Portable apparatus

• US 8,175,527 B2
• Filed: 06/18/2010
• Issued: 05/08/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Hebiguchi, Hiroyuki, Haga, Nobuaki, Matsuta, Shigetoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Tuan A
• Application Number:
  US12/818,479
• Publication Number:
  US 20100255786A1
• Time in Patent Office: 690 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.1, 455/41.2, 455/95, 455/100, 455/575.1, 455/575.6, 455/575.7, 340/5.8, 340/5.82, 340/5.51, 340/5.52, 340/572.1, 340/572.5, 340/572.6, 340/573.1, 340/13.24, 340/13.26, 340/539.1, 340/539.11, 340/539.22
• US Class Current: 455/41.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 13/005 Transmission systems in which the medium consists of the human body

Abstract

A portable apparatus of the present invention functions as a transmitter and/or a receiver in electric field communication in which communication is performed through a human body by converting an information signal into an electric field signal; is substantially hexahedron-shaped and provided with sides and an display surface allowing information to be viewed; and includes an outer electrode for electric field communication provided on the display surface and a human-body-side electrode for electric field communication provided on at least one of the sides.

Claims

1. A portable apparatus for electric field communication in which communication is performed through a transmission medium by converting an information signal into an electric field signal, the apparatus being configured to function as a transmitter for transmitting the electric field signal, as a receiver for receiving the electric field signal, or as a transmitter/receiver for transmitting/receiving the electric field signal, and being substantially hexahedron-shaped and provided with sides and a display surface allowing information to be viewed,

wherein the apparatus comprises:

an outer electrode for electric field communication provided on the display surface;

a plurality of first transmission-medium-side electrodes for electric field communication provided on at least one of the sides and on another surface,

and wherein a switching control is performed such that at least one of the first transmission-medium-side electrodes on the sides is not made to be a transmission-medium-side electrode for electric field communication, and the first transmission-medium-side electrode on the another surface is made to be a transmission-medium-side electrode for electric communication.

2. The portable apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the switching control is further performed such that at least one of the first transmission-medium-side electrodes is made to be the outer electrode for electric field communication.

3. The portable apparatus according to claim 2, wherein an input function is provided to the display surface and if an input is being made to the portable apparatus while the electric field communication is performed, the switching control is further performed such that some of the first transmission-medium-side electrodes are made to be transmission-medium-side electrodes for electric field communication and the rest of the first transmission-medium-side electrodes are made to be outer electrodes for electric field communication.

4. A portable apparatus for electric field communication in which communication is performed through a transmission medium by converting an information signal into an electric field signal, the apparatus being configured to function as a transmitter for transmitting the electric field signal, as a receiver for receiving the electric field signal, or as a transmitter/receiver for transmitting/receiving the electric field signal, and being substantially hexahedron-shaped and provided with sides and a display surface allowing information to be viewed,

wherein the apparatus comprises:

an outer electrode for electric field communication provided on the display surface;

a plurality of first transmission-medium-side electrodes provided on at least one of the sides;

a second transmission-medium-side electrode provided on an opposite surface opposite to the display surface,

and wherein a switching control is performed such that either the second transmission-medium-side electrode or at least one of the first transmission-medium-side electrodes is made to be the transmission-medium-side electrode for the electric field communication.

5. The portable apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the switching control is further performed such that the second transmission-medium-side electrode is made to be the transmission-medium-side electrode for electric field communication when the portable apparatus has not been operated for a predetermined period of time, and at least one of the first transmission-medium-side electrodes is made to be the transmission-medium-side electrode for electric field communication when the portable apparatus has been operated.

6. The portable apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising:

a detection unit configured to detect if the portable apparatus is being held,

wherein the switching control is further performed such that the second transmission-medium-side electrode is made to be the transmission-medium-side electrode for electric field communication when it has not been detected that the portable apparatus is being held, and at least one of the first transmission-medium-side electrodes is made to be the transmission-medium-side electrode for electric field communication when it has been detected that the portable apparatus is being held.

7. The portable apparatus according to claim 4,

wherein the switching control is further performed such that at least one of the first transmission-medium-side electrodes is made to be the outer electrode for electric field communication.

8. The portable apparatus according to claim 4, wherein an input function is provided to the display surface and if an input is being made to the portable apparatus while the electric field communication is performed, the switching control is further performed such that some of the first transmission-medium-side electrodes are made to be transmission-medium-side electrodes for electric field communication and the rest of the first transmission-medium-side electrodes are made to be outer electrodes for electric field communication.

9. A portable apparatus for electric field communication in which communication is performed through a transmission medium by converting an information signal into an electric field signal, the apparatus being configured to function as a transmitter for transmitting the electric field signal, as a receiver for receiving the electric field signal, or as a transmitter/receiver for transmitting/receiving the electric field signal, the apparatus having a substantially hexahedron shape having a top surface provided with a display, a bottom surface opposite to the top surface, and side surfaces,

wherein the apparatus comprises:

a plurality of electrodes for the electric field communication including;

a top electrode provided on the top surface;

a plurality of side electrodes provided on at least one of the side surfaces; and

a bottom electrode provided on the bottom surface; and

a control unit configured to selectively switch electrode connections based on an operation mode of the apparatus, such that at least one of the electrodes is made to be an outer electrode for the electric field communication, and at least one of the remaining electrodes is made to be a transmission-medium-side electrode for the electric field communication.

10. The portable apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the control unit is configured to set:

the top electrode as an outer electrode for the electric field communication, and the side electrodes as transmission-medium-side electrodes for the electric field communication, if the apparatus is being operated; and

one of the top and bottom electrodes as the outer electrode for the electric field communication, and the other of the top and bottom electrodes as a transmission-medium-side electrode for the electric field communication, if the apparatus has not being operated for a predetermined period of time.

11. The portable apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the control unit is configured to set:

at least one of the side electrodes as the outer electrode for the electric field communication, and at least one of the remaining of the side electrodes as the transmission-medium-side electrodes for the electric field communication, if the display is being used as an input device.