JP2001320332A - Infrared repeater - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an infrared repeater which realizes on omnidirectional relay and also a relay of a plural infrared communication with different carrier frequencies using a single repeater. SOLUTION: This repeater has an infrared light-receiving part 2, an infrared light-emitting part 3 and a lens 1. The light-receiving part 2 receives infrared rays converged through the lens 1, converts the infrared rays into an electrical signal and outputs the electrical signal to the light-emitting part 3. The light- emitting part 3 emits the infrared beams toward the lens 1, on the basis of the electrical signal from the part 2. The lens 1 converges the infrared rays with a convex spherical surface 1a, converges the infrared rays on the part 2 and outputs the infrared rays, diffuses the infrared rays from the part 3 from the spherical surface 1a and divergently emits the infrared rays.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a relay device used for infrared communication used in information equipment.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In general, infrared communication is an optimal communication means for short-distance transmission, and has recently been used for data communication between information devices.

[0003] By the way, due to the nature of infrared rays, the communicable distance is limited to a range that can be directly seen, so if there is an obstacle on the way, it will be blocked by the obstacle. Also, since the intensity of infrared light attenuates inversely with the square of the distance,
Communication distance is limited. In consideration of these points, a relay device is used in infrared communication.

An example in which a repeater of an infrared remote control is installed on a ceiling is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 11-98080.
Further, an example used for data communication between information devices is disclosed in
No. -252011.

[0005]

However, according to the technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H11-98080, the direction in which infrared light is relayed is limited by the installation position of the infrared light emitting unit of the repeater installed on the ceiling. It is not suitable for omnidirectional broadcasting.

In the technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H11-252011, it is impossible to relay a plurality of infrared communications having different carrier frequencies with one repeater, and the number of relay lines in the repeater is limited. This causes a problem that the number of repeaters installed increases.

An object of the present invention is to provide an infrared relay apparatus which enables relaying in all directions and relays a plurality of infrared communications having different carrier frequencies with a single repeater.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, an infrared relay device according to the present invention comprises: an infrared receiver;
An infrared communication relay device having an infrared light emitting unit and a lens, wherein the infrared light receiving unit receives infrared light collected through the lens and converts the infrared light into an electric signal, and the infrared light emitting unit includes: The lens emits infrared light based on an electric signal from the infrared light receiving unit, and the lens collects infrared light on a convex spherical surface, converges the infrared light on the infrared light receiving unit, and outputs the light. From the convex spherical surface and emits divergently.

The infrared light receiving section receives infrared light collected through the lens, converts the infrared light into an electric signal, amplifies the electric signal, and outputs the amplified electric signal to the infrared light emitting section.

A pair of the infrared light receiving section and the infrared light emitting section is provided for each of the infrared oscillation frequencies.

Further, the plurality of relay devices relay the communication using infrared rays.

[0012] Further, the plurality of relay devices relay communication using electric signals.

[0013] Further, between the plurality of relay devices, relaying is performed by using both infrared communication and electric signal communication.

[0014] Further, as the inside or outside of the relay device,
It is provided with a control device having a data processing function.

[0015]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

Referring to FIG. 1, the infrared relay apparatus according to the present invention has an infrared light receiving section 2, an infrared light emitting section 3, and a lens 1. These components are composed of a pair of infrared communication units 7, It is installed at a distance position where communication is possible within a range that can be directly seen from the position 8. This place is preferably installed on the ceiling of the space where the paired infrared communication units 7 and 8 are used, but communication is possible within a range that can be directly seen from the position of the paired infrared communication units 7 and 8. Any location may be used as long as the location is a distance location.

The infrared light receiving section 2 receives the infrared light condensed through the lens 1, converts the infrared light into an electric signal, and outputs the electric signal to the infrared light emitting section 3.

In this case, the infrared light receiving section 2 receives the infrared light condensed through the lens 1 and converts it into an electric signal. The electric signal is amplified by the amplifier 5 and output to the infrared light emitting section 3. It may be.

The infrared light emitting section 3 emits infrared light toward the lens 1 based on an electric signal from the infrared light receiving section 2.

In FIG. 1, the lens 1 focuses infrared light emitted from the infrared light emitting portions 7a and 8a of the infrared communication units 7 and 8 on a convex spherical surface 1a, and converges the light on the infrared light receiving portion 2. The infrared rays from the infrared light emitting section 3 are diffused from the convex spherical surface 1a and diverged and emitted. The lens 1 is composed of a combination of a hemispherical lens 1b and a convex lens 1c, and inputs and outputs infrared rays through a convex spherical surface 1a of the hemispherical lens 1b.
To converge the infrared rays, and effectively input and output the infrared rays between the hemispherical lens 1b, the infrared ray receiving section 2 and the infrared ray emitting section 3.

The infrared receiver 2 on the side of the relay device 6 is installed close to the optical axis 1d of the lens 1, and effectively condenses and converges on the convex spherical surface 1a of the lens 1 to output infrared light. The efficiency of receiving the light and converting it into an electric signal is enhanced.

The infrared light emitting section 3 on the side of the relay device 6 is installed close to the optical axis 1d of the lens 1 and transmits emitted infrared light from the optical axis 1d of the lens 1 to the convex spherical surface 1 of the lens 1.
A divergent output is provided in all directions through a.

Referring to FIG. 1, a case is described in which a pair of infrared communication units 7 and 8 are installed within a range directly visible to one relay device 6 to perform infrared communication for data transmission. explain.

