JP4595384B2 - Optical communication apparatus, optical communication system, and optical communication control method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an optical communication device, an optical communication system, and an optical communication control method, and in particular, a distribution-type optical signal transmission body connected to each of a plurality of second devices via different optical fibers and connected via an optical fiber. Optical communication device capable of transmitting arbitrary information to each of the plurality of second devices by optical communication, and a plurality of devices connected to the distribution-type optical signal transmitter via different optical fibers. And an optical communication control method applicable to the optical communication system.

  Conventionally, a layered waveguide that diffuses and propagates incident signal light is formed with a plurality of signal light input / output portions that are responsible for the input and output of signal light, and the incident optical signal is distributed to a plurality of distribution destinations. A distribution-type optical signal transmission body (also referred to as an optical sheet bus) that can be distributed to an optical communication system and an optical communication system that includes the distribution-type optical signal transmission body have been proposed (see Patent Documents 1 to 6). . When distributing highly directional optical signals such as laser light, the optical signal was previously converted into electrical signals and distributed, and then the distributed electrical signals are sent to a plurality of light sources provided corresponding to each distribution destination. Although a complicated configuration such as transmitting an optical signal to each distribution destination by an element is required, it becomes possible to directly direct an optical signal having strong directivity by using the above-described distributed optical signal transmission body. The system configuration can be simplified. In addition, the distribution type optical signal transmission body can easily insert and remove the optical fiber for transmitting the optical signal, and the construction of the optical communication system and the configuration change can be easily performed in the same manner as the signal line of the electric signal is inserted and removed by the connector. It has the advantage of being.

In relation to the above, Patent Document 7 discloses that an optical signal received from the outside is converted into an electric signal, the converted electric signal is decoded to determine whether or not the decoding is normally completed, and the converted electric signal Determining the intensity level of the received light, determining the light emission intensity based on the determination result of whether or not the decoding is normally completed and the determination result of the intensity level of the received light, and converting the encoded transmission data into the optical signal A technique for converting is disclosed.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-270751 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-270752 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-65625 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-39069 JP-A-11-39251 JP-A-11-205246 JP 2000-49712 A

  By the way, when the above-described distributed optical signal transmission body is provided in an optical communication system, the construction and configuration change of the optical communication system can be easily performed, but the light from the light emitting element provided in the optical signal transmission source device can be used. There is a possibility that the optical attenuation of the optical signal in each of a plurality of optical transmission paths reaching each light receiving element provided in each of a plurality of devices as signal transmission destinations is greatly different (in particular, as an optical fiber, the optical attenuation is In the case of using POF (Plastic Optical Fiber), which is frequently used for transmission of optical signals over a short distance, the possibility is high). And depending on the light attenuation amount of the optical signal in each optical transmission line and the light emission intensity of the light emitting element provided in the optical signal transmission source device, in a specific device among a plurality of devices as the optical signal transmission destination, There is a problem that a situation in which an optical signal transmitted from an optical signal transmission source device cannot be received by the specific device may occur because the amount of light received by the light receiving element deviates from the light receiving range. .

  In order to solve the above problem, it is conceivable that all devices as optical signal communication destinations emit light with a light emission intensity that can reliably receive an optical signal, but the light emitting element is from an LD (laser diode) or the like. As the light emission intensity increases, the lifetime is shortened and the amount of heat generated during light emission is increased. Therefore, as described above, the light emitting element has a light emission intensity with which all devices can reliably receive an optical signal. When the light is emitted, the life of the light emitting element is shortened, and it is necessary to frequently replace the light emitting element. In addition, a facility for cooling the light emitting element is required, which causes another problem that the power consumption is increased.

  Further, since the technique described in Patent Document 7 described above is a technique for determining the light emission intensity of the light emitting element based on the intensity level of the externally received light, the optical signal transmission source device can communicate with a plurality of devices. When the above technology is applied to an optical communication system configured to be able to communicate, the light emission intensity of the light emitting element of the optical signal transmission source device is adjusted to the optimum intensity level in optical communication with a specific device among a plurality of devices Although it is possible, another device other than the specific device because the light emission intensity of the light emitting element of the device that is the optical signal transmission source does not necessarily match the optimum light emission intensity in optical communication with another device other than the specific device. There is also a possibility that optical communication with will be impossible.

  Furthermore, there is a restriction that the configuration of the optical communication system cannot be easily changed or a change in the configuration of the optical communication system is prohibited so that the optical attenuation of the optical signal in each of the plurality of optical transmission paths does not greatly differ. However, in this case, it is not desirable because the expandability / development and the application field of the optical communication system are greatly limited.

  The present invention has been made in consideration of the above facts, and can reliably connect a plurality of devices via a distributed optical signal transmission body without unnecessarily adversely affecting the life of the light emitting element and the amount of heat generated during light emission. An object is to obtain an optical communication device, an optical communication system, and an optical communication control method capable of performing optical communication.

In order to achieve the above object, an optical communication apparatus according to a first aspect of the present invention is connected to a distributed optical signal transmission body via a first optical fiber, and the distributed optical signal transmission bodies are different from each other. Lights emitted from the first light-emitting element that are respectively connected to a plurality of second devices via two optical fibers, modulated according to arbitrary information, and emitted from the first light-emitting element, the distributed optical signal transmitter, and the first Each of the plurality of second devices is transmitted to the plurality of second devices via two optical fibers and received by a second light receiving element provided in each of the plurality of second devices. Arbitrary information can be transmitted , and light emitted from any one of the second light emitting elements provided in each of the plurality of second devices after being modulated according to the arbitrary information is distributed to the second optical fiber. Type optical signal transmitter and the first optical fiber Is transmitted through it to the own device, and by receiving at the first light receiving element of the apparatus, an optical communication apparatus capable of receiving any information by optical communication from one of the plurality of second devices, any The optimal light emission intensity of the first light-emitting element for setting the amount of light received by the second light-receiving element of the arbitrary second device when transmitting information to the second device by optical communication is within an allowable range, First detection means for detecting each of the second devices, first storage means for storing the optimum light emission intensity detected for each of the plurality of second devices by the first detection means, and optical communication to any second device First control means for controlling the light emission intensity of the first light emitting element to be an optimum light emission intensity corresponding to the arbitrary second device stored in the first storage means when transmitting information; wherein the first detecting means, where Together emit the first light emitting element in the light-emitting intensity of, modulates the light emitted from the first light emitting element by using the information obtained by adding the light emission intensity information representing the luminous intensity of the first light emitting element at that time , Extracted by the second device of the light emission intensity detection target based on the light reception state information indicating the light reception state by the second light receiving element of the second device of the light emission intensity detection target and the light received by the second light receiving element. The amount of light received by the second light receiving element represented by the received light reception state information indicates that the light reception intensity information added to the light reception state information is received by the first light receiving element from the second device whose light emission intensity is to be detected. Until it is determined that the light intensity of the first light-emitting element is increased stepwise, and the light-receiving amount of the second light-receiving element is received together with the light-receiving state information when it is determined that the light-receiving amount is within the allowable range. The light emission intensity represented by the light emission intensity information is detected as the optimum light emission intensity of the first light emitting element corresponding to the second device of the light emission intensity detection target .

The optical communication device according to the first aspect of the present invention is connected via the first optical fiber and the distributed optical signal transmission body respectively connected to the plurality of second devices via different second optical fibers. The light emitted from the first light-emitting element after being modulated in accordance with arbitrary information is transmitted to the plurality of second devices via the first optical fiber, the distribution type optical signal transmitter and the second optical fiber, respectively. By receiving light with a second light receiving element provided in each of the optical communication devices, arbitrary information can be transmitted to each of the plurality of second devices by optical communication , and modulated in accordance with the arbitrary information, and a plurality of first information is transmitted . The light emitted from any one of the second light emitting elements provided in each of the two devices is transmitted to the own device through the second optical fiber, the distributed optical signal transmitter, and the first optical fiber, and the first of the own device is transmitted. One of a plurality of second devices by receiving light with a light receiving element And it is capable of receiving any information by optical communications. Here, in the first aspect of the invention, the first light emission for keeping the amount of light received by the second light receiving element of any second device when transmitting information to any second device by optical communication is within an allowable range. The optimum light emission intensity of the element is detected for each of the plurality of second devices by the first detection means and stored in the first storage means. Then, when the first control means transmits information to any second device by optical communication, the optimum light emission corresponding to any second device in which the light emission intensity of the first light emitting element is stored in the first storage means. Control to be strong.

  Thus, in the first aspect of the present invention, a plurality of second devices are connected through the first optical fiber, the distributed optical signal transmission body, and the second optical fiber, and can transmit arbitrary information by optical communication. On the other hand, the optimal light emission intensity of the first light emitting element when transmitting information by optical communication is detected, and when the information is transmitted by optical communication, the light emission intensity of the first light emitting element is the information transmission destination second device. Therefore, the information can be transmitted to each second device through optical communication so that the information is reliably received by each second device. In addition, since the light emission intensity of the first light emitting element when transmitting information by optical communication is optimized for each second device, the first light emission does not adversely affect the life of the light emitting element. It is possible to suppress the element from generating more heat than necessary during light emission. Therefore, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the plurality of second devices can be reliably connected via the distributed optical signal transmission body without unnecessarily adversely affecting the life of the first light emitting element and the amount of heat generated during light emission. Optical communication can be performed.

In the first aspect of the invention, more specifically, the first detection means causes the first light emitting element to emit light at a predetermined light emission intensity, and emits light intensity information indicating the light emission intensity of the first light emitting element at that time. The light emitted from the first light emitting element is modulated using the added information, and the light receiving state information indicating the light receiving state by the second light receiving element of the second device whose emission intensity is to be detected and the light received by the second light receiving element. The received light reception state information represents that the first light receiving element receives the light emission intensity information extracted by the second device that is the light emission intensity detection target and added to the light reception state information from the second device that is the light emission intensity detection target. Until the light receiving amount of the second light receiving element is determined to be within the allowable range, the light receiving state is repeated at the time when the light receiving amount of the second light receiving element is determined to be within the allowable range until the light receiving intensity of the first light emitting element is gradually increased. Information and Is configured to detect as the optimum light emission intensity of the first light emitting element corresponding to the second device the emission intensity detected a luminous intensity of emission intensity information which has been received represents a. Accordingly, the light reception state by the second light receiving element of the second device of the light emission intensity detection target is surely determined based on the light reception state information received from the second device of the light emission intensity detection target (and whether or not the light reception state information is received). And the optimum light emission intensity when transmitting information by optical communication to the second device that is the object of light emission intensity detection can be reliably detected.

  The light reception state information may be, for example, information indicating a deviation between the upper limit value or the lower limit value within the allowable range of the received light amount of the second light receiving element and the actual received light amount, or the received light amount of the second light receiving element. May be information representing an upper limit value, a lower limit value, and an actual received light amount within the allowable range, and arbitrary information representing a light receiving state can be applied. Further, for transmission of the light reception state information from the second device to the optical communication device according to the present invention, an optical transmission line composed of the first optical fiber, the distribution type optical signal transmitter, and the second optical fiber may be used. (The above optical transmission path may be the same as the optical transmission path through which the light emitted from the first light emitting element is transmitted, or a plurality of first optical fibers, distributed optical signal transmission bodies, and second optical fibers are provided, It may be possible to transmit an optical transmission line different from the optical transmission line through which the light emitted from the first light emitting element is transmitted), or to transmit it as an electrical signal using a separately provided electrical signal line.

Also, in the case of storing the light emission intensity of the first light-emitting element if example embodiment in an optical communication apparatus according to the present invention, depending on the emission intensity of the first light emitting element and the light receiving amount of the second light receiving element of the second device Is out of the allowable range, and the light reception state information may not be transmitted from the second device. Therefore, when the first light emitting device emits light while gradually increasing the light emission intensity of the first light emitting device, the light receiving state information is received from the second device. The light emission intensity of the first light emitting element corresponding to the received light reception state information may not be determined. On the other hand, in the above-described configuration, since the light reception state information to which the light emission intensity information is added is received by the second device, the received light reception state information is based on the light emission intensity information added to the received light reception state information. The light emission intensity of the first light emitting element corresponding to can be reliably recognized.

In the first aspect of the present invention, for example, as described in the second aspect , the temperature detection means for detecting the environmental temperature or the temperature of the first light emitting element is provided, and the first detection means is detected by the temperature detection means. The optimum light emission intensity may be detected when the detected temperature is equal to or higher than a preset value.

Further, in the invention of claim 1 or claim 2 Symbol placement, for example as described in claim 3, when optical communication with any of the second apparatus, is used to modulate the light emitted from the first light emitting element information And adding means for adding identification information of the arbitrary second device, granting means for giving identification information for identifying each of the plurality of second devices to each second device, and granting means. Notification means for notifying each of the plurality of second devices of the identification information so that each of the plurality of second devices holds the notified identification information, and further providing the providing means with the plurality of second devices. Identifying each of the plurality of second devices by sequentially turning on the power and repeatedly giving identification information to the second device that is newly capable of optical communication as the power is turned on Configure to give information It is preferable.

