JPH10135915A - Optical information communication system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To realize with a simple configuration the extension of a reception area, to suppress system power consumption and cost increase and to prevent deterioration in the reliability due to a generated heat in components, even when number of light-emitting elements with directivity is minimum. SOLUTION: In the optical information communication system, transmission/ reception of information is executed among a plurality of terminal equipments 104A-104C through the transmission of an optical beam via a wire LAn 101. In this case, the system is provided with an optical relay station 102 that sends information from the wired LAN 101 as an optical beam with directivity, an optical access auxiliary device 103 that deflects and spreads the optical beam from the optical relay station 102 toward the terminal equipments 104A-104C, and an optical transmitter-receiver 105 that is connected respectively to the terminal equipments 104A-104C, receives an optical beam from the optical access auxiliary device 103 and optically transmits the information of the terminal equipments 104A-104C to the optical relay station 102, via the optical access auxiliary device 103.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention
It is used in ANs and wireless conference systems, etc., and uses a highly directional light beam via a communication network, deflects and diffuses this light to a plurality of terminals, and transmits the light beam. The present invention relates to an optical information communication system capable of transmitting and receiving information by free access.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a recent office environment, with the spread of personal computers (PCs), a plurality of PCs and terminals are connected to a local area network (LAN).
A system for exchanging all kinds of information between PCs via the network has been constructed.

However, in the above system, when a plurality of PCs / terminals are connected on a network,
There have been problems in that the number of signal cables for PCs and terminals has increased, the cables have overflowed like a flood, and there is no flexibility after installation.

[0004] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, there is known a wireless communication system capable of realizing a flexible PC / terminal connection mode. In particular, a system using light as a medium has an advantage that it can cope with a higher speed and is more economically advantageous than a system using radio waves.

An optical information communication system shown in FIGS. 35 and 36 is known as one that utilizes such advantages. In the figure. 2201 is an optical relay station for transmitting an optical signal, and 2002 is an optical relay station 2201.
This is a transmission / reception device provided in each terminal for receiving an optical signal from the terminal and transmitting information from the terminal to the optical relay station 2201 side.

In the above optical information communication system, the optical signal diffused from the optical repeater station 2201 is sent out, and each terminal transmits the optical signal to the optical repeater station 22 with a directional light beam.
01 was being sent an optical signal.

A system related to the above is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei 4-98913, entitled "Optical Wireless System". This optical wireless system uses one or more optical wireless devices to perform data collection and distribution between a control device connected to a centralized information processing device and a communication path and a relay device connected to the control device. A concentrator / distributor, one or a plurality of relay devices for transmitting data between the concentrator / distributor device and the terminal device using optical wireless, and one or more relay devices for executing data transmission via the concentrator / distributor and the relay device And a plurality of terminal devices.

According to the above system, the surroundings 36
A relay device having a light receiving / emitting area of 0 degrees is used to optically relay between the concentrator / distributor and the terminal device, and data is transmitted to / from a terminal device distributed and arranged at an arbitrary position in a specific area. Is transmitted.

In other words, in the above-mentioned optical wireless system, basically, the collecting and distributing device and the relay device have a plurality of light emitting and receiving elements, and the directivity from the ceiling is uniform over 360 degrees around the ceiling. So that the terminal device can communicate regardless of where it is located in the area covered by the relay device or in the area covered by the concentrator.

For example, CSMA / CD (Carrier Sen) is one of the methods for determining the transmission right of LAN.
se Multiple Access with C
ollision Detection, ISO / IE
C8802-3) Ethernet (E
In the case of application as channel access means to the Internet, it is necessary to always and simultaneously inform each terminal device of the channel use status. In addition, since each terminal device must have equal access rights to a vacant channel, the above-described system configuration is required.

[0011]

However, in the prior art as described above, the higher the speed of the network, that is, the higher the transmission rate of the data to be transmitted, the more the associated technology. Therefore, it is necessary to improve the performance of the light receiving / emitting element. For example, there is a problem that a device with high efficiency (expensive) such as a device having a large light emission power and a high response speed is required.

Further, prior to relying on a highly efficient (expensive) device, a highly efficient power can be obtained by narrowing the beam of the light emitting element or using coherent light such as a current semiconductor laser. On the other hand, a large number of light-emitting elements are required to increase the directivity and make the above-described overall directivity uniform over 360 degrees, which increases power consumption and increases costs. Further, there is a problem that the reliability is reduced due to heat or the like.

Further, when the number of light emitting elements is limited, the place where the terminal device is arranged is also limited, resulting in a system having a low degree of freedom of installation and a usability, that is, a so-called poor usability.

Further, in the system as shown in FIG. 35 or FIG. 36, when the optical signal is spread, the optical power is dispersed, so that the distance to be transmitted is long, and when the area is enlarged, the signal on the receiving side is increased. Light receiving power cannot be obtained, and S / N of a signal cannot be secured. In addition, there is a problem that a multi-path interference problem occurs in which a variety of light beams pass through various optical paths in the same light receiving unit.

Also, if a light beam having high directivity is adopted for the downlink in order to cope with high speed, the optical power is transmitted efficiently, but on the other hand, the position of the terminal is reduced by narrowing the light beam. Since the alignment is required, the degree of freedom of installation of the terminal is lost unless a position tracking mechanism is particularly provided, and especially in the case of a portable terminal, the position must be adjusted each time it is installed.

The present invention has been made in view of the above, and realizes an expanded reception area even with a simple configuration and a minimum number of light emitting elements having directivity. A first object is to suppress an increase in power consumption and cost of the system and to prevent a decrease in reliability due to heat generation of elements.

Further, the second purpose is to construct a user-friendly system by increasing the degree of freedom of installation of the system.
The purpose of.

