is adapted to produce one or more electrical signals (104) from the received optical signal (103b) and/or from ambient light (103a) such that the receiver system (100) is usable as a source of electrical power and the encoded or transmitted information from the received optical communication signal (103b) is recovered or recoverable from the electrical signal(s) (104). Embodiments of the invention also relate to a communications system (400) that further comprises one or more transmitters (406) and a device having the receiver systems (401), along with associated methods of using and producing. Particular embodiments relate to identification tags (1000) and user devices (300) having a display (301) that at least partially overlaps the receiver(s) (302).

Abstract: A communications system having at least one transmitter and at least one receiver, wherein the transmitters and/or receivers have an angular dependence, such that at least one response of the receivers to a received signal and/or at least one property of the signals transmitted by the transmitters is angularly dependent; the receiver and transmitter and/or the signals transmitted by the transmitters of two or more transmitter-receiver pairs have a distinct associated angular arrangement or relationship, wherein the at least one angularly dependent response of the receivers to the signal and/or the at least one angularly dependent property of the signal is dependent on the angular arrangement or relationship; and the system is configured to use the angularly dependent property and/or response to identify or discriminate the transmitter from which the signal was transmitted and/or at least one communication channel associated therewith.

Abstract: A communications system having at least one transmitter for transmitting one or more signals and at least one receiver for receiving the one or more signals, wherein the transmitters and/or receivers have an angular dependence, such that at least one response of the receivers to a received signal and/or at least one property of the signals transmitted by the transmitters is angularly dependent; the receiver and transmitter and/or the signals transmitted by the transmitters of two or more transmitter-receiver pairs have a distinct associated angular arrangement or relationship, wherein the at least one angularly dependent response of the receivers to the signal and/or the at least one angularly dependent property of the signal is dependent on the angular arrangement or relationship; and the system is configured to use the angularly dependant property and/or response to identify or discriminate the transmitter from which the signal was transmitted and/or at least one communication channel associated therewith.

Abstract: A receiver system (100) having at least one receiver (101) for receiving optical communications signals (103b) that encode or transmit information; wherein the receiver system (100) is adapted to produce one or more electrical signals (104) from the received optical signal (103b) and/or from ambient light (103a) such that the receiver system (100) is usable as a source of electrical power and the encoded or transmitted information from the received optical communication signal (103b) is recovered or recoverable from the electrical signal(s) (104). Embodiments of the invention also relate to a communications system (400) that further comprises one or more transmitters (406) and a device having the receiver systems (401), along with associated methods of using and producing. Particular embodiments relate to identification tags (1000) and user devices (300) having a display (301) that at least partially overlaps the receiver(s) (302).