JPH11355249A - Optical signal transmission equipment and signal processor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To increase the signal transmission rate and to enable miniaturization and cost-down by transmitting the pulse stream optical signals of mutually different wavelengths from plural optical signal transmission parts, receiving the pulse stream optical signals at plural optical signal reception parts and separating the desired signal component from plural signal components. SOLUTION: Optical signal transmission parts 20a-20f generate optical signals and make the generated optical signals incident from correspondent transmission nodes A-F into an optical transmission medium 10. The optical signal transmission parts 20a-20f are respectively provided with two kinds of light emitting elements 21 and 22 for emitting the pulse stream optical signals of mutually different wavelength so as to generate the pulse train optical signals of mutually different wavelengths. Optical signal reception parts 40a-40f receive the optical signals emitted from the transmission nodes A-F, provide reception signals at different levels corresponding to the wavelengths of optical signals and separate the desired signal component from signal components contained in the provided reception signals corresponding to six optical signals generated by six optical signal transmission parts 20a-20f.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an optical signal transmission device for transmitting an optical signal and a signal processing device for performing signal processing including transmission of the optical signal.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, with the development of very large scale integrated circuits (VLSI), circuit functions of circuit boards (daughter boards) used in data processing systems have been greatly increased. As the number of signal connections to each circuit board increases as circuit functions increase, a data bus board (mother board) that connects each circuit board (daughter board) with a bus structure requires a large number of connectors and connection lines. Parallel architecture has been adopted. Although the parallel bus has been improved by increasing the number of connection lines and miniaturization, the operation speed of the parallel bus has been improved.However, due to the signal delay caused by the capacitance between the connection lines and the resistance of the connection lines, the processing speed of the system becomes parallel. It may be limited by the operating speed of the bus. In addition, electromagnetic noise (EMI: Electromagnetic In
The problem of terence is also a major constraint on improving the processing speed of the system.

In order to solve such a problem and improve the operation speed of the parallel bus, use of an in-system optical connection technique called optical interconnection has been studied. The outline of the optical interconnection technology is described in "Seiji Uchida, Academic Lecture Meeting of Circuit Packaging 15C01, pp. 146-64". 201-
202 ”and“ Hisami Tomimuro. , "Current State and Trend of Optical Interconnection Technology", IEEE Tokyo Sect
ion DenshiTokyo No. 33 pp.
81-86, 1994], various forms are proposed depending on the configuration of the system. Among the optical interconnect technologies of various forms proposed in the past, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2-41042 discloses Discloses an example in which an optical data transmission method using a high-speed, high-sensitivity light emitting / receiving device is applied to a data bus.
Light-emitting / light-receiving devices are placed on both sides of each circuit board,
There has been proposed a serial optical data bus for loop transmission between circuit boards, in which light emitting / receiving devices on adjacent circuit boards incorporated in a system frame are spatially coupled by light. In this method, an optical signal sent from one circuit board is optically / electrically converted by an adjacent circuit board,
Further, each circuit board is sequentially arranged in series, such that electric / optical conversion is performed once again on the circuit board and an optical signal is transmitted to the next adjacent circuit board, and optical / electric conversion and electric / optical conversion are performed on each circuit board. The data is transmitted between all the circuit boards incorporated in the system frame while repeating the conversion.

For this reason, the signal transmission speed is controlled by the light / electric conversion / electricity / light / light conversion of the light receiving / light emitting device arranged on each circuit board.
It depends on the light conversion speed and at the same time is constrained. In addition, since data transmission between each circuit board is performed by optical coupling via a free space by a light receiving / light emitting device arranged on each circuit board, it is arranged on both front and back sides of an adjacent circuit board. It is necessary that the light emitting / receiving devices are optically aligned and all circuit boards are optically coupled. In addition, since each circuit board is optically coupled via a free space, it is expected that interference (crosstalk) will occur between adjacent optical data transmission paths and data transmission failure will occur. In addition, it is expected that data transmission failure occurs due to scattering of an optical signal due to an environment in the system frame, for example, dust or the like. further,
Since each circuit board is arranged in series, if any one of the boards is removed, the connection is interrupted there, and an extra circuit board is required to compensate for the disconnection. That is, the circuit board cannot be freely inserted and removed,
There is a problem that the number of circuit boards is fixed.

