Apparatus and method of controlling emitting color of visible light according to a current communication state in a VLC device

• US 7,663,501 B2
• Filed: 10/22/2007
• Issued: 02/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Hyun, Yoo Jeong, Hyun, legal representative, Lee, Kyung-Woo, Shin, Hong-Seok, Jung, Dae-Kwang, Park, Sung-Bum, Oh, Yun-Je, Shin, Dong-Jae
• Primary Examiner(s): Crosland; Donnie L
• Application Number:
  US11/975,817
• Publication Number:
  US 20080094244A1
• Time in Patent Office: 848 Days
• Field of Search: 340/815.66, 340/815.67
• US Class Current: 340/815.65
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/116 Visible light communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/22 Illumination; Arrangements for improving the visibility of characters on dials
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/52 including functional features of a camera
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode

Abstract

An apparatus and method for controlling the emitted color of visible light according to the current communication state in a visible light communication (VLC) device. The method includes storing one or more communication states and emitting colors that are correspondingly matched to the one or more communication states to indicate each of the various communication states. The VLC also checks, which can be based upon selection of a VLC mode, the current communication state and an emits a color that corresponds to the current communication state and emits the checked color of light to provide a visible light signal that indicates communication status to a user.

Claims

1. An apparatus for controlling an emitted color of visible light in a visible light communication (VLC) device according to a current communication state, said apparatus comprising:

a memory for storing data identifying one or more communication states and an associated plurality of emitting colors that are correspondingly matched to the one or more communication states to indicate each respective communication state;

a pulse generator for generating a pulse signal corresponding to data to be transmitted;

a modulator for modulating the pulse signal output from said pulse generator into a signal suitable for optical wireless communication;

a VLC transmitter for outputting a visible light signal having a particular corresponding emitting color based on a color control signal; and

a controller for determining a current communication state of the VLC device and an associated emitting color corresponding to the current communication state stored in the memory, and for providing the VLC transmitter with the color control signal to output a visible light signal having a particular corresponding emitting color based on the current communication state.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the VLC transmitter comprises a visible light emitting diode (LED) for VLC communication.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the communication state includes at least one of a communication link establishment state, a data transmission state, and a communication link range deviation state.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the communication state includes at least one of a communication link establishment state, a data transmission state, and a communication link range deviation state.

5. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the controller for determining a communication determines a status of the VLC device upon selection of a VLC mode.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the controller for determining a communication state periodically checks a status of the communication link establishment state when the communication link establishment state is incomplete.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the controller determines a communication state by checking a status updated in the memory.

8. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the controller checks a status updated in the memory at one of predetermined or random intervals.

9. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the controller receives a status of the communication state and compares the status with one or more communication states with a table stored in the memory.

10. The method according to claim 5, wherein step (e) is periodically performed at predetermined intervals while the third color is emitted in a continuous fashion.

11. A method of controlling an emitted color of visible light state in a visible light communication (VLC) device including a VLC transmitter according to a current communication, the method comprising the steps of:

storing data identifying one or more communication states and a plurality of associated emitting colors that are correspondingly matched to the one or more communication states of the visible light communication (VLC) device;

checking, when said VLC device is operating in a VLC mode, a current communication state and an associated emitting color of light corresponding to the current communication state; and

emitting the associated color of light as a visible light signal for providing visible operational status of the VLC device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the communication states include determining at least one of a communication link establishment state, a data transmission state, and a communication link range deviation state.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of storing one or more communication states and associated emitting colors that are correspondingly matched to the one or more communication states comprises the step of:

storing data identifying emitting colors associated with a particular communication link establishment state, wherein a communication link establishment state is matched to a first emitting color, the data transmission state is matched to a emitting second color, and the communication link range deviation state is matched to a third emitting color.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of checking, current communication state and an emitting color corresponding to the current communication state includes the steps of:

(a) upon selection of a VLC mode, checking whether or not the current state of the VLC device is the communication link establishment state, and if the communication link has been established, emitting the first color;

(b) checking whether or not the current state is the data transmission state and, if the state is the data transmission state, emitting the second color; and

(c) checking whether or not the current state is the communication link range deviation state or not, and, if the state is the communication link range deviation state, emitting the third color.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of:

(d) if the communication link establishment is completed during checking whether or not the current state is the communication link establishment state in step (a), emitting the second color.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising the steps of:

(e) if the current state is the communication link range deviation state, checking whether or not a communication link has been reestablished while emitting the third color; and

(f) if the communication link reestablishment checked in step (e) is complete, emitting the second color, and if the communication link reestablishment is incomplete, emitting the third color in a continuous fashion.