Data communication system

• US 4,516,221 A
• Filed: 06/21/1982
• Issued: 05/07/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/1981
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd., Yagi Antenna Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd., Yagi Antenna Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Suda, Kaoru, Nakata, Yukio, Terada, Matsuaki, Morito, Motoyoshi, Shiotsu, Osamu
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaw, Gareth D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, Jameson
• Application Number:
  US06/390,642
• Time in Patent Office: 1,051 Days
• Field of Search: 364/200, 364/900, 364/464, 235/454, 235/375, 356/4, 455/603, 455/604, 455/608, 455/606, 455/612, 455/617, 455/607, 350/96.15, 350/96.1, 350/96.16, 350/96.2, 350/425, 358/901, 358/293, 250/227, 250/237, 340/870.29, 340/825.5, 340/825.54, 340/870.01
• US Class Current: 710/106
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/1149 Arrangements for indoor wireless networking of information
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/40 Transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40013 Details regarding a bus controller
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals

Abstract

A data communication system including reflectors having first light emitting elements for radiating light and first light receiving elements for receiving light, a plurality of transceivers disposed confronting said reflectors and having second light emitting elements for radiating light and second light receiving elements for receiving light, and a data processing unit to be connected to the transceivers, wherein light corresponding to the data to be transmitted from the data processing unit is converged and radiated from the second light emitting element of the transceiver to the reflector, the light from the transceiver is received by the first light receiving element of the reflector, light corresponding to the data thus received is radiated from the light emitting element of the reflector to all of the transceivers confronting said reflector and is received by the second light receiving elements of the transceivers, and the data thus received is sent to the data processing unit.

Claims

1. A data communication system comprising:

first means for receiving and transmitting optical signals, including first light receiving means for receiving light modulated to communicate data and converting said light into an electric signal and first light emitting means for diffusing and radiating light modulated to communicate data in response to the electrical signal obtained from said first light receiving means;

a plurality of second means for transmitting and receiving optical signals, each including second light emitting means disposed in optical communication through the air with said first means for converging and radiating light modulated to communicate data in accordance with a received transmission data signal and second light receiving means in optical communication through the air with said first means for receiving the light from said first light emitting means and converting it into an electrical signal representing receiving data; and

third means for transmitting the transmission data signal to a second light emitting means and receiving the electric signal representing receiving data from a second light receiving means.

2. The data communication system as defined in claim 1 including a plurality of said first means connected to one another by a transmission line so that the data obtained by said first light receiving means in one of said first means is transmitted to the first light emitting means in another one of said first means.

3. The data communication system as defined in claim 1 or 2 wherein the light to be radiated by said first and second light emitting means is infrared rays.

4. The data communication system as defined in claim 1 or 2 wherein said third means includes a plurality of data sources each connected to one of said second means, and wherein the data to be transmitted from one data source contains the address of another data source to which the data is to be transmitted.

5. The data communication system as defined in claim 1 or 2 wherein said light emitting means and said light receiving means comprise luminescent diodes and photodiodes, respectively.

6. The data comnunication system as defined in claim 1 or 2 wherein each of said second means includes comparison means for comparing data corresponding to the modulated light radiated from said second light emitting means therein with the data in the modulated light received by said second light receiving means therein, and means responsive to said comparison means for terminating the radiation of light from said second light emitting means therein when said two data do not agree with each other.

7. The data communication system as defined in claim 1 or 2 wherein said third means comprise data terminals or computers.

8. The data communication system as defined in claim 6 wherein said comparison means includes logic circuit means for calculating an exclusive-OR condition between said two data.