A technique for transmitting data between circuit boards through a free space using a two-dimensional array device is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 61-196210. The technology disclosed herein includes a plate having two parallel surfaces, opposed to a light source, a diffraction grating arranged on the plate surface, and an optical path using free space constituted by a reflective element. This is a method of optically coupling between circuit boards. However, this method has a problem that light emitted from one point can be connected to only one fixed point, and it is not possible to exhaustively connect all circuit boards like an electric bus. In addition, since a free space is used, a complicated optical system is required, and it is difficult to perform positioning. For example, interference (crosstalk) between adjacent optical data transmission lines occurs due to a displacement of an optical element. There is also a problem that data transmission failure is expected to occur. In addition, the connection information between the circuit boards is a diffraction grating placed on the plate surface,
Since it is determined by the reflective element, there is also a problem that the circuit board cannot be freely inserted and removed and the expandability of the device is low.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 4-134415 discloses another technique relating to data transmission between circuit boards using a two-dimensional array device. In this publication,
In a transparent substance having a higher refractive index than air, a lens array in which a plurality of lenses having a negative curvature are formed on the surface of the substance, and light emitted from a light source is made to enter from a side surface of the lens array. An optical signal transmission device configured by incorporating the above optical system is disclosed. This publication also discloses an optical signal transmission system in which a region having a low refractive index or a hologram is formed instead of a plurality of lenses having a negative curvature. In this method, the light incident from the side is distributed on the surface from a plurality of lenses having the above negative curvature, a region having a low refractive index and a portion where the hologram is formed, and the light is emitted from the side. I have. Therefore, it is conceivable that the intensity of the outgoing signal varies depending on the positional relationship between the light incident position and the plurality of lenses and the low refractive index area and the outgoing position on the surface where the hologram is formed. In addition, it is considered that the ratio of light incident from the side surface to escape from the opposite side surface is high, and it is expected that the efficiency of use of light used for signal propagation is low. Further, it is necessary to dispose the optical input element of the circuit board at a position where a plurality of lenses having a negative curvature formed on the surface, a region having a low refractive index instead of the lens, and a hologram are formed. There is also a problem that the degree of freedom for arranging the devices is small and the expandability of the device is low.

As means for solving these problems, there are provided a plurality of signal light input / output units for inputting or outputting signal light,
The signal light input / output sections, which are input from any of the plurality of signal light input / output sections, diffuse and propagate, and emit from other signal light input / output sections. A sheet-shaped optical data bus provided with an optical bus main body that forms a common signal path for optical signals transmitted between the optical buses is conceivable. Since the sheet-shaped optical data bus diffuses and propagates an optical signal incident on a common signal path, a plurality of circuit boards on which light receiving and emitting units are arranged can be easily attached to the sheet-shaped optical data bus. Since the optical coupling can be ensured by the method, there is an advantage that precise optical alignment is not required. In addition, since the number of circuit boards and the mounting position can be freely changed, a highly scalable and highly flexible system can be constructed. Further, since the transmission of the optical signal is performed only in the transmission path, the optical signal has an environment resistance to dust and the like, and has an advantage that it is resistant to a temperature change due to no need for optical alignment.

[0008]

However, in the above-mentioned sheet-shaped optical data bus, since light is diffused in all directions in the optical data bus, most of the light is emitted to a place where no light receiving element exists. I will. Therefore, the light intensity in the light receiving section becomes very weak, and thus there is a problem in increasing the speed of signal transmission and reducing power consumption. In order to solve this problem, an optical signal incident from an optical signal incident portion provided on an arbitrary side of the sheet-shaped optical data bus is diffused in a light diffusing portion provided for each optical signal incident portion,
Through an optical transmission path formed by a sheet-shaped optical data bus,
A method of propagating light to an optical signal output unit disposed opposite to the optical signal input unit is conceivable. In this system, by controlling the diffusion distribution of light in the light diffusion unit corresponding to each optical signal incidence unit by the arrangement of the optical signal incidence unit and the optical signal emission unit,
Since the optical signal can be effectively guided to the optical signal emitting portion through the optical transmission line, the transmission efficiency of the sheet-shaped optical data bus is improved, and the signal transmission speed is increased and the power consumption is reduced. It becomes possible.