[0018]

In order to achieve the above object, in an optical information communication system according to claim 1,
In an optical information communication system for transmitting and receiving information between a plurality of terminals by transmitting a light beam through a communication network, an optical relay means for transmitting information from the communication network by a directional light beam; A deflecting / spreading means for deflecting / spreading the light beam from the optical relay means in the direction of the terminal, connected to each of the terminals, receiving the light beam from the deflecting / spreading means, and via the deflecting / spreading means Terminal transmission means for optically transmitting the information of the terminal equipment to the optical relay means.

That is, in an optical information communication system in which information is transmitted and received between a plurality of terminals by transmitting light beams via a communication network, a directional optical signal is deflected / spreaded by deflection / spreading means on the way. Since the light is received by the terminal transmission means, high-speed data can be received from the network by any terminal, and the reception area can be expanded.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the optical information communication system, the light emitting source of the optical repeater is a semiconductor laser, and the light reflecting shape of the deflecting and diffusing means is a polygonal pyramid.

That is, an optical signal by a laser beam having high power transmission efficiency is deflected and diffused to the terminal side by a polygonal pyramid having high reflection efficiency on the way, so that any terminal can transmit high-speed data from the network. While receiving becomes possible,
The receiving area can be expanded.

Further, in the optical information communication system according to the third aspect, the angles of the respective reflecting surfaces constituting the polygonal pyramid are independently set so as to face the terminal transmission means.

That is, the angle of inclination of each surface of the polygonal pyramid is adjusted toward the terminal so that the position can be adjusted.
It can be used not only in the horizontal direction but also in the vertical direction, realizing an easy-to-use system that is easy to install.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an optical information communication system, comprising: a cover which covers the deflection / spreading means and has openings on the optical relay means side and the terminal transmission means side; A filter for transmitting only the light beam from the optical relay means in the opening on the optical relay means side.

That is, a cover for covering the deflecting / diffusion means is provided, and a filter having an optical discrimination function is provided on the upper part of the deflecting / diffusion means. It is possible to increase.

Further, in the optical information communication system according to the fifth aspect, the optical repeater loops back the optical signal sent from the terminal transmitter connected to the terminal being accessed, and performs the deflection / spreading. Means for transmitting to the terminal transmission means of another terminal.

That is, when there is an access from a certain terminal, the access is notified to other terminals at the same time almost in real time.
It can correspond to the SMA method.

Further, in the optical information communication system according to claim 6, the deflection / spreading means selects and controls access from the terminal transmission means to the optical repeater means.

That is, when there is an access from a certain terminal, the access is notified to other terminals at the same time almost in real time, so that the line efficiency is improved and
It can correspond to the SMA method.

In the optical information communication system according to a seventh aspect, a light emitting means for positioning is provided in the optical relay means, and the deflection / diffusion means is provided in a light emitting portion of the light emitting means. .

That is, when the deflecting / diffusion means is installed immediately below the optical relay means, the light emitting means emits light, and the deflecting / diffusion means is installed in accordance with the light emitting portion. A user-friendly system is realized.

Further, in the optical information communication system according to claim 8, the deflecting / spreading means has a reflecting surface divided into upper and lower parts, and a light beam from the optical relay means and a terminal of the terminal. The light beam from the transmission means is irradiated using different division planes.

That is, the reflecting surface of the deflecting / diffusion means is vertically
By splitting and using each splitting plane to separate the uplink and downlink communication paths, interference of light beams can be avoided, and highly reliable data transfer between the terminal and the network at any position. Transmission and reception are realized.

Further, in the optical information communication system according to the ninth aspect, the reflecting surface of the deflection / diffusion means divided into two parts has a conical upper part and a polyhedral lower part.
Downlink light from the optical relay means to the terminal transmission means is diffused in the conical shape, and uplink light from the terminal transmission means to the optical relay means is diffused in the multifaceted shape.

That is, since the deflecting / spreading means changes the shape of the reflecting surface corresponding to the uplink light and the downlink light, the transmission area can be changed without affecting the degree of freedom of installation on the terminal side. It is possible to expand.

In the optical information communication system according to the tenth aspect, there is provided a detecting means for detecting that a person has approached the deflecting / spreading means. It blocks light emission by the means.

That is, by providing detection means for detecting the approach of a person for the purpose of avoiding exposure to the laser beam, and when the detection is detected, the output of the light source of the deflecting / diffusion means is cut off.
Safety to the handling person can be ensured.

Further, in the optical information communication system according to the eleventh aspect, a light beam having a wavelength λ1 exceeding 1400 nm transmitted from the transmitting section of the optical repeater to the terminal transmitting means is transmitted from the terminal transmitting means. Signals are transmitted and received between the optical relay means and the terminal transmission means using a light beam having a wavelength λ2 transmitted to a receiving section of the optical relay means.

That is, the wavelength of the downlink is set to 1400
By using a light source having a wavelength exceeding nm and using different wavelengths for the uplink and the downlink, it is possible to expand the transmission area and transmit and receive data with high reliability.

[0040]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The optical information communication system of the present invention will be described below in detail for each embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[First Embodiment] (Configuration of First Embodiment) FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a system configuration example (1) of an optical information communication system according to a first embodiment, which is partitioned by partitions. 1 shows an example of a system configuration in an office space.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a system configuration example (2) of the optical information communication system according to the first embodiment, and shows a system configuration example in a conference system using portable personal computers.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory view showing a system configuration example (3) of the optical information communication system according to the first embodiment, and shows a system configuration example in a conference system using a portable personal computer by itself.

In the figure, 101 is a wired LAN installed on a ceiling (upper part) of an office or the like, and 102 is an optical relay station (A) as an optical relay unit having an optical transmission function.
S) and 103 deflect an optical signal in the middle of an optical transmission path between an optical transmission / reception device of a terminal and an optical relay station 102, which will be described later.
Optical Access Auxiliary Device (A
T), 104 are terminals A such as personal computers
Reference numerals C and 105 denote optical transceivers (TR) as terminal transmission means connected to the terminals. Note that 106
Is a partition.

