Infrared data communication apparatus and method

Details Infrared data communication apparatus and method Infrared data communication apparatus and method

1999-09-20

2003-05-13

Tweel, John (Department: 2632)

Optical: systems and elements

Deflection using a moving element

Using a periodically moving element

C359S199200

Reexamination Certificate

active

06563619

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to an infrared data communication apparatus for executing data transmission by transmitting and receiving infrared data and a method of implementing the same and, more particularly, to an infrared data communication apparatus for executing wireless data transmission by arranging an infrared light emitting device (hereinafter an “infrared ray emitting element”) and an infrared light detector (hereinafter an “infrared ray receiving element”) in a liquid crystal display, for example, provided to a miniaturized mobile telephone, a miniaturized mobile data terminal, or any electronic device and a method of implementing the same.
In the prior art, a well known example of an apparatus for executing infrared data transmission of this type is a television receiver and a remote controller for remote control operation of the television receiver. Another well known example of this type of device is one by which print data are transmitted from a general-purpose small computer (personal computer), etc. to a printer (e.g., Patent Application Publication (KOKAI) Hei 10-56427 entitle “Infrared Data Communication System”). Other well known examples of such prior art devices include those for executing data transmission between general-purpose small computers, and devices for executing data transmission via infrared light between a public telephone and a mobile terminal, for example, (e.g., Patent Application Publication (KOKAI) Hei 9-36805 entitled “Infrared Ray Communication System”). Since no cable connection is required in these examples, free spatial arrangement of the devices can be achieved.
FIG. 7
is a perspective view showing how to use a television receiver and a remote controller for remote control operation in the prior art.
In this example, in a television receiver main body
1
, a light receiving window
1
a
is provided onto a front surface (outer packaging body) of an infrared ray receiving element which receives an infrared command from a remote controller
2
. The infrared command is transmitted (emitted) to the light receiving window
1
a
from an infrared ray emitting element of the remote controller
2
via a light projecting window
2
a
arranged on a front surface of the infrared ray emitting element to remotely control the channel tuning and the volume control.
Since relatively small information content is transmitted and received by the infrared command, a coding pulse train of several tens kHz is transmitted from the remote controller
2
to correspond to the remote operation, and then this coding pulse is decoded on the television receiver main body
1
to fetch the control signal and execute the channel tuning and the volume control.
FIG. 8
is a perspective view showing data transmission between notebook-sized personal computers in the prior art.
According to the transmission of data between notebook-sized personal computers in the prior art, a light projecting window
3
a
and a light receiving window
4
a
of two notebook-sized personal computers
3
,
4
are positioned closely (e.g., 10 cm to 100 cm) and are arranged such that they oppose each other. Then, infrared data are transmitted and received via the infrared ray emitting element and the infrared ray receiving element installed in the light projecting window and the light receiving window
3
a
,
4
a
. Similarly, infrared data can be transmitted from a digital still camera (DSC)
5
or a mobile data terminal (not shown) whose light projecting window
5
a
is directed to oppose to the light projecting window
3
a
and the light receiving window
4
a
of two notebook-sized personal computers
3
,
4
.
Such infrared data transmission/reception between the personal computers can contain a large amount of data, the standard (IrDA/Ver 1.1, or the like) issued by the IrDA (Infrared Data Association) is applied the infrared data transmission/reception in most cases. For example, data transmission at the transmission rate of 4 Mbit/s is utilized.
In the prior art described as above, the light projecting window and the light receiving window must be provided on the front surfaces of the infrared ray emitting element and the infrared ray receiving element respectively. In this case, with the miniaturization of the device, arrangement locations of the light projecting window and the light receiving window cannot be easily obtained on the outer packaging body. For example, there is the problem that, if the infrared data transmission is carried out by the miniaturized mobile telephone (PDC/Personal Digital Cellular Telecommunication System, PHS/Personal Handyphone System), etc., arrangement locations for the light projecting window and the light receiving window cannot be easily provided on the outer packaging body. Also, there is the drawback that miniaturization of the device is spoiled if the dedicated light projecting window and the dedicated light receiving window are provided on the outer packaging body.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been made to overcome such subjects in the prior art, and it is an object of the present invention to provide an infrared data communication apparatus capable of executing infrared data transmission and reception by arranging an infrared ray emitting element and an infrared ray receiving element in a liquid crystal display, etc. of a miniaturized electronic device such as a mobile device, etc., without provision of dedicated light projecting window/ light receiving window and infrared ray emitting element/infrared ray receiving element on an outer packaging body to emit/receive the infrared data, and also accelerating miniaturization of the device by simplifying an outer appearance configuration, and a method of implementing the same.
In order to achieve the above object, according to an infrared data communication apparatus of the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an infrared data communication apparatus for communicating transmission infrared data, said infrared data communication apparatus comprising an infrared ray receiving element which is arranged on an inside of a liquid crystal panel of a liquid crystal display provided to the electronic device, the infrared ray receiving element receiving the infrared data from an external device via the liquid crystal panel, then converting the infrared data into electrical data, and then sending out said electric data to a communication control portion.
Also, the infrared data communication apparatus comprises further an infrared ray emitting element which is arranged on the inside of the liquid crystal panel, the infrared ray emitting element emitting transmission data, supplied from the communication control portion, as infrared data via the liquid crystal panel to transmit the transmission data to the external device.
Also, according to the infrared data communication apparatus of the present invention, there is provided the infrared data communication apparatus for communicating transmission infrared data, comprising an infrared ray emitting element which is arranged on an inside of a liquid crystal panel of a liquid crystal display provided to the electronic device or on an inside of an emitted light transmitting portion for producing a visual display, the infrared ray emitting element emitting transmission data, supplied from the infrared communication portion, as infrared data via the liquid crystal panel or the emitted light transmitting portion to transmit the transmission data to the external device.
Also, according to the infrared data communication apparatus, there is provided the infrared data communication apparatus for communicating transmission infrared data, comprising an infrared ray receiving element arranged on an inside of a liquid crystal panel of a liquid crystal display provided to the electronic device for receiving the infrared data supplied from an external device via the liquid crystal panel, then converting the infrared data into electrical data, and then sending out the electric data to a communicati

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