Abstract:
The invention relates to a method for communicating multimedia data between electronic devices by means of IR ray, which comprises the steps of converting data to be transmitted into a document by a document processing program installed in an electronic device for transmission, appending a filename extension thereto for classifying the document, transmitting the document through an IR transceiving control signal by an IR transceiver of the said electronic device, receiving the control signal as an indicative of the transmitted document by another electronic device for receiving, and identifying and processing the received document based on the filename extension thereof so as to create an identifiable data.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to data communication and more particularly to an improved method for communicating multimedia data between electronic devices by means of IR ray. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   In recent years, network has become a very important means for communicating information in this so-called digitized world. Particularly, booming of the Internet and the associated telephone-based network has further facilitated the communication of personal information. Moreover, cellular phones have been popular worldwide due to its portability and inexpensive unit price as a communication device. In addition, latest available PDAs (personal digital assistants) having features of mass storage and powerful data processing are gaining popularity among consumers. As to short distance data communication by cellular phone, typically an infrared (IR) ray is utilized. In one configuration, data of e-card or phone book can be successfully communicated between two cellular phones as long as both cellular phones have the same IR transceiver and implement a common IR protocol. 
   It is readily understood that multifunctional and highly digitized cellular phones are the trend of today&#39;s market. Also, data types available in cellular phone are more diversified and storage space thereof has become even larger. Currently, there are some types of cellular phone capable of supporting multimedia data communication in which IR ray-based multimedia communication is effected. 
   However, the prior art suffered from several disadvantages. For example, only a few number of data types are available in the frequently used IR ray-based multimedia communication. In a transmission process, first data is converted, decoded, and framed by a certain means. In view of above, the operation is quite inconvenient. Such inconvenience is even worse with respect to IR ray-based multimedia communication. Thus improvement exists in order to overcome the above drawbacks of prior art. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   It is therefore an object of the present invention to in a common IR protocol (e.g., IrDA) provide a method for communicating multimedia data between an electronic device for transmission and an electronic device for receiving by means of IR ray comprising: converting data to be transmitted into a document by a document processing program installed in the electronic device for transmission; appending a filename extension (e.g., .doc) to the document for classifying the document; transmitting the document through an IRCS (IR transceiving control signal) by an IR transceiver of the electronic device for transmission; receiving the IRCS as an indicative of the transmitted document by the electronic device for receiving; and identifying and processing the received document based on the filename extension thereof so as to create an identifiable data. By utilizing this method, it is possible of facilitating the multimedia data communication between the electronic devices. As a result, drawbacks such as data conversion, decoding, and framing by a certain means as experienced by prior art are substantially eliminated. 
   The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram schematically showing a connection between an electronic device for transmission and an electronic device for receiving for communicating multimedia data therebetween by means of IR ray according to the invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a block diagram schematically showing an IR ray-based multimedia communication done by either the electronic device for transmission or the electronic device for receiving; 
       FIG. 3  is a flow chart illustrating the electronic device for transmission how to transmit multimedia data; and 
       FIG. 4  is a flow chart illustrating the electronic device for receiving how to receive multimedia data. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Referring to  FIG. 1 , there is shown a block diagram depicting a connection between an electronic device for transmission  10  and an electronic device for receiving  20  for communicating multimedia data therebetween by means of IR ray according to the invention. In this embodiment, each of electronic device for transmission  10  and electronic device for receiving  20  is a cellular phone. Also, each of electronic device for transmission  10  and electronic device for receiving comprises an IR transceiver. Thus, for example, multimedia data can be transmitted from electronic device for transmission  10  to electronic device for receiving  20  because both of them have the IR transceiver and implement a common IR protocol (e.g., IrDA). The IR protocol comprises an IrLAP (IrDA link access protocol) for data communication established between two electronic devices and an IrLMP (IrDA link management protocol) for multi-path transmission and service established on the IrLAP. Thus, it is possible of providing a single connection with multi-path service and a flow control mechanism, thereby eliminating a dead lock phenomenon between two interconnected electronic devices. The IR protocol further comprises an IrObex protocol for providing a data transmission service similar to that available by HTTP but more powerful. Above protocols are well known. Thus a detailed description thereof is omitted herein for the sake of brevity. 
   In the embodiment, a structure of multimedia data transmitted from electronic device for transmission  10  to electronic device for receiving  20  by means of IR ray comprises the following fields: 
   (1) Name of document: It is written in a format of unicode. Unicode comprises most of fonts, symbols, and alphabets available on computer. Unicode can be from one to nine characters in length comprising up to eight characters and a period (.) for separation. Each character consists of two bytes. Hence, the name of document can be up to 18 bytes in length. 
   (2) Filename extension: It represents a data type of the name of document. For example, it may have the form of (doc). It is also written in unicode and can be from one to three characters (i.e., six bytes) in length. 
