Infrared ray communication apparatus

A communication apparatus using infrared rays (IR) and capable of receiving an IR signal without regard to its orientation is disclosed. An IR signal incident to the apparatus is transmitted through an IR signal inlet implemented by a one-way mirror. Subsequently, the IR signal is sequentially reflected by reflectors and the IR signal inlet to reach an IR signal receiving portion.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to a communication apparatus and, more 
particularly, to a communication apparatus of the type interchanging data 
signals by use of infrared rays. 
A infrared ray (IR) communication apparatus capable of interchanging IR 
signals is extensively used today. This type of communication apparatus 
has an IR signal transmitting/receiving portion for transmitting or 
receiving an IR signal, as needed. The prerequisite with the IR 
communication apparatus is that the transmitting/receiving portion be 
accurately aligned with the transmitting/receiving portion of the other 
communication apparatus during communication. Should the 
transmitting/receiving portions of the two apparatuses not exactly face 
each other, the apparatuses would fail to interchange the IR signal 
Technologies relating to the present invention are taught in, e.g., 
Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 62-201325. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an IR signal 
communication apparatus capable of receiving an IR signal without regard 
to its orientation relative to a direction in which the IR signal arrives. 
An IR communication apparatus of the present invention includes a first 
portion for transmitting an IR signal incident to the apparatus from the 
outside while reflecting the IR signal incident to the first portion from 
the inside. A second portion reflects the IR signal transmitted through 
the first portion. An IR signal receiving portion receives the IR signal 
sequentially reflected by the first and second portions.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
To better understand the present invention, brief reference will be made to 
a conventional IR signal communication apparatus, shown in FIG. 1. As 
shown, the apparatus is implemented as an IR signal receiver 10 by way of 
example. The receiver 10 has an IR receiving portion 12 on its one side 
10a. During communication, the receiver 10 is positioned such that the 
side 10a with the receiving portion 12 is oriented in a direction in which 
an IR signal sent from the other IR signal communication apparatus 
arrives. The prerequisite with the receiver 10 is that the side l0a with 
the IR receiving portion 12 be accurately oriented in the above direction, 
resulting in troublesome manipulation, as stated earlier. 
FIGS. 2A and 2B show conventional IR signal communication apparatuses 
implemented as IR signal transceivers 20. As shown, the transceivers 20 
each has an IR transmitting/receiving portion 22 and interchanges an IR 
signal L with the other transceiver 20. During communication, the 
transceivers 20 must also be positioned such that their sides having the 
transmitting/receiving portions 22 align with each other. Specifically, as 
shown in FIG. 2A, so long as the transmitting/receiving portions 22 of the 
transceivers 20 face each other, the transceivers 20 can interchange the 
IR signal L with each other. However, as shown in FIG. 2B, when the 
transmitting/receiving portions 22 do not accurately face each other, the 
transceivers 20 are prevented from interchanging the IR signal L. 
Referring to FIG. 3, an IR signal communication apparatus embodying the 
present invention is shown and implemented as an IR signal receiver by way 
of example. As shown, the IR receiver, generally 30, has an IR signal 
inlet 32 extending along all the sides as distinguished from opposite 
major surfaces. The IR signal inlet 32 is constituted by a one-way mirror. 
Reflectors 34 are formed along the inner periphery of the receiver 30 in 
parallel to the signal inlet 32. The reflectors 34 located at the corners 
of the receiver 30 are chamfered, as indicated by letter A by way of 
example. As shown in FIG. 4, an IR signal receiving portion 36 is formed 
in a part of the reflectors 34. 
The operation of the receiver 30 will be described with reference to FIGS. 
3 and 4. An IR signal L arrived at the receiver 30 enters the receiver 30 
by being transmitted through the signal inlet 32. Then, the signal L is 
sequentially reflected by the signal inlet 32 and reflectors 34 until it 
reaches the signal receiving portion 36. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 4, 
assume that the signal L transmitted through the signal inlet 32 is 
incident to a point a on one of the reflectors 34. Then, the signal L is 
reflected by the point a, and then reflected by a point b on the signal 
inlet or one-way mirror 32. Further, the signal L reflected by the point b 
is reflected by a point c on the above reflector 34, and then reflected by 
a point d on the signal inlet 32. As a result, the signal L is incident to 
the signal receiving portion 36. 
In the above specific case, the signal L is assumed to be incident to one 
side of the receiver 30 where the signal receiving portion 36 is present. 
Even when the signal L is incident to any other side of the receiver 30 
where the signal receiving portion 36 is absent, the signal L can turn 
round to the signal receiving portion 36 because the reflectors 34 at the 
corners are chamfered. 
FIG. 5 shows an alternative embodiment of the present invention also 
implemented as an IR signal receiver. As shown, the receiver, generally 
40, has an IR signal inlet 42 and a reflector 44 made up of a first to a 
sixth reflector 44a-44f. The reflectors 44a-44f cooperate to reflect the 
IR signal L incident to the receiver 40. The second and fifth reflectors 
44b and 44e furthest from the signal inlet 42 each has a parabolic 
configuration. The first and fourth reflectors 44a and 44d are positioned 
at the focal points of the reflectors 44b and 44e, respectively. The third 
and sixth reflectors 44c and 44f are parallel to the reflecting surfaces 
of the reflectors 44a and 44d, respectively. With this configuration, the 
receiver 40 is capable of reflecting the input signal L more efficiently 
than the receiver 30. 
In operation, the IR signal L entering the receiver 40 is reflected 
downward by, e.g., the second reflector 44b because the reflector 44b has 
a parabolic surface. The signal L so reflected by the reflector 44b is 
reflected by the first reflector 44a located at the focal point of the 
reflector 44b. The signal L reflected by the reflector 44a is further 
reflected by the third reflector 44c parallel to the reflector 44a. 
Finally, the signal L reaches a signal receiving portion, not shown, 
formed on, e.g., the first reflector 44a. 
If desired, the receiver 30 or 40 may additionally be provided with an IR 
signal emitting portion for sending an IR signal. In such a transceiver 
configuration, the one-way mirror will not be formed at a part of the 
signal inlet which should transmit the IR signal to be emitted. 
In summary, it will be seen that the present invention provides an IR 
signal communication apparatus capable of receiving an IR signal without 
regard to its orientation. This is because an IR signal incident to the 
apparatus is transmitted through an IR signal inlet implemented by a 
one-way mirror and then sequentially reflected by reflectors and the IR 
signal inlet. 
Various modifications will become possible for those skilled in the art 
after receiving the teachings of the present disclosure without departing 
from the scope thereof. For example, the IR signal receiving portion may 
be located at any desired position on the reflector, and even the number 
of such IR signal receiving portions is open to choice. Further, the 
configuration of the reflectors shown and described is only illustrative.