Patent ID: 9166685
Filing Date: 2015-10-20
Classification: H04B,H05B

Abstract:
1. A lighting apparatus for visible light communication, configured to modulate light intensity of illumination light to superpose a communication signal on the illumination light, the lighting apparatus comprising: at least one luminaire body comprising a light source that includes a solid light-emitting element; and a visible-light-communication-signal-outputting part configured to output a modulation signal to superpose the communication signal on the illumination light emitted by the light source, wherein the at least one luminaire body further comprises: a power supply circuit configured to control a load current flowing through the light source based on a dimming signal to dim the light source; a switch element configured to be turned on and off to modulate an output current that is supplied from the power supply circuit to the light source, in response to reception of the modulation signal; an impedance element connected in parallel with the switch element; and a photo-coupler configured to receive the modulation signal output from the visible-light-communication-signal-outputting part, wherein the visible-light-communication-signal-outputting part is provided outside the at least one luminaire body, and is connected to the photo-coupler of the at least one luminaire body via a signal line, and wherein the at least one luminaire body is configured to feed an ON current to a gate of the switch element, according to the modulation signal transmitted from the visible-light-communication-signal-outputting part via the photo-coupler.