Thus, as in the first aspect of the present invention, the light emitted from the first light emitting element is transmitted to each of the plurality of second devices via the first optical fiber, the distributed optical signal transmission body, and the second optical fiber. In this configuration, even when the light emission intensity of the first light-emitting element is such that the amount of light received by the second light-receiving elements of the plurality of second devices is within an allowable range, it is transmitted to the specific second device by optical communication. Can be prevented from being mistakenly recognized as information transmitted to the own device by a second device other than the specific second device, and reliable optical communication with a plurality of second devices can be performed. Can be done without error. Further, the notifying means notifies the plurality of second devices of the identification information given to each second device, thereby holding the notified identification information in each of the plurality of second devices. By sequentially turning on the power of the second device and repeatedly giving the identification information to the second device that is newly capable of optical communication as the power is turned on, to each of the plurality of second devices Therefore, even when the number of second devices increases or decreases, the identification information is reassigned to each second device, and the re-assigned identification information is Ki out to notify the respective second device, the optical communication between regardless plurality of second devices can be performed reliably and without error to the configuration change of the increase or decrease in the number of the second device.

An optical communication device according to a fourth aspect of the invention is connected to the first device comprising the optical communication device according to any one of the first to third aspects via a first optical fiber, Connected via a third optical fiber to a distributed optical signal transmission body connected to each of a plurality of second devices via different second optical fibers, modulated according to arbitrary information, and emitted from the third light emitting element Transmitted to the plurality of second devices via the third optical fiber, the distributed optical signal transmission body, and the second optical fiber, respectively, and second light reception provided in each of the plurality of second devices. By receiving light with the element, it is possible to transmit arbitrary information to each of the plurality of second devices by optical communication , and the second information is modulated according to the arbitrary information and provided to each of the plurality of second devices. Light emitted from any one of the light emitting elements is converted into the second light flux. By transmitting to the own device through the receiver, the distributed optical signal transmission body and the third optical fiber, and receiving light by the third light receiving element of the own device, optical communication from any of the plurality of second devices An optical communication apparatus capable of receiving arbitrary information , wherein the second apparatus specifies the optimum light emission intensity detected for each of the plurality of second apparatuses by the first detection means of the first apparatus. Is received from the second storage means provided in the specific second device, the information requesting the transmission of the information indicating the optimum light emission intensity is transmitted to the specific second device, The plurality of second devices is received by receiving information representing the optimum light emission intensity for each of the plurality of second devices read from the second storage means of the second device and transmitted from the specific second device. obtaining means for obtaining the optimum light emission intensity of each , Together emit the third light emitting element at a predetermined emission intensity, the light emitted from the third light emitting device by using the information obtained by adding the light emission intensity information indicating the emission intensity of the third light-emitting element at the time The light receiving state information that is modulated and received by the second light receiving element of the specific second device and extracted by the specific second device based on the light received by the second light receiving element is converted into the light receiving state information. Receiving the added light emission intensity information from the specific second device by the third light emitting element until the received light amount of the second light receiving element represented by the received light receiving state information is within an allowable range. Light emission represented by the light emission intensity information received together with the light receiving state information when the light receiving amount of the second light receiving element is determined to be within an allowable range repeatedly while increasing the light emission intensity of the third light emitting element stepwise. Second detection means for detecting the intensity as the optimum light emission intensity of the third light emitting elements corresponding to the particular second device, corresponding to the particular second apparatus of the optimum light emission intensity obtained by the obtaining means A deviation between the optimum emission intensity and the optimum emission intensity detected by the second detection means is used to correspond to a second device other than the specific second device among the optimum emission intensity acquired by the acquisition means. Correction means for correcting the optimum light emission intensity, third storage means for storing the optimum light emission intensity detected by the second detection means and the optimum light emission intensity corrected by the correction means, and light to any second device When transmitting information by communication, control is performed so that the light emission intensity of the third light emitting element becomes the optimum light emission intensity corresponding to the arbitrary second device stored in the third storage means It is characterized by comprising 3 control unit.

The optical communication apparatus according to the invention described in claim 4 is different from each other in that the first apparatus comprising the optical communication apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3 is connected via the first optical fiber. It is connected to a distributed optical signal transmission body connected to each of a plurality of second devices via a second optical fiber via a third optical fiber, and modulated according to arbitrary information from the third light emitting element. The emitted light is transmitted to each of the plurality of second devices via the third optical fiber, the distribution-type optical signal transmitter, and the second optical fiber, and is received by the second light receiving element provided in each of the plurality of second devices. Thus, any information can be transmitted to each of the plurality of second devices by optical communication , and is modulated in accordance with the arbitrary information from any one of the second light emitting elements provided in each of the plurality of second devices. The emitted light is transmitted through a second optical fiber, a distribution-type optical signal transmission body, and the like. Via the third optical fiber is transmitted to its own device, and by receiving at the third light receiving element of the apparatus, and is capable of receiving any information by optical communication from one of the plurality of second devices. In the above configuration, the optical transmission line used when the optical communication device according to the invention of claim 4 transmits information to each second device is used when the first device transmits information to each second device. Since the first optical fiber is merely replaced with the third optical fiber for the optical transmission line to be used, the optimum light emission intensity of the first light emitting element of the first device and the invention according to claim 4 regarding the specific second device. If the deviation from the optimum light emission intensity of the third light emitting element of the optical communication device according to the above is obtained, the deviation and the optimum light emission intensity of the first light emitting element detected by the first device with respect to the other second device, The optimum light emission intensity of the third light emitting element for the second device can be estimated with high accuracy.

In the invention according to claim 4 based on the above, the specific second device receives the optimum light emission intensity detected for each of the plurality of second devices by the first detecting means of the first device from the first device. The information requesting transmission of the information indicating the optimum light emission intensity stored in the second storage means provided in the second device is transmitted to the specific second device and read from the second storage means of the specific second device. By receiving the information indicating the optimum light emission intensity for each of the plurality of second devices transmitted from the specific second device, the optimum light emission intensity for each of the plurality of second devices is acquired by the acquisition unit , together emit third light-emitting element in the light-emitting intensity modulates the light emitted from the third light emitting device using the information obtained by adding the light emission intensity information indicating the emission intensity of the third light-emitting element at the time, certain of the Light reception by the second light receiving element of 2 devices Receiving the luminous intensity information received status information and is extracted by a particular second device based on the received light by the second light receiving element is added to the light receiving state information indicating a particular second device by the third light emitting element Until the light receiving amount of the second light receiving element represented by the received light receiving state information is determined to be within the allowable range, while gradually increasing the light emission intensity of the third light emitting element, the light receiving amount of the second light receiving element is allowable. The light emission intensity represented by the light emission intensity information received together with the light reception state information when it is determined to be within the range is detected by the second detection means as the optimum light emission intensity of the third light emitting element corresponding to the specific second device, and is acquired. using the optimum luminous intensity corresponding to a particular second apparatus of the obtained optimum luminous intensity, the difference between the optimum luminous intensity detected by the second detection means by the correcting means, obtains hand Optimum luminous intensity corresponding to the second device other than the particular second apparatus of the obtained optimum luminous intensity is corrected by. The optimum light emission intensity detected by the second detection means and the optimum light emission intensity corrected by the correction means are respectively stored in the third storage means, and when transmitting information to any second device by optical communication, The third control means controls the light emission intensity of the third light emitting element to be the optimum light emission intensity corresponding to an arbitrary second device stored in the third storage means.

Thus, according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, when information is transmitted to a second device other than the specific second device only by detecting the minimum light emission intensity of the third light emitting element for the specific second device. the optimum light emission intensity of the third light emitting device, it is possible to obtain a high accuracy without actually detected, it may be shortened the time required for obtaining the optimum light emission intensity of the third light emitting element.

An optical communication system according to a fifth aspect of the invention includes two first devices connected to a distribution-type optical signal transmission body via different first optical fibers, and the second optical fibers different from each other. a distribution type optical signal transmission member and each connected to the plurality of second devices, the comprises, from either the first light emitting element provided respectively on the first device is modulated in two in response to said arbitrary information The emitted light is transmitted to each of the plurality of second devices via the first optical fiber, the distributed optical signal transmission body, and the second optical fiber, and is provided in each of the plurality of second devices. by being received by the second light receiving element, the conjunction is possible sending any information by optical communication from one of the two first device to each of the plurality of second devices, depending on any information the second emission is modulated each provided on the plurality of second devices The emitted light is the second optical fiber from any of the child, said distribution type optical signal transmission member and through the first optical fiber respectively are transmitted to the two of the first apparatus, said two first each provided with that received by the first light receiving element, an optical communication system capable of transmitting any information by optical communication from one of the plurality of second devices to each of the first apparatus of two the device a is, first equipment of the two, together emit the first light - emitting element at a predetermined emission intensity obtained by adding emission intensity information representing the luminous intensity of the first light emitting element at that time The light emitted from the first light emitting element is modulated using information, and the light receiving state information indicating the light receiving state by the second light receiving element of the second device whose emission intensity is to be detected , and the light received by the second light receiving element. On the basis of the second device of the emission intensity detection target Issued to be received by the first light receiving element the emission intensity information added to the received status information from the second device the emission intensity detected by the light receiving of the second light receiving element receiving state information received represents Until the amount is determined to be within the allowable range, the light emission intensity of the first light emitting element is repeatedly increased stepwise, and when the amount of light received by the second light receiving element is determined to be within the allowable range, the light receiving state information is received. detecting the emission intensity which was the emission intensity information represented as the optimum light emission intensity of the first light - emitting element corresponding to the second device of the luminous intensity detected, the performed each for the plurality of second devices 1 a detecting means, by specifying the optimum luminous intensity are respectively detected for the plurality of second apparatus by said first detecting means of the other of the first device of the second device receives from the other of said first device, in front Transmit information requesting the transmission of the information representing the optimum light emission intensity stored in the second storage means provided in serial specific second device to the particular second device, the first of said specific second device 2 by receiving information representing the optimum light emission intensity for each of the plurality of second devices read from the storage means and transmitted from the specific second device, thereby obtaining the optimum light emission intensity for each of the plurality of second devices. obtaining means for obtaining, with emit the first light - emitting element at a predetermined emission intensity, the first light emission using the information obtained by adding the light emission intensity information representing the luminous intensity of the first light emitting element at that time The light emitted from the element is modulated and extracted by the specific second apparatus based on the light reception state information indicating the light reception state by the second light receiving element of the specific second apparatus and the light received by the second light receiving element. Added to the light reception status information. To receive by the first light emitting element the serial emission intensity information from said specific second device, the received light quantity of the second light receiving element receiving state information received indicates until judged within the allowable range, the first Repetitively increasing the light emission intensity of the light emitting element step by step, specifying the light emission intensity represented by the light emission intensity information received together with the light reception state information when the amount of light received by the second light receiving element is determined to be within an allowable range optimum luminous intensity corresponding to the particular second apparatus of the second detection means for detecting as the optimum light emission intensity of the first light - emitting element, the optimum light emission intensity obtained by the obtaining means corresponding to the second device When the outermost second using a deviation between the detected optimum luminous intensity by the detection means, corresponding to a second device other than the specific second device among the best luminous intensity obtained by the obtaining means Correction means for correcting light emission intensity, and optimum light emission intensity detected for each of the plurality of second optical communication devices by the first detection means, or optimum light emission intensity detected by the second detection means and the correction means when transmitting storage means for storing the corrected optimum luminous intensity information by optical communication to any of the second apparatus by said light emission intensity of the first shot Hikarimoto child is stored in the storage means Control means for controlling the light emission intensity to correspond to an arbitrary second device, respectively, and when the device is turned on, the elapsed time since the last time the optimum light emission intensity was detected has reached a predetermined time And when the temperature detected by the temperature detecting means for detecting the environmental temperature or the temperature of the first light emitting element is equal to or higher than a preset value, the two first units are at least at one timing . One detects the optimum light emission intensity by the first detecting means of the devices, the other said acquisition means of said two first device, detecting the optimum light emission intensity by the second detecting means and said correcting means In addition, every time one of the two first devices performs detection of the optimum light emission intensity by the first detection means once or continuously every predetermined number of times, the first detection means optimizes it. The apparatus for detecting the light emission intensity and the apparatus for detecting the optimum light emission intensity are switched by the acquisition means, the second detection means, and the correction means.

