JPS63104532A - Optical data transmission system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To securely enable optical data communication and to reduce the number of optical sensor units by providing plural optical transmitting and receiving units in a terminal equipment, connecting a constant number of terminal equipment to one optical sensor unit in terms of light and providing a prescribed number of optical sensor units. CONSTITUTION:A central device 5 which processes data, the light sensor unit 3 which outputs the luminance signal and receives the luminous signal to supply the central device 5 with the signal from the device 5 and the terminal device 1 providing optical transmitting and receiving unit 2 which receives the luminance signal from the unit 3 and also transmits the luminous signal by the data to the optical sensor unit 3. Thus, since plural optical transmitting and receiving units are provided in the terminal equipment 1, the input/output of the luminous signal is securely executed. And the optical communication can be securely executed because the constant number of terminal equipments is connected to the optical sensor unit 3 in terms of optical coupling and there are a small number of terminal equipment where one optical sensor unit serves.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to an optical data transmission system, and in particular to an optical data transmission system that allows data from a plurality of terminal devices to be wirelessly transmitted to a central device using light. Regarding the system.

[Conventional technology]

Various types of optical data transmission systems have been proposed in the past. For example, a wired optical data transmission system is generally configured by connecting a central device and a terminal device using an optical fiber cable in a loop method or a bus method. In addition, a wireless optical data transmission system has a plurality of optical sensor units connected to a central device for performing optical communication, and has a one-to-one relationship with each of these optical sensor units. One is a system that wirelessly connects terminal devices with optical transmitters and receivers, and one optical sensor unit is connected to the central AN. Generally, it consists of a system that connects wirelessly.

Each of these conventional optical transmission systems has its own characteristics, so they are applied to various systems in order to make the most of their characteristics.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

By the way, when a large number of game machines are installed, such as in a game arcade, the operating status, operation status, sales status, etc. of each game machine are
In order to manage other information, it is convenient to collect the above data for each game machine and have the management department keep track of it. Therefore, a system is required to transmit data from each game machine to the management department. Therefore, by applying the above optical data transmission system to a game machine, data from the game machine could be sent to the management department, but the following problems occurred due to the communication method.

(1) In the case of a wired optical data transmission system, since the game a (terminal device) and the central device located in the management department are connected with an optical fiber cable, there is no freedom in the layout of the game machine. Since optical fiber cables are installed on the floor, the cable construction is large-scale and time-consuming due to the need for durability.

(2) A wireless optical data transmission system that is one-to-one
In the case of this method, a large number of optical sensor units are required because the optical sensor unit and the terminal device are optically coupled in a symmetrical relationship.

(3) In the case of a one-to-many type optical data transmission system using a concentrating method, many terminal devices are optically coupled to one optical sensor unit, so only one optical sensor unit is required. Depending on where the terminal device is installed, light may not reach it and optical communication may not be possible.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to solve the above-mentioned problems and provide an optical data transmission system that can reduce the number of optical sensor units and can reliably perform data transmission through optical coupling.

[Means for solving problems]

An optical data transmission system according to the present invention that achieves the above object includes a central device that performs data processing, and an optical sensor unit that emits an optical signal based on a signal from the central device, and receives the optical signal and provides it to the central device. and a terminal device equipped with an optical transceiver that receives an optical signal from the optical sensor unit and transmits an optical signal based on data toward the optical sensor unit. The device is characterized in that a plurality of optical transceivers are provided, a certain number of terminals WU are optically coupled to one optical sensor unit, and a predetermined number of optical sensor units are provided.

[Effect]

Since the terminal device is provided with a plurality of optical transceivers, input and output of optical signals can be performed reliably.

Further, the optical sensor unit is only optically coupled to a certain number of terminal devices, and the required number of terminal devices can be handled by increasing the number of optical sensor units. Therefore, since the number of terminal devices served by one optical sensor unit is small, optical communication can be performed reliably.

Moreover, since the terminal device and the optical sensor unit are not optically coupled one-to-one, the number of optical sensor units can be reduced.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained with reference to illustrated embodiments.

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment in which the optical data transmission system according to the present invention is applied to game machines 1 in a game hall. Optical transmitters and receivers 2 that emit and receive optical signals are installed at four locations, and the optical transmitters and receivers 2 are optically coupled wirelessly to a plurality of optical sensor units 3 that are installed on the ceiling of the game hall. In addition to connecting the optical sensor units 3 with optical fiber cables, etc., they are also connected to the control unit (central unit) 5 provided in the management department with optical cables, etc.
Each game machine 1 receives instructions from the control unit 5.
This allows the data to be taken into the control unit 5. Furthermore, in this embodiment, one optical sensor unit 3 is configured to optically connect three to five game machines 1.

