Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided of locating a portable remote station transceiving a diffuse infrared communicated signal within an enclosed area containing a plurality of stationary infrared transceivers interconnected with a central controller. The method includes the steps of detecting a particular transmission of the diffuse infrared communicated signal from the portable remote station within the enclosed area by the plurality of stationary transceivers and measuring a parametric value of the particular signal received by each stationary transceiver of the plurality of stationary transceivers. The method further includes the step of locating the portable remote station based upon differences in the parametric value measured at each stationary transceivers.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided of locating a portable remote station transceiving a diffuse infrared communicated signal within an enclosed area containing a plurality of stationary infrared transceivers interconnected with a central controller. The method includes the steps of detecting a particular transmission of the diffuse infrared communicated signal from the portable remote station within the enclosed area by the plurality of stationary transceivers and measuring a parametric value of the particular signal received by each stationary transceiver of the plurality of stationary transceivers. The method further includes the step of locating the portable remote station based upon differences in the parametric value measured at each stationary transceivers.

Abstract: A wireless diffuse infrared local area network communication system is provided for enclosed areas. The communication system includes a controller and a substantially omnidirectional infrared transceiver disposed on an inside walls of the enclosed area operatively interconnected with the controller. The system further includes a remote station and means, operatively coupled to the remote station, for transceiving a communicated signal with the substantially omnidirectional infrared transceiver.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for exchanging data between a central station and a plurality of wireless remote stations on a time division multiple access communication channel. The apparatus includes device for receiving access requests from remote stations of the plurality of remote stations during a first time interval under a contention based protocol and a non-contention based protocol and device for polling for data transfers during a second time period remote stations of the plurality of remote stations providing access requests under non-contention based protocols during the first time period.

Abstract: A wireless data communications network having a number of users communicating from individual remote stations to a central station over a single optical-infrared channel utilizing a two-stage noncontention-based multiple-access communications protocol. During the first stage of the reservation-based polling protocol, the central station provides a synchronization signal to the remote stations to define the start of a "reservation request period," and allocates fixed time slots during which any remote station having a data message to transmit may request access and reserve a portion of the channel for their data messages. During the second stage or "polled data transfer period," the central station polls only those remote stations that have a data message to transmit and have requested access to the channel. In response to the poll, the polled remote stations transmit their data message in their previously-reserved data slots.

Abstract: An infrared data communications network in which groups of personal computers and associated peripherals may communicate by infrared signals with each other. The system utilizes a error correction and a packet switched protocol which allows any terminal to select communications with any other terminal or terminals without degradation of the error rate. Error free transmission is maintained by means of error correcting encoding and a handshake protocol. The packet switched protocol permits any terminal to function as a store and forward repeater thus making the system more reliable and less susceptible to beam blockage.