An optical communication system according to a fifth aspect of the invention includes two first devices connected to a distribution-type optical signal transmission body via different first optical fibers, and distribution via different second optical fibers. and a mold optical signal transmission member and each connecting a plurality of the second equipment was. The first light emitted first optical fiber from one of the light emitting element, the distribution type optical signal transmission member and the second light are respectively provided in the first unit two is modulated in response to any information via fiber are respectively transmitted to a plurality of second apparatus, it is received by the second light receiving element which are respectively provided to the plurality of second devices, either or et multiple first device of the two first Any information can be transmitted to each of the two devices by optical communication, and the light is modulated in accordance with the arbitrary information and emitted from one of the second light emitting elements provided in each of the plurality of second devices. Is transmitted to each of the two first devices via the second optical fiber, the distribution-type optical signal transmission body, and the first optical fiber, and is received by the first light receiving element provided in each of the two first devices. it is, by optical communication from one of the plurality of second devices to each of the two first device And it is capable of transmitting information at will.

Also in the above structure, similarly to the fourth aspect of the present invention, an optical transmission path to be used when one of the first devices of two to transmit information to each of the second apparatus, the two other first device there an optical transmission line used to transmit information to the respective second device, the optical transmission path to the distribution type optical signal transmission member is only located at each different first optical fiber, first instrumentation of two with one location to detect the optimum light emission intensity of the light-emitting element for each of the plurality of second devices, if the other two first equipment of them detect the optimum light emission intensity of the light-emitting element for a particular second device, The undetected optimum emission intensity can be estimated with high accuracy from the already detected optimum emission intensity.

Based on the above, two first equipment of in accordance with the fifth aspect of the present invention, along with light emission of the first light - emitting element at a predetermined emission intensity, represents the emission intensity of the first light emitting element at that time emission The light emitted from the first light emitting element is modulated using the information to which the intensity information is added, and is received by the second light receiving element and the light receiving state information indicating the light receiving state by the second light receiving element of the second device whose emission intensity is to be detected. The received light-receiving state that the first light-receiving element receives the light- emission intensity information extracted by the second device subject to the light-emission intensity detection and added to the light-reception state information based on the received light. Until the light receiving amount of the second light receiving element represented by the information is determined to be within the allowable range, the light receiving intensity of the first light emitting element is repeatedly increased while being gradually increased, and the light receiving amount of the second light receiving element is determined to be within the allowable range. With light reception status information Detecting the emission intensity represented by the luminous intensity information that was signal as an optimum light emission intensity of the first light - emitting element corresponding to the second device the emission intensity detected, first detecting means for performing each for a plurality of second apparatus When, by the optimum light emission intensity are respectively detected for a plurality of second device by the first detecting means of another first device specific second device receives from the other of the first device, to a specific second device Information for requesting transmission of information indicating the optimum light emission intensity stored in the provided second storage means is transmitted to the specific second device, and is read from the second storage means of the specific second device and specified. By receiving information representing the optimum light emission intensity for each of the plurality of second devices transmitted from the second device, the acquisition means for acquiring the optimum light emission intensity for each of the plurality of second devices , and the first with a predetermined light emission intensity together emit light - emitting element, the first at the time Modulates the light emitted from the first light emitting element by using the information obtained by adding the light emission intensity information representing the luminous intensity of the light elements, the light receiving state information indicating a receiving state by the second light receiving element of a particular second device and the second The received light reception state information that the first light emitting element receives the light emission intensity information extracted by the specific second device and added to the light reception state information based on the light received by the light receiving element. When the light receiving amount of the second light receiving element is determined to be within the allowable range, the light receiving intensity of the first light emitting element is repeatedly increased in steps until the light receiving amount of the second light receiving element is determined to be within the allowable range. second detection means for detecting as the optimum light emission intensity of the first light - emitting elements corresponding luminescence intensity light emission intensity information that has been received with the light receiving state information indicating a specific second device, the optimum light emission obtained by the obtaining means Strength Among the optimum light emission intensities acquired by the acquisition unit using the deviation between the optimum light emission intensity corresponding to the specific second device and the optimum light emission intensity detected by the second detection unit, other than the specific second device and correcting means for correcting the optimum light emission intensity corresponding to the second device, the optimum light emission intensity is respectively detected for a plurality of second optical communication device by the first detection means, or the optimum light emission detected by the second detecting means storage means for storing an optimum light emission intensity corrected by the intensity and the correction means, when transmitting the information by optical communication to any of the second apparatus, the emission intensity of the first shot Hikarimoto element is stored in the storage means and control means for controlling so as to optimize the light emission intensity corresponding to an arbitrary second apparatus are provided with respectively. Thus, as in the first aspect of the invention, optical communication with a plurality of devices can be reliably performed via the distributed optical signal transmission body without unnecessarily adversely affecting the life of the light emitting element and the amount of heat generated during light emission. It can be performed.

In the invention according to claim 5, when the apparatus is turned on, when the elapsed time since the last detection of the optimum light emission intensity reaches a predetermined time, and the temperature at which the ambient temperature or the temperature of the first light emitting element is detected. when it is detected by the detecting means the temperature is equal to or higher than a preset value, at least one timing, one of the first devices of two detects the optimum luminous intensity by the first detecting means, 2 The other one of the first devices of the table is configured to detect the optimum light emission intensity by the acquisition means, the second detection means, and the correction means. Therefore, as in the invention of claim 4, wherein one of the first equipment the two detects each optimum light emission intensity of the light-emitting element for each of the second apparatus, and the other light emission for a particular second device The optimum light emission intensity of each of the first light emitting element and the third light emitting element for each second device can be obtained only by detecting the optimum light emission intensity of the element. The time required for obtaining the optimum light emission intensity can be shortened.

Further, in the invention according to claim 5 , the first detection is performed each time one of the two first devices performs the detection of the optimum light emission intensity by the first detection means once or continuously a predetermined number of times. The device for detecting the optimum light emission intensity by means is switched to the device for detecting the optimum light emission intensity by the acquisition means, the second detection means and the correction means . This ensures that the number of light emissions for obtaining the optimum light emission intensity of the first light emitting element is, it is possible to prevent the biasing one of the first light emitting element of each of the first unit two, only one of the lifetime of the first light emitting element of each of the first unit two with the acquisition of the optimum light emission intensity can be prevented from becoming extremely short.

  As described above, according to the present invention, the amount of light received by the light receiving element of another device when transmitting information by optical communication to another device connected via an optical fiber and a distributed optical signal transmitter is within an allowable range. When detecting the optimum light emission intensity of the light emitting element for each of a plurality of other devices connected via an optical fiber and a distribution-type optical signal transmission body, and transmitting information to any other device by optical communication, light emission Since the light emission intensity of the element is controlled so as to be the optimum light emission intensity corresponding to any other device, the distribution type optical signal transmitter can be used without adversely affecting the life of the light emitting element and the amount of heat generated during light emission. Therefore, it is possible to reliably perform optical communication with a plurality of devices.

  Hereinafter, an example of an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[First Embodiment]
FIG. 1 shows an electronic apparatus 10 according to the first embodiment. The electronic device 10 includes a plurality of electronic circuits 12A, 12B, 12C, and 12D. Of the electronic circuits 12A to 12D, the electronic circuit 12A functions as a master that controls the operation of the other electronic circuits 12B to 12D, and the electronic circuits 12B to 12D function as slaves that operate under the control of the electronic circuit 12A.

  Although any device can be applied as the electronic device 10, each color component is received by receiving image data via a network such as a LAN and performing image processing such as screen processing based on the received image data. (For example, C (cyan), M (magenta), Y (yellow), K (black), S (special color), etc.) exposure image data is generated, and each color component is generated based on the generated exposure image data. An electrostatic latent image of each color component is formed by controlling image exposure by a ROS (Raster Output Scanner) provided in the image, and the formed electrostatic latent image of each color component is developed with each color component developer and superimposed. Thus, it is possible to apply a full color printer having a configuration in which a full color toner image is formed and the formed full color toner image is transferred and fixed onto a recording sheet. In this case, as the electronic circuits 12B to 12D functioning as slaves, an image processing circuit for controlling generation of image data for exposure of each color component and image exposure by ROS is used. As an electronic circuit 12A functioning as a master, each image processing is performed. A control circuit that controls the operation of the circuit (for example, a control circuit including a peripheral device such as a CPU and a memory) can be applied.

In the first embodiment, communication between the electronic circuit 12A and the electronic circuits 12B to 12D is performed by optical communication, and optical communication between these electronic circuits is performed between the electronic circuit 12A and the electronic circuits 12B to 12D. An optical communication system 14 that realizes the above is provided. The optical communication system 14 includes optical communication interface (I / F) units 16A to 16D connected to the individual electronic circuits 12A to 12D. The optical communication I / F units 16A to 16D are mounted on the same substrate as the connected electronic circuits 12A to 12D, respectively. The optical communication I / F units 16A to 16D have substantially the same configuration, and a plurality of (for example, five) LD (laser diode) LD arrays 18 arranged in a line and a plurality of (for example, five) the PD array 20 PD (photodetector) are arrayed in a row of pieces), the electronic circuit 12, LD array 18 and the PD array 20 and each connected to the optical communication control unit 22 that is provided.

  Each of the LD array 18 and the PD array 20 of each optical communication I / F unit 16 is configured so that the optical connector 24 can be freely attached and detached, and the optical connector 24 connected to the LD array 18 of the optical communication I / F unit 16A. One end of the first optical fiber 26 is attached, and one end of the first optical fiber 28 is attached to the optical connector 24 attached to the PD array 20, and is connected to the LD array 18 of the optical communication I / F unit 16B. One end of the second optical fiber 36 is attached to the optical connector 24, and one end of the second optical fiber 30 is attached to the optical connector 24 attached to the PD array 20. Similarly, one end of the second optical fiber 38 is connected to the optical connector 24 connected to the LD array 18 of the optical communication I / F unit 16C, and the second optical fiber 32 is connected to the optical connector 24 connected to the PD array 20. One end of the second optical fiber 40 is connected to the optical connector 24 connected to the LD array 18 of the optical communication I / F unit 16D, and the second end is connected to the optical connector 24 connected to the PD array 20. One end of the optical fiber 34 is attached.

  The first optical fibers 26, 28 and the second optical fibers 30, 32, 34, 36, 38, 40 are optical fibers made of synthetic resin called POF (Plastic Optical Fiber) (the core material is acrylic, and the cladding covers the core material) An optical fiber whose material is made of fluororesin is bundled by the same number (for example, five) as the number of LDs in the LD array 18 and the number of PDs in the PD array 20. As shown in FIG. 2, optical connectors 24 are respectively attached to the other ends of the first optical fiber 26 and the second optical fibers 30, 32, and 34, and these optical connectors 24 are connected to the optical sheet bus 42A. ing. Although not shown in detail, the optical connectors 24 are respectively attached to the other ends of the first optical fiber 28 and the second optical fibers 36, 38, 40, and these optical connectors 24 are respectively connected to the optical sheet bus 42B. It is connected. The optical sheet buses 42A and 42B correspond to the distribution type optical signal transmission body according to the present invention.

  The optical sheet buses 42A and 42B are configured by embedding a waveguide member 44 shown in FIG. 3 in the same number (for example, five) as the number of optical fibers in a synthetic resin base member. The waveguide member 44 is made of a material having a high light transmittance and a refractive index higher than that of a clad layer to be described later (for example, polymethylmethacrylate). The waveguide member 44 has an elongated rectangular shape as a whole, and the width dimension changes in a stepped manner. The stepped portions 46A and 46B are formed at two locations in the middle portion. Inclinations that are inclined at an angle of 45 ° with respect to the longitudinal direction and the vertical direction of the waveguide member 44 (vertical direction in FIG. 3) at both ends of the waveguide member 44 and the stepped portions 46A and 46B. Surfaces 44A to 44D are respectively formed. The inclined surfaces 44A to 44D function as signal light incident / exit portions. The waveguide member 44 is embedded so that portions of the upper surface of the waveguide member 44 corresponding to the individual inclined surfaces 44 </ b> A to 44 </ b> D are exposed from the upper surface of the base member. Of these, the base member is connected to face the exposed portion. The waveguide member 44 is covered with a clad layer whose outer surface other than the portion exposed from the upper surface of the base member is made of a material having a refractive index lower than that of the material constituting the waveguide member 44 (for example, a fluorine polymer). Has been.

  In the optical sheet bus 42A, the optical connector 24 to which the first optical fiber 26 is attached has a base so as to face an exposed portion corresponding to the inclined surface 44A formed in the portion of the waveguide member 44 having the largest width dimension. The optical connector 24 connected to the member and having the second optical fibers 30, 32, and 34 attached thereto is connected to the base member so as to face the exposed portion corresponding to the inclined surfaces 44B to 44D. Since the first optical fiber 26 is connected to the LD array 18 of the optical communication I / F unit 16A via the optical connector 24, when the LD array 18 of the optical communication I / F unit 16A emits light, The signal light (laser light) emitted from the LD is transmitted through the first optical fiber 26, is incident on the waveguide member 44, is reflected by the inclined surface 44A, and is confined in the waveguide member 44. It diffuses and propagates in the waveguide member 44. As shown in FIG. 3A, the light is emitted from the waveguide member 44 by being reflected by the inclined surfaces 44 </ b> B to 44 </ b> D and transmitted through the optical connector 24 through the second optical fibers 30, 32, and 34. The light is received by the PD arrays 20 of the optical communication I / F units 16B to 16D.