Note that a power cable (not shown) is connected to the optical sensor unit 3 so that electric power can be provided to the optical sensor unit 3.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the external appearance of the game machine 1. The case of the game machine 1 is formed into a table shape, and an optical transceiver 2 is provided in a square shape on the top surface of the case. A display device 6 is provided, an insertion slot 8 for inserting a magnetic card 7 is provided on the side surface of the housing, and an operation panel 11 provided with operation buttons 9 and a joystick 10 is provided on the right side. Also, one game each! 11
1 is provided with an optical transmitter/receiver 2 in order to improve the reliability of optical coupling.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the optical data transmission system according to the present invention, in which the optical sensor unit 3-1.3-
2, . 11. 1-12,..., 1-1+
* (However, m = 3 to 5) are optically coupled, and the optical sensor unit 3-2 is connected to the game machine 1-21.1-22, .
..., 1-2+* are optically coupled, and the n-th optical sensor unit 3-n is connected to game machines 1-nl, 1-n2,...
., 1-nm optically coupled.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the control unit 5. An optical cable 4 is connected to an optical coupler 15, and this optical coupler 15 sends an optical signal from a light emitting element 16 to the optical cable 4. The light emitting element 16 is driven by a drive circuit 18, and the electric signal from the light receiving element 17 can be supplied to a reproducing circuit 19. The processing device 20 includes a communication control device 21, a drive circuit 18, and a regeneration circuit 19 via interfaces 22 and 23.
In addition to connecting the display device 24 and input device 2
5. Connect the external storage device 26, printer 27, and clock 28, collect data from the game machine 1 and store it in the external storage device 26, and process the collected data along with the time data of the clock 28. The data is processed by the device 20 and output to a display device 24, a printer 27, etc.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of the optical sensor unit 3, in which 30 and 31 are optical couplers, an optical cable 4 is connected and coupled to the optical coupler 30, and the optical coupler 3
0 is coupled to another optical coupler 31, and a light emitting element 32 and a light receiving element 33 are coupled to the optical coupler 31. Such optical couplers 30, 31 enable the optical cable 4 to be used as a bidirectional element. The electric signal from the light-receiving element 33 is amplified by an amplifier circuit 34, unnecessary components are removed through a low-pass filter 35, and this is added to a comparator 36, where signals larger than a certain level are converted into digital signals. By driving a drive circuit 37 with the shaped electric signal, a light emitting element 38 that generates an optical signal in the infrared region is driven. The optical signal from the light emitting element 3B passes through the half mirror 39, is reflected by the primary reflecting surface 40, is reflected again by the secondary reflecting surface 41, and is radiated into space with a constant spread. It should be noted that - a Cassegrain type radiator is constituted by the fire incident surface 40 and the secondary reflection surface 41; A primary reflecting surface 40 is provided at a portion of the secondary radiation surface near the focal point. Further, the light receiving element 43 capable of detecting an optical signal in the infrared region includes a secondary reflection surface 41, a -fire attack surface 4
0. The infrared optical signal reflected by the half mirror 39 is converted into an electrical signal and applied to the amplifier circuit 44. The electrical signal amplified by the amplifier circuit 44 is waveform-shaped by the low-pass filter 34 and the comparator 46, and then supplied to the drive circuit 47 to drive the light emitting element 32. In addition, 42 is glass, and 48
is a power supply, and the power supply 48 supplies power to each circuit.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a data transmission system of game a1, which is a terminal device. The optical transmitter/receiver 2 constitutes a Cassegrain type radiator as shown in FIG.
0, secondary reflective surface 51 transparent glass 52, half mirror 53
, a light receiving element 54 capable of detecting an optical signal in the infrared region, and a light emitting element 55 capable of emitting an optical signal in the infrared region. The light receiving element 54 of the optical transceiver 2 is connected to a reproducing circuit 56, and the light emitting element 55 is connected to a driving circuit 57. The reproducing circuit 56 and the driving circuit 57 are connected to the interface 4
8 and 59 are connected to a game machine processing device 60 via a communication control device 61.

The game machine processing device 60 collects various information about the game machine, and upon receiving a command to send data by specifying an address uniquely assigned to the game machine processing device 60, the game machine processing device 60 immediately collects various information about the game machine. The collected data is transmitted by driving the light emitting element 55.

The operation of the embodiment configured as described above will be explained below.

In this embodiment, a unique address is assigned to the game machine 1, and any game machine 1 can be called from the control unit 5 as needed.

However, normally, each game R1 is sequentially called using a polling method and the data is loaded into the control unit 5.

In the control unit 5, when the processing device 20 is activated at fixed time intervals T by the time signal from the clock 28, games [1-11 to l-nm are called up.

