Systems and methods for communicating with multiple devices

• US 20050176416A1
• Filed: 08/18/2004
• Published: 08/11/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kawasaki, Kenichi, Desch, David A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,761,092 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/422.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks

Abstract

Disclosed are systems and methods for communicating with multiple devices. In one embodiment, a plurality of wireless devices in close proximity are able to transmit data at a high rate using a secure connection. While in one embodiment this data is transmitted using a high speed, directional signal at a 60 GHz frequency. In a further embodiment, data is transmitted at a 60 GHz frequency between a personal computing device and a plurality of consumer electronic devices that are in relative close proximity to one another. The directional nature of this high frequency signal permits a large number of devices in a close proximity to communicate without interfering with each other. Moreover, the directional nature of such a high frequency signal provides added communications security since the receiver will typically be in the line of sight of the transmitter.

Claims

1. A communication system comprising:

a plurality of wireless devices located in proximity to each other, each of said plurality of wireless device operating at substantially the same frequency, said plurality of wireless devices including,

a receiver for receiving a radio frequency (RF) signal transmitted by one of said plurality of wireless devices along a line-of-sight of said receiver,

a transmitter for transmitting said RF signal to one of said plurality of wireless devices along said line-of-sight, and

wherein said RF signal is a substantially directional point-to-point signal having a frequency of at least 20 GHz.

2. The communication system of claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of wireless devices is to receive and transmit RF signals along one or more crossing paths.

3. The communication system of claim 1, wherein said RF signal has a range of approximately 2 meters.

4. The communication system of claim 1, wherein said RF signal carries data at a rate of at least 2.2 Gbps.

5. The communication system of claim 1, wherein, upon receiving said RF signal, a receiving wireless device performs a compatibility check.

6. The communication system of claim 5, wherein said compatibility check comprises determining if said receiving device operates at a frequency substantially equal to that of the RF signal.

7. The communication system of claim 6, wherein, after performing said compatibility check, an authorization check is performed to determine if said receiving device is authorized to receive said RF signal.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting RF signals, by said plurality of wireless devices, along one or more crossing paths.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said RF signal has a range of approximately 2 meters.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting data, using said RF signal, at a rate of at least 2.2 Gbps.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising, after receiving said RF signal, performing a compatibility check.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein performing said compatibility check comprises determining if a receiving device of said plurality of wireless devices operates at a frequency substantially equal to that of the RF signal.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein, after performing said compatibility check, the method further comprises performing an authorization check to determine if said receiving device is authorized to receive said RF signal.

8. A method of communicating comprising:

locating a plurality of wireless devices in proximity to each other, wherein each of said plurality of wireless device operate at substantially the same frequency;

transmitting a radio frequency (RF) signal to one of said plurality of wireless devices along a line-of-sight; and

receiving said RF signal along said line-of-sight of said receiver, wherein said RF signal is a substantially directional point-to-point signal having a frequency of at least 20 GHz.

15. A communication system comprising:

a first wireless device to transmit a first radio frequency (RF) signal at a high frequency;

a second wireless device to transmit a second RF signal at said high frequency, wherein said second wireless device is located in close proximity to said first wireless device; and

a third wireless device to receive said first RF signal when located along a line-of-sight of said first wireless device, and to receive said second RF signal when located along a line-of-site of said second wireless device,

wherein said first RF signal and second RF signal are substantially directional point-to-point signals.

16. The communication system of claim 15, wherein said first RF signal and second RF signal are transmitted along crossing paths.

17. The communication system of claim 15, wherein said first RF signal and second RF signal have a range of approximately 2 meters.

18. The communication system of claim 15, wherein said first RF signal and second RF signal carry data at a rate of at least 2.2 Gbps.

19. The communication system of claim 15, wherein, upon receiving one of said first RF signal and second RF signal, said third wireless device performs a compatibility check.

20. The communication system of claim 19, wherein said compatibility check comprises determining if said third wireless device operates at a frequency substantially equal to that of a received signal, where the received signal is one of the first RF signal and the second RF signal.

21. The communication system of claim 20, wherein, after performing said compatibility check, authorization check is performed to determine if said third wireless device is authorized to receive said received signal.