JPH11473A - Game machine having optical communication device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve response and accuracy of a receiver with an increased level of supply current by providing a capacitor for building up charges from a power supply during the time of inactivation of a light emitter and supplying an amount of current which is a sum of a supply current based on the power supply and a supply current based on the capacitor daring operation of the light emitter. SOLUTION: When a memory card is mounted on each body of two portable game machines and a communication mode is specified by using control buttons, for instance, the top surfaces of the memory cards mounted in the game machines are opposed. A light emitter portion 21 and light receiver portion 22 of one game machine is opposed to a light receiver portion 22 and light emitter portion 21 of another game machine. To this light emitting portion 21, a capacitor 21D is connected in parallel with a light emitting diode 21A across a resistor 21C. When current flows to a transistor and a supply current is fed to the LED 21A, the supply current is a sum of the supply current from a power supply 100 and the supply current generated based on the charges stored in the capacitor 21D and increases the illumination intensity of the LED 21A.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a game device provided with an optical communication device, and more particularly, to a game device capable of performing optical communication between portable game devices having limited power consumption, and having a responsiveness and accuracy on a receiving side. The present invention relates to a game device provided with an optical communication device having excellent performance.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a conventional game device, there is a game device provided with an optical communication device that performs data communication based on a program by transmitting and receiving an optical signal between portable game devices.

FIG. 6 shows a light-emitting section of a conventional optical communication device, which is connected to a power supply 55 via a resistor 56 and has a switch 5.
7 that emits light based on ON / OFF of the LED 7 (LE
D) The LED 58 is turned on when the switch 57 is turned ON. An optical signal emitted based on the lighting of the LED 58 is incident on a light receiving unit (not shown) of another game device, is photoelectrically converted, and is output as a light receiving signal.

[0006] FIG. 7 (a), (b), the light emitting portion and shows the relationship between the current supplied to the light receiving unit time, ON Then the light emitting portion at time t _1, in FIG. 7 (a) to LED58 injection current I _A is supplied from the power supply as shown. On the other hand, the light receiving section generates a photocurrent by receiving an optical signal based on the light emission of the LED 58. The photocurrent increases from time t ₁ as shown in FIG. 7 (b), reaches the current value I _B at time t ₂ after Δt seconds.

[0005]

However, according to the conventional optical communication device, a resistor having a predetermined value is inserted in series with the light emitting element in order to save power consumed by the light emitting section. Even when the light emitting element is activated, the level of the current injected into the light emitting element is limited, and as a result, it takes time for the light receiving element to receive a sufficient amount of light, and the response on the receiving side becomes inaccurate. There is fear. Therefore, the object of the present invention is to increase the load even when the power consumption is limited,
It is an object of the present invention to provide a game device provided with an optical communication device capable of increasing the level of an injection current at the time of operation on the light emitting side and improving responsiveness and accuracy on the receiving side.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a light emitting device for emitting an optical signal to an external device based on execution of a program, and receiving an optical signal emitted from the external device. In a game device provided with an optical communication device having a light receiving device, a first injection current based on the power supply when the light emitting device is activated, further comprising a capacitor for storing a charge supplied from a power supply when the light emitting device is not activated. And a light emitting circuit that supplies the injection current of the sum of the second injection current based on the charge of the capacitor to operate the light emitting device, and an output signal generated based on the reception of the optical signal emitted from the external device. Provided is a game device having a light receiving circuit for reading in synchronization with a read signal.

[0007] In the game device provided with the above-described optical communication device, the light emitting circuit and the light receiving circuit are incorporated in the first portable game device, and the external equipment is the same light emitting circuit and light emitting circuit as the light emitting circuit and the light receiving circuit. A second portable game device having a light receiving circuit, wherein the first and second portable game devices include a light emitting unit of one portable game device, a light receiving unit of the other portable game device, and one of the portable game devices. The light receiving unit of the portable game device and the light emitting unit of the other portable game device may be configured to face each other, and optical communication may be performed by disposing the facing light emitting unit and the light receiving unit close to each other. preferable. Also, the light emitter and the light receiver are
It can also be provided on a removable memory card having a storage element for storing programs and data.

