Transceiving device

• US 20040037567A1
• Filed: 07/21/2003
• Published: 02/26/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Fredrik Tjerneld, Par Rosander
• Original Assignee: Fredrik Tjerneld, Par Rosander
• Inventors: Tjerneld, Fredrik, Rosander, Par
• Application Number:
  US10/333,363
• Publication Number:
  US 20040037567A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 398/127
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/1143 Bidirectional transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/40 Transceivers

Abstract

The present invention relates to an optical transmitter unit (10) comprising a transmitter unit comprising at least one source (9) of infra-red light mounted to a base member (6), for transmitting messages by means of infra-red signals. The transmitter unit further comprises a reflector (3) unit mounted on the base member (6), wherein said reflector has a number (n) of reflecting surfaces (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36) for transmission. It is designed to distribute the infra-red light from said at least one source in a predefined space having an arbitrary number of boundary surfaces in such a way that a substantially uniform signal power distribution is obtained on at one or more selected boundary surfaces of said predefined space.

Claims

1. Optical transmitter unit (10) for transmitting messages by means of infra-red signals to electronic units (ESL) located in a predefined space having a number of boundary surfaces, said transmitter unit having at base member (6) and at least one source of infra-red light (9) mounted to said base member (6);

characterized by

a reflector unit (3) having at least one reflecting surface (31, 32, 34, 35), the reflector unit being mounted on said base member (6), and the reflecting surfaces being arranged adjacent said source(s) of infra-red light so as to direct light from said light source(s) in a direction such that an essentially uniform power distribution is obtained on one or more selected boundary surfaces of said predefined space.

2. Transmitter unit according to claim 1, wherein said reflector unit comprises two or more reflecting surfaces (31, 32, 34, 35) for transmission, each of said reflecting surfaces being arranged to reflect the light from at least one source of infra-red light.

3. Transmitter unit according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a receiving unit (5, 8) with means (8) for receiving a response message signal from said electronic units (ESL), and at least one reflection surface (36) for reflecting said response message signal onto said receiving means (8).

4. Transmitter unit according to any of claims 1-3, wherein all reflection surfaces (31, 32, 34, 35;

36) are integrated in the same reflector unit (3).

5. Transmitter unit according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the individual reflection surfaces are substantially plane.

6. Transmitter unit according to any of the claims 1-5, wherein the individual reflection surfaces are curved.

7. Transmitter unit according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the base member (6) is comprised of a printed circuit board (PCB).

8. Transmitter unit according to any of claims 5-7, wherein each reflection surface (31, 32, 33, 34, 35) for transmission is associated with two or more of the sources of IR light.

9. Transmitter unit according to any of the claims 3-8, wherein said receiving unit (5, 8) is comprised of a separate base member (5) on which photosensitive members (8) are attached, said receiving unit being attached to the base member (6) of the transmitter unit.

10. Transmitter unit according to any of the claims 3-9, wherein said receiving unit (5, 8) is shielded by electrical shielding means (4) forming a Faraday cage enclosing said receiving unit.

11. Electronic shelf label system, comprising:

a central control unit (MASTER COMPUTER) for providing message signals;

a set of electronic shelf labeled (ESL), each label having an infra-red message signal receiver; and

a transmitter unit (10) according to any of the claims 1-10.

12. The label system according to claim 11, wherein the shelf labels (ESL) also comprise a transmitter for transmitting acknowledgement signals back to the system, whereby said transmitter unit (10) also comprises a signal receiving unit (5, 8).