An electric signal of data is modulated from the light emitting portion 7a of one infrared communication unit 7 of the pair to infrared rays and transmitted to the lens 1 of the relay device 6.

On the relay device 6 side, the infrared communication unit 7
When the infrared ray is emitted from the light emitting section 7a, the infrared ray is condensed by the convex spherical surface 1a of the lens 1, and this is converged and outputted to the infrared ray receiving section 2.

The infrared light receiving section 2 of the relay device 6 converts a signal component contained in the received infrared light into an electric signal, amplifies the electric signal by the amplifier 5, and outputs the electric signal to the infrared light emitting section 3.

In the infrared light emitting section 3 of the relay device 6, the electric signal output from the infrared light receiving section 2 is modulated to infrared light, and this infrared light is diffused from the convex spherical surface 1a of the lens 1 to enable infrared communication. Releases into the area.

The light receiving section 8b of the other infrared communication unit 8 receives infrared light divergently emitted through the lens 1 and converts it into an electric signal.

As described above, the infrared communication between the paired infrared communication units 7 and 8 is relayed by the relay device 6, and data is transmitted from one infrared communication unit 7 to the other infrared communication unit 8 by infrared communication. Transmission takes place.

When data is transmitted from the other infrared communication unit 8 to the one infrared communication unit 7, infrared communication is similarly performed.

Although FIG. 1 shows only one pair of infrared communication units 7 and 8, the present invention is not limited to this, and a plurality of pairs of infrared communication units 7 and 8 are not limited thereto.
8 is provided for each infrared oscillation frequency, and a set of the infrared light receiving unit 2 and the infrared light emitting unit 3 is provided on the relay device 6 side for each pair of the infrared communication units 7 and 8,
Infrared communication may be simultaneously performed between a plurality of pairs of infrared communication units 7 and 8.

In this case, the amplifier 5
May be provided. Also lens 1
Is commonly used for infrared communication between a plurality of pairs of infrared communication units 7 and 8, and integrates each set of infrared light receiving sections 2 and infrared light emitting sections 3 so as to approach the optical axis 1 a of the lens 1. Install.

When the paired infrared communication units 7 and 8 are installed outside the range where they can be directly seen, as shown in FIG. 2, the infrared light receiving unit 2 and the infrared light emitting unit 3 shown in FIG.
A plurality of relay devices 6, 6,... Having the lens 1 are installed within a range E in which the paired infrared communication units 7, 8 can be directly seen, and an optical cable or an electric cable 9 is provided between the relay devices 6. To perform relay communication using infrared rays or relay communication using electric signals, and perform infrared communication for data transmission between a pair of infrared communication units 7 and 8 installed outside a directly visible range. It is also possible to do so.

In this case, as shown in FIG. 2, the intermediary devices 6 may be connected to each other by using an optical cable and an electric cable 9 to perform relay communication. It is.

As shown in FIG. 2, a control device 10 having a function of data information processing is provided inside or outside the relay device 6, and based on the control by the control device 10,
By controlling relay communication while preventing occurrence of relay failure due to waveform deterioration, efficient and stable infrared communication for data transmission may be performed.

[0036]

As described above, according to the present invention, since infrared light is input / output through the convex spherical surface of the lens, it is possible to perform omnidirectional relaying and to transmit infrared light in an area where infrared communication is possible. There is no restriction on the installation of the communication unit, and the degree of freedom in the installation of the infrared communication unit can be increased.

Further, the relay of a plurality of infrared communications having different carrier frequencies can be performed by one relay device, and the number of facilities can be reduced.

Further, since infrared communication is performed via a relay device, infrared communication can be performed over a long distance by passing through a plurality of relay devices. It is possible to perform infrared communication outside the line of sight while retaining the advantages that can be performed by the infrared communication.

Further, since the relay device has an information processing function, a more advanced network can be formed, and by reproducing the signal waveform, the deterioration of the signal can be prevented even in the case of performing multi-stage relay. It is possible to perform efficient and stable communication.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram illustrating an infrared relay device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram showing a modification of the infrared relay device according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Lens 2 Infrared light receiving part 3 Infrared light emitting part 5 Amplifier 6 Relay device 7, 8 Infrared communication unit

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. An infrared communication relay device comprising an infrared light receiving unit, an infrared light emitting unit, and a lens, wherein the infrared light receiving unit receives infrared light condensed through the lens and converts the infrared light into an electric signal. Wherein the infrared light emitting section emits infrared light based on an electric signal from the infrared light receiving section, and the lens collects infrared light on a convex spherical surface, and transfers the infrared light to the infrared light receiving section. An infrared relay device for converging and outputting, and for diffusing infrared light from the infrared light emitting section from a convex spherical surface and diverging and emitting the same. 2. The infrared light receiving section receives infrared light collected through the lens, converts the infrared light into an electric signal, amplifies the electric signal, and outputs the electric signal to the infrared light emitting section. The infrared relay device according to claim 1. 3. The infrared relay device according to claim 1, wherein a pair of the infrared light receiving section and the infrared light emitting section is provided for each infrared oscillation frequency. 4. The infrared relay device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of relay devices relay communication using infrared light. 5. The infrared relay device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of relay devices relay communication using an electric signal. 6. The infrared relay apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of relay apparatuses relay by using both infrared communication and electric signal communication. 7. The infrared relay according to claim 1, wherein a control device having a data processing function is provided inside or outside the relay device. apparatus.