Illuminative light communication device

• US 7,583,901 B2
• Filed: 10/23/2003
• Issued: 09/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ichimaru Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nakagawa Laboratories, Inc.
• Inventors: Sugawara, Yasuo, Komine, Toshihiko, Kitano, Shogo, Ishigure, Takaaki, Koike, Yasuhiro, Nakagawa, Masao, Haruyama, Shinichiro
• Primary Examiner(s): PASCAL, LESLIE C
• Application Number:
  US10/532,250
• Publication Number:
  US 20060056855A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,140 Days
• Field of Search: 398/183
• US Class Current: 398/183
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/20 Light sources comprising attachment means
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/65 specially adapted for changing the characteristics or the distribution of the light, e.g. by adjustment of parts
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/0052 Audio or video equipment, e.g. televisions, telephones, cameras or computers; Remote control devices therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/33 being semiconductor devices, e.g. diodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48247 connecting the wire to a bond pad of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/0753 the devices being arranged next to each other
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/3025 Electromagnetic shielding
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/1141 One-way transmission
• 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 2203/5412 by modofying wave form of the power source
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5458 Monitor sensor; Alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/54 Systems for transmission via power distribution lines
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/185 via power line carrier transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/195 the transmission using visible or infrared light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/1965 using handheld communication devices

Abstract

The present invention has been developed considering the above-described problems and aims to provide various structures and applications for illuminative light communication. According to the first aspect of the prevent invention, a broadcast system includes an LED light source 115 for lighting, a power line 103 that supplies electric power to the LED light source 115, a data modulator 102 that modulates and multiplexes a plurality of pieces of data, superimposes the resulting signal on an electric power waveform, and then transmits the resulting superimposed signal waveform to the power line 103, and a filter 112 that selectively separates one or more of a plurality of pieces of modulated data on the power line so as to control light intensity or blinking of the LED light source. Data is transmitted through changes in light intensity or blinking of the LED light source.

Claims

1. A broadcast system, comprising:

a semiconductor light-emitting source for lighting;

a power line that supplies electric power to the semiconductor light-emitting source;

a data modulator that modulates and multiplexes a plurality of pieces of data, superimposes the resulting plurality of pieces of data on an electric power waveform into a plurality of modulated pieces of data, and transmits the plurality of modulated pieces of data via the power line; and

a selector that selects one or more pieces of data to be transmitted in the form of light out of the plurality of modulated pieces of data on the power line; and

a superimposing means for superimposing a signal of the selected data onto a voltage to be applied to the semiconductor light-emitting source,

wherein the data selected by the selector is transmitted based on changes in light intensity or blinking of the semiconductor light-emitting source.

2. The broadcast system according to claim 1, wherein the selector selects data to be transmitted based on changes in light intensity or blinking of the semiconductor light-emitting source in conformity with instruction data on the power line.

3. The broadcast system according to claim 1, wherein the data modulator frequency division multiplexes a plurality of pieces of data, and the selector selects one of a plurality of band pass filters with different frequency bandwidths and separates data.

4. The broadcast system according to claim 1, wherein:

the data modulator time division multiplexes said plurality of pieces of data, adds tag data to the resulting divided data, and transmits the resulting data; and

the selector identifies data based on the tag data, and selects data.

5. An electric bulb, which is adapted to be used in a broadcast system according to claim 1, and receives supplied electric power and emits light for lighting, comprising:

a semiconductor light-emitting source for lighting;

a selector that selects one or more of a plurality of pieces of modulated data to be transmitted in the form of light, which are superimposed on supplied electric power; and

a superimposing means for superimposing a signal of the selected data onto a voltage to be applied to the semiconductor light-emitting source,

wherein the data selected by the selector is transmitted based on changes in light intensity or blinking of the semiconductor light-emitting source.

6. The electric bulb according to claim 5, wherein:

the electric power is AC power;

the electric bulb comprises an AC-DC converter that converts AC power to DC power; and

the superimposing means superimposes a data component selected by the selector on the DC power, which is provided by the AC-DC converter, and drives the semiconductor light-emitting source by the resulting superimposed DC power.

7. A lighting device, which is adapted to be used in a broadcast system according to claim 1, and receives supplied electric power and makes a semiconductor light-emitting source emit light for lighting, comprising:

a selector that selects one or more of a plurality of pieces of modulated data to be transmitted in the form of light, which are superimposed on supplied electric power; and

a superimposing means for superimposing a signal of the selected data onto a voltage to be applied to the semiconductor light-emitting source,

wherein the data selected by the selector is transmitted based on changes in light Intensity or blinking of the semiconductor light-emitting source.

8. The lighting device according to claim 7, wherein:

the electric power is AC power;

the electric bulb comprises an AC-DC converter that converts AC power to DC power; and

the superimposing means superimposes a data component selected by the selector on the DC power, which is provided by the AC-DC converter, and drives the semiconductor light-emitting source by the resulting superimposed DC power.