As a method of further increasing the transmission speed of the sheet-like optical data bus, it is conceivable to adopt a multiplex transmission system. An optical wavelength multiplex communication system is known as one of the multiplex transmission systems. In a conventional optical wavelength division multiplexing communication system, for example, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-98137, a plurality of optical signals are converted into optical signals having mutually different wavelengths, and these optical signals are multiplexed. , The transmission speed of the transmission path can be substantially improved several times. However, in the optical wavelength division multiplexing communication system, a device for receiving / transmitting a plurality of wavelengths, specifically, a plurality of transmitting elements and a plurality of wavelength filters for passing a specific wavelength are prepared, or a combination thereof is provided. It is necessary to use a device with a variable wavelength, and a plurality of receiving devices corresponding to a specific wavelength are required, so that the number of receiving devices and the complexity of the configuration increase the size of the device and reduce the cost. There is a problem that it causes a rise. In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a small and low-cost optical signal transmission device having a high signal transmission speed and a signal processing device using the optical signal transmission device.

[0010]

An optical signal transmission apparatus according to the present invention, which achieves the above object, is an optical transmission medium for transmitting an optical signal, and includes a plurality of optical transmission media for transmitting signal light to the optical transmission medium. An optical transmission medium including a transmission node and at least one reception node responsible for emitting an optical signal from the optical transmission medium; and an optical signal generated and generated corresponding to each of the plurality of transmission nodes. A plurality of optical signal transmission units that enter a signal from the corresponding transmission node into the optical transmission medium, an optical signal transmission unit that generates pulse train optical signals having different wavelengths from each other between the plurality of optical signal transmission units, Provided corresponding to the receiving node, while receiving an optical signal emitted to the receiving node to obtain a received signal of a different level according to the wavelength of the optical signal, included in the obtained received signal, the plurality of Optical signal transmission Characterized by comprising an optical signal receiving unit from a plurality of signal components corresponding to the plurality of optical signals generated by the part having a separating means for separating a desired signal component.

A signal processing apparatus according to the present invention for achieving the above object is an optical transmission medium for transmitting signal light,
A plurality of transmission nodes responsible for the injection of the signal light into the optical transmission medium and at least one transmission node responsible for the emission of the optical signal from the optical transmission medium
An optical transmission medium having one receiving node, and a plurality of optical transmission media provided corresponding to each of the plurality of transmitting nodes, for generating an optical signal and injecting the generated optical signal from the corresponding transmitting node into the optical transmission medium. A plurality of first circuit boards, each of which includes an optical signal transmitting unit that generates a pulse train optical signal having a different wavelength among the plurality of optical signal transmitting units. Provided corresponding to the receiving node, while receiving an optical signal emitted to the receiving node to obtain a received signal of a different level according to the wavelength of the optical signal, included in the obtained received signal, the plurality of At least one second circuit including an optical signal receiving unit having a separating unit for separating a desired signal component from a plurality of signal components corresponding to a plurality of optical signals generated by the optical signal transmitting unit; A substrate and the first An optical signal emitted from an optical signal transmitting unit mounted on a circuit board enters the optical transmission medium from the transmitting node, and a signal light emitted to the receiving node receives an optical signal received on the second circuit board. And a support for supporting the first circuit board and the second circuit board in a state where the first circuit board and the second circuit board are positioned with respect to the optical transmission medium.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below. FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a first embodiment of the optical signal transmission device of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, an optical signal transmission device 100 includes a sheet-shaped optical transmission medium 10 for transmitting an optical signal, and an optical transmission medium 10 for generating an optical signal.
, 20f, optical signal transmitting units 20a, 20b,.
, And 40f for receiving an optical signal from the optical transmission medium 10. The optical transmission medium 10 is responsible for inputting signal light to the optical transmission medium 10.
, F and six receiving nodes A, B,..., Which are responsible for emitting optical signals from the optical transmission medium 10.
F is provided. In this embodiment, each transmitting node is configured to also serve as a receiving node.
The transmitting node and the receiving node may each be dedicated. Although it is necessary to provide a plurality of transmitting nodes, it is sufficient that at least one receiving node is provided.

