Communication device

Abstract

A communication device (100) comprises a body (101) and a wireless communicator embedded in the body (101) for wireless communication with an external device located near the body (101) via magnetic coupling. The body (101) is positioned in an opening (201) in a wall surface (203) and is attached to the wall surface (203) by an exposed surface (103) of the body (101) that is exposed from the wall surface (203). The wireless communicator comprises a substrate (132) which includes a coil pattern to enable magnetic coupling with the external device. The substrate (132) is non-parallel to the exposed surface (103).

Description

Technical area

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a communication device. Technological background

[0002] A device can be installed in a familiar piece of equipment, such as a control panel used in a factory automation (FA) system, to provide additional functions such as a user interface. If the device installed in the equipment can communicate wirelessly with a mobile terminal, such as a smartphone or tablet, the equipment becomes even more convenient and allows for easy data input or output by the operator.

[0003] To enable users of a facility to easily install and use the device without complicated preparatory work such as network settings, the device that can be installed in the facility can perform short-range wireless communication with a mobile terminal. To achieve this, short-range wireless communication technologies can be applied to the device that can be installed in the facility (see, for example, Patent Literature 1). Citation listPatent literature

[0004] Patent Literature 1: Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-091503 Brief description of the inventionTechnical problem

[0005] Patent Literature 1 describes a digital camera including an antenna that performs short-range wireless communication when an antenna in another device is near the camera. The other device can approach such a digital camera from above, below, right, left, front, and back, thus providing a high degree of flexibility in antenna installation.

[0006] However, the device installed in the operating facility is typically embedded in and integral with the operating facility, except for a surface to provide the device's functions, so that it performs short-range wireless communication through the surface. When a flat antenna is embedded to face the antenna of another device, as described in Patent Literature 1, the surface of the device installable in the operating facility needs to have a large area at least equal to the area of ​​the antenna. This may lead to an increase in the size of the device when the short-range wireless communication function is implemented in the device installable in the operating facility.

[0007] Under such circumstances, it is an object of the present disclosure to allow a device installable in a facility to implement short-range wireless communication without increasing the size of the device. Solution to the problem

[0008] To achieve the above object, a communication device according to one aspect of the present disclosure comprises a body, and wireless communication means housed in the body for wirelessly communicating with an external device near the body through magnetic coupling. The body is placed in an opening in a wall surface and fixed to the wall surface with an exposed surface of the body exposed from the wall surface. The wireless communication means comprises a substrate including a coil pattern to allow magnetic coupling with the external device. The substrate is non-parallel to the exposed surface. Advantageous effects of the invention

[0009] In the structure according to the above aspect of the present disclosure, the exposed surface is non-parallel to the substrate containing the coil pattern. The region in the exposed surface to be used for wireless communication is therefore smaller than the area of ​​the substrate. This allows a device installable in a facility to implement short-range wireless communication without increasing the size of the device. Short description of drawings Fig. 1 is an external view of a communication device according to Embodiment 1; Fig. 2 is a diagram of the communication device according to Embodiment 1 when installed in a facility; Fig. 3 is a block diagram of a body of Embodiment 1; Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram of a magnetic field generated by a coil pattern in Embodiment 1; Fig. 5 is a diagram of a substrate of Embodiment 1 which is inclined with respect to the exposed surface; Fig. 6 is a diagram illustrating a frame including a substrate in a comparative example; Fig. 7 is a diagram showing a coil pattern of Embodiment 2; Fig. 8 is a schematic diagram of a magnetic field generated by the coil pattern of Embodiment 2; Fig. 9 is a first diagram illustrating a modification of a coil pattern; Fig. 10 is a diagram illustrating a coil pattern of Embodiment 3; Fig. 11 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a substrate of Embodiment 3; Fig. 12 is a schematic diagram of a magnetic field generated by the coil pattern of Embodiment 3; Fig. 13 is a schematic diagram of a magnetic field generated in a modification; Fig. 14 is a schematic first cross-sectional view of a substrate of a modification; Fig. 15 is a second schematic cross-sectional view of a substrate of the modification; Fig. 16 is a diagram illustrating a coil pattern of Embodiment 4; Fig. 17 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a substrate of Embodiment 4; Fig. 18 is a schematic third cross-sectional view of a substrate according to the modification; Fig. 19 is a schematic fourth cross-sectional view of a substrate of the modification; Fig. 20 is a diagram illustrating a coil pattern of Embodiment 5; Fig. 21 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a substrate of Embodiment 5; Fig. 22 is a schematic fifth cross-sectional view of a substrate according to the modification; and Fig. 23 is a diagram of a communication device according to a modification. Description of embodiments

