Data communication system for hand-held computers

• US 6,594,051 B1
• Filed: 03/30/1999
• Issued: 07/15/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Radix Micro Devices PLC
• Original Assignee: Radix Micro Devices PLC
• Inventors: Thornton, Shane, England, Mark, Childs, Darren, Marsden, Anthony, Henson, Gerald, Chaplin, Raymond
• Primary Examiner(s): Pascal, Leslie
• Assistant Examiner(s): Phan, Hanh
• Application Number:
  US09/281,559
• Time in Patent Office: 1,568 Days
• Field of Search: 359/152, 359/163, 359/173, 359/159, 359/172
• US Class Current: 398/139
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/1143 Bidirectional transmission

Abstract

A docking apparatus for a plurality of hand-held computers having optical data ports is provided. The docking apparatus includes a plurality of docking bays, a central processing unit, an optical transmitting communication path connected to the central processing unit for transmitting data to the docking bays, and an optical receiving communication path connected to the central processing unit for receiving data from the docking bays. The transmitting and receiving communication paths include light guides adapted to carry the data between the central processing unit and the data port of each computer in its respective docking bay.

Claims

1. A docking apparatus for a plurality of hand-held computers having optical data ports, comprising:

a plurality of docking bays, a central processing unit, optical transmitting means connected to the central processing unit for transmitting data to the docking bays, and optical receiving means connected to the central processing unit far receiving data from the docking bays;

the transmitting and receiving means including light guides adapted to carry the data between the central processing unit and the data port of each computer in its respective docking bay, in which each light guide comprises at least one rod of transparent material having a series of branches which are adapted to communicate with individual bays of the housing positioned at different distances from the CPU, and in which each light guide comprises at least one rod of flattened cross-section, each branch being arranged to extend outwardly from the flattened region, and having a width which is less than the width of the rod, whereby a light beam passing through the rod is only partially diverted into the branch.

2. A docking apparatus for a plurality of hand-held computers having optical data ports, comprising:

a plurality of docking bays, a central processing unit, optical transmitting means connected to the central processing unit for transmitting data to the docking bays, and optical receiving means connected to the central processing unit far receiving data from the docking bays;

the transmitting and receiving means including light guides adapted to carry the data between the central processing unit and the data port of each computer in its respective docking bay, in which each light guide comprises at least one rod of transparent material having a series of branches which are adapted to communicate with individual bays of the housing positioned at different distances from the CPU, and in which each light guide comprises at least one rod of flattened cross-section, each branch being arranged to extend outwardly from the flattened region, and having a width which is less than the width of the rod, whereby a light beam passing through the rod is only partially diverted into the branch;

the rod having an aperture formed on the downstream side of the branch remote from the central processing unit, and the upstream side of the aperture being angled so as to extend beneath the base of the branch to form a reflecting surface for a light beam entering or leaving the branch.

3. A docking apparatus for a plurality of hand-held computers having optical data ports, comprising:

a plurality of docking bays, a central processing unit, optical transmitting means connected to the central processing unit for transmitting data to the docking bays, and optical receiving means connected to the central processing unit far receiving data from the docking bays;

the transmitting and receiving means including light guides adapted to carry the data between the central processing unit and the data port of each computer in its respective docking bay, in which each light guide comprises at least one rod of transparent material having a series of branches which are adapted to communicate with individual bays of the housing positioned at different distances from the CPU, and in which each light guide comprises at least one rod of flattened cross-section, each branch being arranged to extend outwardly from the flattened region, and having a width which is less than the width of the rod, whereby a light beam passing through the rod is only partially diverted into the branch;

successive branches, spaced along the light guide, having greater widths in accordance with their distances from the central processing unit so as to divert more light and thus to compensate for reduction in the intensity of the light beam.