It should be noted that T in FIG.
A transmission unit composed of light emitting elements for optically transmitting information from the terminal 104A to 104C, and R is a terminal 104A
A receiving unit TR including a light receiving element for optically receiving information from .about.104C is a light transmitting and receiving device of the terminals 104A to 104C.

(Operation of First Embodiment) Next, the operation of the optical information communication system configured as described above will be described. In this system, a directional optical signal transmitted from an optical repeater station (AS) 102 via a wired LAN 101 is transmitted to an optical transceiver (TR) 105 of terminals 104A to 104C by an optical access assistant (AT) 103. It is deflected and spread in the direction, and the terminals 104A to 104C receive this.

In FIG. 1, the uplink from the terminals A to C to the optical relay station (AS) 102 is directly transmitted, and the optical transceiver (TR) 105 on the terminal side is used.
Although transmission power is required for each transmission unit, the problem of using a large number of light emitting elements in the optical relay station (AS) 102 does not occur.

In the example of the conference system shown in FIG. 2, the optical access assistant (AT) 103 is connected to the optical relay station (A).
S) It is arranged at the center of the desk directly below 102. After transmitting the beam-shaped optical signal from the optical relay station (AS) 102 to the desk, it is spread 360 degrees in the horizontal plane direction and transmitted to each of the terminals 104A to 104C in the desk.

For example, in a conference system using a portable personal computer, the personal computer can receive data transmitted from the optical relay station (AS) 102 without being limited to the place where the personal computer is placed.

FIGS. 4 and 5 show a specific structure of the optical access assistant (AT) 103. FIG. That is, FIG.
By using a conical shape having a reflecting surface as shown in FIG. 7A, it is possible to uniformly cover the area in the 360-degree direction around the conical shape. In addition, when it is placed on the edge of a desk, it only needs to cover about 180 degrees, so it may have a semi-conical shape.

As in the case of the rotating mirror system shown in FIG. 5, the mirror may be rotated to diffuse the optical signal toward an area in the direction of 360 degrees as in FIG.

Also, in the system example shown in FIG.
With the same configuration as above, the optical path of the downlink (downlink) is also used for the uplink. In this case, a light source having a certain degree of directivity is used for the transmitting unit on the terminal side.

Therefore, the system shown in FIG. 3 sends data directly to the optical relay station (AS) 102,
Through the optical access auxiliary device (AT) 103, there is an advantage that the direction from the arbitrary position around the optical access auxiliary device (AT) 103 to the optical relay station (AS) 102 can be easily adjusted. In particular, this is effective for emergency and non-fixed data transmission / reception such as the above-described conference system.

[Second Embodiment] (Configuration of Second Embodiment) FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing the shape and structure of the optical access auxiliary device (AT) 103 shown in FIG. 4B. As shown in the figure, the optical access assist device (AT) 103 has an eight-sided polygonal pyramid shape whose surface is a reflecting surface. In addition, the optical relay station (A
S) The light source of 102 is a semiconductor laser.

(Operation of the Second Embodiment) The polygonal pyramid has a higher power efficiency per plane since the directionality of the reflected light is stronger than that of the conical shape. Therefore, it is advantageous for higher speed and longer distance. In addition, a semiconductor laser can easily obtain a beam having high directivity if an appropriate optical system is used, and can cope with high-speed operation.

For example, when a polygonal pyramid having an angle of 45 degrees as shown in FIG. 6 is used, if the height from the desk to the optical relay station (AS) 102 is 2 m, the beam emission angle of the semiconductor laser becomes 1 If it is set to a degree, a sufficient distance can be transmitted, and it is particularly effective for a conference system in a large conference room using a large desk.

[Embodiment 3] By the way, the direction of the optical signal transmitted from the optical access assistant (AT) 103 shown in FIG. 4B is such that each surface is set at the same angle with respect to the horizontal plane. So that they are diffused at the same angle in each direction. In this case, the installed terminal may be at the same angle with respect to the optical access auxiliary device (AT) 103, but may be different in an office environment. Therefore,
In the third embodiment, an example will be described in which the terminal recovers the case where the installation angle is different from the optical access auxiliary device (AT) 103.

(Structure of Embodiment 3) Embodiment 3
Then, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the angle of each surface of the optical access auxiliary device (AT) 103 of the polygonal pyramid is set so as to be opposed to the optical transceiver (TR) 105 on the terminal side installed in the periphery. Set independently.

(Operation of Embodiment 3) When the terminal has different installation angles with respect to the optical access assistant (AT) 103, the angle θ of each surface of the polygonal pyramid is changed as shown in the figure. It can be changed to the installed direction (θ1, θ2). Thus, when each terminal is installed, the optical transmission and reception are accurately performed by setting the surface angle so as to match the position.

FIG. 8A shows a case where the surface angle of the polygonal pyramid is manually adjusted when each terminal is installed, and FIG.
Shows an example in which the angle of only the surface is freely changed. Specifically, a search mode is set between the optical repeater station (AT) 102 and the optical transceiver (TR) 105 on the terminal side, and in the search mode, a search mode is set so that both have an appropriate positional relationship. The angle of the pyramid surface can be changed.

During this search mode, the two parties send out a search signal, and change the plane angle until the level of the received light power is maximized.
The control signal to instruct 103 is output.

[Embodiment 4] When a laser beam having a high directivity is used as a light source, it is necessary to ensure safety for human eyes. Eye reactions caused by laser light irradiation include protein denaturation due to temperature rise, damage due to photochemical reactions, and destruction due to plasma flow and pressure waves. For example, in JIS,
Under certain conditions, MPE (Maximum Permiss
ible Exposure: maximum allowable exposure) and AEL
(Accessible Emission Limi
t: Exposure limit). However, in various environments, it is not always considered that this regulation value is sufficient, so the fourth embodiment deals with the following.

(Structure of Embodiment 4) FIG. 9 shows an example (b) in which light is prevented from entering the eye, in contrast to the example (a) in which the light enters the eye. That is, the optical signal from the optical access assistant (AT) 103 is not transmitted to the human eye side, but is transmitted only to the optical transceiver (TR) 105 on the terminal side. Optical Access Aid (AT)
The reflection surface shape of 103 may be a parabolic shape as shown in FIG.

