Communication Apparatus and Method

• US 20070281625A1
• Filed: 10/29/2004
• Published: 12/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Auckland UniServices Limited (Auckland University)
• Original Assignee: Auckland UniServices Limited (Auckland University)
• Inventors: Boys, John
• Granted Patent: US 8,639,191 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/22 Capacitive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/26 using coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

A communication apparatus comprises a communication path capable of conveying communication signals, a communication device adapted to receive or generate VHF or LTHF communication signals, and a near field antenna associated with the communication device. The near field antenna is provided sufficiently near to the communication path to couple VHF or UHF communication signals to or from the communication device to the communication path. A HID/IPT system and a communication method are also provided.

Claims

1. A communication system comprising:

a communication path capable of conveying communication signals,

a communication device adapted to receive or generate VHF or UHF communication signals, and

a near field antenna associated with the communication device, the near field antenna being provided sufficiently near to the communication path to couple VHF or UHF communication signals to or from the communication device to the communication path.

2. A communication system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the near field antenna is adapted to limit electromagnetic radiation therefrom.

3. A communication system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the communication path is provided in the very near field of the near field antenna.

4. A communication system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the near field antenna includes elongate conductors provided on a non-conductive planar substrate.

5. A communication system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the communication path is a transmission line comprising a cable having two parallel conductors.

6. A communication system as claimed in claim 5 wherein the conductors are separated by an insulting web.

7. A communication system as claimed in claim 5 wherein the cable comprises a ribbon cable.

8. A communication system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the communication path is terminated with a resistance corresponding to the characteristic impedance of the path.

9. A communication system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the system includes a communication device directly coupled to the communication path.

10. A communication system as claimed in claim 1 wherein essentially no power is radiated from the communication path.

11. A communication system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the system allows bidirectional communication between the communication device the communication path.

12. A communication system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the communication device is moveable along the power supply path and the near field antenna moves with the communication device and relative to the communication path to allow the communication device to receive or generate VHF or UHF communication signals to or from the communication path.

13. An HID/IPT system comprising:

a power supply path adapted to be energized by a power supply to provide an electromagnetic field associated with the power supply path;

one or more moveable pick-up devices associated with the power supply path and adapted to receive electrical energy from the electromagnetic field to supply a load;

a communication path capable of conveying communication signals,

a communication device provided on each of the one or more pick-ups, the communication device being adapted to receive or generate VHF or UHF communication signals; and

a coupling unit associated with the communication device, the coupling unit being capacitively coupled to the communication path to couple VHF or UHF communication signals to or from the communication device to the communication path whereby the one or more pick-ups may communicate with each other or with a further device.

14. An HID/IPT system as claimed in claim 13 wherein the further device interfaces with a control system.

15. An HID/IPT system as claimed in claim 13 wherein the further device is directly connected to the communication path.

16. An HID/IPT system as claimed in claim 13 wherein the coupling unit comprises a near field antenna.

17. An IPT/HID system as claimed in claim 13 wherein essentially no power is radiated from the communication path.

18. A communication method including comprising the steps of:

providing a communication path capable of conveying communication signals;

providing a communication device, the communication device including a near field antenna capacitively coupled to the communication path, and either,

a) imposing a VHF or UHF communication signal on the communication path and using the near field antenna to provide the signal to the communication device, or

b) using the communication device to generate a VHF or UHF communication signal and using the near field antenna to provide the signal to the communication path.

19. A communication system comprising:

a communication path capable of conveying communication signals,

a communication device adapted to receive or generate VHF or UHF communication signals, and

a near field antenna associated with the communication device, the near field antenna being provided sufficiently near to the communication path to couple VHF or UHF communication signals to or from the communication device to the communication path, the near field antenna including a shielding device to limit electromagnetic radiation.

20. A communication system as claimed in claim 19 wherein the communication path is provided in the very near field of the near field antenna.

21. A communication system as claimed in claim 19 wherein the near field antenna is inductively coupled to the communication path.

22. A communication system as claimed in claim 19 wherein the near field antenna comprises a partial, single or multiple turn of a conductive material.

23. A communication system as claimed in claim 22 wherein the conductive material comprises a thin metal track provided on a non-conductive planar substrate.

24. A communication system as claimed in claim 23 wherein the conductive material comprises one or more turns being approximately 5 mm to 15 mm in a lateral dimension and approximately 20 mm to 60 mm in a longitudinal dimension.

25. A communication system as claimed in claim 19 wherein the shielding device comprises a screen, and the screen is provided on one side of a coupling unit and the communication path is provided on an opposite of the coupling unit.

26. A communication system as claimed in claim 19 wherein the shielding device comprises a screen of a material having a low magnetic permeability, and the screen is provided on a side of the planar substrate opposite to a side of the substrate on which the metal track is provided.

27. A communication system as claimed in claim 19 wherein the communication path is a transmission line comprising a cable having two parallel conductors.

28. A communication system as claimed in claim 27 wherein the conductors are separated by an insulating web.

29. A communication system as claimed in claim 27 wherein the cable comprises a ribbon cable.

30. A communication system as claimed in claim 19 wherein the communication path is terminated with a resistance corresponding to the characteristic impedance of the path.

31. A communication system as claimed in claim 19 wherein the system includes a communication device directly coupled to the communication path.

32. A communication system as claimed in claim 19 wherein essentially no power is radiated from the communication path.

33. A communication system as claimed in claim 19 wherein the system allows bidirectional communication between the communication device the communication path.

34. A communication system as claimed in claim 19 wherein the communication device is moveable along the power supply path and the near field antenna moves with the communication device and relative to the communication path to allow the communication devices to receive or generate VHF or UHF communication signals to or from the communication path.

35. An HID/IPT system comprising:

a power supply path adapted to be energized by a power supply to provide an electromagnetic field associated with the power supply path;

one or more moveable pick-up devices associated with the power supply path and adapted to receive electrical energy from the electromagnetic field to supply a load;

a communication path capable of conveying communication signals, a communication device provided on each of the one or more pick-ups, the communication device being adapted to receive or generate VHF or UHF communication signals; and

a coupling unit associated with the communication device, the coupling unit being provided sufficiently near to the communication path to couple VHF or UHF communication signals to or from the communication device to the communication path whereby the one or more pick-ups may communication with each other or with a further device, the coupling unit including a shielding device to limit electromagnetic radiation.

36. An HID/IPT system as claimed in claim 35 wherein the further device interfaces with a control system.

37. An HID/IPT system as claimed in claim 35 wherein the further device is directly connected to the communication path.

38. An HID/IPT system as claimed in claim 35 wherein the coupling unit comprises a near field antenna.

39-41. -41. (canceled)