The optical signal transmitting units 20a, 20b,..., 20f
Are provided on circuit boards 50a, 50b,..., 50f respectively corresponding to the six transmission nodes A, B,..., F, and generate optical signals and transmit the generated optical signals to the corresponding transmission nodes A, B,..., F to enter the optical transmission medium 10 and include six optical signal transmission units 20a, 20b,
, 20f so that pulse train optical signals having different wavelengths from each other can be generated.
, 20f respectively include two types of light emitting elements 21 and 22 that emit pulse train optical signals having different wavelengths from each other. Optical signal receiving units 40a, 40b, ..., 40f
Is a circuit board 5 corresponding to each of the receiving nodes A, B,.
, 50f, and receives optical signals emitted from the transmitting nodes A, B,..., F to obtain received signals having different levels according to the wavelengths of the optical signals. Separating means (not shown) for separating desired signal components from the signal components corresponding to the six optical signals generated by the six optical signal transmitting units 20a, 20b,..., 20f included in the received signal. have.

In this embodiment, each optical signal receiving section 40a,
At 40b,..., 40f, a filter (not shown) having a different spectral transmittance for an optical signal having a different wavelength, a light receiving element 41 for receiving an optical signal transmitted through the filter, and a light receiving element 41 are provided. A signal separation circuit (not shown) for separating a desired signal component from the received signal by comparing a time-series signal level of the received signal with a plurality of thresholds is provided. These filters and signal separating circuits correspond to the separating means according to the present invention. The optical transmission medium 10 is a so-called optical data bus having a sheet shape for transmitting an optical signal. In the present embodiment, PMMA having a layer thickness of 0.5 mm and a high light transmittance is used as a material.
(Polymethyl methacrylate) is used. Such a sheet-shaped optical data bus is manufactured by preparing a mold in advance, heating the mold to a temperature at which PMMA can be sufficiently melted, and pouring PMMA in a sufficiently heated and molten state into the mold. be able to.

The optical transmission medium 10 includes an optical signal transmitting unit 20
, 20f, the light diffusers 30a, which diffuse the optical signal incident along the sheet surface of the optical transmission medium 10.
, 30f are provided. The light diffusing portions 30a, 30b, ..., 30f in the present embodiment correspond to the light diffusing means according to the present invention. In this embodiment, the light diffusing portions 30a, 30b,..., 30f are formed of a transmissive diffuser. Light diffusion units 30a, 30
The diffusers used for b,..., 30f need only diffuse the incident light rays efficiently, and may have a sheet shape or an arbitrary shape. Light diffusion units 30a, 30
The thickness of b,..., 30f in the sheet thickness direction desirably covers the entire sheet thickness of the optical transmission medium 10. The size of the light diffusion units 30a, 30b,.
It is preferable that the size is about several mm, in which variation such as displacement is allowed. Next, the operation of the optical signal transmission device 100 according to the present embodiment will be described. The light emitting element 21 on the circuit board 50a of the transmission node A will now be described.
From the first optical signal 2 modulated based on certain data
3a is emitted and the circuit board 5 of the transmitting node C
It is assumed that the second pulse train optical signal 23b modulated based on other data is emitted from the light emitting element 22 on 0c.

FIG. 2 is a graph showing the intensity of an optical signal output from two light emitting elements provided in the optical signal transmission unit of the optical signal transmission device shown in FIG. Each of the optical signal transmission units 20a, 20b,..., 20f of the optical signal transmission device 100 includes a light emitting element 21 having an oscillation wavelength of λ1 and a light emitting element 22 having an oscillation wavelength of λ2. As shown in FIG. 2, the light emitting element 21 of the transmission node A emits a pulse train optical signal 23a of wavelength λ1, and the light emitting element 22 of the transmission node C emits a pulse train optical signal 23b of wavelength λ2. These two types of pulse train signals 23a and 23b are respectively emitted with a constant optical signal intensity. That is, FIG.
As shown in the figure, the “1” level optical signal intensity and the “0” level optical signal intensity of the pulse train optical signal 23a of wavelength λ1 emitted from the transmission node A are “L1”, and the transmission node The “1” level optical signal intensity of the pulse train optical signal 23b of wavelength λ2 emitted from C is “H2”,
The optical signal intensity at the “0” level is “L2”.