(Operation of Embodiment 4) As shown in FIG. 9 (a), when an optical signal directly enters the eye, it is better to avoid it as much as possible. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 9B, the direction of the optical signal output from the optical access auxiliary device (AT) 103 is set to an angle that does not directly enter the human eye. That is,
An optical signal is emitted downward from parallel to the horizontal surface of the desk.

In this case, if the light is too downward, the light is reflected by the desk and becomes upward, but the reflected light is diffused and weakened. Ideally, it should not be reflected.

For example, the optical access assistant (AT) 10
If it is desired that the distance from the terminal 3 to the optical relay station (AT) 102 be 2 m and the distance from the terminal to the optical access assistant (AT) 103 be 2 m or more, the beam light from the optical relay station (AT) 102 should be 1 It can be understood from simple calculation that the deflection and diffusion means (for example, a polygonal pyramid) having a height of about 35 mm and a surface angle of 45 degrees should be used.

[Fifth Embodiment] In the fifth embodiment,
Another example of the emission regulation of the optical signal with respect to the fourth embodiment will be described.

(Configuration of Fifth Embodiment) FIGS. 11 and 1
2 is an optical access auxiliary device (AT) according to the fifth embodiment.
FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a configuration example of a configuration 103; In FIG. 11, a cover 1101 surrounding the polygonal pyramid is provided. And cover 1
An optical filter 110 is provided in the entrance opening at the upper central portion.
2, and an opening for light emission is provided on the side surface of the cover 1101.

FIG. 12A shows a case where the shape of the reflecting surface is a polygonal pyramid, and FIG. 12B shows a case where the shape of the reflecting surface is a cone. I have.

(Operation of the Fifth Embodiment) In the above configuration, the light beam from the optical relay station (AT) 102 is made incident through the optical filter 1102 at the entrance opening, and is transmitted from the opening for light emission. Radiate. As a result, radiation to the human eye can be avoided, and the effects of disturbance light such as a fluorescent lamp and dust in the air can be prevented.

[Embodiment 6] In the CSMA / CD system used for Ethernet, which is currently the mainstream, each terminal needs to constantly monitor whether or not a network is used. If not, transmission is started (this terminal is assumed to be A). At this time, if another terminal starts transmission, a collision of a transmission signal (referred to as a normal packet) occurs. Therefore, the signal transmitted from the terminal A must be immediately transmitted to the other terminal. . In this case, the other terminal intercepts this signal, recognizes that the channel is in use, and waits until the channel becomes free when it wants to transmit.

In such a case, it is necessary to establish a method of transmitting an access signal from terminal A to another terminal in order to correspond to a terminal having a degree of freedom in a wireless system using light as a medium. . Therefore, the sixth embodiment deals with the following.

(Configuration of Embodiment 6) FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing a system configuration of an optical information communication system according to Embodiment 6, and FIG. 14 is an optical relay station (AT) 102 according to Embodiment 6. FIG. 15 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the configuration of FIG.
FIG. 15 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a control system according to a sixth embodiment.

In this embodiment, an optical access assistant (AT) 103 is
Receiving unit 1 for receiving a packet signal transmitted through
401 and a light-emitting unit 1402 provided at the center and serving as a light-emitting unit for transmitting an optical signal.

That is, a light emitting section 1402 for transmitting an optical signal is disposed at the center, and a light receiving section 1401 for receiving a packet signal transmitted from the terminal via the optical access auxiliary device (AT) 103 is disposed around the light emitting section 1402. It is. Further, the light receiving unit 1401 is provided with a filter for cutting disturbance light.

The control system shown in FIG. 15 includes a system controller 1501 for overall control and a light receiving unit 14.
01, an amplifying unit 1502 for amplifying the amplified optical signal, a demodulating unit 1503 for demodulating the amplified optical signal, and a carrier detecting unit 1504 for detecting a carrier signal from the amplified optical signal.
And a modulation unit 1505 that modulates a signal sent from the system controller 1501 and a driving unit 1506 that drives the light emitting unit 1402 based on the modulation signal.

(Operation of Embodiment 6) Next, the operation of the optical information communication system configured as described above will be described. As shown in FIG. 13, the optical signal transmitted from the terminal A is looped back as a carrier reference signal (same as the transmission signal from the terminal A) by the optical repeater station (AS) 102, and the optical access assistant (AT) By deflecting and diffusing at 103, other terminals are notified.

Terminal A to Optical Relay Station (AS)
The transmission to 102 may be direct as described in FIG. 1 or via an optical access assistant (AT) 103 as described in FIG. In this case, an optical relay station (AS) 102 having a configuration example as shown in FIG. 14 is used.

Next, the operation of the control system shown in FIG. 15 will be described.
First, the optical signal caught by the light receiving unit 1401 is supplied to the demodulation unit 1503, the driving unit 1506 on the light emission side, and the carrier detection unit 1504 via the amplification unit 1502. The signal input to the driving unit 1506 is transmitted from the light emitting unit 1402 as it is almost in real time (to be a carrier sense signal to another terminal).

On the other hand, the demodulation section 1503 demodulates the signal and transfers it to the controller 1501 as a packet signal. Here, the demodulation section 1503 sends the signal to the wired LAN 101 and, if necessary, modulates the response packet to the modulation section 1505. The call is transmitted via the unit 1506.

A signal (electric signal) sent from the outside is emitted through the modulator 1505 and the driver 1506. Light emission in this case is performed at a timing when the controller 1501 determines that there is no carrier (no transmission signal from each terminal) based on a signal from the carrier detection unit 1504.

When two or more terminals transmit simultaneously, collision of signals cannot be avoided. However, as a detection method, for example, a threshold of a light receiving level (output of a photodiode, etc.) per terminal is set, and a light receiving level higher than that, that is, an optical signal from two or more terminals is received. In this case, by immediately determining that a collision has occurred, it is possible to shorten the time until transmission is stopped and not to reduce the efficiency of the entire line.

