IR Port on SPV, E100, E200

[Guest Alex_le_brit]

What I'm specifically wondering is how the Smartphone is connected to the IR port and what form the signal takes. Is it for instance considered as a second serial port by the OS? After all I assume if you use Active Sync via IR it works in much the same way as Active Synch via the serial port on the bottom of the phone.

My thought being would it possible to replace the IR send/receive hardware with a different unit or perhaps a second serial port?