Connecting Windows and Non-Windows Devices with IrDA
DownloadConnecting Windows and Non-Windows Devices with Irda
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Imagine the following scenario: Two notebook computers are placed beside each other. A computer icon appears on both desktops with the name of the peer computer below it. Open one of the icons to display a folder with the contents of the peer computer's desktop. Drag-and-drop between your desktop and the open folder to move files between the two computers.
| • | Imagine that the only configuration that this application required to be installed or used was the ability for the user to enable or disable it. Imagine that multiple such applications could be running at the same time without interfering with each other. |
| • | Imagine that this application could run on 23 million existing notebook computers at a transfer speed of 115Kbps, and on 14 million existing notebook computers at 4MBps. Imagine that all applications, regardless of the speed of the underlying hardware, would work with all other applications at a common fastest speed. |
| • | Imagine that the other notebook computer in this example was a digital still camera, a handheld personal computer, a data capture device or a device that supports electronic commerce. |
| • | As a bonus, assume that the two computers do not need to be cabled together. |
This application is currently possible under Microsoft Windows CE and the Windows family of operating systems. The underlying technology is based on inexpensive, widely available short-range infrared transceivers that adhere to the Infrared Data Association (IrDA) standards. IrDA standards (available from the IrDA at http://www.irda.org 
) also enable non-Windows devices to talk to Windows-based applications.
Connecting Windows and Non-Windows Devices with IrDA: A White Paper
Microsoft has prepared a white paper that provides a technical overview of the IrDA protocols supported under Windows, and explains how these protocols are exposed through the Winsock API. This paper is intended to be a bridge between the IrDA protocol specifications and the available information on Winsock programming.
Developers should find this information helpful in understanding the connection and data transfer behavior of IrDA. Vendors who want to use IrDA to connect non-Windows devices to Windows will have to understand the IrDA protocol specifications in detail.
