Optical: systems and elements – Deflection using a moving element – Using a periodically moving element
Reexamination Certificate
1998-01-23
2002-11-12
Pascal, Leslie (Department: 2633)
Optical: systems and elements
Deflection using a moving element
Using a periodically moving element
C359S199200, C359S199200, C359S199200
Reexamination Certificate
active
06480313
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to infrared communication repeater apparatus and method in data communications systems for performing communications of the direct emission type while causing out-going infrared radiation to have directivity in infrared communications.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Data communication methods using infrared radiation may typically include two approaches which follow.
A first method is a direct emission type communication method for performing transmission and reception of infrared signal light with one infrared transmitter (simply referred to as “transmitter” hereinafter) and its associated infrared receiver (“receiver”).
A second method is a diffusion type communication method of causing infrared radiation as emitted from transmitters to reflect off from ceilings, walls or the like and then allowing receivers to receive the resultant reflected and scattered rays of infrared signal light.
The diffusion type communication method is superior in flexibility of layout of transmitters and receivers than the direct emission type communication method due to the use of reflection and diffusion of infrared signal light at the ceiling or the like; however, the former method is more significant in required transmitter output than the latter because of a reduction or attenuation of the intensity of light in reflection and diffusion events, and also remains higher in reception sensitivity as required for receivers concerned.
A further problem faced with the diffusion type communication method is that the arrival time of infrared radiation signal light at an intended receiver side tends to be retarded or delayed upon affection of multi-paths originated from optical reflection and diffusion, which in turn leads to the risk of interference between a presently received infrared radiation signal and its succeeding one, resulting in limitations of data transmission rate.
On the other hand, the direct emission type communication method is featured in that while any obstructions should not be present between associative communication devices with complete line-of-sight “transparency” or visibility. being required therebetween, high-speed data transmission is attainable as compared to the diffusion type communication method because of the fact that any multipath affection leading to occurrence of a delay in reception of infrared signal light hardly taken place unlike the diffusion type communication method, which in turn causes the Output required for transmitters to be less than that in the diffusion type communication method while reducing the. reception sensitivity as required for transmitters.
In the prior known direct emission type communications apparatus including infrared communication equipment for performing infrared communications by use of standard protocols of IrDA (Infrared Data Association) with regard to infrared communication methods, one-to-one (1-to-1) type communications schemes are employed in most applications, which renders N-to-N type simultaneous communicability unattainable although 1-to-N type communications forms are possible.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is drawn to direct emission type infrared communications apparatus that may merely support either 1-to-1 type or 1-to-N type communication forms, and its primary object is to enable accomplishment of an N-to-N type communication form by permitting independent effectuation of communications between individual equipments to thereby transfer data information received by each equipment to another or other equipments.
It is another object of the invention to enable attainment of N-to-N multi-connection communication form via repeater apparatus by performing communications with a connection being set with the individual equipment, especially in the 1-to-1 connection communication type infrared communication method.
To attain the foregoing objects the invention as set forth in claim
1
is a repeater apparatus that has a plurality of infrared transmission/reception means for transmitting and receiving infrared signal light, featured in that said infrared signal light as received by said first infrared transmission/reception means is transmitted from said infrared transmission/reception means other than at least said first infrared transmission/reception means.
The repeater apparatus of the present invention may permit the direct emission type infrared communication equipment merely supporting either 1-to-1 or 1-to-N type communication form to perform independent communications with any one of individual equipments thereby transferring data information transmitted by respective equipments toward other equipments, thus enabling accomplishment of N-to-N communication form.
The invention set forth in claim
2
is a repeater apparatus having a plurality of infrared transmission/reception means for receiving first infrared signal light to convert it into a corresponding electrical signal and for converting an electrical signal to second infrared signal light for transmission, featured in that the first infrared signal light said first infrared transmission/reception means has received is sent forth from said infrared transmission/reception means other than at least said first infrared transmission/reception means.
The repeater apparatus of this invention permits direct emission type infrared communication equipment merely supporting either 1-to-1 or 1-to-N type communication form to communication with individual equipments independently of one another thereby transferring data information transmitted by respective equipments to other equipments, thus enabling accomplishment of the N-to-N communication form.
The invention set forth in claim
3
is repeater apparatus according to claim
1
or
2
, featured by performing a communication setting so as to enable information exchange by infrared signal light between a plurality of communication equipments and said plurality of infrared transmit/receive means, while permitting infrared signal light as received by the first infrared transmit/receive means subjected to said communication setting to be transmitted from infrared transmit/receive means subjected to said communication setting other than said first infrared transmit/receive means.
The invention as defined in claim
4
is a communication equipment featured by having communication equipment identification information transmitter means for transmitting a first infrared signal light containing therein communication equipment identification information for identification of the self communication equipment, communication equipment identification information receiver means for receiving a second infrared signal light containing therein communication equipment identification information of another communication equipment, communicable equipment identifier means for identifying certain equipment that is capable of communicating based on communication equipment identification information as received by this communication equipment identification receiver means, group setter means for setting as the same group at least one communication equipment of those communicable communication equipments as identified by this communicable equipment identifier means, and information transmitter means for transmitting by a third infrared signal light the same information as that of communication equipments in the same group as set by this group setter means.
With such communication equipment of this invention, communications using infrared signal light may be attained only when associative communication equipments come closer to each other thereby enabling settings of logical communication links with a desired subscriber at anywhere.
The invention. defined in claim
5
is a communication system including a plurality of communication equipments and a repeater apparatus thereof, featured in that each said communication equipment has communication equipment identification information transmitter means for transmitting a first infrared signal light contai
Finnegan Henderson Farabow Garrett & Dunner L.L.P.
Pascal Leslie
Phan Hanh
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