Infra Red Arduino Custom Serial -

basically looking make serial-like system runs communication between ir leds on arduino. below code gets point having array collection of 1s , 0s in it. need convert 8 bit array single character , output it. don't know how this. appreciated.

    int ir_serial_read(){         int output_val;         int current_byte[7];         int counter = 0;         ir_serial_port = digitalread(4);         if (ir_serial_port == high){             output_val =1;         }         if (ir_serial_port == low){             output_val =0;         }         current_byte[counter] = output_val;         counter +=1 } 

this best done bitwise operators, think or function of best use here set bit if input 1 , not change if 0, use loop loop through array , set bits. looking @ code, sure receiving 8 bits? seem saving 7 bits. creating byte array solely purpose of using 1s , 0s, suggest setting bits in same loop. here code suggest:

byte inputbyte = 0;                     // result ir transfer. bits set progressively. (byte bit = 0;  bit < 8; bit++) {   // read ir receiver once each bit in byte     byte mask = digitalread(4);         // digitalread returns 1 or 0 high , low     mask <<= bit;                       // shift 1 or 0 bit of byte on     inputbyte |= mask;                  // set bit of byte depending on receive } 

this put inside loop read bytes in data stream.
designed readability , can optimised further. reads least significant bit first.
can apply same technique array if wish keep using array of bytes 1s , 0s, replace digitalread array location (current_byte[bit]).