  In the optical sheet bus 42B, the optical connector 24 to which the first optical fiber 28 is attached is connected to the base member so as to face the exposed portion corresponding to the inclined surface 44A, and the second optical fibers 36, 38, and 40 are connected. The attached optical connector 24 is connected to the base member so as to face the exposed portion corresponding to the inclined surfaces 44B to 44D. Since the second optical fibers 36, 38, and 40 are connected to the LD array 18 of the optical communication I / F units 16B to 16D via the optical connector 24, any one of the LDs of the optical communication I / F units 16B to 16D. When the array 18 emits light, the signal light (laser light) emitted from the individual LDs of the LD array 18 is transmitted through one of the second optical fibers 36, 38, and 40 and is incident on the waveguide member 44. It is diffused and propagated in the waveguide member 44 in a state of being confined in the waveguide member 44 by being reflected by any of the surfaces 44B to 44D. Then, as shown in FIG. 3B, the light is emitted from the waveguide member 44 by being reflected by the inclined surface 44A, is transmitted through the first optical fiber 28 via the optical connector 24, and the optical communication I / F. Light is received by the PD array 20 of the section 16A.

  As described above, the LD array 18 of the optical communication I / F unit 16A includes the optical communication I / F units 16B to 16D via the first optical fiber 26, the optical sheet bus 42A, and the second optical fibers 30, 32, and 34. The LD array 18 of each of the optical communication I / F units 16B to 16D includes the second optical fibers 36, 38, and 40, the optical sheet bus 42B, and the first optical fiber 28. Via the PD array 20 of the optical communication I / F unit 16A. In this embodiment, the distance of the optical transmission path between the optical communication I / F unit 16A and the optical communication I / F units 16B to 16D is about 5 m.

  Next, the configuration of the optical communication control unit 22 provided in each of the optical communication I / F units 16A to 16D will be described with reference to FIG. The optical communication control unit 22 includes an electronic circuit I / F unit 50 that is connected to the electronic circuit 12 and manages communication with the electronic circuit 12. The electronic circuit I / F unit 50 receives information to be transmitted to the other electronic circuit 12 from the electronic circuit 12 and transmits information received from the other electronic circuit 12 to the electronic circuit 12. A transmission control unit 52 is connected to the electronic circuit I / F unit 50, and information received by the electronic circuit I / F unit 50 from the electronic circuit 12 (transmission information to be transmitted to other electronic circuits 12) is transmission controlled. Is output to the unit 52. The transmission control unit 52 includes a non-volatile NVM memory 54 formed of a flash memory or the like, and an optimum emission intensity table (details will be described later) is stored in the NVM memory 54.

  In the first embodiment, the NVM memory 54 of the optical communication I / F unit 16A has an optical communication I / F unit 16 (16B) connected to each electronic circuit 12 (12B to 12D) functioning as a slave. -16D) and the ID set in advance for the optical communication I / F unit 16 (16B-16D) are stored in advance, and are stored in the NVM memory 54 of the optical communication I / F units 16B-16D. Is pre-stored with its own ID and an ID set in advance for the optical communication I / F unit 16A. In the above information, for example, the number of optical communication I / F units 16 connected to the electronic circuit 12 functioning as a slave has increased or decreased due to the configuration change of the electronic device 10 such as the addition of the electronic circuit 12 functioning as a slave. In some cases, it is rewritten by an operator or the like.

  An 8B / 10B encoder 56 is connected to the transmission controller 52, and transmission information is output from the transmission controller 52 to the 8B / 10B encoder 56 byte by byte. Each PD of the PD array 20 has a characteristic that the response decreases when the state where light is not received continues. The optical communication system 14 according to the present embodiment transmits transmission information serially by an optical signal, but normal data is data in which all bits are 0 or 1 (the LD does not emit light while transmitting all bits of data). Data) may be included, and while such data is being transmitted serially, the PD on the receiving side may become inactive and the response may be reduced. For this reason, the 8B / 10B encoder 56 is configured so that the ratio of 0 bits and 1 bits included in all bits of the transmission information input by 1 byte (8 bits) from the transmission control unit 52 does not fall below a certain value. The 8-bit transmission information is converted into 10-bit transmission information in accordance with the conversion conditions set in advance. Note that a plurality of 8B / 10B encoders 56 are actually provided, and conversion from 8-bit transmission information to 10-bit transmission information is performed in parallel by the individual 8B / 10B encoders 56.

  The 8B / 10B encoder 56 is connected to the LD drive unit 62 via a P / S (parallel / serial) conversion unit 60, and the 10-bit transmission information converted by the 8B / 10B encoder 56 is converted to P / S. After being input to the unit 60 and converted into serial data, it is input to the LD driving unit 62. Further, an ECC (Error-Correcting Code) generation unit 58 is connected to the 8B / 10B encoder 56, and the 10-bit transmission information output from the 8B / 10B encoder 56 is also input to the ECC generation unit 58. An error correction code for error correction is generated by the generation unit 58. The ECC generation unit 58 is also connected to the LD drive unit 62 via the P / S conversion unit 60, and the error correction code generated by the ECC generation unit 58 is converted into serial data by the P / S conversion unit 60. After that, the signal is input to the LD driving unit 62. Then, the LD drive unit 62 responds to the transmission information input from the 8B / 10B encoder 56 via the P / S conversion unit 60 and the error correction code input from the ECC generation unit 58 via the P / S conversion unit 60. The transmission information is transmitted as an optical signal by controlling turning on / off of each LD in the LD array 18.

  The LD driving unit 62 is connected to the transmission control unit 52, and a clock signal and light emission intensity control information are input from the transmission control unit 52. A specific LD in the LD array 18 is used for transmitting a clock signal, and the LD driving unit 62 controls turning on / off of the specific LD according to the input clock signal. The LD driving unit 62 can control the light emission intensity of each LD of the LD array 18 and controls the light emission intensity of each LD according to the input light intensity control information.

  On the other hand, a signal processing unit 64 is connected to the PD array 20, and each PD in the PD array 20 receives (receives) an optical signal, so that an output signal from each PD is amplified by the signal processing unit 64. , Demodulated into digital reception information and output. The signal processing unit 64 is connected to the error correction unit 70 via an S / P (serial / parallel) conversion unit 66, and serial reception information output from the signal processing unit 64 is parallelized by the S / P conversion unit 66. After being converted into the received information, it is input to the error correction unit 70. The signal processing unit 64 is connected to the error detection unit 68 via the S / P conversion unit 66. The error detection unit 68 generates an error (error) such as garbled bits in the reception information body based on the error collection code included in the parallel reception information input from the signal processing unit 64 via the S / P conversion unit 66. Verify whether or not. The error correction unit 70 is connected to the error detection unit 68, and performs error correction on the reception information body when the error detection unit 68 detects that an error has occurred in the reception information body.

  The error correction unit 70 is connected to the reception control unit 74 via the 8B / 10B decoder 72, and the reception information (main body) output from the error correction unit 70 after error correction is 10 bits by the 8B / 10B decoder 72. The data is converted into normal 8-bit data in units and input to the reception control unit 74. The signal processing unit 64 is connected to the reception control unit 74, and among the received optical signals, the clock signal is directly input to the reception control unit 74 and used to synchronize with the optical signal transmission side. The reception control unit 74 is connected to each of the electronic circuit I / F unit 50 and the transmission control unit 52, and outputs the received reception information to the transmission control unit 52 and also electronically via the electronic circuit I / F unit 50. Output to the circuit 12. The signal processing unit 64 is also connected to the transmission control unit 52, and outputs received light amount information representing the received light amount of the optical signal to the transmission control unit 52 at the time of optical signal reception (light reception).

The optical communication I / F unit 16A corresponds to the optical communication device according to any one of claims 1 to 3 and the first device according to claims 4 and 5 , respectively, and the optical communication I / F unit. Each LD of the 16A LD array 18 corresponds to the first light emitting element according to the present invention, and each PD of the PD array 20 of the optical communication I / F unit 16A corresponds to the first light receiving element according to the present invention. Further, the optical communication I / F unit 16B~16D corresponds to the second device according to 請 Motomeko 1 to claim 5, the LD of the LD array 18 of optical communication I / F unit 16B~16D this Each PD in the PD array 20 of the optical communication I / F units 16B to 16D corresponds to the second light receiving element according to the present invention.

Next, the operation of the first embodiment will be described. In the first embodiment, when the electronic device 10 is turned on, the optical communication control unit 22 (the transmission control unit 52) of the optical communication I / F unit 16A connected to the electronic circuit 12A functioning as a master serves as a slave. The optimum light emission intensity of each LD of the LD array 18 of the optical communication I / F unit 16A when transmitting information to the optical communication I / F unit 16 connected to each functioning electronic circuit 12 is determined by the individual optical communication I / F. Optimal emission intensity detection processing (FIG. 5A) for detecting each of the F sections 16B to 16C is executed. The transmission control unit 52 starts measuring the elapsed time from the end of execution when the execution of the optimal emission intensity detection process ends, and performs the optimal emission intensity detection process even when a predetermined time or more has elapsed since the previous execution. Do. Hereinafter, the optical communication I / F unit 16A is simply referred to as a “master”. The optimum emission intensity detection process executed by the master is a process corresponding to the first detection means according to the present invention, and the transmission control unit 52 of the optical communication control unit 22 of the master executes the optimum emission intensity detection process. , that acts as a first detection means according to the present invention.

  In the optimum light emission intensity detection processing according to the first embodiment, first, in step 100, by referring to the NVM memory 54, the optical communication I / F unit 16 (hereinafter referred to as the individual electronic circuit 12 functioning as a slave) is connected. , Simply referred to as “slave”) and the IDs preset for each slave. In the next step 102, a slave to be processed (hereinafter referred to as “slave n” for convenience) is determined. In step 104, it is determined whether or not the optimum emission intensity of the master LD array 18 for the slave n is registered in the optimum emission intensity table of the NVM memory 54. If the determination is negative, for example, because the slave n is newly added this time, the optimum light emission intensity of the master LD array 18 for the slave n is detected in the previous optimum light emission intensity detection process. Therefore, the process proceeds to step 106, and a predetermined value is set as an initial value and a change range of the light emission intensity of each LD of the LD array 18 for detecting the optimum light emission intensity of the master LD array 18 with respect to the slave n. The process proceeds to step 112 later.

On the other hand, when the optimum emission intensity of the master LD array 18 for the slave n detected in the previous optimum emission intensity detection process is registered in the optimum emission intensity table, the optimum emission intensity detected this time is stored in the optimum emission intensity table. There is a high possibility that the value is the same as or close to the registered optimum emission intensity. Therefore, if the determination in step 104 is affirmative, the process proceeds to step 108, and the optimum emission intensity of the master LD array 18 for the slave n detected in the previous optimum emission intensity detection process is read from the optimum emission intensity table. In the next step 110, on the assumption that the optimum emission intensity detected this time is the same as or approximate to the read optimum emission intensity, the emission intensity of each LD of the LD array 18 is determined based on the read optimum emission intensity. Set the initial value and change range. For example, the change range of the emission intensity is set to a range that is centered on the read optimum emission intensity and narrower than usual, and the initial value of the emission intensity is set to a value corresponding to the upper limit or lower limit of the set change range. Thus, it may be shortened the time required for optimum light emission intensity detection processing.

In the next step 112, in the intensity detection information used when each LD of the LD array 18 emits light for detecting the optimum light emission intensity, the ID of the slave n as the transmission destination ID and the own (master) as the transmission source ID. Each ID is added, and emission intensity information indicating the emission intensity (initial value set above) of each LD of the LD array 18 is added. In step 114, emission intensity control information for causing each LD of the LD array 18 to emit light with the set emission intensity is output to the LD driving unit 62, and the intensity detection with the slave n and master IDs and emission intensity information added thereto is performed. The use information (transmission information) is output to the LD drive unit 62 via the 8B / 10B encoder 56, the ECC generation unit 58, and the P / S conversion unit 60. Thereby, each LD of the master LD array 18 is turned on / off according to the transmission information so that the light emission intensity at the time of lighting (light emission) matches the set light emission intensity. The modulated optical signal is emitted from the master LD array 18 and transmitted through the first optical fiber 26, the optical sheet bus 42A, and the second optical fibers 30, 32, and 34, and then each slave (optical communication I / F unit 16B to 16B). 16D) is received by the PD array 20 respectively. The process of adding the slave ID as the transmission destination ID to the information to be transmitted to the slave corresponds to the adding means described in claim 3 . Accordingly, it is possible to prevent information transmitted to a specific slave from being erroneously recognized as information addressed to the own apparatus by a slave other than the specific slave.

  In the next step 116, it is determined whether or not a light reception state notification is received from the slave n. When determination is denied, it transfers to step 118, and it is determined whether predetermined time passed after transmitting an optical signal. If the determination is negative, the process returns to step 116, and steps 116 and 118 are repeated until either determination is positive.