[0008]

FIG. 1 shows a portable game apparatus provided with an optical communication device according to an embodiment of the present invention. A liquid crystal display 11, a cross key 12, and an operation button 1 are provided on the front.
A light emitting unit 21 for transmitting and receiving an optical signal based on data on a top surface of the memory card 20; 22 are provided.

FIG. 2 shows a control block diagram of the memory card 20. The memory card 20 has a control unit 30 for controlling the operation of each unit, an LED 21A for generating an optical signal based on a control signal output from the control unit 30, and a photoelectric conversion of the received optical signal according to the light intensity. 22A, a ROM 50 storing a program, a RAM 51 storing data generated during execution of a game, a main body 1
When the memory card 20 is removed from 0, a reset circuit 41 for supplying power from the battery 40 to the RAM 51 to protect stored game data, an address, data, a write signal WR bar, and a read signal RD built in the main body 10 It is configured by connecting a CPU α60 that inputs a bar to the control unit 30.

FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram of an optical communication unit of the memory card 20, which is configured by connecting a light emitting unit 21 and a light receiving unit 22 to a control unit 30.

The light emitting section 21 includes an LED 21A, a resistor 21
B, 21C, and a capacitor 21D.
The LED 21A connected to 0 via the resistor 21B is connected to the transistor 35 of the control unit 30. Also, L
A capacitor 21D is connected in parallel with the ED 21A via a resistor 21C, and the resistance of the resistor 21B is set to be larger than the resistance of the resistor 21C in order to reduce the power consumption of the power supply 100. The power supply 100 is connected to the control unit 3
When the "communication mode" is set by 0, the transistor 35 is turned on and energized.

The capacitor 21D charges an electric charge when the LED 21A is turned off while the LED 21A is turned on. When the transistor 35 is turned on, the capacitor 21D adds an injection current based on the power supply and an injection current based on the electric charge charged in the capacitor 21D to the LED 21A.
A.

The light receiving section 22 includes a phototransistor 22
A, resistors 22B and 22C, capacitors 22D and 22E,
The phototransistor 22A is connected to the transistor 36 of the control unit 30, and is grounded via the photocurrent-voltage conversion resistor 22B. A resistor 22C is connected in parallel with the resistor 22B via a capacitor 22D. The output terminal of the capacitor 22D is connected to an amplifier 37 of the control unit 30, and a resistor 22F and a capacitor 22E are connected in parallel with the amplifier 37 to form a feedback amplifier circuit.

The control unit 30 includes an address decoder 31, an operation mode control circuit 32, AND gates 33A and 33B,
D-flip-flop 34, transistors 35 and 36,
It comprises an amplifier 37, an inverter 38, and a buffer 39.

The address decoder 31 is connected to the operation mode control circuit 32 and the AND gate 33A.
The operation mode control circuit 32 includes AND gates 33A, 33
B and the transistor 36. The AND gate 33A is connected to the D flip-flop 34. The D-flip-flop 34 has a D terminal 34a for inputting a communication mode signal, a clock terminal 34b for inputting a write signal WR bar (hereinafter simply referred to as WR), and a D terminal 34a when the D terminal 34a is "1". It has a Q terminal 34c that outputs "1" and outputs "0" when the D terminal 34a is "0". Transistor 35 is rendered conductive when "1" is output from Q terminal 34c of D-flip-flop 34. The amplifier 37 includes the phototransistor 2
An output signal based on the optical signal received at 2A is amplified and input to the AND gate 33B. The inverter 38 generates an inverted signal obtained by inverting the read signal RD bar (hereinafter simply referred to as RD). The buffer 39 outputs the output signal passing through the AND gate 33B to the data bus in synchronization with the inverted signal.

An optical communication operation between the two portable game devices in the above configuration will be described. Two portable game devices are prepared, a memory card 20 is mounted on each main body 10, and the power is turned on. Then, the "communication mode" is commanded by operating the cross key 12 and the operation buttons 13 and 14 provided on the front surface.