The pulse train optical signals 23a and 23b emitted from the transmission nodes A and C enter the light diffusion units 30a and 30c arranged at the ends of the optical transmission medium 10, respectively. Pulse train optical signal 23 incident on light diffusion units 30a and 30c
a and 23b diffuse along the sheet surface of the optical transmission medium 10 and propagate in the optical transmission medium 10. At this time, an optical signal in which the spread of the optical signal in the thickness direction of the optical transmission medium 10 satisfies the condition of total reflection is propagated into the optical transmission medium 10. Light diffusion unit 30
These two types of pulse train optical signals 23a and 23b diffused by a and 30b are superimposed on each other in the optical transmission medium 10 and propagated as a pulse train optical signal 24. The pulse train optical signal 24 is emitted from an emission end provided to face the light diffusion units 30a and 30c, and enters the respective light receiving elements 41 of the receiving nodes D and F. At this time,
If the spread of the optical signal in the thickness direction of the optical transmission medium 10 is equal to or less than the total reflection condition, all the incident light can be used.

The pulse train optical signal 24 is transmitted to the receiving nodes D and F
After passing through a filter provided in front of each light receiving element 41, light is received by the light receiving element 41 and a reception signal is obtained. The obtained reception signal is input to the signal separation circuit. The signal separation circuit separates a desired signal component from the received signal by comparing a time-series signal level of the received signal with a plurality of thresholds. Here, an example in which two pulse train optical signals emitted from two light emitting elements are incident on the optical transmission medium has been described. However, the number of optical signals is not limited to two, and an arbitrary plural number may be used. Is fine. FIG.
6 is a graph showing spectral transmittance characteristics of filters provided in each optical signal receiving unit of the optical signal transmission device shown in FIG. Each optical signal receiving unit of the optical signal transmission device 100 of the present embodiment is provided with a filter having a spectral transmittance characteristic as shown in FIG. This filter has characteristics such that the transmittance for an optical signal of wavelength λ1 is T1, and the transmittance for an optical signal of wavelength λ2 is T2, and the spectral transmittance is different for optical signals of different wavelengths. ing.

The light receiving element 41 of each receiving node provided with such a filter is provided with two types of pulse train optical signals 23.
When the pulse train optical signal 24 in which the pulse trains a and 23b are superimposed is incident, the signal components of the pulse train optical signal 23a having the wavelength λ1 emitted from the node A have the optical signal intensities “H1” and “L1” when emitted. "Indicates that each light receiving element 41 has passed through the filter.
When the light is received at “H1 ′” (= “H1 × T
1)) and “L1 ′” (= “L1 × T1”), and the signal components of the pulse train optical signal 23b having the wavelength λ2 emitted from the node C have the optical signal intensities “H2” and “L” when emitted.
When “2” is received by each light receiving element 41 after passing through the filter, “H2 ′” (= “H2 × T2”) and “L”, respectively.
2 ′ ”(=“ L2 × T2 ”). Since these pulse train optical signals 23a and 23b having different wavelengths are superposed in the optical transmission medium 10 to form the pulse train optical signal 24, the light receiving element 41 is provided. The light intensity level of the received signal obtained by receiving the light at "H1 '", "L1'", "H
By combining the four-level signal components 2 '"and"L2'", a received signal having the following waveform is obtained.

FIG. 4 is a graph showing a waveform of a reception signal obtained by each light receiving element of the optical signal transmission device according to the first embodiment. The waveform of the received signal obtained by each light receiving element of the optical signal transmission device 100 of this embodiment has four light intensity levels A, B, C, and D as shown in FIG. Of the four light intensity levels A, B, C, and D, a combination of two light intensity levels adjacent to each other, that is, A
For each of the three combinations of B, BC, and CD, for example, by presetting the median of the light intensity levels in each combination as the thresholds T1, T2, and T3, each optical signal receiving unit The provided signal separation circuit compares the time-series signal levels of the received signals obtained by the respective light receiving elements 41 with these three thresholds T1, T2, T3, thereby obtaining the original signal from the received signals. The two pulse train optical signals 23a and 23b can be separated and extracted.

That is, the signal component of the highest level A in the waveform of the received signal shown in FIG.
2 ′ ”, and the second highest level B signal component is“ H ”.
2 ′ + L1 ′ ”, the third highest level C signal component is“ H1 ′ + L2 ′ ”, and the lowest level D signal component is“ L1 ′ + L2 ′ ”, and is shown in FIG. As described above, at the time t1 when the received signal level changes from the level D to the level A, the pulse train optical signal 23a changes to “L1”.
From "L2" to "H1" and the pulse train optical signal 23b from "L2" to "H2".
Next, at time t2 when the received signal level changes from level A to level B, it means that the pulse train optical signal 23a has changed from "H1" to "L1". Next, at time t3 when the received signal level changes from level B to level C, the pulse train optical signal 23a changes from "L1" to "H1" and the pulse train optical signal 23b changes from "H2" to "L".
2 ”.
The original pulse train optical signals 23a and 23b can be separated and extracted from the time-series change of the received signal level.

