Discriminating light-emitting optical apparatus

• US 5,357,361 A
• Filed: 06/10/1992
• Issued: 10/18/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Jun-Ichi Nishizawa
• Original Assignee: Jun-Ichi Nishizawa
• Inventors: Nishizawa, Jun-ichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Chilcot, Jr., Richard E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Negash, K.
• Application Number:
  US07/896,370
• Time in Patent Office: 860 Days
• Field of Search: 359/155, 359/142-145, 359/190-191, 340/539, 340/568, 340/573, 340/825.49
• US Class Current: 398/108
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0227 System arrangements with a plurality of child units
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/24 Reminder alarms, e.g. anti-loss alarms
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/36 using visible light sources

Abstract

A discriminating light-emitting apparatus comprises a transmitting unit capable of optionally setting a coded optical signal or a signal having a specific wavelength, and a receiving unit responsive only to the optionally coded optical signal or the signal having the specific wavelength issued from the transmitting unit, to execute display. Display on the receiving unit is executed in such a manner that one or a plurality of light emitting section or sections is or are turned on and off.

Claims

1. A discriminating light-emitting apparatus comprising:

transmitting means for optionally setting a coded optical signal, said transmitting means having a drive switch; and

receiving means having a light receiving element responsive only to the optionally coded optical signal issued from said transmitting means and a light emitting section for displaying an indication of receipt of the coded optical signal;

wherein said transmitting means issues the optical signal upon turning-on of the drive switch, said receiving means turns on when said light receiving element receives the optical signal, and said indication of receipt of the optical signal by said light emitting section is displayed by turning on said at least one light emitting section for at least a predetermined time period.

2. A discriminating light-emitting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said transmitting means is provided also with a light emitting section which is responsive to a signal issued from said transmitting means, to execute display, in case where the signal is reflected and is returned.

3. A discriminating light-emitting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a light emitting section for an object on which said receiving means is arranged is also said light emitting section of said receiving means, and an output signal from said light emitting element of said receiving means is supplied to a light emitting circuit of said light emitting section as a drive signal.

4. A discriminating light-emitting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said receiving means includes a plurality of light receiving elements which are so arranged as to cover an entire periphery of said receiving means.

5. A discriminating light-emitting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said transmitting means and said receiving means are covered respectively by materials which cut light having a wavelength other than the light issued by said light transmitting means.

6. A discriminating light-emitting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said transmitting means includes a light emitting element, and said discriminating light-emitting apparatus further includes a lens movable along an optical-axis direction which is arranged in front of said light emitting element of said transmitting means, so that a light projecting direction of said light emitting element is adjustable.

7. A discriminating light-emitting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said transmitting means has a light emitting element, and said light emitting element of said transmitting means is an infrared light emitting diode.

8. A discriminating light-emitting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said receiving means includes a plurality of light receiving means, and said light emitting elements of said receiving means are SIT phototransistors.

9. A discriminating light-emitting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said light emitting section is a visible light emitting diode.

10. A discriminating light-emitting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said receiving means is at least one of a homodyne receiving unit and a heterodyne receiving unit.

11. A discriminating light-emitting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said receiving means is a receiving unit provided with a light receiving element which is at least one of a pin photo-diode, a phototransistor, and a SIT phototransistor.

12. A discriminating light-emitting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said receiving means is a receiving unit provided with a light receiving element which is an infrared light-emitting diode, and wherein said light receiving element is an element comprising germanium.

13. A discriminating light-emitting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a used wavelength is infrared, wherein said transmitting means has a transmitting element and said receiving means has a receiving element, and wherein said transmitting element and said receiving element are covered with at least one of a glass material and a resin material, which is formed of a material which cuts a wavelength of visible light.

14. A discriminating light-emitting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said transmitting means includes a case, and an infrared light-emitting diode that is a transmitting source, a convex lens movable along an optical axis, for regulating a light emitting angle, a cell, and a drive switch, which are built in said case.

16. A discriminating light-emitting apparatus according to one of claims 1, 5-7, 14 or 15, wherein said transmitting means is further provided with a light receiving element for receiving the optical signal which is issued by said transmitting means and thereafter reflected and returned thereto, and with a light emitting section whose receiving means is turned on by the output signal from the light receiving element to display an indication of receipt of the optical signal.

15. A discriminating light-emitting apparatus comprising:

transmitting means for optionally setting optical signals having a specific wavelength, said transmitting means having a drive switch; and

receiving means responsive only to an optical signal having the specific wavelength, issued from said transmitting means, to perform a display, said receiving means having at least one light emitting section;

wherein said transmitting means issues the optical signal upon turning-on of the drive switch, said receiving means turns on when said light receiving element receives the optical signal, and said display indicating receipt of the optical signal by said light emitting section is performed by turning on said at least one light emitting section for at least a predetermined time period.

17. A discriminating light-emitting apparatus including receiving means for receiving an optical signal and transmitting means for transmitting an optical signal, said receiving means comprising:

a cylindrical casing having a power source for emitting a visible light-emitting diode built in a central portion thereof;

a plurality of light receiving elements arranged at an inside of said casing such that said light receiving elements are in concentrical relation to said casing and face outwardly;

a conical mirror-surface reflecting plate for guiding light from outside to said light receiving elements and a convex lens for enhancing light-receiving sensitivity, arranged respectively in front of said light receiving elements; and

a generally hemispherical lid having a lens effect covering a circumference of a plurality of visible light-emitting diodes arranged on an upper portion of said casing;

said transmitting means comprising;

a case within which are received a power source for emitting an infrared light-emitting diode and a drive circuit;

a manual-operating drive switch disposed on an upper surface of said case;

a convex lens projecting from a side surface of said case and movable along an optical-axis direction for regulating a light emitting angle; and

an infrared light-emitting diode for issuing an optical signal through said convex lens; and

wherein the optical signal issues by turning on said drive switch of said transmitting means, said light receiving element reacts and turns on in response to the optical signal thereby supplying electric current to said visible light-emitting diodes to radiate the diodes.

18. A discriminating light-emitting apparatus according to claim 17, including an amplification stabilizing circuit for supplying a substantially constant output without relying upon an input light quantity, to said light-emitting diode.

19. A discriminating light-emitting apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said receiving means is mounted on an antenna of a radio for a vehicle.

20. A discriminating light-emitting apparatus according to claim 17, wherein

said transmitting means comprises a resistor, an infrared light-emitting diode, a power source and a switch connected to an electrical circuit in a series and an optical signal issued by said infrared light-emitting diodes is radiated by electric current in said circuit;

and

said receiving means comprises a light receiving element, a visible light-emitting diode and a power source connected to an electric circuit in a series, and said light receiving element reacts in response to the optical signal from said transmitting means to turn on said circuit, thereby radiating a light emitting section of said visible light-emitting diode.

21. A discriminating light-emitting apparatus according to one of claims 18, 19, 17, or 20, wherein a light receiving element is disposed adjacent to said light emitting element of said transmitting means and said light receiving element is arranged therein in parallel relation to said infrared light-emitting diode through convex lenses, respectively, the optical signal issues from said transmitting means is thereafter returned and received by said light receiving element of said transmitting means, to turn on and off said light-emitting diode.