Illuminative light communication device and lighting device

Abstract

In the case of performing communication by using illumination light when the illumination is on, switches are turned on, a signal modulated in an optical modulation part in accordance with information is superposed to a power waveform for the illumination with a power distributor and the illumination 16 is driven in a modulated state. When the illumination is off, the switches are turned off, a switch is turned on and a communication part is driven in a modulated state by the optical modulation part. The communication part can be constituted so as to include an infrared light emitting element part to perform infrared communication when the illumination is off. Consequently communication can be performed not only when the of illumination is on but also when the lighting is kept off. The communication device can be constituted of one element integrating the illumination part and the communication part, so that a compact system can be constituted.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 532,250 filed Oct. 23, 2003, as International Application No. PCT / JP03 / 013539, now pending, the contents of which, including specification, claims and drawings, are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. This application claims priority from Japanese Patent Application Serial No. 2003-070673 filed Mar. 14, 2003, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention aims to provide an illuminative light communication device, which allows communication even without lighting and effectively utilizes infrared light data communication, and a lighting device preferable for such illuminative light communication device.[0003]According to such objective, the illuminative light communication device includes a lighting unit that emits light for lighting, a modulator that controls blin...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0006]An illuminative light communication device includes a lighting unit that emits light for lighting and a modulator that controls blinking or light intensity of the lighting unit in accordance with data, thereby modulating the emitted light. In response to an on-switching instruction, the modulator modulates in accordance with the data while supplying sufficient electric power for lighting to the lighting unit while in response to an off-switching instruction, the modulator modulates in accordance with the data to allow the lighting unit to blink a number of times necessary for communication.

Problems solved by technology

As a result, communication is possible even without lighting, although communication could not be carried out through conventional illuminative light communication without lighting.

Images