Next, as shown in FIGS. 4 (a) and 4 (b), the two game devices are mounted on main bodies 10A (hereinafter, referred to as game devices 10A) and 10B (hereinafter, referred to as game devices 10B). The top surface of the memory card 20 is facing.
Then, the light emitting unit 21 on the game device 10A side and the light receiving unit 22 on the game device 10B side are arranged such that the light receiving unit 22 on the game device 10A side and the light emitting unit 21 on the game device 10B side face each other.

At this time, if the distance D between the top surfaces of the memory card 20 is large, the reaction of the phototransistor 22A that receives an optical signal becomes inaccurate. You may let it.

[When the Game Apparatus 10A Transmits Data to the Game Apparatus 10B] When the "communication mode" is commanded, the address decoder 31 of the control unit 30
An address signal is input / output from the CPU α60 incorporated in the device 0A via the address bus. This address signal is decoded and output to the operation mode control circuit 32. The operation mode control circuit 32 inputs a decode signal from the address decoder 31 and a change (rising) of the write signal WR from “0” to “1” (rising), thereby storing the storage device provided in the operation mode control circuit. And the communication mode. The signal indicating the stored communication mode is output as “1” from the operation mode control circuit, and the AND gate 3
3A. In this state, the AND gate 33A
Then, by inputting 1-bit data from the CPU α60 and a decode signal from the address decoder, the active state becomes “1”. D of the flip-flop 34
The terminal 34a is "1" because it is connected to the output of the AND gate 33A.

When "1" is input to the D terminal 34a, the Q terminal 34b synchronizes with the change of the write signal WR input to the clock terminal 34b from "0" to "1".
When c becomes “1”, the transistor 35 is turned on and LE
An injection current is supplied to D21A. Since this injection current is the sum of the injection current supplied from the power supply 100 and the injection current generated based on the electric charge charged in the capacitor 21D, the LED 21A has a high light emission intensity in the early stage of operation. Light signal L based on light emission of LED 21A
_A is emitted from the light emitting unit 21 of the memory card 20A.

[When Game Apparatus 10A Receives Data from Game Apparatus 10B] The address decoder 31 of the control unit 30 controls the game apparatus 1 when the "communication mode" is commanded.
An address signal is input from the CPU α60 built in the OA via an address bus. This address signal is decoded and output to the operation mode control circuit 32. The operation mode control circuit 32 is activated by inputting a decode signal from the address decoder 31. At this time, the inverter 38 of the read signal RD (“0” signal)
By inputting the inverted signal (“1” signal), the AND gate 33B is activated, and the transistor 36 is turned on to energize the light receiving section 22.

[0022] the light-receiving portion 22 of the memory card 20A is the optical signal L _B is incident, is received by the photo transistor 22A, and photoelectrically converted in the light receiving signal corresponding to the light intensity. The light receiving signal after the photoelectric conversion is amplified by the amplifier 37 and then input to the AND gate 33B. The AND gate 33B outputs the amplified light receiving signal to the buffer 39 in synchronization with the inverted signal. The light receiving signal input to the buffer 39 is output to the data bus in synchronization with the inverted signal of the read signal RD.

FIGS. 5A and 5B show the relationship between the light emission current and the light reception current of the optical communication device according to the present invention.
As shown in (a), when the transistor 35 is conducting (time t
₁ ), the injection current based on the electric charge charged in the capacitor 21D is supplied in addition to the injection current from the power supply, so that the light emission current I ₂₁ ′ larger than the normal light emission current I ₂₁ is supplied to the LED 2.
1A. As a result, the light emission intensity in the initial stage of operation is instantaneously increased. After discharge of the capacitor 21D is a normal light emission current I _21.

In the light receiving section 22, as shown in FIG.
Since the light receiving current I ₂₂ a large consisting photocurrent I ₂₂ based on the normal luminous intensity 'occurs initial operation of LED 21a, the response time until the light receiving current I ₂₂ is generated Delta] t (t ₂ -
t ₁₎ becomes small, and large made level of photocurrent I ₂₂ 'is generated from the light receiving current I _22, the reaction is correct.