[0010] A communication device according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, an arrow Z1 indicates a direction in which the communication device is placed in the operating facility, and an arrow Z2 indicates the direction opposite to the arrow Z1. Arrows X1, X2, Y1, and Y2 each indicate a direction perpendicular to the arrows Z1 and Z2. The one or more embodiments will be described focusing on examples in which the arrows X1 and X2 point horizontally, and the arrows Y1 and Y2 point vertically. The exposed surface of the communication device installed in the operating facility corresponds to an XY plane. Embodiment 1

[0011] As in Fig. 1, a communication device 100 according to the present embodiment is a display installed in an operating device 200, which is a control panel. The communication device 100 functions as a user interface for the operating device 200. The communication device 100 includes a body 101 that provides the user interface function of the communication device 100, fastening devices 102 that fix the body 101 to the operating device 200, and an exposed surface 103 that is fixed to the operating device 200 so as to face outside the operating device 200.

[0012] The communication device 100 is installed in the operating device 200 by placing the body 101 along the arrow Z1 in an opening 201 in a wall surface 203 of the operating device 200. The surface of the communication device 100 opposite the exposed surface 103 is first placed in the opening 201. The fastening devices 102 are then attached by means of screws (not shown) to holes 202 near the inner wall surfaces of the operating device 200. Although Fig. 1 illustrates the fastening devices 102 as metal fittings, each with a threaded hole, the fastening devices 102 may be metal fitting holders in which such metal fittings can be mounted after the body 101 has been placed in the opening 201. The body 101 is placed in the opening 201 in the wall surface 203 and fixed to the wall surface 201 with the exposed surface 103, which is a surface of the body 101 in the Z2 direction that is exposed from the wall surface 201. The exposed surface 103 includes a screen display 104 that displays an image for an operator operating the operating device 200.

[0013] In the communication device 100, a substrate 132 including a coil pattern functioning as an antenna for short-range wireless communication is arranged to be parallel to a plane XZ. Fig. 2 illustrates the communication device 100 installed in the facility 200 and integral with the facility 200. As shown in Fig. 2, the exposed surface 103 includes the screen display 104 and a frame for the screen display 104.

[0014] The communication device 100 is a display that primarily functions as a user interface. The screen display 104, which provides this function, can therefore utilize a large portion of the exposed surface 103, and the frame can be small. The operator places a mobile terminal near the substrate 132, which is arranged inside the frame, for data input or output via short-range wireless communication.

[0015] Fig. 3 is a block diagram of the body 101. As in Fig. As shown in Figure 3, the body 101 includes a controller 110 that controls the components of the body 101, a device communicator 120 that communicates with the operating device 200, a wireless communicator 130 that performs short-range wireless communication with an external device, and a display 140 that displays an image on the screen display 104. The screen display 104 corresponds to an example of a screen on which an image appears, and the display 140 corresponds to an example of display means for displaying an image on the screen in the exposed surface.

[0016] The device communicator 120 may be connected to the operating device 200 via a cable for wired communication with the operating device 200, or may perform wireless communication with the operating device 200.

[0017] The controller 110 includes a central processing unit (CPU) or a microprocessing unit (MPU) and data storage such as random access memory (RAM) and read-only memory (ROM). The controller 110 executes a program stored in such data storage to control the device communicator 120, the wireless communicator 130, and the display 140.

