Transceiver for wireless in-building communication sytem

• US 5,424,859 A
• Filed: 09/22/1993
• Issued: 06/13/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation
• Inventors: Uehara, Kazuhiro, Kagoshima, Kenichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Pascal, Leslie
• Assistant Examiner(s): NEGASH, KINFE MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US08/124,477
• Time in Patent Office: 629 Days
• Field of Search: 359/143, 359/145-146, 359/152, 359/172-175, 359/118, 340/310 A, 340/310 CP, 340/825.72, 455/90, 455/74, 315/34
• US Class Current: 398/127
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/202 by remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/38 Transceivers, i.e. devices in which transmitter and receiver form a structural unit and in which at least one part is used for functions of transmitting and receiving
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/1149 Arrangements for indoor wireless networking of information
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/116 Visible light communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/40 Transceivers

Abstract

A transceiver used for a wireless in-building communication system has a housing which can be fitted with a luminaire having at least one lamp socket to which AC power supply voltage is supplied. At least one lamp base is projected from the housing and is capable of being engaged with the lamp socket so as to receive the AC power supply voltage from the luminaire. A member for radiating/receiving light or electromagnetic wave is disposed on a surface of the housing or in the housing. A power conversion circuit is disposed in the housing so as to convert the AC power supply voltage received via the lamp base into DC voltage having a predetermined voltage value. At least one transmit-receive circuit is disposed in the housing and is coupled with the radiating/receiving member so as to execute transmit-receive operation. The transmit-receive circuit is operated by the DC voltage supplied from the power conversion circuit.

Claims

1. A transceiver used for a wireless in-building communication system comprising:

a housing to be fitted with a fluorescent-lamp luminaire having two lamp sockets to which AC power supply voltage is supplied;

at least one lamp base projected from said housing so as to be engaged with said lamp socket, for receiving the AC power supply voltage from said luminaire;

means for radiating/receiving electromagnetic wave, disposed on a surface of said housing or in said housing, said radiating/receiving means including a first radiating/receiving means for radiating/receiving electromagnetic wave with a directional pattern of a small half-power beam width, and a second radiating/receiving means for radiating/receiving electromagnetic wave with a directional pattern of a large half-power beam width, and first radiating/receiving means being used for wireless transmission with a transmit-receive bus interface means, said second radiating/receiving means being used for wireless transmission with at least one user transceiver;

a power conversion circuit disposed in said housing, for converting the AC power supply voltage received via said lamp base into DC voltage having a predetermined voltage value; and

at least one transmit-receive circuit disposed in said housing and coupled with said radiating/receiving means so as to execute transmit-receive operation, said transmit-receive circuit being operated by the DC voltage supplied from said power conversion circuit.

2. A transceiver as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of said first and second radiating/receiving means includes a radio antenna.

3. A transceiver as claimed in claim 2, wherein said antenna is constituted by a part of said housing.

4. A transceiver as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second radiating/receiving means includes two radio antennas having diversity function.

5. A transceiver as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of said first and second radiating/receiving means includes a photo emitter/receiver.

6. A transceiver as claimed in claim 1, wherein said transceiver includes at least one rotary joint means fixed to said housing so that said lamp base is rotatable with respect to said housing by at least ±

180 degrees.

7. A transceiver as claimed in claim 1, wherein said power conversion circuit includes a voltage conversion circuit for converting the received AC power supply voltage into AC voltage having a predetermined voltage value, a rectifying circuit for converting the AC voltage into DC voltage, and a chargeable battery coupled in parallel to the outputs of said rectifying circuit.

8. A transceiver as claimed in claim 1, wherein said transceiver includes two lamp bases formed at respective ends of said housing, each of said lamp bases having two base pins projected its end and capable of being inserted into said lamp socket.

9. A transceiver as claimed in claim 1, wherein said transceiver includes two housing adapters axially coupled to respective ends of said housing.

10. A transceiver as claimed in claim 9, wherein said housing adapters have additional lamps, respectively.

11. A transceiver as claimed in claim 1, wherein said housing includes a telescopic tubular housing witch axially variable length.

12. A transceiver as claimed in claim 1, wherein said luminaire is a ceiling luminaire directly attached to a ceiling.

13. A transceiver as claimed in claim 1, wherein said luminaire is a pendant luminaire.