However, strictly speaking, the light intensity level of the received signal is determined by multiplying factors such as the coupling efficiency at the input part, the transmission efficiency, and the coupling efficiency at the output part. In some cases, it is not possible to simply use the median value as the threshold value, but the description of the influence of these factors is omitted here for the sake of simplicity. In this embodiment, an example of a system in which an optical signal receiving unit includes a filter having a different spectral transmittance for an optical signal having a different wavelength and a light receiving element for receiving an optical signal transmitted through the filter will be described. However, in addition to the above method, the method described below is also one of the preferred embodiments of the optical signal transmission device of the present invention. That is, each of the optical signal receiving units includes a light receiving element having a different spectral sensitivity to an optical signal having a different wavelength, and the separating unit operates in a time-series signal level of the received signal obtained by the light receiving element. Is compared with a plurality of thresholds to separate a desired signal component from the received signal.

In this method, assuming that the sensitivity of the light receiving element to the optical signal of wavelength λ1 is α1 and the sensitivity of the light receiving element to the optical signal of wavelength λ2 is α2, the received signal obtained by receiving the optical signal of wavelength λ1 is obtained. Is “H1 ′ = H1 ×
α1 ”,“ L1 ′ = L1 × α1 ”, and the light intensity of the received signal obtained by receiving the optical signal of wavelength λ2 is“ H2 ′
= H2 × α2 ”and“ L2 ′ = L2 × α2 ”As described above, three combinations of two adjacent light intensity levels among these four light intensity levels are, for example, each combination. By preliminarily setting the median of the light intensity levels at the threshold value as a threshold value, the signal separation circuit provided in each optical signal receiving unit allows the time-series signal level of the received signal obtained by each light receiving element. Is compared with the above three threshold values T1, T2, and T3, a plurality of original optical signals can be separated and extracted from the received signal.

Next, a second embodiment of the optical signal transmission device of the present invention will be described. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing a second embodiment of the optical signal transmission device of the present invention. The optical signal transmission device 200 of this embodiment has the same optical transmission medium 10 and circuit boards 50a, 50b, and 50 as those shown in FIG.
, 50h, and each of the optical signal transmitting sections and the optical signal receiving sections (not shown) provided on each of the circuit boards has a different wavelength so that the wavelengths of the optical signals are different from each other. An arbitration unit 60 for arbitrating between the optical signal transmission units, and a signal line 70 for notifying information between the arbitration unit 60 and each of the optical signal transmission units and each of the optical signal reception units are provided. Note that the signal line 70 in the present embodiment corresponds to the wavelength notifying means according to the present invention, and the optical signal generated by each optical signal transmitting unit prior to the generation of the optical signal by each optical signal transmitting unit. To notify each optical signal receiving unit of the wavelength. In this embodiment, each optical signal transmitting unit can freely change the wavelength of the optical signal generated by the optical signal transmitting unit. Each transmitting node and each receiving node corresponding to each circuit board not only acquires the right to use the optical transmission medium 10 to the arbitration unit 60, but also inquires about which wavelength among a plurality of wavelengths can be used. I do. The arbitration unit 60 responds to inquiries from the transmitting nodes and the receiving nodes by transmitting which of the transmitting nodes is currently using the optical signal of which wavelength, and which receiving node is currently receiving the optical signal of which wavelength. Disseminate information about whether there is. By providing such an arbitration unit 60, it is possible to smoothly transmit and receive a plurality of optical signals simultaneously between a plurality of transmitting nodes and a plurality of receiving nodes.

