System, method, and apparatus for bi-directional infrared communication
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A toy for voice communication comprising:
- a housing having a first end and a second end;
an infrared transceiver coupled to the housing at the first end, the infrared transceiver to transmit a transmit voice signal over an infrared beam and to receive a received voice signal over the infrared beam;
a microphone coupled to the housing at the second end, the microphone to receive a sound and generate the transmit voice signal; and
a speaker coupled to the housing between the first end and the second end, the speaker to transduce the received voice signal into a reproduced sound.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An infrared (IR) communication device for audible sound communication over an infrared beam. The IR communication device includes an IR receiver, an IR transmitter, a speaker, and a microphone 210. The IR receiver receives the incoming IR beam. The IR transmitter 206 generates the IR output beam. A pair of IR communication devices form an IR communication system with a pair of IR communication channels. Simplex and full duplex IR communication may be provided over one or a pair of IR communication channels.
55 Citations
39 Claims
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1. A toy for voice communication comprising:
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a housing having a first end and a second end;
an infrared transceiver coupled to the housing at the first end, the infrared transceiver to transmit a transmit voice signal over an infrared beam and to receive a received voice signal over the infrared beam;
a microphone coupled to the housing at the second end, the microphone to receive a sound and generate the transmit voice signal; and
a speaker coupled to the housing between the first end and the second end, the speaker to transduce the received voice signal into a reproduced sound. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method for communication over an infrared channel, the method comprising:
at a first end of the infrared channel, receiving audible input sounds;
converting the audible input sounds into a transmit electrical signal, the transmit electrical signal responsive to a spectrum of the audible input sounds;
converting the transmit electrical signal into an infrared signal, the infrared signal responsive to the spectrum of audible input sounds; and
transmitting the infrared signal over the infrared channel. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A toy set for bi-directional voice communication by children, the toy set comprising:
a first toy IR communication device and a second toy IR communication device for voice and data communication therebetween over one or more infrared communication channels, each of the IR communication devices including a microphone to receive and transduce voice sounds into voice transmit signals;
an infrared transmitter coupled to the microphone, the infrared transmitter to transduce the voice transmit signals into infrared signals of an infrared output light beam;
an infrared receiver to receive an infrared input light beam and to transduce infrared signals therein into received voice signals; and
,a speaker coupled to the infrared receiver, the speaker to transduce the received voice signals into audible voice sounds. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method of bi-directional voice communication between children, the method comprising:
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pointing a first toy IR communicator towards a second toy IR communicator;
pointing the first toy IR communicator towards the second toy IR communicator;
receiving a first audible voice at the first toy IR communicator;
transducing the first audible voice into a first electrical transmit voice signal;
transducing and transmitting the first electrical transmit voice signal into infrared voice signals of a first infrared light beam;
receiving the first infrared light beam at the second toy IR communicator;
transducing the infrared signals of the first infrared light beam into a first electrical received voice signal;
coupling the first electrical received voice signal to a first speaker; and
,transducing the first electrical received voice signal into a reproduced first audible voice at the second toy IR communicator. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A toy IR communicator comprising:
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a battery;
an on/off switch having a first pole and second pole, the first pole coupled to the battery and the second pole coupled to a power supply node to provide power thereto;
a microphone to receive an audible voice sound and generate a transmit electrical voice signal;
a first operational amplifier coupled to power supply node and having an input coupled to the microphone, the first operational amplifier to generate an amplified transmit electrical voice signal at an output in response to the transmit electrical voice signal;
a first talk switch having a first pole and a second pole, the first pole coupled to first operational amplifier to receive the amplified transmit electrical voice signal;
an infrared transmitter coupled to the second pole of the first talk switch and the power supply node, the infrared transmitter to transduce the amplified transmit electrical voice signal into an infrared voice signal of an infrared output light beam in response to the first talk switch being closed;
an infrared receiver to receive an infrared input light beam and to transduce infrared signals therein into a received electrical voice signal;
a second talk switch having a first pole and a second pole, the first pole of the second talk switch coupled to the infrared receiver, the second pole of the second talk switch coupled to the power supply node through a resistor;
an audio amplifier having an input and an output, the input of the audio amplifier coupled to the second pole of the second talk switch, the audio amplifier to receive the received electrical voice signal in response to the second talk switch being closed and to variably amplify the received electrical voice signal into an amplified received electrical voice signal on its output; and
,a speaker coupled to the output of the audio amplifier, the speaker to transduce the amplified received electrical voice signal into an reproduced audible voice sound. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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Specification