[0018] More specifically, the controller 110 functions as an input interface for the communication device 100 by providing user input or the results of processing the operation of the operating device 200 via the device communicator 120 on a touchscreen of the display 140. The controller 110 also functions as an output interface for the communication device 100 by generating an image based on a signal received from the operating device 200 via the device communicator 120 and displaying the image on the display 140. The controller 110 further processes data received from an external device via the wireless communicator 130 or transmits data to the external device via the wireless communicator 130.

[0019] The wireless communicator 130 corresponds to an example of wireless communication means accommodated in the body 101 to wirelessly communicate with an external device near the exposed surface 103 of the body 101 by magnetic coupling. The wireless communicator 130 includes a communication circuit 131, which includes a communication interface circuit, and the substrate 132, which includes a coil pattern 133 to allow magnetic coupling with the external device. The coil pattern 133 includes a Fig. 3, a conductor represented by a solid line and printed on the front side of the substrate 132, which is a rigid substrate, and a conductor represented by a dashed line and printed on a back side of the substrate 132. These conductors are electrically connected to each other, either by means of a through-hole or a conductor extending through an insulating layer in the substrate. The coil pattern 133 thus forms a coil and functions as an inductor. The communication circuit 131 transmits and receives data to and from the external device by means of magnetic coupling between the coil pattern 133 and a coil contained in the external device.

[0020] When the substrate 132 is arranged parallel to the plane XZ as described above, a current flowing in the coil pattern 133 generates a magnetic field as shown in Fig. 4 is shown by dashed lines. Although the magnetic flux density generated by a coil usually has a large value at the central axis of the coil, peripheral regions of the magnetic field extend to an external device 300 arranged in the Z2 direction, as shown in Fig. 4, thus allowing communication with the coil pattern 133 used as an antenna.

[0021] The magnetic field generated by an antenna in the external device 300 also induces a current, although the current is weaker than a current generated when substrates containing antennas face each other, thereby allowing the wireless communicator 130 to receive data from the external device 300. When the central axis of the coil serving as the antenna in the external device 300 is aligned with the substrate 132, almost no current is induced. In this case, a message may be displayed on the display 140 to prompt the operator to adjust a position or orientation of the external device 300.

[0022] In this example, the substrate 132 described above is parallel to the XZ plane, or more precisely, the substrate 132 is perpendicular to the exposed surface 103, whereby the substrate 132 forms an angle θ of 90° with the exposed surface 103. However, the present disclosure is not limited to this example. As in Fig. 5, the angle θ can be greater than 0° and less than 90°. In other words, the substrate 132 and the exposed surface 103 should be non-parallel. As shown in Fig. 5, an angle θ between the substrate 132 and the exposed surface 103 may be the angle between the extended plane of the substrate 132 and the extended plane of the exposed surface 103. As shown in the Fig. 4 and Fig. 5, the angle θ may be equal to an acute angle between the substrate 132 and the exposed surface 103.

[0023] As described above, the exposed surface 103 is non-parallel to the substrate 132, which includes the coil pattern 133 as the antenna. In the exposed surface 103, the area that can be used for wireless communication is narrower than the area of ​​the substrate. For example, a Fig. 5, the width D1 of the frame surrounding the screen display exposed surface 103 is smaller than a width D2 of a frame of an exposed surface 103 which is parallel to a substrate 132a, which in Fig. 6 as a comparative example. This allows the short-range wireless communication function to be implemented in the communication device 100, which can be installed in the operating facility 200, without increasing the size of the communication device 100.

[0024] In particular, when the angle θ is 60° or more, the area to be used in the exposed surface 103 may be equal to or less than half the area of ​​the substrate 132. Specifically, when the angle θ is 85° or more, the area to be used in the exposed surface 103 may be equal to or less than 10% of the area of ​​the substrate 132.