Next, a third embodiment of the optical signal transmission device of the present invention will be described. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing a third embodiment of the optical signal transmission device of the present invention. The optical signal transmission device 300 of this embodiment has a sheet-shaped optical transmission layer 310 and a clad layer sandwiching the optical transmission layer 310 from both sides unlike the optical transmission medium 10 having only one sheet as shown in FIG. Optical transmission medium layer and optical absorption layer 3 comprising 320
30 and an optical transmission medium 340 formed by laminating a plurality of layers;
Light diffusion portions 350 formed on both end surfaces of optical transmission medium 340
And are provided. As described above, the signal transmission speed of the optical signal transmission device 300 can be significantly increased by providing the optical transmission medium 340 in which the plurality of sheet-shaped optical transmission layers 310 each carrying the transmission of an optical signal are provided. Can be. Next, an embodiment of the signal processing device of the present invention will be described.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing an embodiment of the signal processing device of the present invention. The signal processing device 400 includes:
As in the optical transmission apparatus shown in FIG. 6, an optical transmission medium 410 for transmitting signal light, which is formed by laminating a plurality of optical transmission layers.
A light having four first circuit boards 420 each having a shared optical signal transmitting unit for generating a pulse train optical signal and a separating means for separating a desired signal component from a plurality of signal components; There are provided four second circuit boards 430 on which a signal receiving unit is mounted, and a support body 440 supporting the first circuit board 420 and the second circuit board 430. The optical transmission medium 410 includes a plurality of transmission nodes responsible for inputting signal light to the optical transmission medium 410 and at least one reception node responsible for emitting optical signals from the optical transmission medium 410. On the first circuit board 420, a plurality of optical signal transmission units (not shown) and elements such as various VLSIs 420a are mounted. The plurality of optical signal transmission units are provided corresponding to the plurality of transmission nodes, respectively, and generate an optical signal and input the generated optical signal into the optical transmission medium 410 from the corresponding transmission node. is there. These optical signal transmitting units generate pulse train optical signals having different wavelengths from each other among the plurality of optical signal transmitting units.

The second circuit board 430 is provided corresponding to the receiving node, receives an optical signal emitted from the receiving node, and obtains a receiving signal having a different level according to the wavelength of the optical signal. Included in the obtained received signal,
A plurality of optical signal receiving units (not shown) having separating means for separating a desired signal component from a plurality of signal components corresponding to the plurality of optical signals generated by the plurality of optical signal transmitting units; An element such as VLSI 430a is mounted. The configurations and operations of the optical transmission medium, the optical signal transmitting unit, and the optical signal receiving unit are the same as those of the optical transmission device of the present invention described with reference to FIGS.

The support 440 is configured such that the optical signal emitted from the optical signal transmitting unit mounted on the first circuit board 420 enters the optical transmission medium 410 from the transmitting node, and the signal light emitted from the receiving node is the optical signal. The first circuit board 42 so as to be incident on the optical signal receiving unit mounted on the second circuit board 430.
The zero and second circuit boards 430 are supported in a state where they are positioned with respect to the optical transmission medium 410. As described above, by incorporating the optical signal transmission device described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6 into the signal processing device, the transmission speed of the optical signal can be increased. The signal processing ability can be improved.

[0029]

As described above, according to the present invention,
A plurality of optical signal transmission units including a plurality of light emitting elements capable of transmitting pulse train optical signals having different wavelengths, and a plurality of signal components included in a reception signal obtained by receiving the pulse train optical signal By having a plurality of optical signal receiving units having a separating means for separating the desired signal component,
Since transmission and reception between the optical signal transmitting and receiving units can be performed simultaneously among a plurality of sets, a small and low-cost optical signal transmitting device and signal processing device having a high signal transmission speed can be realized.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an optical signal transmission device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a graph showing the intensity of an optical signal output from two light emitting elements provided in an optical signal transmission unit of the optical signal transmission device shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a graph showing a spectral transmittance characteristic of a filter provided in each optical signal receiving unit of the optical signal transmission device shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a graph showing a waveform of a reception signal obtained by each light receiving element of the optical signal transmission device according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing a second embodiment of the optical signal transmission device of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing a third embodiment of the optical signal transmission device of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing an embodiment of the signal processing device of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 10 optical transmission medium 20a, 20b, ..., 20f optical signal transmitting unit 21, 22 light emitting element 23a, 23b, 24 pulse train optical signal 30a, 30b, ..., 30f optical diffusing unit 40a, 40b, ..., 40f optical signal receiving unit 41 Light receiving elements 50a, 50b, ..., 50h Circuit board 60 Arbitration unit 70 Signal line 100, 200, 300 Optical signal transmission device 310 Optical transmission layer 320 Clad layer 330 Optical absorption layer 340 Optical transmission medium 350 Optical diffusion unit 400 Signal processing device 410 Optical transmission medium 420, 430 Circuit board 420a, 430a VLSI 440 Support

