Product category:
Optical Transceivers, Transponders and Repeaters
News Release from: Sharp Microelectronics Europe | Subject: IrDA interfaces for IrSimple
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial
Team on 17 November 2006
IR interfaces simplify remote control
Whether transferring photos from mobile phones or from digital cameras onto a laptop or TV or sending them to a printer, the new infra-red interfaces for IrSimple from Sharp make everything possible.
Whether transferring photos from mobile phones or from digital cameras onto a laptop or TV or sending them to a printer, the new infra-red interfaces for IrSimple from Sharp make everything possible In terms of rapid near-field data transmission, the crucial factor is not so much the transmission rate of the components used but the complexity of the transmission protocol that data must pass through
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 16 May 2003 at 8.00am (UK)
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For many applications, such as the transfer of a simple photo to another device, complex security mechanisms within these protocols that are often complicated to handle are simply unnecessary.
Infra-red-based data communication, however, is not susceptible to risks such as hacking that are a recognised problem for IP- or RF-based data transmission.
As data transfer via infra-red interface requires line-of-sight between transmitter and receiver and usually takes place over a manageable distance of a few centimetres up to 1-2m, any interruption of transmission will be noticed.
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IrSimple reduces the traditional IrDA protocol to three basic steps: establishing the connection, transmitting the data and terminating the connection, where each operation is carried out in one step without having to pass through LAP, LMP and OBEX connection protocols.
Transmitter protocol exchange is either uni- or bidirectional with return confirmation from the receiver for each individual step.
Thanks to the simplified protocol, it takes only 0.5s to transfer 1Mbyte via a Sharp IrDA interface for IrSimple.
By comparison: sending the same data volume via a normal IrDA interface takes around 5.4s, and transmission via Bluetooth can take more than 30s.
Even so-called "high-speed near-field systems" such as 802.11b, where pure data transmission runs at up to 11Mbit/s, require 4.4s to complete the transfer of 1Mbyte.
Compared with the average for all wireless transmission standards, data transfer with IrSimple is around 8x faster.
Other advantages of Sharp IrDA interfaces for IrSimple which are particularly relevant to mobile applications are their moderate power consumption, at approximately 200mW, and low form factor.
Measuring only 1.82 x 7.16 x 2.73mm, Sharp is offering the smallest IrDA interfaces on the market, which can easily be integrated even in the new generation of mobile phones with very flat designs.
Furthermore, these interfaces are fully backwards-compatible with traditional IrDA protocol and even relatively simple microcontrollers can cope with the system, thanks to the slim software architecture of the new transmission standard.
This means that the target applications for IrSimple are not just mobile phones and laptops, but also include the new generation of flat-screen televisions that can display both films and family pictures, as well as photo printers, presentation devices, computers and digital cameras, to name but a few.
In order to support manufacturers in the design of the new products, Sharp offers IrSimple as a complete system solution with complementary components.
Besides various front-end devices with a transmission range of up to 100cm these components include IrSimple software and the corresponding controller.
Engineering samples of IrSimple technology are available now via Sharp Microelectronics Europe and the European distributor network.
Series production is scheduled for the end of 2006.
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