[Embodiment 7] Here, the above-described CS is used.
An example in which the MA / CD method is performed in the deflection / diffusion portion of the optical access assistant (AT) 103 will be described.

(Configuration of the Seventh Embodiment) FIG. 16 is an explanatory view showing a configuration example of a deflection / diffusion portion of an optical access assistant (AT) 103 according to a seventh embodiment, and FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a system configuration of an optical information communication system according to the first embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 16, the deflection / diffusion portion of the optical access auxiliary device (AT) 103, that is, each surface of the eight polygonal pyramids 103 is made independent and can be controlled to a reflection / non-reflection surface. Configure. Alternatively, in FIG.
A transmissive / non-transmissive liquid crystal shutter 1601 is provided at the opening of the cover 1101 to control emission / non-emission of an optical signal.

(Operation of the Seventh Embodiment) In the above configuration, the above-mentioned CSMA / CD method is performed in the deflection / diffusion portion of the optical access assistant (AT) 103. That is, 8
One surface of each polygonal pyramid 103 is independently controlled to be a reflection / non-reflection surface. That is, as shown in FIG. 16B, only the surface that first arrives from the terminal is used as the reflection surface.
At the same time, the other surface is made a non-reflective surface as shown in FIG.

In addition to the above, as shown in FIG. 16 (d), by tilting the surface other than the surface first reached from the terminal, the optical signal is prevented from going to the optical relay station (AS) 102. You may. Alternatively, FIG.
As shown in (1), the opening through which the optical signal is emitted may be controlled by the liquid crystal shutter 1601.

Therefore, when compared with the above-described sixth embodiment, the time required for the round trip between the optical access assistant (AT) 103 and the optical repeater station (AS) 102 does not take much time. The possibility of collision occurrence is reduced, and the efficiency of the line is improved.

[Eighth Embodiment] Here, the optical access assistant (AT) 103 is connected to the optical relay station (AS) 1
An example will be described in which the positioning can be easily performed when the device is installed directly below the device 02.

(Configuration of Eighth Embodiment) FIG. 18 is an explanatory diagram showing a system configuration of an optical information communication system according to an eighth embodiment, and FIG. 19 is an optical relay station (AS) 102 according to the eighth embodiment. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of FIG.

Here, as shown in FIG. 19, the optical repeater station (AS) 102 is provided with a positioning light emitting unit 1901 other than the optical signal transmission.

(Operation of Eighth Embodiment) In the above configuration, when the optical access assistant (AT) 103 is installed immediately below the optical repeater station (AS) 102, the position of the optical repeater station (AS) 102 is adjusted. Light emitting unit 190
1 is emitted to perform alignment with the optical access assist device (AT) 103. Thereby, the optical access auxiliary device (A
T) 103 and the optical relay station (AS) 102 can be easily aligned.

[Embodiment 9] Here, an example will be described in which the optical relay station (AS) 102 has a simple configuration without a transmission / reception function and relays an optical signal from a base station.

(Configuration of Ninth Embodiment) FIG. 20 is an explanatory diagram showing a system configuration of an optical information communication system according to the ninth embodiment. FIG. 21 is a diagram showing an optical relay station (AS) according to the ninth embodiment. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a relationship with a base station.

In the figure, an optical relay station (AS)
102A to 102C have a simple configuration having only a function of deflecting an optical signal without having a transmission / reception function, and a base station 2001 for transmitting a directional optical signal is provided.

(Operation of Embodiment 9) In the above configuration, the optical repeater stations (AS) 102A to 102C deflect the highly directional light beam transmitted from the base station 2001 connected to the outside. It leads to the optical access assistant (AT) 103. Then, via each optical access auxiliary device (AT) 103, terminals A and B, terminal C
ＤD, terminal EF, and so on.

In this case, for example, if a simple reflecting mirror as shown in FIG. 21 is used, the light beam horizontal to the ceiling surface is bent at a right angle by the optical relay station (AS) 102,
The data is transmitted to each optical access assistant (AT) 103.

As described above, the base station 2001
Consists of optical units for a large number of semiconductor lasers that can emit substantially parallel beams, and is used as an optical relay station (AS).
Although the structure for detecting the positions of the optical relay stations 102A to 102C is also provided, the optical repeater stations (AS) 102A to 102C need only a deflection mechanism, and can be easily installed because the alignment is easy.
The whole system can be easily realized. In a large office, as shown in FIG. 20, one base station 2001 and several optical repeater stations (AS) are provided.
102 is required.

[Embodiment 10] In Embodiments 4 and 5 described above, an example in which light is prevented from entering the human eye has been described. Here, a wavelength band of a light source for improving safety against the naked eye will be described. .

That is, since the cornea and the crystalline lens become transparent with visible light, the light intensity becomes about 10 times higher on the cornea under the condition that a small image close to the diffraction limit is formed on the fundus. Therefore, the MPE is set small for visible light. The light absorptivity at the fundus becomes larger as the wavelength becomes shorter, and the wavelength becomes 1400n.
Since light longer than m is absorbed by the cornea, the MPE becomes larger than visible light.

In a system using a laser beam having a wavelength of 1400 nm or longer, the light is absorbed by the cornea, and the light-collecting action on the fundus does not occur. In addition, at this wavelength, the skin is as resistant and the MPE is high, which is advantageous for safety.

[Embodiment 11] FIG. 22 is an explanatory diagram showing another system configuration of the optical information communication system according to the present invention. Here, the uplink is transmitted directly from the terminal to the optical relay station (AS) 102. In this system, it may be difficult to visually adjust the direction to the optical relay station (AS) 102 on the ceiling. Therefore, as in the present invention, the optical access assistant (AT) arranged on the same desk as in the present invention Adjust to the direction of 103.

