Communication System

• US 20080064331A1
• Filed: 08/14/2007
• Published: 03/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Washiro, Takanori
• Granted Patent: US 7,890,053 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/0012 using capacitive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/0062 in RFID [Radio Frequency Identification] Systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/0081 with antenna coils loop aerials H01Q7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/02 using transceiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/22 Capacitive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/26 using coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/48 Transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/77 for interrogation

Abstract

A communication system includes a transmitter including a transmission circuit unit that generates an RF signal for transmitting data and an electric-field-coupling antenna that transmits the RF signal as an electrostatic field, a receiver including an electric-field-coupling antenna and a reception circuit unit that subjects an RF signal received by the electric-field-coupling antenna to reception processing, and a surface-wave propagating means for providing a surface wave transmission line made of a conductor that propagates a surface wave radiated from the electric-field-coupling antenna of the transmitter along a surface of the surface wave transmission line.

Claims

1. A communication system comprising:

a transmitter including a transmission circuit unit that generates an RF signal for transmitting data and an electric-field-coupling antenna that transmits the RF signal as an electrostatic field;

a receiver including an electric-field-coupling antenna and a reception circuit unit that subjects an RF signal received by the electric-field-coupling antenna to reception processing; and

surface-wave propagating means for providing a surface wave transmission line made of a conductor that propagates a surface wave radiated from the electric-field-coupling antenna of the transmitter along a surface of the surface wave transmission line.

2. A communication system according to claim 1, wherein the RF signal is a UWB signal that uses an ultra wideband.

3. A communication system according to claim 1, wherein the surface wave transmission line is attached with, at least at one end thereof, an EFC electrode for electrostatic coupling with the electric-field-coupling antenna of the transmitter or the receiver to be substantially perpendicular to a traveling direction of the surface wave.

4. A communication system according to claim 1, wherein the surface wave transmission line is coated with an insulator or embedded in an insulative object.

5. A communication system according to claim 1, further comprising plural communication spots in which the transmitter and the receiver are set, wherein

the surface-wave propagating means includes a surface wave transmission line for transmitting a surface wave of an RF signal from the transmitter to the plural communication spot in which the receiver is set.

6. A communication system according to claim 5, wherein the surface-wave propagating means includes plural surface wave transmission lines that respectively connect the communication spots in which the transmitter is set and the respective communication spots in which the receiver can be set.

7. A communication system according to claim 5, wherein the surface-wave propagating means includes the surface wave transmission lines for each combination of the communication spots.

8. A communication system according to claim 5, wherein the surface-wave propagating means branches the surface wave transmission line from the communication spot in which the transmitter is set into the respective communication spots in which the receiver can be set.

9. A communication system according to claim 1, wherein

in the transmitter, an RF signal transmission path that transmits the RF signal generated by the transmission circuit unit is connected to substantially a center of an electrode of the electric-field-coupling antenna via a resonating section that resonates at a predetermined frequency, and

in the receiver, an RF signal transmission path that transmits the RF signal to the reception circuit unit to substantially a center of an electrode of the electric-field-coupling antenna via a resonating section that resonates at a predetermined frequency.

10. A communication system according to claim 9, wherein the resonating section is made of a conductor having length dependent on a wavelength in use.

11. A communication system according to claim 9, wherein the resonating unit is made of a lumped constant circuit.

12. A communication system according to claim 9, wherein the resonating section includes:

a parallel inductor connected between a signal line of the RF signal transmission path and a ground; and

a series inductor connected between the signal line of the RF signal transmission path and an electrode.

13. A communication system according to claim 1, wherein the receiver rectifies the RF signal received by the electric-field-coupling antenna and generates electric power.

14. A communication system comprising:

a transmitter including a transmission circuit unit that generates an RF signal for transmitting data and an electric-field-coupling antenna that transmits the RF signal as an electrostatic field;

a receiver including an electric-field-coupling antenna and a reception circuit unit that subjects an RF signal received by the electric-field-coupling antenna to reception processing; and

a surface-wave propagating unit configured to provide a surface wave transmission line made of a conductor that propagates a surface wave radiated from the electric-field-coupling antenna of the transmitter along a surface of the surface wave transmission line.