  On the other hand, in each slave, when the PD array 20 receives an optical signal and the amount of received light is within the allowable range of each PD of the PD array 20, the received optical signal is demodulated as reception information, and S The data is input to the reception control unit 74 via the / P conversion unit 66, the error detection unit 68, the error correction unit 70, and the 8B / 10B decoder 72. Then, when the reception information is input from the reception control unit 74 to the transmission control unit 52, the transmission control unit 52 executes an optical signal reception process (see FIG. 5B). In this optical signal reception process, first, in step 150, the transmission destination ID included in the reception information is extracted, and it is determined whether or not the extracted transmission destination ID is the ID of the own device. It is determined whether the information is addressed to the device. If the determination is negative, the optical signal reception process is terminated without performing any process. Further, when the determination is affirmative (when the own apparatus is a slave n), the process proceeds to step 152, and the processes after step 152 are performed.

  Here, when the received light amount of the optical signal in the slave n is outside the allowable range of each PD in the PD array 20 (when the received light amount is insufficient), the transmission control unit 52 of the slave n performs the above-described light transmission. Since the signal reception process (FIG. 5B) is not executed, the determination in step 118 of the optimum light emission intensity detection process (FIG. 5A) executed in the master transmission control unit 52 is affirmed and step 120 is executed. , And the process returns to step 112 after the emission intensity setting value is increased by a predetermined amount. Thereby, each LD of the LD array 18 is turned on / off again according to the transmission information so that the light emission intensity at the time of lighting (light emission) is increased by a predetermined amount, so that the light modulated according to the same transmission information The signal is sent again to each slave. Further, the process of step 120 described above is executed every time the determination of step 118 is affirmed. Therefore, if the amount of light received by the slave n is insufficient, the amount of light received by the slave n falls within the allowable range, and the transmission control unit 52 of the slave n receives the optical signal reception process (FIG. 5). The transmission of the optical signal is repeated while increasing the emission intensity of each LD of the master LD array 18 by a predetermined amount so that (B)) is executed.

  When the received light amount of the optical signal in the slave n is within the allowable range of each PD of the PD array 20, the transmission control unit 52 executes the optical signal reception process (FIG. 5B). If the determination in step 150 is affirmed and the process proceeds to step 152, it is determined whether or not the detection of the optimum light emission intensity for the own apparatus is being executed by the master by determining whether or not the received information is information for intensity detection. To do. When determination is denied, it transfers to step 158, and it is determined whether reception information is information which notifies optimal light emission intensity. If this determination is also denied, the process proceeds to step 162, a process corresponding to the content of the received information is executed, and the optical signal reception process is terminated.

  On the other hand, if the determination in step 152 is affirmative, the process proceeds to step 154, and the light reception state information indicating the light reception state of the optical signal by each PD of the PD array 20 based on the light reception amount information input from the signal processing unit 64. Is generated. As the light reception state information, for example, information indicating a deviation between a lower limit value of a light reception amount of each PD of the PD array 20 and an actual light reception amount of an optical signal by each PD of the PD array 20 can be applied. However, instead of this, information indicating the upper limit of the allowable range of the received light amount of each PD of the PD array 20 and the actual received light amount of the optical signal by each PD of the PD array 20 may be applied, Information representing the upper and lower limits of the allowable range of the received light amount of each PD of the PD array 20 and the actual received light amount of the optical signal by each PD of the PD array 20 may be applied.

  In step 156, the emission intensity information is extracted from the received information, the extracted emission intensity information is added to the generated light reception state information, the master ID is set as the transmission destination ID, and the ID of the own apparatus is set as the transmission source ID. After the addition, light emission intensity control information for causing each LD of the LD array 18 to emit light with a preset light emission intensity (the optimum light emission intensity detected last time may be applied instead) to the LD drive unit 62. In addition to outputting, the light reception state information to which the light emission intensity information is added is output to the LD driving unit 62 via the 8B / 10B encoder 56, the ECC generation unit 58, and the P / S conversion unit 60, and the processing at the time of receiving the optical signal is finished. . Thereby, each LD of the LD array 18 of the slave n is turned on / off according to the reception state information so that the light emission intensity at the time of lighting (light emission) matches the set light emission intensity. The optical signal modulated in accordance with the state information is emitted from the LD array 18 of the slave n and transmitted to one of the second optical fibers 36, 38, 40, the optical sheet bus 42B, the first optical fiber 28, and then the master signal. Light is received by the PD array 20.

When the master receives light reception state information to which light emission intensity information is added from slave n, the determination in step 116 of the optimum light emission intensity detection process (FIG. 5A) is affirmed, and the process proceeds to step 122, where the received light reception state is received. By referring to the information, it is determined whether or not the light emission intensity represented by the light emission intensity information added to the light reception state information is the optimum light emission intensity of each LD of the LD array 18 when transmitting information to the slave n. As this optimum light emission intensity, for example, a light emission intensity that is in an optimal state in which the light reception amount of each PD of the slave n PD array 20 matches the lower limit value of the allowable range of the light reception amount can be applied. As a result, the life of the master LD array 18 can be maximized, and the amount of heat generated can be suppressed to the necessary minimum. Step 122 corresponds to the first aspect of the invention. If the received light amount represented by the received light reception state information is different from the light reception amount corresponding to the optimum state, the determination in step 122 is negative, the process proceeds to step 124, and the slave notified by the light reception state information After changing the light emission intensity according to the light receiving state of each PD in the n PD arrays 20, the process returns to step 112.

  Thereby, each LD of the LD array 18 is turned on / off again according to the same information as the previous time so that the light emission intensity at the time of lighting (light emission) matches the light emission intensity after the change setting, and according to the same information as the previous time. The modulated optical signal is transmitted again to each slave with a light emission intensity different from the previous time. Therefore, when the received light amount of the optical signal in the slave n is different from the received light amount corresponding to the optimum state, the light receiving amount of the optical signal in the slave n is set to the optimum state so that the PD array 20 of the slave n The transmission of the optical signal is repeated while changing the light emission intensity of each LD of the master LD array 18 according to the light receiving state of each PD.

When the received light amount of each PD in the PD array 20 of the slave n matches the received light amount corresponding to the optimum state, the determination in step 122 is affirmed and the process proceeds to step 126, where the current emission intensity (last received light reception state information) is determined. Is registered in the optimum emission intensity table of the NVM memory 54 in association with the ID of the slave n as the optimum emission intensity of the master LD array 18 for the slave n. Thus, the master NVM memory 54 corresponds to the first storage means according to the present invention. Further, as described above, the emission intensity information is added to the intensity detection information transmitted to the slave n to be processed, and the optimum emission intensity is based on the emission intensity information added to the light reception state information received from the slave n. The process of recognizing (the light emission intensity of the master LD array 18 when the amount of light received by the slave n reaches the optimum state) corresponds to the invention according to claim 1 . With the above processing, the optimum light emission intensity can be reliably recognized.

  In the next step 128, information for notifying the slave n of the optimum light emission intensity is generated, and the ID of the slave n as the transmission destination ID and the own (master) ID as the transmission source ID are generated in the generated information. In addition, it transmits by optical communication. Thereby, in the optical signal reception process (FIG. 5B) executed by the transmission control unit 52 of the slave n, the determination in step 150 is affirmed, the determination in step 152 is denied, and the determination in step 158 is affirmed. Then, the process proceeds to step 160, and the optimum emission intensity of the master LD array 18 for the slave n notified from the master is stored in the NVM memory 54 of the slave n. Thus, the NVM memory 54 of each slave corresponds to the second storage means according to the present invention.

  In the optimum emission intensity detection process (FIG. 5A) executed by the master, in the next step 130, it is determined whether or not the processes after step 102 described above have been performed for all slaves. If the determination is negative, the process returns to step 102, and the process of step 102 is repeated with a new slave as a processing target. As a result, the optimum emission intensity of the master LD array 18 is detected for all slaves, and the detected optimum emission intensity is registered in the optimum emission intensity table of the NVM memory 54, and is also stored in the corresponding slave n. You will be notified.

When the determination in step 130 is affirmed and the optimum emission intensity detection process (FIG. 5A) is completed, the master transmission control unit 52 transmits the information to each slave to each slave when transmitting information to the master. Predetermined information instructing execution of processing for detecting the optimum light emission intensity of each LD of the LD array 18 is sequentially transmitted by optical communication. Thereby, in the slave (referred to as “slave n” for convenience) instructed to execute the process of detecting the optimum light emission intensity by receiving the predetermined information, the transmission control unit 52 performs the optimum light emission intensity detection process (FIG. 6). (A)) is executed. Note that the optimum light emission intensity detection process (FIG. 6A) executed by the slave is a process corresponding to the setting means according to the present invention, and the transmission control unit 52 of the slave optical communication control unit 22 performs this optimum light emission. functioning as a setting hand stage according to the present invention by executing the intensity detection process.

  In the optimum emission intensity detection process, first, in step 180, the optimum emission intensity notified from the master and stored in the NVM memory 54 (the optimum emission intensity of the master LD array 18 with respect to the slave n) is read. In the first embodiment, the optical transmission path (first optical fiber 26, optical sheet bus 42A and second optical fibers 30, 32, 34) used for transmitting information to each slave by the master, and the master by each slave. Although the optical transmission lines (first optical fiber 28, optical sheet bus 42B, and second optical fibers 36, 38, and 40) used for transmitting information to are different, the distances of the optical transmission lines are substantially equal. The optimum light emission intensity when the slave n transmits information to the master is likely to be a value that is the same as or close to the optimum light emission intensity when the master transmits information to the slave n.

  Based on the above, in step 182, the optimum emission intensity detected this time is the same as or approximate to the optimum emission intensity read from the NVM memory 54 (the optimum emission intensity of the master LD array 18 for the slave n detected and notified by the master). Based on the read optimum light emission intensity, the initial value and change range of the light emission intensity of each LD of the slave n LD array 18 are set. Thereby, the time required for the optimum light emission intensity detection process can be shortened. In the next step 184, the master ID as the transmission destination ID and the own apparatus (slave n) as the transmission source ID in the intensity detection information used when each LD of the LD array 18 emits light for optimal emission intensity detection. Are added, and emission intensity information indicating the emission intensity of each LD of the LD array 18 of the slave n is added.

  In step 186, the emission intensity control information for causing each LD of the LD array 18 to emit light with the set emission intensity is output to the LD drive unit 62, and the intensity detection is performed by adding the master and own apparatus ID and the emission intensity information. The use information (transmission information) is output to the LD drive unit 62 via the 8B / 10B encoder 56, the ECC generation unit 58, and the P / S conversion unit 60. Thereby, each LD of the LD array 18 of the slave n is turned on / off according to the transmission information so that the light emission intensity at the time of lighting (light emission) matches the set light emission intensity, and according to the above transmission information. The modulated optical signal is transmitted from the slave n to the master, transmitted through one of the second optical fibers 36, 38, 40, the optical sheet bus 42B, and the first optical fiber 28, and then received by the master PD array 20. The

  In the next step 188, it is determined whether or not a light reception state notification is received from the master. When determination is denied, it transfers to step 190, and it is determined whether predetermined time passed since transmitting the optical signal. If the determination is negative, the process returns to step 188, and steps 188 and 190 are repeated until either determination is positive.

  In the master, every time an optical signal is received from any one of the slaves, the transmission control unit 52 executes an optical signal reception process (see FIG. 6B). In this optical signal reception process, first, in step 210, the transmission destination ID included in the reception information is extracted, and it is determined whether or not the extracted transmission destination ID is the ID of the own device. It is determined whether the information is addressed to the device. If the determination is negative, the optical signal reception process is terminated without performing any process. In the configuration of the first embodiment, all the information transmitted by each slave is information addressed to the master, and the determination in step 210 is not denied, so step 210 may be omitted. On the other hand, if the determination is affirmed, the process proceeds to step 212, and the processes after step 212 are performed.

  Here, when the received light amount of the optical signal at the master is out of the allowable range of each PD of the PD array 20 (when the received light amount is insufficient), the transmission control unit 52 of the master receives the above optical signal reception. Since the time process (FIG. 6B) is not executed, the determination in step 188 of the optimum emission intensity detection process (FIG. 6A) executed in the transmission control unit 52 of the slave n is affirmed, and the process proceeds to step 190. The process proceeds to step 184 after the set value of the light emission intensity is increased by a predetermined amount. Thereby, each LD of the LD array 18 is turned on / off again according to the transmission information so that the light emission intensity at the time of lighting (light emission) is increased by a predetermined amount, so that the light modulated according to the same transmission information The signal is sent again to the master. Therefore, when the light reception amount of the optical signal at the master is insufficient, the light emission intensity of each LD of the LD array 18 is increased by a predetermined amount so that the light reception amount of the optical signal at the master is within the allowable range. The transmission of the optical signal is repeated.