However, assuming that the uplink and the downlink pass through the same optical path, the optical relay station (A
S) 102 and the transmitter / receiver installed in the optical transceiver (TR) 105 on the terminal side need to be installed at the same position or very close to each other. However, of course, they cannot be installed at the same location. It is also conceivable that mutual interference occurs and that the light receiving system is affected by the heat generated from the light source. Therefore, in this embodiment, light is projected to different positions of the optical access auxiliary device (AT) 103. Hereinafter, a specific configuration example will be described.

FIGS. 23 to 25 are explanatory diagrams showing the system configuration of the optical information communication system according to the eleventh embodiment. Here, an example is shown in which the optical access auxiliary device (AT) 103 uses a conical reflection mirror for the light diffusion portion. FIGS. 24 and 25 show a desktop type optical access auxiliary device (AT) 103, in which an optical system for transmission and reception and an optical repeater having an interface function with an external network are incorporated. Direct LAN
Connected to Here, only the optical path actually used for communication is shown. However, when the above-mentioned conical reflection mirror is used, for example, the configuration (shape) shown in FIGS. Good.

In FIG. 26, an optical access auxiliary device (AT)
The upper half of the 103 cone reflector is used for the downlink and the lower half is used for the uplink.
On the other hand, in FIG. 27, contrary to FIG. 26, the upper half of the cone reflecting mirror is used for the uplink, and the lower half is used for the downlink. Alternatively, the cone reflecting mirror may be divided into two parts as shown in FIG. The configuration of the tabletop optical access assistant (AT) 103 is shown in FIGS.
34.

[Embodiment 12] FIGS. 29 and 30
FIG. 27 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of an optical information communication system according to Embodiment 12. By the way, the downlink light is emitted from the optical relay station (AS) 102 to a cone, and is diffused 360 degrees in the horizontal direction. For this purpose, the position where the light is projected onto the cone may be either of the above-described FIGS. 26 and 27. On the other hand, the trajectory state of the reflected light of the uplink light differs depending on the light projection position on the cone.

That is, as compared with the case where light is projected on the lower part of the cone (FIGS. 27 and 30 (a)), the case where light is projected on the upper part (FIGS. 27 and 30 (b)) is actually used. The ratio of the scattered light that is not guided to is increased, and the efficiency is reduced. Also, as shown in FIGS. 30 (a) and 30 (b), when the projection position error of ΔL (positioning error from the terminal transmission device) is in the horizontal direction, the light is projected upward (FIG. 27, FIG. 27). FIG.
In the case of (b), the probability of scattering is further increased, and the risk of transmission as it is is increased. In other words, it is better to project the uplink light beam at the bottom of the cone.

As shown in FIG. 30A, the desk-top type optical access auxiliary device (AT) 103 can secure light receiving efficiency to some extent by a highly efficient light collecting and receiving system. However, since the ceiling type optical access assistant (AT) 103 scatters light considerably and lowers the efficiency, as shown in FIG. 30C, only the lower part of the reflecting mirror is not a cone but a horizontal one. Make a polyhedron with several faces. With such a shape, if the light beam is completely contained in one plane, the reflected light is straightened to the optical relay station (AS).
Since the light is guided to the light receiving unit 102, the generation of scattered light is avoided, the efficiency of transmission to the optical relay station (AS) 102 is improved, and the reliability of communication is also increased.

Also, in the case of FIG. 30C, by making the mirror shape of the optical access auxiliary device (AT) 103 into a polyhedral shape, the efficiency is improved as compared with a cone and the reflected light of the reflected light is improved. The trajectory can be easily estimated, and, for example, the design and manufacture of the condensing optical system used here can be facilitated, so that the one with high light condensing efficiency can be manufactured.

[Thirteenth Embodiment] Here, an example will be described in which safety is secured against exposure to a light beam. In this embodiment, since a laser is used as a light source, when an emission power more than necessary is emitted, the light beam from the optical relay station (AS) 102 is not directed directly toward the human body. There is a need. Unnecessary here means radiation safety standards for laser products (for example,
This is the case where the output exceeds the laser emission limit specified in JIS C6802 or IEC825.

However, a classification according to the emission limit value is provided. For example, in the most severe class 1,
In any case, the exposure level must not exceed the maximum allowable exposure amount, and it is required to be safe everywhere. If the light beam from the optical relay station (AS) 102 is at a level within class 1, no particular mechanism or means for ensuring such security is required. Therefore, here, a system from the optical repeater station (AS) 102 to the optical transceiver (TR) 105 corresponds to class 1 will be described.

That is, in the present system, the light having a high probability of being seen directly from the user at the terminal side is the light from the optical access assistant (AT) 103.
Since this light is diffused by the optical access assistant (AT) 103, even if it enters the eyes, it is not as dangerous as the light beam from the optical relay station (AS) 102. On the other hand, it is highly dangerous to look directly into the light beam from the optical relay station (AS) 102 or directly look at the reflected light.
When the light source 02 emits light and the cover is approached or the entire optical access assist device (AT) 103 is moved, there is a risk that a part of the downlink light may be directly seen (see FIG. 31). Therefore, in this embodiment,
Security is ensured by the following configuration.

FIGS. 32 to 34 are explanatory diagrams showing the configuration of the optical access assistant (AT) 103 according to the thirteenth embodiment. Based on the background of ensuring the above-mentioned safety, in this embodiment, when a person approaches this apparatus for some reason, the approach is sensed and the light source is not caused to emit light. For example, as shown in FIG. 32, a light emitting section using an LED as a light source, a detecting section for detecting reflected light due to the approach of a person by a detecting element, and a transmitting section for transmitting to an optical relay station (AS) 102 when detected. A sensor unit 3201 is provided as detection means.

The sensor section 3201 detects the reflected light when a person approaches, using a detecting element, and immediately notifies the optical relay station (AS) 102 of the reflected light by radio waves.
The notified optical relay station (AS) 102 automatically shuts off the light source (laser). Further, in the case of the tabletop type optical access assistant (AT) 103, as shown in FIGS. 33 and 34, when the sensor unit 3201 detects a person, the light source of the light emitting unit is shut off internally.

