JP4191739B2 - Electric field communication device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an electric field communication apparatus that performs communication by inducing an electric field in an electric field transmission medium based on communication data.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there has been proposed an electric field communication apparatus that induces an electric field based on data to be transmitted to an electric field transmission medium that transmits an electric field and performs data communication by detecting the electric field induced in the electric field transmission medium (patent) Reference 1).

For example, a plug-in type electric field communication device that can be connected to a predetermined slot of an information terminal has been developed by applying such an electric field communication device. As shown in FIG. 13, the conventional plug-in type electric field communication device includes a communication circuit 1, an interface 2, an electrode 4, and a lead wire 6, and the communication circuit 1 and the interface 2 are inside the housing 3. Is arranged.
JP 2003-324395 A

  However, since the electrodes of the existing plug-in type electric field communication device are exposed to the outside and connected to the communication circuit by the lead wire, there is a problem that the structure is unstable and the operation is also disturbed. is there. Furthermore, there is a problem that disconnection is liable to occur due to direct application of external pressure during use or transportation, resulting in lack of reliability.

  In addition, when electric field communication is performed, an operation of bringing the electrode into contact with the electric field transmission medium is required, and thus there is a problem in that handling of the user is required.

  Further, there is a problem that the operation becomes unstable because the electrode may be detached from the electric field transmission medium during electric field communication.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above, and an object of the present invention is to protect the electrode and the lead wire of the electric field communication device and to easily perform the electric field communication without the user being aware of the operation of the electrode. An object of the present invention is to provide an electric field communication device capable of performing the above.

An electric field communication device according to the present invention as set forth in claim 1 has a shape that can be inserted into a slot of an information terminal and a tip portion that protrudes outside from the slot in the inserted state, and an inside of the case. A communication circuit for electric field communication disposed; an electrode for electric field communication disposed at the tip and electrically connected to the communication circuit inside the housing; and a housing for the electrode section where the electrode is disposed. And a rotation mechanism capable of adjusting the arrangement angle with respect to the body main body and arranging the electrode unit on the bottom surface of the information terminal .

  In the present invention, since the electrode is electrically connected to the communication circuit inside the housing, the structure is more stable than the conventional electrode exposed to the outside and connected to the communication circuit by the lead wire. . Thereby, it is possible to avoid the problem of unstable operation due to the electrode being detached from the electric field transmission medium and the problem that the lead wire gets in the way during electric field communication. In addition, it is possible to avoid lead wire breakage due to user's carelessness or damage due to unpredictable external pressure. Furthermore, since the electrodes are placed directly on the housing, electric field communication is possible simply by connecting the electric field communication device to the information terminal, and the user can be released from the operation of bringing the electrodes into contact with the electric field transmission medium. It becomes.

  In the present invention, by arranging the electrode portion on the bottom surface of the information terminal by the rotation mechanism, it is possible to easily ensure that the electrode portion is in close contact with the electric field transmission medium.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the electric field communication device according to the present invention, the rotation mechanism is a hinge.

  In the present invention, the rotation mechanism is realized with a simple configuration by using a hinge as the rotation mechanism described above.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided the electric field communication device according to the present invention, further comprising an expansion / contraction mechanism capable of adjusting a distance of the electrode portion relative to the housing body by expansion / contraction.

  In the present invention, for example, when a desk is used as an electric field transmission medium, the electrode part can be easily brought into contact with the desk by extension of the extension / contraction mechanism.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the electric field communication device according to the present invention, the rotation mechanism is an expansion / contraction member capable of adjusting an arrangement angle of the electrode portion with respect to a main body of the casing by expansion / contraction.

  In the present invention, for example, when a desk is used as an electric field transmission medium, the electrode part can be easily brought into contact with the desk by adjusting the expansion and contraction, and the electrode part is placed on the bottom surface of the information terminal by the rotation mechanism. By disposing, it is possible to easily ensure that the electrode portion is in close contact with the electric field transmission medium.

  According to the present invention, the electrode and the lead wire of the electric field communication device can be protected, and electric field communication can be easily performed without the user being aware of the operation of the electrode.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a cross-sectional configuration of the electric field communication device according to the first embodiment. The electric field communication apparatus shown in FIG. 1 has a shape that can be inserted into a slot of an information terminal, and a housing 3 that has a tip portion protruding outside from the slot in the inserted state, and an electric field communication device that is disposed inside the housing 3. The communication circuit 1 and the interface 2, and the electrode 4 for electric field communication that is disposed at the tip of the housing 3 and is connected to the communication circuit 1 by the lead wire 6 inside the housing 3. The electrode 4 is protected by the insulating film 5 and is disposed on the lower surface of the front end portion of the housing 3. The material of the housing 3 is insulative, and for example, a plastic case is used.

  According to the present embodiment, unlike the electrode 4 connected to the communication circuit 1 by the lead wire 6 in the state exposed to the outside as shown in FIG. 13, the electrode 4 is protected by the insulating film 5 and communicates. Since the circuit 1 and the interface 2 are directly arranged in the housing 3 in which the circuit 1 and the interface 2 are arranged, the structure is more stable than the conventional one. Therefore, it is possible to avoid the problem that the lead wire 6 becomes an obstacle and the possibility that the electrode 4 is detached from the electric field transmission medium during electric field communication. Further, it is possible to avoid the disconnection of the lead wire 6 and the damage of the electrode 4 caused by directly receiving the external pressure.

  FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the electric field communication device 7 shown in FIG. The electric field communication device 7 has a tip portion protruding outward from the slot when inserted into the slot of the information terminal 9.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a usage pattern of the electric field communication device 7 according to the first embodiment. The electrode 4 is disposed on the lower surface portion of the tip portion protruding from the slot in a state where the electric field communication device 7 is inserted into the slot of the information terminal 9 placed on the electric field transmission medium 8. For example, when a desk is used as the electric field transmission medium 8, when the electric field communication device 7 receives transmission data related to electric field communication received from the control unit 10 of the information terminal 9, the electric field communication device 7 induces an electric field from the electrode 4 to the desk. It transmits to the other transceiver 11 provided in the place. On the other hand, when the electric field induced by the other transceiver 11 is received by the electrode 4, the electric field communication device 7 transmits the received data to the information terminal 9.

  According to the present embodiment, since electric field communication is possible simply by connecting the electric field communication device 7 to the information terminal 9, the user can be released from the trouble of bringing the electrode 4 into contact with the desk.

  FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a configuration of the communication circuit 1 used in the electric field communication device. As shown in FIG. 4, the communication circuit 1 that connects between the information terminal 9 and the electrode 4 is connected to the information terminal 9 via the interface 2. When the communication circuit 1 receives transmission data for transmission from the information terminal 9 to another information terminal 9 via the interface 2, the communication circuit 1 adjusts the signal amplitude of the transmission data by the level adjustment circuit 101, and then transmits the transmission circuit 102. Is supplied to the transmission electrode 4a.

  When the transmission data is supplied from the transmission circuit 102, the transmission electrode 4a induces an electric field corresponding to the transmission data in the electric field transmission medium 8. The induced electric field is transmitted through the electric field transmission medium 8 and received by the receiving electrode 4b of the electric field communication device in the other information terminal 9.

  The electric field detection optical unit 103 is supplied with the electric field received by the receiving electrode 4b, changes the polarization of laser light separately generated in the electric field detection optical unit 103 using the electro-optic technique, and receives the laser beam whose polarization has changed. In 104, it is converted into an electric signal. This electric signal is supplied with the information terminal 9 through the interface 2 after unnecessary noise is removed by the band limitation in the band pass filter 105 and the waveform shaping circuit 106 further shapes the waveform. Yes.

  The transmission electrode 4a and the reception electrode 4b may be integrated into one electrode 4 to constitute each electrode.

  As an example of a system to which the electric field communication device described above is applied, as shown in FIG. 5, the information terminal 9a in which the electric field communication device 7a is inserted in the slot is arranged on a desk which is the electric field transmission medium 8, A configuration of a system that performs electric field communication with the electric field communication device 7b attached to the other information terminal 9b by inducing an electric field transmitted from the electric field communication device 7a to the desk can be considered.

  FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating a cross-sectional configuration of the electric field communication device according to the second embodiment. Unlike the usage pattern described with reference to FIG. 3, the electrode 4 is disposed on the upper surface of the housing 3. Other configurations are the same as those described in FIG. For example, when the human body is used as the electric field transmission medium 8, the electric field induced from the electrode 4 is transmitted to the portable transceiver 12 disposed on the wrist via the finger by bringing the fingertip into contact with the electrode 4.

  According to the present embodiment, it is possible to easily perform electric field communication with the portable transceiver 12 by bringing a living body into contact with the electrode 4 on the upper surface portion of the electric field communication apparatus.

  FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating a cross-sectional configuration of the electric field communication device according to the third embodiment. The first electrode 4 c is disposed on the lower surface portion of the housing 3, the second electrode 4 d is disposed on the upper surface portion of the housing 3, and the first electrode 4 c and the second electrode 4 d are connected to the communication circuit by the lead wire 6. 1 is connected. Other configurations are the same as those described in FIG. As the electric field transmission medium, for example, both a desk and a living body may be used.

  According to the present embodiment, since the electrodes are arranged on the lower surface portion and the upper surface portion of the housing 3, it is possible to obtain both effects described in FIGS. 3 and 6 at the same time. That is, electric field communication can be easily performed by releasing the user from the trouble of bringing the first electrode 4c into contact with the desk and further bringing the living body into contact with the second electrode 4d.

  FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an electric field communication device according to the fourth embodiment, and FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing a cross-sectional configuration thereof. The electric field communication device includes an electrode portion 13 having an electrode 4 protected by an insulating film 5, an expansion / contraction mechanism 14 connected between the electrode portion 13 and the housing 3, and the electrode portion 13 and the expansion / contraction mechanism 14. A rotation mechanism 15 is provided at the connection portion. The expansion / contraction mechanism 14 can adjust the expansion / contraction in the vertical direction indicated by the arrow 50 between the electrode portion 13 and the housing 3. Further, the rotation mechanism 15 enables the electrode unit 13 to rotate in the direction indicated by the arrow 51 around a fulcrum at a position where the electrode unit 13 and the expansion / contraction mechanism 14 are connected. The lead wire 6 connects the housing 3 and the electrode 4 via the inside of the expansion / contraction mechanism 14. Other configurations are the same as those described in FIG.

  FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a usage pattern of the electric field communication device. For example, when the desk is used as the electric field transmission medium 8, the telescopic mechanism 14 can be extended until the electrode unit 13 reaches the desk. Further, when a hinge is used as the rotation mechanism 15, the electrode portion 13 can be rotated in the direction of the bottom surface of the information terminal 9 with the hinge as an axis.

  According to the present embodiment, it is possible to easily arrange the electrode unit 13 on the bottom surface of the information terminal 9, and avoid the possibility that the electrode unit 13 is detached from the electric field transmission medium during electric field communication.

  FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram illustrating a cross-sectional configuration of the electric field communication device according to the fifth embodiment. The electric field communication device includes an electrode part 13 having the electrode 4 protected by the insulating film 5, and an elastic member 16 connected to the electrode part 13 and the housing 3. The lead wire 6 connects the housing 3 and the electrode 4 via the inside of the elastic member 16. The expansion / contraction member 16 has a bellows structure, and enables the electrode portion 13 to expand and contract and rotate in the directions of the arrows 52 and 53. Other configurations are the same as those described in FIG.

  FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a usage pattern of the electric field communication device. For example, when a desk is used as the electric field transmission medium 8, expansion and contraction and rotation can be performed simultaneously by the expansion / contraction member 16, and therefore the expansion / contraction member 16 is extended until the electrode unit 13 arrives at the desk, and the electrode unit 13 is further informed. The terminal 9 can be rotated in the bottom direction.

  According to the present embodiment, it is possible to easily arrange the electrode unit 13 on the bottom surface of the information terminal 9, and avoid the possibility that the electrode unit 13 is detached from the electric field transmission medium during electric field communication. Furthermore, the same effect can be obtained with fewer components than the fourth usage pattern described in FIG.

  In each of the embodiments described above, the electrode has a configuration in which transmission and reception are integrated. However, the electrode may have only one configuration of transmission or reception.

It is a schematic diagram which shows the cross-sectional structure of the electric field communication apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is a perspective view at the time of mounting | wearing the information terminal with the electric field communication apparatus shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows the usage condition of the electric field communication apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the communication circuit used for an electric field communication apparatus. It is a figure which shows the example at the time of providing an electric field communication apparatus on the upper surface of a stand like a desk. It is a schematic diagram which shows the cross-sectional structure of the electric field communication apparatus which concerns on 2nd Embodiment. It is a schematic diagram which shows the cross-sectional structure of the electric field communication apparatus which concerns on 3rd Embodiment. It is a perspective view of the electric field communication apparatus concerning a 4th embodiment. It is a schematic diagram which shows the cross-sectional structure of the electric field communication apparatus which concerns on 4th Embodiment. It is a figure which shows the usage condition of the electric field communication apparatus which concerns on 4th Embodiment. It is a schematic diagram which shows the cross-sectional structure of the electric field communication apparatus which concerns on 5th Embodiment. It is a figure which shows the usage condition of the electric field communication apparatus which concerns on 5th Embodiment. It is a schematic diagram which shows the cross-sectional structure of the conventional plug-in type electric field communication apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Communication circuit 2 ... Interface 3 ... Housing 4 ... Electrode 4a ... Transmission electrode 4b ... Reception electrode 4c ... 1st electrode 4d ... 2nd electrode 5 ... Insulating film 6 ... Lead wire 7, 7a, 7b, ... Electric field communication apparatus DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 8 ... Electric field transmission medium 9, 9a, 9b ... Information terminal 10 ... Control part 11 ... Transceiver 12 ... Portable transceiver 13 ... Electrode part 14 ... Telescopic mechanism 15 ... Rotating mechanism 16 ... Telescopic member 50, 51, 52, 53 ... Arrow DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 101 ... Level adjustment circuit 102 ... Transmission circuit 103 ... Electric field detection optical part 104 ... Light receiving circuit 105 ... Band pass filter 106 ... Waveform shaping circuit

Claims (4)

A housing that has a shape that can be inserted into a slot of an information terminal and that has a tip portion that protrudes outside from the slot in the inserted state;
A communication circuit for electric field communication disposed inside the housing;
An electrode for electric field communication disposed at the tip and electrically connected to the communication circuit inside the housing;
A rotation mechanism capable of adjusting the arrangement angle of the electrode portion on which the electrode is arranged with respect to the housing body and arranging the electrode portion on the bottom surface portion of the information terminal;
An electric field communication device comprising: The electric field communication device according to claim 1 , wherein the rotation mechanism is a hinge . The electric field communication apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising an expansion / contraction mechanism capable of adjusting a distance of the electrode portion with respect to the housing body by expansion / contraction . The electric field communication device according to claim 1 , wherein the rotation mechanism is an expansion / contraction member capable of adjusting an arrangement angle of the electrode portion with respect to a main body of the housing by expansion / contraction .

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