  If the received light amount of the optical signal in the master is within the allowable range of each PD of the PD array 20, the master transmission control unit 52 executes the optical signal reception process (FIG. 6B). At the same time, the determination in step 210 described above is affirmed, and the process proceeds to step 212, where it is determined whether or not the detection of the optimum light emission intensity with respect to the own apparatus is being executed by the slave n. To determine. When determination is denied, it transfers to step 214, the process according to the content of reception information is performed, and the process at the time of optical signal reception is complete | finished.

  If the determination in step 212 is affirmed, the process proceeds to step 216, and based on the light reception amount information input from the signal processing unit 64, the light reception state information indicating the light reception state of the optical signal by each PD of the PD array 20 Is generated. In step 218, the light emission intensity information is extracted from the received information, and the extracted light emission intensity information is added to the generated light reception state information, and the ID of the slave n as the transmission destination ID and the own apparatus (master) as the transmission source ID. After the IDs are added, the emission intensity control information for causing each LD of the LD array 18 to emit light with the optimum emission intensity for the slave n detected and registered in the optimum emission intensity table is sent to the LD driving unit 62. At the same time, the light reception state information (transmission information) to which the light emission intensity information is added is output to the LD drive unit 62 via the 8B / 10B encoder 56, the ECC generation unit 58, and the P / S conversion unit 60, and an optical signal is received. The process ends. As a result, the light reception state information to which the slave n and master ID and light emission intensity information are added is transmitted from the master to the slave n by optical communication.

  When the slave n receives the light reception state information to which the light emission intensity information is added from the master, the determination in step 188 of the optimum light emission intensity detection process (FIG. 6A) is affirmed, and the process proceeds to step 194. By referring to the state information, it is determined whether or not the light emission intensity represented by the light emission intensity information added to the light reception state information is the optimum light emission intensity of each LD of the LD array 18 when transmitting the information to the master. If the determination is negative, the process proceeds to step 196, where the light emission intensity is changed according to the light reception state of each PD in the master PD array 20 notified by the light reception state information, and then the process returns to step 184. As a result, the light intensity of each LD of the LD array 18 of the slave n is changed and set in accordance with the light receiving state of each PD of the master PD array 20 so that the received light amount of the optical signal at the master becomes an optimum state. The signal transmission is repeated.

  When the received light amount of each PD in the master PD array 20 matches the received light amount corresponding to the optimum state, the determination in step 194 is affirmed and the process proceeds to step 198, where the current light emission intensity (last received light reception state information is added). The light emission intensity represented by the light emission intensity information added) is stored in the NVM memory 54 as the optimum light emission intensity of the LD array 18 of the slave n with respect to the master, and the optimum light emission intensity detection process is terminated. The optimum emission intensity detection process described above is sequentially executed by each slave in accordance with an instruction from the master.

  As described above, when the master and each slave complete the detection of the optimum light emission intensity for the other party of optical communication, normal optical communication is performed. In this normal optical communication, the master transmits information to an arbitrary slave. In this case, the master transmission control unit 52 reads out the optimum emission intensity registered in the optimum emission intensity table of the NVM memory 54 in association with the ID of the slave to which information is to be transmitted, and reads the optimum emission intensity of the LD array 18 with the read optimum emission intensity. Light emission intensity control information for causing each LD to emit light is output to the LD drive unit 62. This process corresponds to the first control means according to the present invention, and by executing this process, the master transmission control unit 52 functions as the first control means according to the present invention. Thereby, when transmitting information from the master to an arbitrary slave, the light emission intensity of each LD of the LD array 18 of the master is controlled so that the received light amount of the optical signal in the slave of the information transmission destination becomes an optimum state.

  When an arbitrary slave (slave n) transmits information to the master, the transmission control unit 52 of the slave n uses the optimum emission intensity stored in the NVM memory 54 (the optimum emission intensity of the LD 18 of the slave n with respect to the master). , And outputs light intensity control information for causing each LD of the LD array 18 to emit light with the read optimum light intensity. As a result, even when information is transmitted from any slave n to the master, the light emission intensity of each LD of the LD array 18 of the slave n is controlled so that the received light amount of the optical signal at the master is in an optimum state. This processing corresponds to the second control means according to the present invention, and by executing this processing, the slave transmission control unit 52 functions as the second control means according to the present invention. As a result, when transmitting information from an arbitrary slave to the master, the light emission intensity of each LD of the slave LD array 18 is controlled so that the received light amount of the optical signal at the information transmission destination master is in an optimum state.

  As described above, in the first embodiment, the optimum light emission intensity of the master LD array 18 for each slave is detected by the master, and the light emission intensity of each LD of the LD array 18 when the master transmits information to any slave. Is controlled so as to have the optimum light emission intensity corresponding to the slave of the information transmission destination, so that information can be reliably transmitted to each slave by optical communication, and the light emission intensity of the LD array 18 is set for each slave. Since it is optimized, it is possible to prevent the life of the LD array 18 from being adversely affected by the light emitted from the master LD array 18 with an emission intensity that is higher than necessary, or to prevent the LD array 18 from generating more heat than necessary. .

[Second Embodiment]
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the part same as 1st Embodiment, description is abbreviate | omitted, and only a different part from 1st Embodiment is demonstrated. As shown in FIG. 7, in the second embodiment, a power control unit 80 is provided in the electronic device 10. The power control unit 80 is connected to each of the slaves (optical communication I / F units 16B to 16D) mounted on the electronic device 10, and can control the power on / off of each slave.

  In the second embodiment, for example, with the configuration change of the electronic device 10 such as the addition of the electronic circuit 12 that functions as a slave, the slave (the light connected to the electronic circuit 12 that functions as a slave) is mounted on the electronic device 10. Even when the number of communication I / F units 16) increases or decreases, the number of slaves connected to the power supply control unit 80 increases or decreases accordingly. The power supply control unit 80 can grasp the increase / decrease in the number. The power supply control unit 80 manages each slave connected (implemented) with an ID (this ID is referred to as a physical ID in order to distinguish it from a logical ID described later). The master optical communication control unit 22 is connected to the power supply control unit 80 and can communicate with the power supply control unit 80.

  Next, the operation of the second embodiment will be described. In the first embodiment described above, an ID (corresponding to the logical ID in the second embodiment) is set in advance for the master and each slave, and the ID is stored in advance in the NVM memory 54 of the master and each slave. However, in the second embodiment, the logical ID is set in advance only for the master, and the logical ID of each slave is set prior to the execution of the optimum emission intensity detection process described above when the electronic device 10 is turned on. The logical ID setting process shown in FIG. 8A is executed and executed by the master transmission control unit 52.

  In this logical ID setting process, first, in step 230, the power supply control unit 80 is inquired of the number of slaves mounted in the electronic device 10 (which can communicate optically with the master) and the physical ID of each slave. By receiving the response from 80, the number of slaves and the physical ID of each slave are recognized. In the next step 232, the power control unit 80 is requested to turn off the power of all slaves. As a result, the power supply control unit 80 turns off all the slaves.

  In step 234, among the slaves recognized in the previous step 230, a slave to be processed (hereinafter referred to as “slave n” for convenience) is determined. In step 236, the power supply control unit 80 is requested to turn on the slave n. Thereby, the power supply of the slave n is turned on by the power supply control unit 80, and the master is in a state where optical communication with the slave n is possible. In step 238, the logical ID of slave n is determined, and the determined logical ID is stored in the NVM memory 54 in association with the physical ID of slave n.

In the next step 240, logical ID notification information for notifying the slave n of the logical ID of the slave n determined in step 238 is generated, and the own device (master) logic is generated as a transmission source ID in the generated logical ID notification information. After adding the ID (destination ID is not set), the preset emission intensity (instead of this, the optimum emission intensity detected last time and registered in the optimum emission intensity table (of the master LD array for slave n) (Optimum emission intensity) may be applied), the emission intensity control information for causing each LD of the LD array 18 to emit light is output to the LD drive unit 62, and the logical ID notification information with the transmission source ID added is 8B / The data is output to the LD drive unit 62 via the 10B encoder 56, the ECC generation unit 58, and the P / S conversion unit 60. Thereby, the logical ID notification information is transmitted from the master to the slave n by optical communication. Step 240 corresponds to the notifying means described in claim 3 . In step 242, it is determined whether or not a response from slave n has been received, and step 242 is repeated until the determination is affirmed.

  On the other hand, in the slave according to the second embodiment, when the power is turned on, the transmission control unit 52 executes the power-on process shown in FIG. At this time, since each slave other than the slave n is powered off, the power-on process is executed only by the transmission control unit 52 of the slave n, and the logical ID notification information transmitted from the master is processed. Received only at slave n. In this power-on process, it is first determined in step 260 whether or not an optical signal has been received, and step 260 is repeated until the determination is positive. When an optical signal is received from the master, the determination in step 260 is affirmed and the process proceeds to step 262 to determine whether the received information is information addressed to the own apparatus. When the logical ID notification information is transmitted from the master, since the slave side does not know the logical ID of the own device, the master does not set the transmission destination ID as described above, and the transmission destination ID is not set. If unset information is received, the determination at step 262 is unconditionally affirmed and the routine proceeds to step 264.

  In step 264, it is determined whether the received information is logical ID notification information. If the determination is negative, the process proceeds to step 270, the process according to the content of the received information is executed and the power-on process is terminated. If the determination in step 264 is affirmative, the process proceeds to step 266. The logical ID of itself (slave n) notified by the logical ID notification information and the logical ID of the master set as the transmission source are stored in the NVM memory 54. In the next step 268, reception notification information for notifying that the logical ID notification information has been received is generated, and in the generated reception notification information, the master logical ID as the transmission destination ID and the own device (slave) as the transmission source ID are generated. n), after adding each of the logical IDs, the preset emission intensity (instead of this, the optimum emission intensity previously detected and stored in the NVM memory 54 (the optimum emission intensity of the LD array 18 of the slave n with respect to the master) ) May be applied), the emission intensity control information for causing each LD of the LD array 18 to emit light is output to the LD drive unit 62, and the reception notification information with the transmission destination ID and the transmission source ID added is 8B / The data is output to the LD drive unit 62 via the 10B encoder 56, the ECC generation unit 58, and the P / S conversion unit 60, and the process returns to step 260. Thereby, the reception notification information is transmitted from the slave n to the master by optical communication.

When the reception notification information transmitted from the slave n is received by the master, the determination in step 242 of the logical ID setting process (FIG. 8A) is affirmed and the process proceeds to step 244, and the power supply of the slave n is turned off. The control unit 80 is requested. Thereby, the power supply control unit 80 turns off the power supply of the slave n to be processed. In step 246, it is determined whether or not the processing from step 234 has been performed on all slaves. If the determination is negative, the process returns to step 234. As a result, Steps 234 to 246 are repeated for all slaves, and determination and notification of logical IDs for all slaves are sequentially performed. If the determination in step 246 is affirmed, the process proceeds to step 248, the power supply control unit 80 is requested to power on all slaves, and the logical ID setting process is terminated. As a result, the power supply control unit 80 turns on power to all slaves, and the master enters a state in which optical communication with each slave is possible. Thereafter, the optimum emission intensity detection process described in the first embodiment is executed by the master and each slave. The logical ID corresponds to the identification information described in claim 3 , and in the logical ID setting process described above, each step except step 240 corresponds to the assigning means described in claim 3 .

  As described above, in the second embodiment, the logical ID setting process is performed prior to the execution of the optimum light emission intensity detection process when the electronic apparatus 10 is turned on. Even if there is a change, a logical ID is automatically given to each slave, and each time the configuration of the electronic device 10 is changed with an increase or decrease in the number of slaves, the master and slave NVM memories There is no need for the operator to perform operations such as rewriting the information stored in 54.

[Third Embodiment]
Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the part same as 1st Embodiment, description is abbreviate | omitted, and only a different part from 1st Embodiment is demonstrated. The electronic device 10 according to the third embodiment is provided with an electronic circuit 12E that functions as a master similarly to the electronic circuit 12A, and the optical communication system 14 according to the third embodiment is connected to the electronic circuit 12E. The optical communication I / F unit 16E is included.

  The optical communication I / F unit 16E has the same configuration as the optical communication I / F units 16A to 16D. Hereinafter, the optical communication I / F unit 16E is referred to as a quasi-master in order to distinguish it from the optical communication I / F unit 16A. The optical sheet buses 42A and 42B described in the first embodiment are configured by embedding a plurality of waveguide members 44 formed with four inclined surfaces 44A to 44D in the base member. In the embodiment, the optical sheet buses 84A and 84B provided in place of the optical sheet buses 42A and 42B have five inclined surfaces in order to enable optical communication between the quasi-master and each slave. A plurality of formed waveguide members are each embedded in a base member. The quasi-master LD array 18 is connected to the optical sheet bus 84A via the optical connector 24 and the third optical fiber 76, and the PD array 20 is connected to the optical sheet bus via the optical connector 24 and the third optical fiber 78. 84B. The optical sheet buses 84A and 84B also correspond to the distribution type optical signal transmission body according to the present invention.