[Embodiment 14] In this embodiment, an optical transmission / reception apparatus (T
R) wavelength λ1 exceeding 1400 nm transmitted to 105
Using the optical beam of wavelength λ2 transmitted from the optical transceiver (TR) 105 to the receiving unit of the optical relay station (AS) 102 using the optical beam of the optical relay station (AS) 1
An example in which signals are exchanged between the optical transceiver 02 and the optical transceiver (TR) 105 will be described.

FIG. 24 is an explanatory diagram showing a system configuration example of the optical information communication system according to the fourteenth embodiment. This example is applied to a tabletop type in which an optical repeater station (AS) 102 and an optical access assistant (AT) 103 are integrated.

In this case, the wavelengths of the uplink light and the downlink light are different from each other. In particular, the downlink is provided by optical access assistants (ATs) 103-36.
Since the light is diffused to 0 degrees and the light receiving efficiency on the terminal side is reduced, it is necessary to increase the light emission power of the light source of the optical relay station (AS) 102 as much as possible.

Therefore, the radiation safety standards for laser products
A light beam having a wavelength λ1 exceeding 1400 nm, in which the laser output restriction is relaxed, is used. The uplink is transmitted from the optical transceiver (TR) 105 to the optical access assistant (AT).
Since light is transmitted up to 103, the output does not need to be so high, so a low-cost, short-wavelength light source is used. In this case, by changing the wavelengths of the uplink and the downlink, there is also an effect of improving the reliability of bidirectional communication.

[0119]

As described above, according to the optical information communication system according to the present invention (claim 1), transmission and reception of information between a plurality of terminals via a communication network is performed by transmitting light beams. In an optical information communication system, a directional optical signal is deflected and spread on the way by the deflection / spreading means and received by the terminal transmission means, so that any terminal can receive high-speed data from the network. At the same time, the reception area can be expanded.

Further, according to the optical information communication system of the present invention (claim 2), an optical signal by a laser beam having high power transmission efficiency is deflected / spread to the terminal side by a polygonal pyramid having high reflection efficiency. This allows any terminal to receive high-speed data from the network,
The receiving area can be expanded.

Further, according to the optical information communication system according to the present invention (claim 3), the inclination angle of each surface of the polygonal pyramid is adjusted toward the terminal and can be adjusted. The system can also be used in the vertical direction, realizing an easy-to-use system that is easy to install.

According to the optical information communication system of the present invention (claim 4), the cover for covering the deflecting / spreading means is provided, and the filter having an optical discrimination function is provided above the deflecting / spreading means. In addition, the influence on external noise light and dust can be eliminated, and the reliability can be improved.

Further, according to the optical information communication system of the present invention (claims 5 and 6), when an access is made from a certain terminal, the access is notified to other terminals at the same time almost in real time. It is possible to improve the line efficiency and to support the CSMA system.

According to the optical information communication system of the present invention (claim 7), when the deflecting / spreading means is installed immediately below the optical repeater, the light emitting means emits light and the deflecting / spreading light is adjusted in accordance with the light emitting portion. Since the means is installed, the positioning can be easily performed, and a user-friendly system is realized.

Further, according to the optical information communication system of the present invention (claim 8), the reflecting surface of the deflecting / diffusion means can be moved up and down by two.
Divide and use each division plane to separate the uplink and downlink communication paths, avoiding light beam interference, and transmitting and receiving data reliably between the terminal and network at any position Is realized.

Further, according to the optical information communication system of the present invention (claim 9), the deflection / spreading means changes the shape of the reflection surface corresponding to the uplink light and the downlink light. The transmission area can be expanded without affecting the degree of freedom of installation on the machine side.

Further, according to the optical information communication system of the present invention (claim 10), there is provided a detecting means for detecting approach of a person for the purpose of avoiding exposure to laser light, and a deflection / diffusion means when the detection is performed. Since the output of the light source is shut off, safety for the person handling the light source can be ensured.

Further, according to the optical information communication system of the present invention (claim 11), the wavelength of the downlink is set to 14
Since a light source having a wavelength exceeding 00 nm is used and the wavelengths used for the uplink and the downlink are different from each other, the transmission area can be expanded and data can be transmitted and received with high reliability.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a system configuration example (1) of an optical information communication system according to a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a system configuration example (2) of the optical information communication system according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a system configuration example (3) of the optical information communication system according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is an optical access assistance device (A) according to the first embodiment;
It is explanatory drawing which shows the specific structural example (1) of T).

FIG. 5 is an optical access auxiliary device (A) according to the first embodiment.
It is explanatory drawing which shows the specific structural example (2) of T).

FIG. 6 is an optical access auxiliary device (A) shown in FIG.
It is explanatory drawing which shows the shape and structure of T).

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a system configuration of an optical information communication system according to a third embodiment.

FIG. 8 illustrates an optical access auxiliary device (A) according to a third embodiment.
It is explanatory drawing which shows the example of a structure of T), and a light reflection state.

FIGS. 9A and 9B show an optical information communication system according to Embodiment 4, wherein FIG. 9A shows an example in which the light enters the eye, and FIG. 9B shows an example in which light is prevented from entering the eye.

FIG. 10 illustrates an optical access auxiliary device (A) according to a fourth embodiment.
It is explanatory drawing which shows the example which made the reflection surface of T) parabolic.

FIG. 11 shows an optical access auxiliary device (A) according to a fifth embodiment.
It is explanatory drawing which shows the example of a structure (1) of T).

FIG. 12 illustrates an optical access auxiliary device (A) according to a fifth embodiment.
It is explanatory drawing which shows the example of a structure (2) of T).

FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing a system configuration of an optical information communication system according to a sixth embodiment.

FIG. 14 is an optical relay station (A) according to Embodiment 6;
It is explanatory drawing which shows the example of a structure of T).

FIG. 15 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a control system according to a sixth embodiment.

