Patent ID: 8175527

Claim:
A portable apparatus for electric field communication in which communication is performed through a transmission medium by converting an information signal into an electric field signal, the apparatus being configured to function as a transmitter for transmitting the electric field signal, as a receiver for receiving the electric field signal, or as a transmitter/receiver for transmitting/receiving the electric field signal, and being substantially hexahedron-shaped and provided with sides and a display surface allowing information to be viewed, wherein the apparatus comprises: an outer electrode for electric field communication provided on the display surface; a plurality of first transmission-medium-side electrodes for electric field communication provided on at least one of the sides and on another surface, and wherein a switching control is performed such that at least one of the first transmission-medium-side electrodes on the sides is not made to be a transmission-medium-side electrode for electric field communication, and the first transmission-medium-side electrode on the another surface is made to be a transmission-medium-side electrode for electric communication.