[0025] Although the coil pattern 133 described above includes two windings, the coil pattern 103 may include a single winding or two or more windings. Embodiment 2

[0026] Embodiment 2 will be described, focusing on differences from Embodiment 1 described above. Like reference numerals denote like or corresponding components in Embodiment 1. This embodiment differs from Embodiment 1 in that the coil pattern 133 includes a plurality of coil patterns with different centers.

[0027] As in Fig. As shown in Figure 7, the coil pattern 133 includes a first coil pattern 151, indicated by a solid area, and a second coil pattern 152, indicated by a hatched area. The first coil pattern 151 and the second coil pattern 152 each include a single winding, and the coil pattern 133 corresponds to a coil with two windings. The first coil pattern 151 and the second coil pattern 152 are arranged on the same surface 1321 of the substrate 132, with the first coil pattern 151 being arranged outside of the second coil pattern 152.

[0028] The second coil pattern 152 has a center point C22 that is closer to the exposed surface 103 than the center point C21 of the first coil pattern 151. The center points C21 and C22 may be the centers of gravity of the first coil pattern 151 and the second coil pattern 152, or the points at which the magnetic flux density is greatest when a current flows in each of the first coil pattern 151 and the second coil pattern 152 on the surface 1321 of the substrate 132 comprising the first coil pattern 151 and the second coil pattern 152.

[0029] The first coil pattern 151 includes a first conductor 151a adjacent to the exposed surface 103 and a second conductor 151b opposite the exposed surface 103, which is located above the first conductor 151a. The second coil pattern 152 includes a third conductor 152a adjacent to the exposed surface 103 and a fourth conductor 152b opposite the exposed surface 103, which is located above the third conductor 152a. A distance D11 between the first conductor 151a and the third conductor 152a is smaller than a distance D12 between the second conductor 151b and the fourth conductor 152b.

[0030] In the conductor patterns in the coil pattern 133 of the present embodiment, the conductor patterns adjacent to the exposed surface 103 are closer to each other, as shown in Fig. 8. This can increase the surrounding magnetic flux density, thus improving the efficiency of short-range wireless communication with the external device 300.

[0031] Although the first coil pattern 151 and the second coil pattern 152 described above each comprise a single winding, at least one of the first coil pattern 151 or the second coil pattern 152 may comprise two or more windings. Fig. 9 illustrates a coil pattern 133 comprising a first coil pattern 151 and a second coil pattern 152, each comprising two windings. For the first coil pattern 151 and the second coil pattern 152 with any number of windings, a distance D22 between the exposed surface 103 and the center point C22 of the second coil pattern 152 must be smaller than a distance D21 between the exposed surface 103 and the center point C21 of the first coil pattern 151. In order for the first coil pattern 151 to be located inside, with the second coil pattern 152 located outside, the distance D21 must be smaller than the distance D22. The coil pattern 133 may comprise the first coil pattern 151 and the second coil pattern 152, wherein the distance D21 is different from the distance D22. The distance D21 corresponds to an example of a first distance between an exposed surface and the center of a first coil pattern.The distance D22 corresponds to an example of a second distance between the exposed surface and the center of a second coil pattern. Embodiment 3

[0032] Embodiment 3 will be described with emphasis on the differences from Embodiment 1. Like reference numerals denote like or corresponding components of Embodiment 1. The present embodiment differs from Embodiment 1 in that the coil pattern 133 includes a plurality of coil patterns arranged on different layers in the substrate 132.

[0033] As in Fig. As shown in Figure 10, the coil pattern 133 includes a first coil pattern 161, indicated by a solid area, and a second coil pattern 162, indicated by a hatched area. The first coil pattern 161 is arranged on the front side of the substrate 132 in the Y1 direction. The second coil pattern 162 is arranged on the back side of the substrate 132 in the Y2 direction and is electrically connected to the first coil pattern 161 by an electrical conductor 163a, which is a through-hole conductor or a via conductor. The first coil pattern 161 and the second coil pattern 162 each include a single winding, and the coil pattern 133 corresponds to a coil with two windings.