FIG. 16 illustrates an optical access auxiliary device (A) according to a seventh embodiment.
FIG. 3D is an explanatory diagram illustrating a configuration example of a deflection / diffusion portion of FIG.

FIG. 17 is an explanatory diagram showing a system configuration of an optical information communication system according to a seventh embodiment.

FIG. 18 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a system configuration of an optical information communication system according to an eighth embodiment.

FIG. 19 is an optical relay station (A) according to Embodiment 8;
It is explanatory drawing which shows the structure of S).

FIG. 20 is an explanatory diagram showing a system configuration of an optical information communication system according to a ninth embodiment.

FIG. 21 is an optical relay station (A) according to Embodiment 9;
FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a relationship between S) and a base station.

FIG. 22 is an explanatory diagram showing another system configuration of the optical information communication system according to the present invention.

FIG. 23 is an explanatory diagram showing a system configuration example (1) of the optical information communication system according to the eleventh embodiment.

FIG. 24 is an explanatory diagram showing a system configuration example (2) of the optical information communication system according to the eleventh embodiment.

FIG. 25 is an explanatory diagram showing a system configuration example (3) of the optical information communication system according to the eleventh embodiment.

FIG. 26 is an explanatory diagram showing a shape example (1) of a reflection portion of the optical access auxiliary device and a transmission / reception state thereof.

FIG. 27 is an explanatory view showing a shape example (2) of a reflection portion of the optical access auxiliary device and a transmission / reception state thereof.

FIG. 28 is an explanatory view showing a shape example (3) of a reflection portion of the optical access auxiliary device and a transmission / reception state thereof.

FIG. 29 is an explanatory diagram showing a shape example (1) of a reflection part of the optical access auxiliary device according to the twelfth embodiment and a transmission / reception state thereof.

FIG. 30 is an explanatory diagram showing a shape example (2) of a reflection portion of the optical access auxiliary device according to the twelfth embodiment and a transmission / reception state thereof.

FIG. 31 is an explanatory diagram showing an exposure state of a light beam of the optical access auxiliary device according to the thirteenth embodiment.

FIG. 32 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration example (1) of the optical access auxiliary device according to the thirteenth embodiment.

FIG. 33 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration example (2) of the optical access auxiliary device according to the thirteenth embodiment.

FIG. 34 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration example (3) of the optical access auxiliary device according to the thirteenth embodiment.

FIG. 35 is an explanatory diagram showing a system configuration example (1) of a conventional optical information communication system.

FIG. 36 is an explanatory diagram showing a system configuration example (2) of a conventional optical information communication system.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 101 Wired LAN 102 Optical relay station (AS) 103 Optical access auxiliary equipment (AT) 104A-C Terminals A-C 105 Optical transceiver (TR) 1101 Cover 1102 Optical filter 1401 Light receiving part 1402 Light emitting part 1501 System controller 1504 Carrier detection Unit 1601 Liquid crystal shutter 1901 Light emitting unit for positioning 2001 Base station 3201 Sensor unit

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code FI H04B 10/20 H04L 11/00 310B 10/02 10/28 10/26 10/14 10/04 10/06 H04L 12/28

Claims (11)

[Claims] 1. An optical information communication system for transmitting and receiving information between a plurality of terminals by transmitting a light beam via a communication network in an optical information communication system for transmitting information from the communication network by a directional light beam. Repeating means for deflecting the light beam from the optical repeating means toward the terminal;
A deflecting / spreading means for spreading, and a terminal connected to each of the terminals for receiving a light beam from the deflecting / spreading means and optically transmitting information of the terminal to the optical relay means via the deflecting / spreading means. An optical information communication system comprising transmission means. 2. The optical information communication system according to claim 1, wherein a light emitting light source of said optical relay means is a semiconductor laser, and a light reflection shape of said deflection / diffusion means is a polygonal pyramid. 3. The optical information communication system according to claim 2, wherein the angles of the respective reflection surfaces forming the polygonal pyramid are independently set so as to face the terminal transmission means. 4. A cover which covers said deflection / diffusion means and has openings provided on said optical relay means side and said terminal transmission means side, and said cover is provided with an opening on said optical relay means side. A filter that transmits only the light beam of
The optical information communication system according to claim 1, further comprising: 5. The optical repeater loops back an optical signal sent from the terminal transmitter connected to the terminal being accessed, and transmits the optical signal to the terminal transmitter of another terminal by the deflection / spreader. 4. The method according to claim 1, wherein:
The optical information communication system according to any one of the above. 6. The optical information communication system according to claim 2, wherein said deflection / spreading means selects and controls access from said terminal transmission means to said optical repeater means. 7. The optical information communication system according to claim 2, wherein a light emitting means for positioning is provided in said optical relay means, and said deflection / diffusion means is provided in a light emitting portion of said light emitting means. . 8. The deflection / diffusion means has a reflecting surface which is divided into upper and lower parts, and separates a light beam from the optical repeater means and a light beam from a terminal transmission means of the terminal using different division surfaces. 2. The optical information communication system according to claim 1, wherein the optical information is emitted. 9. The reflecting surface of the deflection / diffusion means, which is divided into two, has a conical upper part and a polyhedral lower part.
2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: diffusing downlink light from said optical repeater to said terminal transmission means in said conical shape, and diffusing uplink light from said terminal transmission means to said optical repeater in said polyhedral shape. 9. The optical information communication system according to 8. 10. The apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising detecting means for detecting that a person has approached said deflecting / diffusion means, and interrupting light emission by said optical relay means when the detection is detected by said detecting means. An optical information communication system according to claim 1. 11. A light beam having a wavelength λ1 exceeding 1400 nm transmitted from a transmission section of the optical repeater to the terminal transmission section, and a wavelength λ2 transmitted from the terminal transmission section to a reception section of the optical repeater. 10. The optical information communication system according to claim 8, wherein signals are transmitted and received between the optical repeater and the terminal transmitter using a light beam.