Therefore, the quasi-master LD array 18 is optically coupled to each slave PD array 20 via the third optical fiber 76, the optical sheet bus 84A, and the second optical fibers 30, 32, 34, respectively. The optical signals emitted from the quasi-master LD array 18 are received (received) by each slave PD array 20. The LD array 18 of each slave is optically coupled to the PD array 20 of the quasi-master via the second optical fibers 36, 38, 40, the optical sheet bus 84B, and the third optical fiber 78, respectively. The optical signal emitted from the LD array 18 of each slave is received (received) by the PD array 20 of the quasi-master in addition to the master. Incidentally, optical communication I / F portion 16E is an optical communication apparatus according to the fourth aspect of the present invention corresponds to one of the two first device of claim 5, the optical communication I / F Each LD of the LD array 18 of the section 16E corresponds to the first light emitting element according to the present invention. The third optical fiber 76 corresponds to one of “different first optical fibers” according to claim 5.

  Next, as an operation of the third embodiment, when the electronic device 10 is turned on and when the elapsed time since the execution of the optimal emission intensity detection process last time reaches a predetermined time, the master transmission control unit 52 The optimum emission intensity detection process to be executed will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

In the third embodiment, in the optimum emission intensity detection process executed by the master, first, in step 280, each slave performs the same as the optimum emission intensity detection process (see FIG. 5A) described in the first embodiment. The optimum light emission intensity of the master LD array 18 is detected, registered in the optimum light emission intensity table of the NVM memory 54, and notified to each slave. When the process of step 280 is completed, the process proceeds to step 282, and the optimum emission intensity notification information for notifying the specific slave X of the optimum emission intensity of the master LD array 18 for all the slaves detected in step 280 is generated and generated. The ID of the specific slave X is added as the transmission destination ID to the optimum emission intensity notification information, and the ID of itself (master) is added as the transmission source ID.

  The specific slave X may be fixedly set in advance, or the optimal light intensity detection is performed so that the slave functioning as the specific slave X is switched each time the optimal light intensity detection process according to the third embodiment is executed. The master may be set each time the process is executed. In step 284, processing end notification request information for requesting that the specific slave X that has notified the optimum emission intensity of the master LD array 18 for each slave to notify the quasi-master of the completion of the optimum emission intensity detection process is provided. The generated process completion notification request information is added with the ID of the specific slave X as the transmission destination ID and the own (master) ID as the transmission source ID and transmitted by optical communication, and the process ends.

  On the other hand, in each slave, the transmission control unit 52 executes the optical signal reception process shown in FIG. In this optical signal reception process, first, in step 290, it is determined whether or not the transmission destination ID included in the reception information matches the ID of the own device, thereby determining whether or not the received information is information addressed to the own device. To do. If the determination is negative, the optical signal reception process is terminated without performing any processing. If the determination is affirmative, the process proceeds to step 292 to determine whether the received information is the optimum emission intensity notification information. Thus, it is determined whether or not the master has notified the optimum light emission intensity of the master LD array 18 for each slave. When determination is denied, it transfers to step 294, the process according to the content of the received information is performed, and the process at the time of optical signal reception is complete | finished. In the third embodiment, the processing in step 294 includes the processing in steps 152 to 160 in the optical signal reception processing (FIG. 5B) described in the first embodiment.

  If the slave that is executing the optical signal reception process is the specific slave X and the information received by the specific slave X is the optimum emission intensity notification information transmitted from the master, the determination in step 292 is made. The process proceeds to step 296, where the optimum light emission intensity of the master LD array 18 for each slave notified from the master by the received optimum light emission intensity notification information is stored in the NVM memory 54. In the next step 298, it is determined whether or not the notification of completion of the optimum light emission intensity detection processing to the quasi-master has been requested based on whether or not the processing completion notification request information has been received from the master. Repeat 298.

  When the processing end notification request information is received from the master, the above determination is affirmed and the routine proceeds to step 300, where the optimum light emission intensity detection for notifying the sub-master that the optimum light emission intensity detection processing executed at the master has been completed. Generate processing end notification information, add the semi-master ID as the transmission destination ID to the generated optimal emission intensity detection processing end notification information, and transmit the optical transmission by adding the ID of the own (specific slave X) as the transmission source ID. To do. In the next step 302, it is determined whether or not it has been requested by the quasi-master to transmit the optimum light emission intensity of the master LD array 18 for each slave, and step 302 is repeated until the determination is affirmed.

  In the quasi-master, when the optimum emission intensity detection process end notification information is received from the specific slave X by optical communication, the transmission controller 52 executes the optimum emission intensity detection process shown in FIG. In this optimum emission intensity detection process, first, in step 310, the optimum emission intensity for requesting the specific slave X to transmit information indicating the optimum emission intensity of the master LD array 18 for each slave to the specific slave X. Transmission request information is generated, and the ID of the specific slave X is added as a transmission destination ID to the generated optimum light emission intensity transmission request information, and the ID of itself (semi-master) is added as a transmission source ID, and transmitted by optical communication. In the next step 312, it is determined whether the specific slave X has notified the optimum light emission intensity of the master LD array 18 for each slave, and step 312 is repeated until the determination is affirmed.

  When the above-mentioned optimum emission intensity transmission request information transmitted from the quasi-master is received by the specific slave X, in the optical signal reception process (FIG. 10B) executed by the transmission control unit 52 of the specific slave X When the determination in step 302 is affirmed, the process proceeds to step 304, and the optimum emission intensity notified from the master and stored in the NVM memory 54 (information indicating the optimum emission intensity of the master LD array 18 for each slave) is set to NVM. Reads the optimum light emission intensity read from the memory 54 and generates the optimum light emission intensity notification information for notifying the quasi-master of the read optimum light emission intensity. The ID of (specific slave X) is added and transmitted by optical communication, and the process at the time of optical signal reception is terminated.

In the quasi-master, when the optimum emission intensity notification information is received from the specific slave X by optical communication, the determination in step 312 of the optimum emission intensity detection process (FIG. 10C) is affirmed, and the process proceeds to step 314. The optimum emission intensity (optimum emission intensity of the master LD array 18 for each slave) is stored in the NVM memory 54 based on the emission intensity notification information. The specific slave X corresponds to the specific second device described in claim 4 , and the process of storing the optimum light emission intensity of the master LD array 18 for each slave in the NVM memory 54 is performed in the above-described step 310, 312 corresponds to the obtaining means described in claim 4 . Then, in the same manner as Step 104 to Step 126 of the optimum light emission intensity detection process (FIG. 5A) described in the first embodiment, the quasi-master LD array 18 for the specific slave X (which may be another slave) is used. Detect the optimal emission intensity. The process of detecting the optimum light emission intensity of the quasi-master LD array 18 for the specific slave X corresponds to the second detection means according to claim 4 .

  In the next step 316, the optimum emission intensity of the quasi-master LD array 18 for the specific slave X detected in step 314 and the master for the specific slave X notified from the master via the specific slave X and stored in the NVM memory 54. The deviation S from the optimum emission intensity of the LD array 18 is calculated. In the third embodiment, an optical transmission path (third optical fiber 76, optical sheet bus 84A, and second optical fibers 30, 32, and 34) through which optical signals are transmitted when the quasi-master transmits information to individual slaves. ) For the optical transmission path (the first optical fiber 26, the optical sheet bus 84A and the second optical fibers 30, 32, 34) through which the optical signal is transmitted when the master transmits information to each slave. The first optical fiber 26 is merely replaced with the third optical fiber 76, and the deviation S is the difference between the first optical fiber 26 and the third optical fiber 76 (the optical attenuation of the optical signal transmitted through each optical fiber). Difference).

  For this reason, in the next step 318, the deviation calculated by the step 316 for the optimum light emission intensity of the master LD array 18 for each slave other than the specific slave X received from the master via the specific slave X and stored in the NVM memory 54. Correct with S. As a result, the optimum emission intensity of the quasi-master LD array 18 for each slave can be detected with high accuracy without actually detecting the LD array 18 to emit light, and the time required for the optimum emission intensity detection process can be reduced. can do. The above steps 316 and 318 correspond to the correcting means according to the present invention.

  When the optimum emission intensity of the quasi-master LD array 18 for each slave is obtained as described above, in step 318, the obtained optimum emission intensity is associated with the ID of each slave, and the optimum emission intensity table of the NVM memory 54 is obtained. Register with. In the next step 320, the optimum emission intensity of the quasi-master LD array 18 for each slave obtained by the above process is notified to each slave, and the optimum emission intensity detection process is terminated. In the third embodiment, the process of detecting the optimum light emission intensity of the LD array 18 of each slave for each of the master and the semi-master is sequentially performed for each slave in response to the end of the optimum light emission intensity detection process at the semi-master. Done. Instead of this, each slave sequentially detects the optimum emission intensity for the master in response to the end of the optimum emission intensity detection process at the master, and then the optimum emission intensity detection process is performed at the quasi-master. In response to the end of, each slave may sequentially detect the optimum light emission intensity for the quasi-master.

  In addition, when the detection of the optimum light emission intensity is completed as described above, normal optical communication is performed. In this normal optical communication, the case where the quasi-master transmits information to an arbitrary slave is also performed. The transmission control unit 52 reads out the optimum emission intensity registered in the optimum emission intensity table of the NVM memory 54 in association with the ID of the slave to which information is to be transmitted, and emits each LD of the LD array 18 with the read optimum emission intensity. The light emission intensity control information for making it output is output to the LD drive unit 62. This processing corresponds to the third control means according to the present invention, and by executing this processing, the semi-master transmission control unit 52 functions as the third control means according to the present invention. As a result, even when information is transmitted from the quasi-master to an arbitrary slave, the light emission intensity of each LD of the LD array 18 of the quasi-master is controlled so that the received light amount of the optical signal in the information transmission destination slave is in an optimum state. Will be.

In the above description, the example in which the master executes the optimum light emission intensity detection process when the electronic device 10 is turned on and when the elapsed time from the previous execution of the optimum light emission intensity detection process has reached a predetermined time has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the LD has a drive current-light emission intensity characteristic that changes depending on the temperature. Therefore, for example, a temperature sensor that detects the temperature in the casing of the electronic device 10 or the temperature of the LD array 18 is provided. The optimum light emission intensity detection process may be performed also when the temperature detected by the above becomes equal to or higher than a preset value. The above matter corresponds to the invention described in claim 2 .

In the third embodiment, the master detects the optimum light emission intensity of the LD array 18 for each slave by actually causing each LD of the LD array 18 to emit light, and the quasi-master detects the optimum of the LD array 18 for the specific slave X. The light emission intensity is detected, and the optimum light emission intensity for each slave other than the specific slave X is obtained by calculation based on the optimum light emission intensity detected for each slave by the master and the optimum light emission intensity detected for the specific slave X. Although the example has been described, the present invention is not limited to this, and the first process for detecting the optimum emission intensity of the LD array 18 for each slave and the optimum emission intensity of the LD array 18 for the specific slave X are detected. Master the second processing to calculate the optimal emission intensity for each slave other than the specific slave X by calculation And the quasi-master, each time when the optimum light emission intensity should be detected, or one of the master and the quasi-master performs the first process and the other performs the second process continuously a predetermined number of times. It may be switched at every timing. Accordingly, the number of times of light emission of each LD of the LD array 18 at the time of detecting the optimum light emission intensity can be prevented from being biased to one of the master and the quasi-master. Only the life of one LD array 18 of the master can be prevented from becoming extremely short. The above items correspond to the invention described in claim 5 .

Further, in the above, the optimum light emission intensity is detected for each optical transmission path (master (and quasi-master) → each slave, each slave → master (and quasi-master) optical transmission path) through which an optical signal is transmitted. Although an example has been described, the present invention is not limited to this, and each optical transmission line may be adjusted so that the optical loss in each optical transmission line becomes equal to each other. For example, in the configuration described in the third embodiment, making the optical loss in each optical transmission line equal to each other makes the optical loss in the first optical fiber 26 and the third optical fiber 76 equal, and the second optical fibers 30 and 32. , 34 are equal to each other, the optical losses in the second optical fibers 36, 38, 40 are equal to each other, and the optical losses in the first optical fiber 28 and the third optical fiber 78 are equal to each other. realizable. In addition, adjusting the optical loss to be equal in each optical fiber is to adjust (align) the length of each optical fiber, or, for example, the light blocking means used for the control of the gas laser has a smaller optical loss. It can be realized by providing it in the middle of the optical fiber. In this case, although the degree of freedom in changing the configuration of the optical communication system 14 is hindered, the optimum emission intensity detected for a specific optical transmission line can be used as the optimum emission intensity in another optical transmission line. Ru can be very short the time required for detection of the emission intensity.

