Infrared transmission/reception apparatus and infrared transmission/reception method

• US 6,754,451 B1
• Filed: 06/08/2000
• Issued: 06/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lenovo Innovations Ltd Hong Kong (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Nakamura, Yoshitaka
• Primary Examiner(s): Pascal, Leslie
• Assistant Examiner(s): Phan, Hanh
• Application Number:
  US09/589,793
• Time in Patent Office: 1,475 Days
• Field of Search: 398/135, 398/137, 398/138, 398/115, 398/197, 398/182, 398/202, 398/213, 398/140, 398/118, 398/120, 455/38.3, 455/522, 455/41.2, 455/41.3, 340/825.72, 340/825.69, 340/825.22, 340/825.44
• US Class Current: 398/135
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/1143 Bidirectional transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/1149 Arrangements for indoor wireless networking of information
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/737 Characterised by transmission of electromagnetic waves other than radio waves, e.g. infrared waves
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

An infrared transmission/reception apparatus and a method thereof in which an infrared transmission output is changed to transmit a plurality of station finding commands, and an infrared transmission output for such a station finding command out of the plurality of station finding commands as returning a station finding response from a secondary station is used to perform a subsequent communication. Thus, communication can be performed with the minimum infrared output regardless of the opposite apparatus.

Claims

1. An infrared transmission/reception apparatus having primary and secondary stations in an infrared communication system of IrDA standard in which said secondary station outputs a station finding response in response to a station finding command from said primary station, comprising:

first transmission means for transmitting a station finding command with a predetermined infrared transmission output;

second transmission means for transmitting the station finding command with the infrared transmission output which is higher than the infrared transmission output of the station finding command transmitted by said first transmission means when no station finding response with respect to the station finding command transmitted by the first transmission means is returned from the secondary station;

third transmission means for transmitting the station finding command with the infrared transmission output which is higher than the infrared transmission output of the previously transmitted station finding command when no station finding response with respect to the station finding command transmitted by the second transmission means is returned from the secondary station;

fourth transmission means for transmitting the station finding command with the infrared transmission output which is lower than the infrared transmission output of the station finding command transmitted by said first transmission means when the station finding response with respect to the station finding command transmitted by said first transmission means is returned from the secondary station;

fifth transmission means for transmitting the station finding command with the infrared transmission output which is lower than the infrared transmission output of the previously transmitted station finding command when the station finding response with respect to the station finding command transmitted by the fourth transmission means is returned from the secondary station;

first control means for again executing the processing by said fifth transmission means when the station finding response with respect to the station finding command transmitted by the fifth transmission means is returned from the secondary station;

second control means for again executing the processing by said fourth transmission means when no station finding response with respect to the station finding command transmitted by said third transmission means, said fourth transmission means or said fifth transmission means is returned from the secondary station; and

communication means for performing a subsequent communication by using a infrared transmission output for such a station finding command as returning the station finding response from the secondary station when the station finding response with respect to the station finding command transmitted by said second transmission means or said third transmission means is returned from the secondary station.

2. The infrared transmission/reception apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising notification means for notifying a user of a data link failure when the infrared transmission output of the previously transmitted station finding command is the infrared transmission output of a maximum level in said third transmission means.

3. An infrared transmission/reception method for an infrared transmission/reception apparatus having primary and secondary stations in an infrared communication system of IrDA standard in which said secondary station outputs a station finding response in response to a station finding command from said primary station, the method comprising the steps of:

a first step of transmitting a station finding command with a predetermined infrared transmission output;

a second step of transmitting the station finding command with the infrared transmission output which is higher than the infrared transmission output of the station finding command transmitted by said first step when no station finding response with respect to the station finding command transmitted by the first step is returned from the secondary station;

a third step of transmitting the station finding command with the infrared transmission output which is higher than the infrared transmission output of the previously transmitted station finding command when no station finding response with respect to the station finding command transmitted by the second step is returned from the secondary station;

a fourth step of transmitting the station finding command with the infrared transmission output which is lower than the infrared transmission output of the station finding command transmitted by said first step when the station finding response with respect to the station finding command transmitted by said first step is returned from the secondary station;

a fifth step of transmitting the station finding command with the infrared transmission output which is lower than the infrared transmission output of the previously transmitted station finding command when the station finding response with respect to the station finding command transmitted by the fourth step is returned from the secondary station;

a sixth step of again executing the processing by said fifth step when the station finding response with respect to the station finding command transmitted by the fifth step is returned from the secondary station;

a seventh step of again executing the processing by said fourth step when no station finding response with respect to the station finding command transmitted by said third step or said fourth step or said fifth step is returned from the secondary station; and

an eighth step of performing a subsequent communication by using an infrared transmission output for such a station finding command as returning the station finding response from the secondary station when the station finding response with respect to the station finding command transmitted by said second step or said third step is returned from the secondary station.

4. The infrared transmission/reception method according to claim 3, further comprising a ninth step of notifying a user of a data link failure when the infrared transmission output of the previously transmitted station finding command is the infrared transmission output of a maximum level in said third step.

5. An infrared transmission/reception apparatus having primary and secondary stations in an infrared communication system of IrDA standard in which said secondary station outputs a station finding response in response to a station finding command from said primary station, comprising:

plural transmission means for transmitting a station finding command with a predetermined infrared transmission output such that the station finding command is retransmitted with output which is higher than an initial station finding command when no station finding response is returned from the secondary station and such that the station finding command is retransmitted with the infrared transmission output which is lower than the initial station finding command when the station finding response is returned from the secondary station;

plural control means for again executing the processing by one of said plural transmission means when the station finding response is returned from the secondary station, until a station finding response is no longer returned and for again executing the processing by another one of said plural transmission means when no station finding response is returned from the secondary station, until a station finding response is returned; and

communication means for performing a subsequent communication by using an infrared transmission output for such a station finding command as returning the station finding response from the secondary station when the station finding response is returned from the secondary station.