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. An optical transmission medium for transmitting an optical signal, comprising: a plurality of transmission nodes for transmitting signal light to the optical transmission medium; and at least one transmission node for outputting an optical signal from the optical transmission medium. An optical transmission medium including a receiving node, and provided corresponding to each of the plurality of transmitting nodes;
A plurality of optical signal transmitting units for generating an optical signal and injecting the generated optical signal from the corresponding transmitting node into the optical transmission medium, wherein the plurality of optical signal transmitting units have pulse train optical signals having different wavelengths from each other. An optical signal transmitting unit that generates a received signal, provided corresponding to the receiving node, receives an optical signal emitted to the receiving node, obtains a received signal having a different level according to the wavelength of the optical signal, and obtains the obtained signal. An optical signal receiving unit having a separating unit that separates a desired signal component from a plurality of signal components corresponding to the plurality of optical signals generated by the plurality of optical signal transmitting units included in the received signal. An optical signal transmission device, characterized in that: 2. An optical signal receiving unit comprising: a filter having a different spectral transmittance for an optical signal having a different wavelength; and a light receiving element for receiving an optical signal transmitted through the filter. Means for separating a desired signal component from the received signal by comparing a time-series signal level of the received signal obtained by the light receiving element with a plurality of thresholds. The optical signal transmission device according to claim 1. 3. The optical signal receiving section includes light receiving elements having different spectral sensitivities with respect to optical signals having different wavelengths, and the separating unit performs a time series of the receiving signal obtained by the light receiving elements. 2. The optical signal transmission device according to claim 1, wherein a desired signal component is separated from the received signal by comparing a target signal level with a plurality of threshold values. 4. The optical signal transmitting section is capable of changing the wavelength of an optical signal generated by the optical signal transmitting section, and the wavelengths of the optical signals generated by the optical signal transmitting section are mutually different. 2. The optical signal transmission device according to claim 1, further comprising an arbitration unit that arbitrates between the plurality of optical signal transmission units so as to have different wavelengths. 5. A wavelength notifying means for notifying a wavelength of an optical signal generated by the optical signal transmitting section to the optical signal receiving section prior to generation of an optical signal by the optical signal transmitting section. The optical signal transmission device according to claim 1, wherein 6. The optical transmission medium according to claim 1, wherein said optical transmission medium has a sheet shape, and said optical transmission medium includes an optical diffusion means for diffusing an optical signal incident from said optical signal transmission section along a sheet surface of said optical transmission medium. The optical signal transmission device according to claim 1, wherein: 7. The optical signal transmission device according to claim 6, wherein said optical transmission medium is formed by laminating a plurality of sheets each of which carries an optical signal. 8. An optical transmission medium for transmitting signal light, comprising: a plurality of transmission nodes for transmitting the signal light to the optical transmission medium; and at least one transmission node for outputting an optical signal from the optical transmission medium. An optical transmission medium including a receiving node, and provided corresponding to each of the plurality of transmitting nodes;
A plurality of optical signal transmitting units for generating an optical signal and injecting the generated optical signal from the corresponding transmitting node into the optical transmission medium, wherein the plurality of optical signal transmitting units have pulse train optical signals having different wavelengths from each other. A plurality of first circuit boards each of which is provided with an optical signal transmitting unit for generating an optical signal, and an optical signal that is provided corresponding to the receiving node and receives an optical signal emitted to the receiving node. While obtaining a received signal of a different level according to the wavelength of, included in the obtained received signal, a desired signal from among a plurality of signal components corresponding to a plurality of optical signals generated by the plurality of optical signal transmission units, At least one second circuit board on which an optical signal receiving unit having a separating unit for separating a signal component is mounted, and an optical signal emitted from an optical signal transmitting unit mounted on the first circuit board is Optical transmission from the transmitting node The optical transmission through the first circuit board and the second circuit board is performed so that the signal light incident on the body and emitted to the receiving node is incident on an optical signal receiving unit mounted on the second circuit board. And a support for supporting the medium in a state of being positioned with respect to the medium.