Systems and methods for communicating with multiple devices

• US 7,761,092 B2
• Filed: 08/18/2004
• Issued: 07/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kawasaki, Kenichi, Desch, David A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kincaid; Lester
• Assistant Examiner(s): DOAN, PHUOC HUU
• Application Number:
  US10/921,623
• Publication Number:
  US 20050176416A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,162 Days
• Field of Search: 455/422.1, 359/172, 375/354, 375/242
• US Class Current: 455/422.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks

Abstract

Disclosed are systems and methods for communicating with multiple devices. In one embodiment, a plurality of wireless devices in close proximity are able to transmit data at a high rate using a secure connection. While in one embodiment this data is transmitted using a high speed, directional signal at a 60 GHz frequency. In a further embodiment, data is transmitted at a 60 GHz frequency between a personal computing device and a plurality of consumer electronic devices that are in relative close proximity to one another. The directional nature of this high frequency signal permits a large number of devices in a close proximity to communicate without interfering with each other. Moreover, the directional nature of such a high frequency signal provides added communications security since the receiver will typically be in the line of sight of the transmitter.

Claims

1. A communication system comprising:

a plurality of wireless devices located in proximity to each other, each of said plurality of wireless device operating at substantially the same radio frequency, each of said plurality of wireless devices including,

a receiver for receiving a radio frequency (RF) signal transmitted by one of said plurality of wireless devices along a line-of-sight of said receiver,

a transmitter for transmitting said RF signal to one of said plurality of wireless devices along said line-of-sight, and

wherein said RF signal is a substantially directional point-to-point signal having a frequency of at least 20 GHz, and further wherein, upon receiving said RF signal, a receiving wireless device of said plurality of wireless devices performs a compatibility check to determine if said receiving device operates at a frequency substantially equal to that of the RF signal.

2. The communication system of claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of wireless devices is to receive and transmit RF signals along one or more crossing paths.

3. The communication system of claim 1, wherein said RF signal has a range of approximately 2 meters.

4. The communication system of claim 1, wherein, after performing said compatibility check, an authorization check is performed to determine if said receiving device is authorized to receive said RF signal.

5. A method of communicating comprising:

locating a plurality of wireless devices in proximity to each other, wherein each of said plurality of wireless device operate at substantially the same radio frequency;

transmitting a radio frequency (RF) signal to one of said plurality of wireless devices along a line-of-sight;

receiving said RF signal along said line-of-sight of said receiver, wherein said RF signal is a substantially directional point-to-point signal having a frequency of at least 20 GHz; and

performing, after receiving said RF signal, a compatibility check to determine if a receiving device of said plurality of wireless devices operates at a frequency substantially equal to that of the RF signal.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising transmitting RF signals, by said plurality of wireless devices, along one or more crossing paths.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein said RF signal has a range of approximately 2 meters.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein, after performing said compatibility check, the method further comprises performing an authorization check to determine if said receiving device is authorized to receive said RF signal.