IC communication card

• US 6,016,962 A
• Filed: 12/11/1997
• Issued: 01/25/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ITT Manufacturing Enterprises, Inc. (ITT, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ITT Manufacturing Enterprises, Inc. (ITT, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hirayama, Masahiro, Nakata, Eiichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Thien Minh
• Application Number:
  US08/988,885
• Time in Patent Office: 775 Days
• Field of Search: 235/486, 235/441, 235/492, 235/380, 235/439, 364/466, 364/138, 340/825.31, 340/825.06
• US Class Current: 235/486
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/077 Constructional details, e.g. mounting of circuits in the carrier

Abstract

Apparatus for infrared communication between a first electronic device (10, FIG. 7) such as a notebook computer which has a slot (84) for receiving an IC card, and a second electronic device (104) such as a computer, printer, etc. that has an infrared transmit/detect unit (100) (or another notebook computer with a slot). The apparatus includes an IC card (82) with a rigid frame (112, FIG. 8) having a front portion (114) that holds a connector (88), the frame having a rear portion (116) that projects rearwardly from the slot and that holds an infrared emitter (120) and an infrared detector (122). As a result, the first electronic device fixes the position and orientation of the emitter and detector. The IC card with the emitter and detector preferably has a width (W) and thickness (T) as prescribed by JEIDA and PC CARD standards. The emitter preferably includes a plurality of emitter elements (141-144) spaced laterally along the rear end portion of the card to provide increased power in a small thickness.

Claims

1. A method for transmitting data between first and second electronic devices, where said second device has at least an infrared detector and wherein said first device has a slot with a front end for receiving a first IC card, and said first device has a device connector at said front end of said slot, characterized by:

constructing said front IC card with a front card portion having a card connector and with a rear card portion that is fixed to said front card portion, and with an infrared emitter mounted in a fixed position and orientation on said rear card portion;

inserting said front card portion into said slot until said card connector and said device connector are mated, with said rear card portion substantially projecting rearwardly out of said slot;

orienting said first electronic device so said infrared detector of said second electronic device lies generally rearward of said slot;

transmitting data signals from said first device through said card connector to said first IC Card, and energizing said infrared emitter in accordance with said data signals to cause said infrared emitter to emit infrared light modulated by said data signals.

2. The method described in claim 1 wherein:

said step of constructing said IC card includes forming a rear card edge that has a long width and a shorter thickness, and placing a plurality of infrared emitter elements so they are spaced apart from one another in a direction parallel to said width;

said step of transmitting data signals includes energizing all of said plurality of infrared emitter elements in synchronism.

3. A combination of first and second electronic devices which each has walls forming a slot with front and rear ends and which each has a device connector at a front end of its slot, and first and second IC cards that each has a front portion lying in the slot of a corresponding one of said electronic devices and having a rigid housing that is fixed in position and orientation in the corresponding slot, with each IC card having a front connector mounted on said housing and mated with said device connector, characterized by:

each of said IC cards has a rear portion which faces rearwardly out of the corresponding slot, with each IC card having a primarily rearwardly-facing light transmitter and a primarily rearwardly-facing light receiver, each supported in position and orientation on its corresponding housing;

each of said electronic devices being oriented with the rear end of its slot facing in the general direction of the rear end of the slot of the other electronic device, whereby to enable communications between said first and second electronics devices.

4. A combination of an electronic device which has walls forming a slot and which has a device connector at a front end of said slot, and a first IC card having a front portion lying in said slot and having a rigid housing that is fixed in position and orientation on said slot walls with said IC card having a front connector mounted on said housing and mated with said device connector, characterized by:

said IC card has a rear portion which faces rearwardly out of said slot, and said IC card has a primarily rearwardly-facing light transmitter supported in position and orientation on said frame for generating a light beam;

said IC card also having opaque barrier means that limits the angle of said light beam.