First, when the processing device 20 outputs a signal including the address for calling the game machine 1-11, the communication system i1! Device 2
1 is converted into a communication signal and driven by the drive circuit 18 via the interface 22 , the light emitting element 16 emits light and an optical signal is output to the optical coupler 15 . This optical signal drives each optical sensor unit 3 via an optical cable 4.

Since the optical sensor unit 3 drives the light receiving element 33 via the optical couplers 30 and 31, it is possible to obtain an electrical signal corresponding to the optical signal. This electrical signal is the fl1M circuit 3
4. A low-pass filter 35 and a comparator 36 form teeth to drive a drive circuit 37. The light emitting element 38 driven by the drive circuit 37 is connected to the control unit 5.
The signal is radiated into space as an infrared optical signal via a Cassegrain type radiator.

The optical signal emitted from each optical sensor unit 3 reaches the light receiving element 54 via the Cassegrain type radiator of the optical transmitter/receiver 2 of each game machine l, is converted into an electrical signal, and is converted into a reproducing circuit 56.
, interface 58 , and communication control device 61 to the game machine processing device 60 . The game machine processing device 60 of each game machine 1 determines whether or not it is being called, and when it is being called, it provides the data collected so far to the communication control device 61. . Of course, since the address assigned to each game ml is unique, only the game machine 1 at that address will transmit.

The communication control device 61 converts the given data of the game machine l into a signal for communication, and causes the light emitting element 55 to emit light via the interface 59 and the drive circuit 57.

The light emitting element 55 emits an optical signal in the infrared region in response to the driven electric signal, and radiates the optical signal into space via the Cassegrain type radiator of the optical transceiver 2.

The optical signal radiated into space reaches the light receiving element 43 via the Cassegrain type radiator of the optical sensor unit 3. After being converted into an electrical signal by the light receiving element 43, the amplification surface 1144,
The electric signal waveform-shaped by the low-pass filter 45 and the comparator 46 is passed through the drive circuit 47 to the light emitting element 32.
to emit light. The optical signal emitted by the light emitting element 32 is sent to the optical cable 4 via the optical coupler 31, 30.

The optical signal sent to the optical cable 4 is sent to the control unit 5, and is sent to the light receiving element 1 via the optical coupler 15.
Reach 7. The optical signal reaching the light receiving element 17 is converted into an electrical signal and supplied to the reproducing circuit 19. Regeneration circuit 19
The waveform-shaped electrical signal is given to the communication control device 21 via the interface 23, where the signal is converted and processed. 20. The processing device 20 causes the input data signal to be displayed on the display device 24 or stored in the external storage device 26 as necessary.

Through the series of operations described above, data for one game machine 1 is taken into the control unit 5.

Next, the address assigned to game machine 1 in the call signal is incremented by +1 to call the next game m1-12 and data is collected, and this is repeated one after another to collect data for game machine 1.
Data collection is performed until -nm.

This embodiment is a data transmission system using wireless optical communication, in which m game machines 1 (terminal devices) are optically coupled to one optical sensor unit 3, and n optical sensor units 3 are connected to each other. Compared to the conventional wireless optical data transmission system in which the optical sensor unit 3 corresponds to the game machine l (terminal device) on a one-to-one basis, the number of optical sensor units 3 can be reduced. Compared to a conventional wireless optical data transmission system in which there are n terminal devices for one unit 3, there is an advantage that optical signals can be reliably coupled. Furthermore, according to this embodiment, it is possible to communicate with nll1 game machines 1 (terminal devices).

In the above embodiment, the optical signal emitted into space has a wavelength in the infrared region, but the invention is of course not limited to this. Further, in the above embodiment, the optical cable 4 using an optical fiber is used in both directions, but the optical cable 4 may of course be used in one direction. However, in this case, two optical cables 4 are required.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the present invention, optical data communication can be reliably performed and the number of optical sensor units can be reduced.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a layout diagram showing an embodiment in which the optical data transmission system according to the present invention is applied to a game machine in a game parlor, Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the external appearance of the game machine, and Fig. 3 is an optical data transmission system according to the present invention. 4 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the control unit; FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the optical sensor unit; FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the optical sensor unit.
The figure is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a data transmission system for a game machine, which is a terminal device. 1... Game machine (terminal device), 2... Optical transceiver,
3... Optical sensor unit, 4... Optical cable, 5
・°・Control unit (central device).

Claims (1)

[Claims] a central device that processes data; an optical sensor unit that emits an optical signal according to a signal from the central device, receives the optical signal and provides it to the central device; and an optical sensor unit that receives the optical signal from the optical sensor unit and transmits the data; an optical data transmission system comprising: a terminal device equipped with an optical transceiver for transmitting an optical signal to an optical sensor unit;
An optical data transmission system characterized in that a predetermined number of terminal devices are optically coupled to one optical sensor unit, and a predetermined number of optical sensor units are provided.