According to the game device provided with the above-mentioned optical communication device, optical communication is performed by bringing two portable game devices close to or in contact with each other, so that the normal light emission intensity of the LED can be reduced, and the capacity of the battery can be reduced. Optical communication becomes possible even with a portable game device that has a limited power consumption based on it. The LED emits an optical signal having an emission intensity higher than a normal emission intensity by being supplied with an injection current based on the charge charged in the capacitor in addition to an injection current based on the power supply in an early stage of operation. As a result, the rise time of the light-receiving current is shortened in the phototransistor, a large-level light-receiving current is generated, and light is reliably received. In addition, since the power is supplied to the light receiving circuit based on the setting of the “communication mode”, the consumption of the battery is suppressed and the noise generated due to the power supply can be reduced.

The optical communication device described above is not limited to a portable game device, but can be used for optical communication between other terminals. Further, the place where the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit are provided is not limited to the memory card, and may be provided in, for example, the portable game apparatus body.

[0027]

As described above, according to the game device provided with the optical communication device of the present invention, the injection current that is the sum of the injection current based on the power supply and the injection current based on the charge charged in the capacitor is supplied during operation. A light-emitting part and a light-receiving part that are energized when performing optical communication are provided, so that even when the power consumption is limited, the light intensity at the initial operation of the light-emitting side is increased without increasing the load, Performance and accuracy can be improved

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a game device provided with an optical communication device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a control block diagram of a game device provided with the optical communication device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram of a game device provided with the optical communication device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an operation of the optical communication device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5A shows a relationship between a light emission current and time of the optical communication device according to the embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5B shows a relationship between a light reception current and time.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing a light emitting circuit of a conventional optical communication device.

FIG. 7A shows a relationship between a light emission current and time of a generation circuit of a conventional optical communication device, and FIG. 7B shows a relationship between a light reception current and time.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10, body 10A, body 10B, body 11, liquid crystal display 12, cross key 13, operation button 14, operation button 20, memory card 20A, memory card 20B, memory card 21, light emitting section 21A, LED 21B, resistor 21C, resistor 21D, capacitor 22, light receiving section 22A, phototransistor 22B, resistor 22C, resistor 22D, capacitor 22E, capacitor 22F, display 30, control section 31, address decoder 32, operation mode control circuit 33A, AND gate 33B, AND gate 34, D-flip-flop 35, transistor 36, transistor 37, amplifier 38, inverter 39, buffer 40, battery 41, reset circuit 50, ROM 51, RAM 55, power supply 56, resistor 57, switch 58, LED 60, CPU α 100, power supply

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A game device comprising: a light emitting device for emitting an optical signal to an external device based on execution of a program; and an optical communication device having a light receiving device for receiving an optical signal emitted from the external device. And a capacitor for storing a charge supplied from a power supply when the light emitter is not operating, wherein a sum of a first injection current based on the power supply and a second injection current based on the charge of the capacitor is provided when the light emitter operates. A light-emitting circuit that supplies an injection current to operate the light-emitting device; and a light-receiving circuit that reads an output signal generated based on reception of an optical signal emitted from the external device in synchronization with a read signal. A game device provided with an optical communication device. 2. The light emitting circuit and the light receiving circuit are incorporated in a first portable game device, and the external device has a light emitting circuit and a light receiving circuit identical to the light emitting circuit and the light receiving circuit. 2. The portable game device of claim 2, wherein the first and second portable game devices comprise: the light emitting unit of one portable game device, the light receiving unit of the other portable game device, and one portable game device. 2. The optical communication system according to claim 1, wherein the light receiving unit of the game device and the light emitting unit of the other portable game device face each other, and the opposing light emitting unit and the light receiving unit are arranged close to each other to perform optical communication. A game device provided with the optical communication device according to any one of the preceding claims. 3. The game device according to claim 1, wherein the light emitting device and the light receiving device are provided on a removable memory card having a storage element for storing a program and data.