[0034] The first coil pattern 161 has a center point C31 that is closer to the exposed surface 103 than a center point C32 of the second coil pattern 162. Specifically, a distance D31 between the exposed surface 103 and the center point C31 is smaller than a distance D32 between the exposed surface 103 and the center point C32. The center points C31 and C32 can be defined in the same way as the center points C21 and C22 of Embodiment 2.

[0035] Fig. 11 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the substrate 132 along the line AA. As in Fig. 11, the first coil pattern 161 is arranged on the conductor layer on the front side of the substrate 132, and the second coil pattern 162 is arranged on the conductor layer on the back side of the substrate 132. As shown in Fig. 11, the coil corresponding to the coil pattern 133 comprising the first coil pattern 161 and the second coil pattern 162 is inclined with respect to the substrate 132.

[0036] In the communication device 100 including the coil pattern 133 according to the present embodiment, the central axis of the coil pattern 133 is inclined with respect to a Y-axis, although the substrate 132 and the exposed surface 103 form an angle θ of 90° as shown in Fig. 12. Therefore, it is expected that the magnetic flux density value at the position of the external device 300 will be higher. This can improve the efficiency of communication with the external device 300.

[0037] If the angle θ, as in Fig. 13 is less than 90°, the central axis of the coil comes closer to a Z-axis, and it is expected that the efficiency of communication with the external device 300 will be further improved.

[0038] The substrate 132 may be a multilayer substrate, wherein the coil pattern 133 comprises coil patterns arranged on different conductor layers. Fig. 14 illustrates an example in which the coil pattern 133 includes the first coil pattern 161 and the second coil pattern 162, a third coil pattern 163 arranged in the Y1 direction relative to the first coil pattern 161, and a fourth coil pattern 164 and a fifth coil pattern 165 arranged in the Y2 direction relative to the second coil pattern 162. Each coil pattern has the same distance D30 between the conductor adjacent to the exposed surface 103 and the opposing conductor. The center points C31 and C32, a center point C33 of the third coil pattern 163, a center point C34 of the fourth coil pattern 164, and a center point C35 of the fifth coil pattern 165 are arranged closer to the exposed surface 103 in the order along the arrow Y1.In other words, the centers C31, C32, C33, C34 and C35 in the different layers are located closer to the exposed surface 103 in the stacking direction of the layers in the substrate 132.

[0039] The arrangement of Fig. 14 can, as in Fig. 15, can be further modified. In the example of Fig. 15, the center point C33 is closer to the exposed surface 103 than the center point C31, the center point C34 is closer to the exposed surface 103 than the center point C32, and the center point C35 is closer to the exposed surface 103 than the center point C34.

[0040] Although the above-described first coil pattern 161 and the second coil pattern 162 each comprise a single winding, at least one of the first coil pattern 161 or the second coil pattern 162 may comprise two or more windings. Embodiment 4

[0041] Embodiment 4 will be described, focusing on differences from Embodiment 1. Like reference numerals denote like or corresponding components from Embodiment 1. The present embodiment differs from Embodiment 1 in that the coil patterns in the coil pattern 133 include conductors adjacent to the exposed surface 103 on the same surface of the substrate 102 and opposing conductors on different layers.

[0042] As in Fig. As shown in Figure 16, the coil pattern 133 includes a first coil pattern 171, indicated by a solid area, and a second coil pattern 172, indicated by a hatched area. The first coil pattern 171 and the second coil pattern 172 each comprise a single winding, and the coil pattern 133 corresponds to a coil with two windings.

[0043] The first coil pattern 171 comprises, adjacent to the exposed surface 103, a first conductor 171a and a second conductor 171b, which faces the exposed surface 103 via the first conductor 171a. The first conductor 171a and the second conductor 171b are both arranged on the surface 1321, which is the front side of the substrate 132. The second coil pattern 172 comprises, adjacent to the exposed surface 103, a third conductor 172a and a fourth conductor 172b, which faces the exposed surface 103 via the third conductor 172a. The third conductor 172a is arranged on the surface 1321 in the same way as the first coil pattern 171, whereas the fourth conductor 172b is arranged on the back side of the substrate 132. The third conductor 172a and the fourth conductor 172b are electrically connected to each other by means of conductors, as shown in Fig. 16 is indicated by outlined circles.

