Communication device for an image pickup apparatus positioned in front of an image sensor

1. A communication device using infrared rays for use in an image pickup apparatus having a lens focusing light input from a field on an image sensor, comprising:

an infrared rays receiving member positioned in front of the image sensor for receiving infrared rays contained in the light transmitted through the lens, wherein the infrared receiving member is configured to reflect an infrared signal; and

a detecting circuit for detecting a signal exclusive for communication contained in the received and reflected infrared rays;

said infrared rays receiving member transmitting visible rays to thereby cause the visible rays to be incident on the image sensor,

wherein the infrared rays receiving portion comprises a base portion with a plurality of reflective saw tooth portions parallel to each other formed on the surface where the infrared rays are received.

2. The communication device in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said infrared rays receiving member is located at a position on which the lens focuses the infrared rays.

3. The communication device in accordance with claim 2 , wherein the lens focuses the infrared rays in a position short of the image sensor.

4. The communication device in accordance with claim 2 , wherein the lens focuses the visible rays on the image sensor.

5. The communication device in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said infrared rays receiving member comprises an infrared ray cutting filter for preventing the infrared rays from being incident on the image sensor.

6. The infrared rays receiving member in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the saw tooth portions have a predetermined length and height.

7. The communication device in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the image sensor converts the visible rays transmitted through the infrared rays receiving member into an image signal.

8. The communication device in accordance with claim 7 , wherein image processing is performed based on the image signal.

9. The communication device in accordance with claim 7 , wherein the image signal is an electric signal.

10. A system for controlling a communication device using infrared rays for use in an image pickup apparatus having a lens focusing light input from a field on an image sensor, comprising:

a first source for emitting visible rays;

a second source for emitting the infrared rays;

an infrared rays receiving member positioned in front of the image sensor for receiving the infrared rays contained in the light transmitted through the lens; and

a detecting circuit for detecting a signal exclusive for communication contained in the infrared rays received;

said infrared rays receiving member transmitting the visible rays to thereby cause the visible rays to be incident on the image sensor, wherein the infrared rays and the visible rays are emitted from separate sources,

wherein the second source is a remote control and wherein the first source is an object to be imaged, and

wherein the infrared rays receiving portion comprises a base portion with a plurality of reflective saw tooth portions parallel to each other formed on the surface where the infrared rays are received.

11. The infrared receiving member in accordance with claim 10 , wherein the infrared rays receiving member receives one of the infrared rays and the visible rays at each moment in time.

12. The infrared receiving member in accordance with claim 10 , wherein the infrared rays of the second source comprise commands controlling the image pickup apparatus.

13. The infrared receiving member according to claim 12 , wherein the commands are provided to a controller of the image pickup apparatus to adjust the image pickup apparatus and are not applied directly to the image obtained.