Near-infrared communication apparatus

• US 5,986,787 A
• Filed: 03/14/1997
• Issued: 11/16/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Shimomura, Yasuhiko, Ogusu, Masahiro, Ohshima, Shigeru
• Primary Examiner(s): PASCAL, LESLIE C
• Application Number:
  US08/818,723
• Time in Patent Office: 977 Days
• Field of Search: 359/172, 359/163, 359/152, 359/159, 359/117, 359/11, 359/405, 359/580, 370/213, 375/239, 250/214
• US Class Current: 398/127
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/114 Indoor or close-range type systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/40 Transceivers

Abstract

Each optical transceiver comprises a photoemissive device for generating a signal light of near-infrared rays, a photoreceptor for receiving the signal light of the near-infrared rays, and an optical lens for converting the signal light outputted from the photoemissive device into a substantially collimated light so as to emit the light into a desired direction and for guiding the signal light from the same direction to the photoreceptor. Directivities of the respective optical transceivers are directed to the same portion on the indoor optical diffusing surface such as a ceiling.

Claims

1. A near-infrared communication apparatus comprising:

a plurality of optical transceivers for carrying out optical communications by transmitting and receiving a signal light of near-infrared rays through an indoor space, each of the optical transceivers including;

at least one photoemissive device for generating the signal light of near-infrared rays;

at least one photoreceptor for receiving the signal light of near-infrared rays from another of the optical transceivers; and

at least one common optical system, used in common in transmitting and receiving the signal light, for converting the signal light output from the photoemissive device to a substantially collimated light and directing it in an arbitrary direction to an indoor optical diffusion surface within the indoor space to form a lightened portion on the indoor optical diffusion surface and focusing a light from the lightened portion in the same direction as the arbitrary direction on the photoreceptor of a corresponding one of the transceivers to form a light spot having a size larger than a size of the light photoemissive device on the photoreceptor, wherein the optical system is arranged so as to direct directivity of each of the optical transceivers to the same portion within the indoor optical diffusion surface.

2. A near-infrared communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the photoemissive device comprises a semiconductor laser having a laser emitting surface for emitting a laser light, and the photoreceptor comprises a photodiode for monitoring a light emitted from a surface of the semiconductor laser which is opposite to the laser emitting surface.

3. A near-infrared communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an end surface of the photoemissive device is located inside a focusing plane of the optical system so that the optical system converts the signal light into collimated light having a relatively large width.

4. A near-infrared communication apparatus comprising a plurality of optical transceivers for carrying out optical communications by transmitting and receiving a signal light of near-infrared rays through an indoor space, each of the optical transceivers including:

at least one semiconductor laser for generating the signal light of near-infrared rays;

at least one photoreceptor for receiving the signal light of near-infrared rays from another of the optical transceivers; and

at least one common optical system, used in common in transmitting and receiving the signal light, for converting the signal light output from the photoemissive device to a substantially collimated light, and for directing it in an arbitrary direction and focusing a light from the same direction as the arbitrary direction to the photoreceptor of a corresponding one of the transceivers, wherein the optical system is arranged so as to direct directivity of each of the optical transceivers to the same portion within an indoor optical diffusion surface, and has at least one optical diffusion plate for diffusing the signal light, the optical diffusion plate having Mie scattering characteristic in which forward scattering light intensity is stronger than backward scattering light intensity.

5. A near-infrared communication apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the optical diffusion plate comprises a plate member and a diffusion layer formed by coating a mixture of fine particles and adhesive on the plate member.

6. A near-infrared communication apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the optical diffusion plate is formed by stuffing a mixture of said fine particles with said adhesive into a nozzle having a photoreceptor inside said nozzle, integrating the plate member with the semiconductor laser, adjusting a position of the nozzle so that a intensity of a light emitted by the semiconductor laser and detected by the photoreceptor inside the nozzle becomes maximum, and coating the mixture on said panel-shaped member.

7. A near-infrared communication apparatus according to claim 4, wherein each of the optical transceivers includes an optical system for converting forward scattering light from the optical diffusion plate to a substantially collimated light and directing the collimated light toward an indoor diffusion surface.

8. A near-infrared communication apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the optical diffusion plate comprises a plate member and a diffusion layer formed by coating a mixture of fine particles and adhesive on the plate member.

9. A near-infrared communication apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the optical diffusion plate of each of the optical transceivers is arranged inside a focal plane of the optical system and the photoreceptor is located outside the focal plane.

10. A near-infrared communication apparatus according to claim 4, wherein an end surface of the photoemissive device is located inside a focusing plane of the optical system so that the optical system converts the signal light into collimated light having a relatively large width.

11. A near-infrared communication apparatus comprising a plurality of optical transceivers for carrying out optical communications by transmitting and receiving a signal light of near-infrared rays through an indoor space, each of the optical transceivers including:

at least one semiconductor laser for generating the signal light of near-infrared rays; and

at least one optical diffusion plate for diffusing the signal light from the semiconductor laser, the optical diffusion plate having Mie scattering characteristic in which forward scattering light intensity is stronger than backward scattering light intensity.

12. A near-infrared communication apparatus according to claim 11, wherein each of the optical transceivers includes an optical system for converting the forward scattering light from the optical diffusion plate to a substantially collimated light and emitting the collimated light toward an indoor diffusion surface.

13. A near-infrared communication apparatus according to claim 12 wherein the optical diffusion plate of each of the optical transceivers is arranged inside a focal plane of the optical system and the photoreceptor is located outside the focal plane.