   (3) Maximum length of frame: A frame is employed as a data unit in IR transmission. Also, document is required to frame prior to transmission. Hence, the maximum length of frame defines a maximum length of data permitted to transmit at one time. 
   (4) Length of document: It defines a length of document to be transmitted. 
   (5) Content of document: It represents the essential meaning of a document. 
   Referring to  FIG. 2 , there is shown a block diagram schematically showing an IR ray-based multimedia communication done by either electronic device for transmission  10  or electronic device for receiving  20 . As shown, it comprises an information processing module M 2  implemented as a CPU (central processing unit), a data storage module M 3  consisting of a RAM (random access memory), a ROM (read only memory), and an erasable memory such as flash RAM for receiving an access signal (ACS) for accessing data, an IR communication module M 4  consisting of above IR transceiver and IR protocol for receiving an IR transceiving signal (IRS) for transceiving data, and a display module M 5  for receiving display signal (DSS), displaying messages, and prompting. In a portable electronic device (e.g., cellular phone)  10  or  20 , display module M 5  is implemented as an LCD (liquid crystal display). 
   In the embodiment, a document processing program installed in information processing module M 2  of electronic device for transmission  10  first assembles data and filename extension to form a complete document to be transmitted later based on above data structure. Next the document is stored in data storage module M 3  of electronic device for transmission  10  which is ready to transmit. In response to a receiving of IR transceiving control signal (IRCS), electronic device for transmission  10  outputs IRS, ACS, and DSS to IR communication module M 4 , data storage module M 3 , and display module M 5  respectively based on the IRCS, i.e., external transmission. Next, IR communication module M 4  of electronic device for receiving  20  receives the IRCS. The received IRCS is in turn stored in data storage module M 3  thereof. Information processing module M 2  of electronic device for receiving  20  then identifies and processes the received IRCS to create an identifiable data based on the filename extension of the transmitted document. 
   Referring to  FIG. 3 , there is shown a process illustrating electronic device for transmission  10  how to transmit data. The process comprises the following steps: 
   Step  11 : Information processing module M 2  first assembles name of document, its filename extension, and data contained therein to form a complete document to be transmitted later based on the data structure. Next the complete document is stored in data storage module M 3 . 
   Step  12 : Receive an IRCS for analysis and processing. 
   Step  13 : It is determined whether the received IRCS is one that is defined by the system of the invention. If a result of the determination is positive and if electronic device for transmission  10  is in a standby mode, electronic device for transmission  10  outputs IRS, ACS and DSS to IR communication module M 4 , data storage module M 3  and display module M 5  respectively based, on the received IRCS, the process then goes to step  14 . If a result of the determination is negative and if electronic device for transmission  10  is not in a standby mode, the process loops back to step  12 . 
   Step  14 : It is determined by the system whether there is a response signal. If a result of the determination is positive, the process goes to step  15 . If a result of the determination is negative, the process loops back to step  12 . 
   Step  15 : A frame processing is performed prior to transmission. Messages are shown on display module M 5  during the transmission so that user can interrupt the transmission if such is desired. 
   Step  16 : It is determined whether a last framed document is met during the transmission of framed document. If a result of the determination is negative, the process loops back to step  12 . If a result of the determination is positive, deactivate the transceiver and release memory occupied by the document. This completes the transmission. 
   Referring to  FIG. 4 , there is shown a process illustrating electronic device for receiving  20  how to receiving data. The process comprises the following steps: 
   Step  21 : Information processing module M 2  receives an IRCS for analysis and processing. 
   Step  22 : It is determined whether the received IRCS is one that is defined by the system of the invention. If a result of the determination is positive and if electronic device for receiving  20  is in a standby mode, the process goes to step  23 . If a result of the determination is negative and if electronic device for receiving  20  is not in a standby mode, the process loops back to step  21 . 
   Step  23 : The electronic device for receiving  10  reads data and calculates the size of data based on the received IRCS. 
   Step  24 : It is determined whether the size of data is less than that of document. If a result of the determination is positive, the process then goes to step  25 . If a result of the determination is negative, the process goes to step  26 . 
   Step  25 : It means that received data is not complete, a response signal is transmitted prior to looping back to step  21 . 
   Step  26 : Receive the transmitted document and store the same in data storage module M 3 . Identification and classification are performed on the document based on filename extension thereof so as to create an identifiable data. Hence, the result is shown on display module M 5  and deactivate the transceiver. This completes the receiving. 
   In brief, the characteristics of the method of the invention for communicating multimedia data is that an appropriate filename extension is appended to a document to be transmitted so as to classify the document for ease of identifying. This facilitates a multimedia data communication between two electronic devices. As a result, drawbacks such as data conversion, decoding, and framing by a certain means as experienced by prior art are substantially eliminated. 
   While the invention has been described by means of specific embodiments, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention set forth in the claims.