Furthermore, in the above, the optimum light emission intensity of the master LD array 18 for each slave is notified from the master to each slave, and each slave, based on the notified optimum light emission intensity, the optimum light emission intensity of the slave LD array 18 for the master. The example of setting the initial value and the change range of the light emission intensity in the detection of the above has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this, for example, optical transmission in which an optical signal is transmitted when information is transmitted from the slave to the master If the path is the same as the optical transmission path where the optical signal is transmitted when transmitting information from the master to the slave, or the optical transmission path itself is different, but the difference in optical attenuation between the two optical transmission paths is ignored If it is as small as possible, the optimum emission intensity of the slave LD array 18 relative to the master is determined without detecting the optimum emission intensity at the slave. , But it may also be the optimum light emission intensity notified from the master to use it.

  In the above description, a full-color printer has been described as an example of the electronic device 10. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and it is needless to say that the present invention can be applied to any electronic device such as a computer.

1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an optical communication system according to a first embodiment. It is a perspective view which shows the external appearance of an optical sheet bus | bath. It is a perspective view which shows the waveguide member embed | buried under the base member of the optical sheet bus | bath. It is a block diagram which shows schematic structure of an optical communication control part. (A) is the optimal light emission intensity detection process executed by the master according to the first embodiment, and (B) is a flowchart showing the contents of the optical signal reception process executed by any slave n according to the first embodiment. It is. (A) is the optimal light emission intensity detection process executed by an arbitrary slave n according to the first embodiment, and (B) is a flowchart showing the contents of the optical signal reception process executed by the master according to the first embodiment. It is. It is a block diagram which shows schematic structure of the optical communication system which concerns on 2nd Embodiment. (A) is a flowchart showing the contents of logical ID setting processing executed by the master according to the second embodiment, and (B) is the contents of power-on processing executed by any slave n according to the first embodiment. . It is a block diagram which shows schematic structure of the optical communication system which concerns on 3rd Embodiment. (A) is the optimal emission intensity detection process executed by the master according to the third embodiment, (B) is the optical signal reception process executed by the specific slave X according to the third embodiment, and (C) is the first. It is a flowchart which each shows the content of the optimal light emission intensity detection process performed with the semi-master which concerns on 3rd Embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Electronic device 12 Electronic circuit 14 Optical communication system 16 Optical communication I / F part 18 LD array 20 PD array 22 Optical communication control part 26 Optical fiber 28 Optical fiber 30 Optical fiber 32 Optical fiber 34 Optical fiber 36 Optical fiber 38 Optical fiber 40 Optical fiber 42 Optical sheet bus 52 Transmission control unit 54 NVM memory 76 Optical fiber 78 Optical fiber 80 Power supply control unit 84 Optical sheet bus

Claims (5)

The distributed optical signal transmission body is connected to a plurality of second devices via different second optical fibers, and is connected to arbitrary information via a first optical fiber. In response, the light emitted from the first light emitting element is transmitted to the plurality of second devices via the first optical fiber, the distributed optical signal transmission body, and the second optical fiber, respectively, By receiving light with a second light receiving element provided in each of the second devices, arbitrary information can be transmitted to each of the plurality of second devices by optical communication , and modulated according to the arbitrary information, the plurality of the plurality of second devices. Light emitted from any of the second light emitting elements provided in each of the second devices is transmitted to the own device via the second optical fiber, the distributed optical signal transmitter and the first optical fiber, By receiving light with the first light receiving element of its own device A optical communication apparatus capable of receiving any information by optical communication from one of the plurality of second devices,
The optimal light emission intensity of the first light emitting element for setting the amount of light received by the second light receiving element of the arbitrary second device when transmitting information to the arbitrary second device by optical communication within an allowable range, First detection means for detecting each of a plurality of second devices;
First storage means for storing optimum light emission intensities respectively detected for a plurality of second devices by the first detection means;
When transmitting information to any second device by optical communication, the light emission intensity of the first light emitting element is set to the optimum light emission intensity corresponding to the arbitrary second device stored in the first storage means. First control means for controlling
With
The first detection means causes the first light emitting element to emit light at a predetermined light emission intensity, and uses the information to which light emission intensity information indicating the light emission intensity of the first light emitting element at that time is added to the first light emission. The light emitted from the element is modulated, and based on the light reception state information indicating the light reception state by the second light receiving element of the second device whose light emission intensity is to be detected and the light received by the second light receiving element, The received light reception state information represents that the first light receiving element receives the light emission intensity information extracted by the second device and added to the light reception state information from the second device of the light emission intensity detection target . Until the light receiving amount of the light receiving element is determined to be within the allowable range, the light emission intensity of the first light emitting element is repeatedly increased in stages, and when the light receiving amount of the second light receiving element is determined to be within the allowable range, Optical communication device characterized by detecting the emission intensity represented by the luminous intensity information that has been received together with information as the optimum light emission intensity of the first light emitting element corresponding to the second device of the luminous intensity detected.   The apparatus further comprises temperature detection means for detecting an environmental temperature or a temperature of the first light emitting element, and the first detection means is optimal when the temperature detected by the temperature detection means is equal to or higher than a preset value. The optical communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein emission intensity is detected. Adding means for adding identification information of the arbitrary second device to information used for modulation of light emitted from the first light emitting element during optical communication with the arbitrary second device;
Granting means for granting identification information for identifying each of the plurality of second devices to each second device;
Notifying means for notifying each of the plurality of second devices of the identification information given by the granting means, so that each of the plurality of second devices holds the notified identification information;
Further comprising
The assigning unit sequentially turns on the power of the plurality of second devices and repeats giving the identification information to the second device that is in a state in which optical communication is newly possible as the power is turned on, wherein the plurality of claim 1 or claim 2 Symbol placement of the optical communication apparatus and performing of identification information to each of the second apparatus. A first device comprising the optical communication device according to any one of claims 1 to 3 is connected via a first optical fiber, and a plurality of second devices are connected via different second optical fibers. Are connected to a distributed optical signal transmission body connected to each other via a third optical fiber, and the light emitted from the third light emitting element after being modulated according to arbitrary information is emitted from the third optical fiber and the distributed light. The plurality of second devices are transmitted to the plurality of second devices via the signal transmission body and the second optical fiber, and are received by the second light receiving elements respectively provided in the plurality of second devices. Arbitrary information can be transmitted by optical communication to each of the first and second light emitting elements modulated in accordance with the arbitrary information and emitted from any of the second light emitting elements respectively provided in the plurality of second devices. Two optical fibers, the distributed optical signal transmitter, and the Via the third optical fiber is transmitted to its own device, and by receiving at the third light receiving element of the apparatus, there in the optical communication apparatus capable of receiving any information by optical communication from one of the plurality of second devices And
The specific second device receives the optimum light emission intensity detected for each of the plurality of second devices by the first detection means of the first device from the first device, and is provided in the specific second device. Information for requesting transmission of the information indicating the optimum light emission intensity stored in the second storage means is transmitted to the specific second device and read from the second storage means of the specific second device. Obtaining means for acquiring the optimum light emission intensity for each of the plurality of second devices by receiving information indicating the optimum light emission intensity for each of the plurality of second devices transmitted from the specific second device ;
The third light emitting element is caused to emit light with a predetermined light emission intensity, and light emitted from the third light emitting element is modulated using information to which light emission intensity information indicating the light emission intensity of the third light emitting element at that time is added. The light receiving state information indicating the light receiving state by the second light receiving element of the specific second device and the light received by the second light receiving element are extracted by the specific second device and added to the light receiving state information. Receiving the received light emission intensity information from the specific second device by the third light emitting element until the received light amount of the second light receiving element represented by the received light receiving state information is within an allowable range. The light emission intensity represented by the light emission intensity information received together with the light reception state information when the light reception amount of the second light receiving element is determined to be within an allowable range repeatedly while gradually increasing the light emission intensity of the third light emitting element. Second detection means for detecting as the optimum light emission intensity of the third light emitting elements corresponding to the particular second device,
Obtained by the obtaining means using a deviation between the optimum light emission intensity corresponding to the specific second device among the optimum light emission intensity obtained by the obtaining means and the optimum light emission intensity detected by the second detecting means. Correction means for correcting the optimum light emission intensity corresponding to the second device other than the specific second device among the optimum light emission intensities,
Third storage means for storing the optimum emission intensity detected by the second detection means and the optimum emission intensity corrected by the correction means;
When transmitting information to any second device by optical communication, the light emission intensity of the third light emitting element is set to the optimum light emission intensity corresponding to the arbitrary second device stored in the third storage means. 3rd control means to control to,
An optical communication device comprising: Two first devices connected to the distribution-type optical signal transmission body through different first optical fibers, and a plurality of first devices connected to the distribution-type optical signal transmission body through different second optical fibers, respectively. comprising a second device, the first light emitted said first optical fiber from one of the light emitting elements which are respectively provided in the first unit of two said modulated according to any of the information, the distribution are respectively transmitted through the mold optical signal transmission member and the second optical fiber to said plurality of second devices, that is received by the second light receiving element which are respectively provided in the plurality of second devices, the two Any information can be transmitted from any one of the first devices to each of the plurality of second devices by optical communication, and is modulated according to the arbitrary information and provided to each of the plurality of second devices. the emitted light is the second light off from either the second light emitting element Drivers, wherein each transmitted distributed type optical signal transmission member and through the first optical fiber to the first device of the two said, received by the first light receiving element which are respectively provided on the two first device it is, a plurality of second apparatus optical communication system capable of transmitting any information by optical communication to each of the first apparatus of two from said one of,
First equipment of two above,
Together emit the first light - emitting element at a predetermined emission intensity, the light emitted from the first light emitting element by using the information obtained by adding the light emission intensity information representing the luminous intensity of the first light emitting element at that time Modulated and extracted by the second device of the light emission intensity detection target based on the light reception state information indicating the light reception state by the second light receiving element of the second device of the light emission intensity detection target and the light received by the second light receiving element. The received light intensity of the second light receiving element represented by the received light receiving state information indicates that the light receiving intensity information added to the light receiving state information is received by the first light receiving element from the second device whose light intensity is to be detected. Until it is determined to be within the allowable range, the light emission intensity of the first light emitting element is repeatedly increased stepwise, and when the amount of light received by the second light receiving element is determined to be within the allowable range, it is received together with the light reception state information. Said luminous intensity information the emission intensity is represented be detected as the optimum light emission intensity of the first light - emitting element corresponding to the second device of the luminous intensity detected, the first detection performed each for the plurality of second devices Means,
The specific second device receives the optimum light emission intensity detected for each of the plurality of second devices by the first detection means of the other first device from the other first device, so that the specific first device 2 transmits information requesting transmission of the information indicating the optimum light emission intensity stored in the second storage means provided in the second apparatus to the specific second apparatus, and from the second storage means of the specific second apparatus Acquisition means for acquiring the optimum light emission intensity for each of the plurality of second devices by receiving information indicating the optimum light emission intensity for each of the plurality of second devices read and transmitted from the specific second device. When,
Together emit the first light - emitting element at a predetermined emission intensity, the light emitted from the first light emitting element by using the information obtained by adding the light emission intensity information representing the luminous intensity of the first light emitting element at that time The light receiving state information that is modulated and received by the second light receiving element of the specific second device and extracted by the specific second device based on the light received by the second light receiving element is converted into the light receiving state information. Receiving the added light emission intensity information from the specific second device by the first light emitting element until the received light amount of the second light receiving element represented by the received light receiving state information is within an allowable range. repeated while gradually increasing the luminous intensity of the first light emitting element, the light emitting strength of the light emitting intensity information that has been received indicates with a light receiving state information when the received light amount is determined within the allowable range of the second light receiving element Second detection means for detecting as the optimum light emission intensity of the first light - emitting element corresponding to the particular second device,
Obtained by the obtaining means using a deviation between the optimum light emission intensity corresponding to the specific second device among the optimum light emission intensity obtained by the obtaining means and the optimum light emission intensity detected by the second detecting means. Correction means for correcting the optimum light emission intensity corresponding to the second device other than the specific second device among the optimum light emission intensities,
The optimum emission intensity detected for each of the plurality of second optical communication devices by the first detection means, or the optimum emission intensity detected by the second detection means and the optimum emission intensity corrected by the correction means are stored. Storage means for
To transmit information by optical communication to any of the second apparatus, so as to be the optimum luminous intensity light emission intensity of the first shot Hikarimoto element corresponding to the optional second device stored in the storage means Control means to control,
Each with
When the apparatus is turned on, the temperature detected by the temperature detecting means for detecting the ambient temperature or the temperature of the first light emitting element when the elapsed time from the last detection of the optimum light emission intensity reaches a predetermined time If a preset value or more, at least one of timing, the one of the two first device the optimum luminous intensity detected by the first detecting means, the two first device The other of them detects the optimum light emission intensity by the acquisition means, the second detection means and the correction means, and one of the two first devices detects the optimum light emission intensity by the first detection means. Is performed once or continuously every predetermined number of times, the device for detecting the optimum emission intensity by the first detection means, and the optimum emission intensity by the acquisition means, the second detection means, and the correction means. Inspection Optical communication system characterized by being configured such that the device is switched to.

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