[0044] Fig. 17 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the substrate 132 along the line BB. As in Fig. As shown in Figure 17, the first conductor 171a and the second conductor 171b in the first coil pattern 171 are both arranged on the conductor layer on the front side of the substrate 132. The third conductor 172a in the second coil pattern 172 is arranged on the conductor layer on the front side of the substrate 132, whereas the fourth conductor 172b is arranged on the conductor layer on the back side of the substrate 132.

[0045] The communication device 100 including the substrate 132 according to the present embodiment is expected to exhibit a larger magnetic flux density value at a position adjacent to the exposed surface 103 within the magnetic field generated by the coil pattern 133, thereby improving communication efficiency. Specifically, the first conductor 171a and the third conductor 172a may be arranged close to each other, and the second conductor 171b and the fourth conductor 172b may overlap each other in the XZ plane.

[0046] Although the angle θ described above is 90°, the angle θ in the above embodiment may be changed.

[0047] The substrate 132 may be a multilayer substrate, wherein the coil pattern 133 comprises more than two coil patterns, which are partially arranged on different layers. In the example of Fig. 18, the first conductor 171a and the third conductor 172a, as well as the fifth conductor 173a, a seventh conductor 174a, and a ninth conductor 175a are arranged adjacent to the exposed surface 103 on the same conductor layer. The second conductor 171b, the fourth conductor 172b, a sixth conductor 173b included with the fifth conductor 173a in a third coil pattern, an eighth conductor 174b included with the seventh conductor 174a in a fourth coil pattern, and a tenth conductor 175b included with the ninth conductor 175a in a fifth coil pattern are arranged in the Z1 direction along the Y axis. The substrate 132 with this structure can also improve communication efficiency. The example from Fig. 18 corresponds to another example of a modification with a typical cylindrical coil arranged as in Fig. 15 is bent.

[0048] Although the above-described first coil pattern 171 and the second coil pattern 172 each comprise only a single winding, at least one of the first coil pattern 171 or the second coil pattern 172 may comprise two or more windings.

[0049] The Fig. The conductors arranged in the Z1 direction and the conductors arranged in the Z2 direction shown in Figure 18 can be interchanged. As shown in Fig. 19, the conductors of multiple layers may be arranged near the exposed surface 103 to generate a magnetic field that is more uniform at a position adjacent to the exposed surface 103 than at the opposite position, thereby improving the stability of communication with the external device 300. More specifically, the substrate 132 may be Fig. 16 to 18 coil patterns that are symmetrical with respect to the X-axis. The magnetic flux density is influenced by numerous parameters, including the coil patterns, the distance between the substrate 132 and the exposed surface 103, materials for the communication device 100 and the operating device 200, the orientation of the substrate 132, and other factors. Therefore, the coil patterns to be integrated into the communication device 100 can be determined after testing the efficiency and stability of the communication.

[0050] The coil pattern arranged on the substrate 132 includes the first coil pattern and the second coil pattern. Each of the first coil pattern and the second coil pattern includes at least one winding. The first coil pattern includes a first conductor arranged in a first direction and a second conductor arranged in a second direction. The first direction is one of an outward direction or the Z2 direction in which the exposed surface faces, or a direction in which the body 101 is placed or the Z1 direction. The second direction is the other of these directions. The second coil pattern includes a third conductor arranged in the first direction and a fourth conductor arranged in the second direction.The first conductor and the third conductor are arranged on the same surface of the substrate, whereas the second conductor and the fourth conductor are arranged on different layers in the substrate. Embodiment 5

[0051] Embodiment 5 will be described focusing on the differences from Embodiment 1. Like reference numerals denote like or corresponding components from Embodiment 1. The present embodiment differs from Embodiment 1 in that some of the conductors in the coil pattern 133 are connected in parallel.

