Wireless communication system

• US 9,161,160 B2
• Filed: 06/03/2013
• Issued: 10/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co Limited
• Original Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co Limited
• Inventors: Ikemoto, Nobuo, Ishino, Satoshi, Kato, Noboru
• Primary Examiner(s): Safaipour, Bobbak
• Application Number:
  US13/908,139
• Publication Number:
  US 20130260803A1
• Time in Patent Office: 862 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/22 Capacitive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/24 Inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

A wireless communication system includes a plurality of communication devices, and a communication terminal that is a separate structure from the plurality of communication devices. Each of the communication devices includes a coupling portion to be coupled with the communication terminal, a power source, and a signal processing section arranged to process a signal received and a signal to be sent. The communication terminal includes neither a power source nor a signal processing section, and the communication terminal includes a coupling portion to be coupled with the coupling portion of each of the communication devices, an antenna arranged to send and receive radio waves, and a connector arranged to connect the coupling portion and the antenna to each other.

Claims

1. A wireless communication system comprising:

a plurality of communication devices; and

a hand-held communication terminal that is a separate structure from the plurality of communication devices;

wherein

each of the plurality of communication devices includes a coupling portion arranged to be electrically coupled with the hand-held communication terminal, a power source, and a signal processing section arranged to process a signal received and a signal to be sent;

the hand-held communication terminal includes a coupling portion arranged to be electrically coupled with the coupling portion of each of the plurality of communication devices, an antenna arranged to send and receive radio waves, and a connector arranged to connect the coupling portion and the antenna to each other, the hand-held communication terminal including neither a power source nor a signal processing section; and

when the coupling portion of the hand-held communication terminal is coupled with the coupling portion of a specified one of the plurality of communication devices, the hand-held communication terminal receives a signal only from the specified one of the plurality of communication devices at the coupling portion thereof and sends the signal through the antenna, and/or receives a signal at the antenna and sends the signal only to the specified one of the plurality of communication devices through the coupling portion thereof.

2. A wireless communication system according to claim 1, wherein the coupling portion of the hand-held communication terminal is arranged to be coupled with the coupling portion of each of the plurality of communication devices by at least one of magnetic coupling, capacitive coupling, electric-field coupling, electromagnetic coupling, or direct contact coupling.

3. A wireless communication system according to claim 1, wherein the coupling portion of the hand-held communication terminal includes a matching circuit.

4. A wireless communication system according to claim 1, wherein

the plurality of communication devices are terminal devices;

and

the wireless communication system further includes a base unit that includes a single antenna and that is communicable with one of the plurality of communication devices of which the coupling portion is coupled with the coupling portion of the hand-held communication terminal through the antenna.

5. A wireless communication system according to claim 1, wherein

at least two of the hand-held communication terminals are provided;

and

at least two of the plurality of communication devices of which the coupling portions couple with the coupling portions of the at least two hand-held communication terminals are communicable with each other.

6. A wireless communication system according to claim 1, wherein the signal processing section of each of the plurality of communication devices includes a central processing unit and an RF circuit.

7. A wireless communication system according to claim 1, wherein the coupling of the coupling portion of the hand-held communication terminal with the coupling portion of a specified one of the plurality of communication devices is magnetic coupling.

8. A wireless communication system according to claim 1, wherein the hand-held communication terminal is a pen-shaped communication terminal to be held by an operator.

9. A wireless communication system according to claim 1, wherein the power source of each of the plurality of communication devices includes a battery.

10. A wireless communication system according to claim 1, wherein the signal has a frequency in one of the HF band or the UHF band.

11. A wireless communication system according to claim 4, wherein the base unit includes a body including a signal processing circuit, and the antenna is connected to the body by a signal line.

12. A wireless communication system according to claim 4, wherein the antenna is an electric-field antenna.

13. A wireless communication system according to claim 1, wherein the hand-held communication terminal includes a cylindrical or substantially cylindrical housing in which the coupling portion and the antenna of the communication terminal are disposed.

14. A wireless communication system according to claim 1, wherein the antenna of the hand-held communication terminal is an electric-field dipole antenna.

15. A wireless communication system according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of communication devices includes a clock circuit, a logic circuit, and a memory circuit in which necessary information is stored.

16. A wireless communication system according to claim 3, wherein the matching circuit includes at least one inductance and at least one capacitance.

17. A wireless communication system according to claim 1, wherein the coupling portion of the hand-held communication terminal has a loop shape.

18. A wireless communication system according to claim 17, wherein 17, wherein the coupling portion of the hand-held communication terminal includes approximately two turns.

19. A wireless communication system according to claim 1, wherein the coupling portion of the hand-held communication terminal includes two planar portions arranged to function as a capacitively-coupled antenna or an electric-field antenna.

20. A wireless communication system according to claim 19, wherein the coupling portion of the hand-held communication terminal further includes a line connecting the two planar portions to one another.