[0052] As in Fig. As shown in Figure 20, the coil pattern 133 includes a first conductor 181 arranged in the Z2 direction or adjacent to the exposed surface 103, and a conductor 182 arranged in the Z1 direction or opposite the exposed surface 103 above the first conductor 181. The conductor 182 includes a second conductor 182a, a third conductor 182b, and a fourth conductor 182c arranged on different layers. The second conductor 182a, the third conductor 182b, and the fourth conductor 182c are electrically connected to the first conductor 181 via a through-hole conductor or a via conductor.

[0053] Fig. 21 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the substrate 132 along the line CC. In the example of Fig. 21, the conductor 182 in the coil pattern 133 connects different conductor layers via a via conductor.

[0054] It is expected that the communication device 100 including the substrate 132 according to the present embodiment has a larger value of the magnetic flux density at a position adjacent to the exposed surface 103 inside the magnetic field generated by the coil pattern 133, thus improving the efficiency of communication.

[0055] Although the conductor 182 in the coil pattern 133 described above has conductor patterns arranged on three different layers, the conductor patterns of the conductor 182 may be arranged on two or more than three layers. Specifically, when the conductor patterns in the conductor 182 are arranged on five layers, the conductor patterns correspond to a modified example of a single conductor pattern collectively including the first conductor 171a, the third conductor 172a, the fifth conductor 173a, the seventh conductor 174a, and the ninth conductor 175a, as shown in Fig. 18 shown.

[0056] Although the coil pattern 133 described above includes a single winding, the coil pattern 133 may include two or more windings.

[0057] The conductor arranged in the Z1 direction and the conductor arranged in the Z2 direction, which are Fig. 21 can be exchanged. As shown in Fig. 22, the conductors may be arranged on different layers near the exposed surface 103 to generate a magnetic field more uniformly at a position adjacent to the exposed surface 103 than at the opposite position, thereby improving the stability of communication with the external device 300. In particular, the substrate 132 may have coil patterns arranged in Fig. 20 and Fig. 21 are symmetrical. The magnetic flux density is influenced by numerous parameters, and the coil patterns to be included in the communication device 100 can thus be determined after examining the relationship between the parameters and the shape of the coil pattern, as well as the efficiency and stability of communication.

[0058] The coil pattern includes a first conductor arranged in a first direction, and a second conductor and a third conductor arranged in a second direction and connected parallel to the first conductor. The first direction is an outward direction, or the Z2 direction, in which the exposed surface 103 faces, or a direction in which the body 101 is placed, or the Z1 direction. The second conductor and the third conductor are arranged on different layers in the substrate.

[0059] Although one or more embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, the present disclosure is not limited to the above embodiments.

[0060] For example, although the communication device 100 described above is substantially the same as the body 101, the communication device 100 may include, in addition to the body 101, components different from the attachment device 102.

[0061] The communication device 100 may have any shape other than a rectangular one. For example, the body 101 of the communication device 100 may be Fig.23, a display unit 105 having a screen display that is larger than the opening 201 when viewed by an operator positioned in the Z2 direction. In this example, when the communication device 100 is placed and installed in the opening 201 in the operating device 200, the substrate 132, which is arranged in a frame surrounding the screen display of the display unit 105, is used for short-range wireless communication.

[0062] Although the communication device 100 described above is a display, the communication device 100 may, for example, be a loudspeaker or a data storage device installed in the operating device 200, which is a control panel. The operating device 200 may not be a control panel. For example, the operating device 200 may be a wall of a building constructed of a material such as cement, wood, or metal. The operating device 200 must have the wall surface 203 to which the communication device 100 is attached, and the communication device 100 may be fitted into a recess in the wall surface 203.

[0063] Although the above-described communication device 100 is to be screwed to the operating device 200 by means of the fastening device 102, the communication device 100 may be installed on the operating device 200 in a different manner. For example, the communication device may not include the fastening device 102. More specifically, fastening devices may be arranged on the wall surface 203 or in the opening 201 to fix the rectangular body 101 placed in the opening 201 by pressing or holding the body 101 with the fastening devices. The communication device 100 may be fixed in the opening 201 by means of a magnet arranged at the bottom of the opening 101 and attracting a steel plate contained in the casing of the body 101.

[0064] The foregoing describes some exemplary embodiments for illustrative purposes. Although the foregoing discussion has presented specific embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that changes in form and detail may be made without departing from the general spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the description and drawings are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense. The detailed description, therefore, is not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the invention is defined only by the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. Industrial applicability

[0065] One or more embodiments of the present disclosure are applicable to a device fixed to a wall surface for short-range wireless communication. List of reference symbols 100 communication devices 101 bodies 102 Fastening device 103 exposed surface 104 Screen display 105 Screen unit 110 Control 120 Device Communicator 130 Wireless Communicator 131 Communication circuit 132, 132a Substrat 1321 Surface 133 coil patterns 140 ad 151, 161, 171 first coil pattern 151a, 171a, 181 first conductor 151b, 171b, 182a second conductor 152, 162, 172 second coil pattern 152a, 172a, 182b third conductor 152b, 172b, 182c fourth conductor 163 third coil pattern 163a electrical conductor 164 fourth coil pattern 165 fifth coil pattern 173a fifth ladder 173b sixth ladder 174a seventh ladder 174b eighth ladder 175a ninth ladder 175b tenth ladder 182 conductors 200 operating equipment 201 Opening 202 holes 300 external device C21, C22, C31, C32, C33, C34, C34 center D1, D2 width D11, D12, D21, D22, D30, D31, D32 distance θ angle QUOTES CONTAINED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents submitted by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the convenience of the reader. This list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] JP 2011 - 091 503

[0004]

Claims

[1] Communication device, comprising: a body; and Wireless communication means accommodated in the body to communicate wirelessly with an external device in the vicinity of the body via magnetic coupling, wherein the body is placed in an opening in a wall surface and fixed to the wall surface with an exposed surface of the body exposed from the wall surface, the wireless communication means comprises a substrate comprising a coil pattern to allow magnetic coupling with the external device, and the substrate is non-parallel to the exposed surface. [2] The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the substrate and the exposed surface form an angle of 60 degrees or more. [3] Communication device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the coil pattern comprises a first coil pattern and a second coil pattern, and each of the first coil pattern and the second coil pattern comprises at least one winding, and a first distance between the exposed surface and a center of the first coil pattern is different from a second distance between the exposed surface and a center of the second coil pattern. [4] Communication device according to claim 3, wherein the first coil pattern is arranged on a surface of the substrate comprising the second coil pattern, outside of the second coil pattern, and the center of the second coil pattern is closer to the exposed surface than the center of the first coil pattern. [5] A communication device according to claim 3, wherein the first coil pattern is arranged in the substrate on a layer different from a layer comprising the second coil pattern. [6] A communication device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the coil pattern comprises a first coil pattern and a second coil pattern, each of the first coil pattern and the second coil pattern comprising at least one winding, the first coil pattern comprises a first conductor arranged in a first direction and a second conductor arranged in a second direction, wherein the first direction is one of an outer direction in which the exposed surface faces or a direction in which the body is placed, and the second direction is the other of these directions, the second coil pattern comprises a third conductor arranged in the first direction and a fourth conductor arranged in the second direction, the first conductor and the third conductor are arranged on a surface of the substrate, and the second conductor and the fourth conductor are arranged on different layers of the substrate. [7] A communication device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the coil pattern comprises a first conductor arranged in a first direction, and a second conductor and a third conductor arranged in a second direction and connected in parallel to the first conductor, the first direction being one of an outward direction in which the exposed surface faces or a direction in which the body is placed, and the second direction being the other of these directions, and the second conductor and the third conductor are arranged on different layers in the substrate. [8] Communication device according to one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising: Display means for displaying an image on a screen within the exposed surface, the substrate being arranged within a frame surrounding the screen.

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