TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to an optical communication connector, an optical communication cable, and an electronic device.

BACKGROUND ART

Recently, there is a demand for a larger transmission capacity along with the increase in the amount of communication over the Internet and the like. In conventional transmission systems via copper cables, it is becoming difficult to achieve such a large transmission capacity. Therefore, optical communication that can achieve a larger transmission capacity has been proposed.

A so-called physical contact (PC) system of abutting optical fibers to each other in a connector is adopted for optical communication cables generally used at present. In the PC system, however, highly-accurate adjustment is required for aligning the both optical fibers. In addition, in the abutment of the optical fibers, the both optical fibers need cleaning every time connection is made in order to prevent waste or the like from adhering to the tips of the optical fibers to damage the optical fibers. Further, in the PC system, in order to suppress a coupling failure in a gap between the leading ends of the optical fibers, injection of a refractive index adjuster into the gap is indispensable. From these results, it is difficult for general users to insert and remove optical fibers by the PC system.

As a method for solving these problems, a collimating optical coupling system has been proposed. In the collimating optical coupling system, each lens is mounted with the optical axis aligned at the tip of each optical fiber, and an optical signal is turned into parallel light to transfer the optical signal between opposed lenses. By using such a collimating optical coupling system, the accuracy in aligning connectors of optical fibers to each other is relaxed. Further, in the collimating optical coupling system, since optical fibers are optically coupled to each other in a contactless state, an adverse effect on transmission quality caused by waste or the like intruded between the optical fibers is also suppressed, and the need for frequent and careful cleaning is also eliminated.

In the meanwhile, parallel light used in the collimating optical coupling system is theoretically less likely to attenuate even at a distance from an output section, and, depending on the intensity, it is difficult to satisfy standards concerning laser light, such as IEC 60825-1 and IEC 60825-2. Therefore, at present, a shutter for shielding parallel light during disconnection is provided for an optical communication connector.

In addition, Patent Literature 1 proposes an optical connector having an object to prevent laser hazard due to collimated light (parallel light). Specifically, an optical connector for performing collimating optical coupling is disclosed in which opposed two projection-recess structures are provided for an optical fiber fixing section and a collimating lens. In this optical connector, during disconnection of the optical connector, the collimating lens separates from the optical fiber fixing section, and the projection-recess structures scatter light from optical fibers. On the other hand, in this optical connector, during connection of the optical connector, the collimating lens is pressed, so that the collimating lens comes into contact with the optical fiber fixing section with the two projection-recess structures interposed therebetween to eject parallel light.

CITATION LIST
Patent Literature

Patent Literature 1: JP 2013-64803A

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
Technical Problem

In the optical connector described in Patent Literature 1, however, by pressing the collimating lens even during disconnection, the collimating lens can come into contact with the optical fiber fixing section with the two projection-recess structures interposed therebetween, and collimated light may be emitted from the optical connector. In addition, the optical connector described in Patent Literature 1 has a complicated structure that requires a mechanism for moving the collimating lens away from and close to the optical fiber fixing section, and the like.

In addition, in the optical connector described in Patent Literature 1, the collimating lens is exposed to the outside. Therefore, the collimating lens surface can be contaminated by dust, oil, or the like. The collimating coupling system has a resistance to soil as compared with the PC system. However, under use conditions according to a commercial standard with relatively high frequency of insertion and removal, cleaning is not at all unnecessary. In addition, when a scratch or the like is made on the collimating lens, the signal quality is affected. Therefore, the optical connector described in the Literature requires cleaning when soiling occurs on the collimating lens. In such cleaning, in a case where the optical connector is reduced in size or a plurality of lenses are arranged, maintenance of the lens section becomes very difficult. In addition, in a case where a shutter is installed in the optical connector, a jig or the like for releasing the shutter becomes necessary in some cases.

Therefore, the present disclosure proposes an optical communication connector, an optical communication cable, and an electronic device being novel and improved that have excellent maintenance properties and can restrain parallel light (collimated light) from being directly emitted to the outside of an optical connector during non-optical coupling.

Solution to Problem

According to the present disclosure, there is provided an optical communication connector including: a collimating lens configured to collimate light from an optical transmission path; and a diffusion section arranged on a leading end side with respect to the collimating lens, and configured to diffuse the light from the optical transmission path output from the collimating lens.

In addition, according to the present disclosure, there is provided an optical communication cable including: an optical transmission path; an optical communication connector including a collimating lens configured to collimate light from the optical transmission path and a diffusion section arranged on a leading end side with respect to the collimating lens and configured to diffuse and output the light from the optical transmission path output from the collimating lens.

In addition, according to the present disclosure, there is provided an electronic device including: an optical communication connector including a collimating lens configured to collimate light from an optical transmission path and a diffusion section arranged on a leading end side with respect to the collimating lens and configured to diffuse and output the light from the optical transmission path output from the collimating lens.

Advantageous Effects of Invention

According to the present disclosure as described above, an optical communication connector, an optical communication cable, and an electronic device being novel and improved that have excellent maintenance properties and can restrain parallel light (collimated light) from being directly emitted to the outside of an optical connector during non-optical coupling can be provided.

Note that the effects described above are not necessarily limitative. With or in the place of the above effects, there may be achieved any one of the effects described in this specification or other effects that may be grasped from this specification.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an appearance example of an electronic device and an optical communication cable according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the optical communication connector illustrated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the optical communication connector illustrated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view illustrating a connection state of the optical communication connector illustrated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram for describing a hardware configuration of the electronic device according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration example of a vehicle control system.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of installation positions of a vehicle outside information detecting section and an imaging section.

MODE(S) FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, (a) preferred embodiment(s) of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the appended drawings. Note that, in this specification and the appended drawings, structural elements that have substantially the same function and structure are denoted with the same reference numerals, and repeated explanation of these structural elements is omitted.

Note that description will be provided in the following order.

1. Appearance example of electronic device and optical communication cable

2. Structures of electronic device and optical communication cable

(Optical communication connector)

(Electronic device)

(Optical communication cable)

3. Application examples

1. Appearance Example of Electronic Device and Optical Communication Cable

First, with reference to FIG. 1, an appearance example of an electronic device 100 and an optical communication cable 200 according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure will be described.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the electronic device 100 includes a light transmitting and receiving section 110. The light transmitting and receiving section 110 is configured to be capable of performing optical communication. In addition, the light transmitting and receiving section 110 includes an optical communication connector 10B. The light transmitting and receiving section 110 can issue data that the electronic device 100 needs to transmit as an optical signal via the optical communication connector 10B, and can receive an optical signal to the electronic device 100.

The optical communication cable 200 includes a cable body 201 and an optical communication connector 10A. The optical communication cable 200 transmits an optical signal between the electronic device 100 and another electronic device or a communication network such as the Internet via the cable body 201 and the optical communication connector 10A.

Note that the electronic device 100 can be, for example, a mobile electronic device such as a mobile phone, a smartphone, a PHS, a PDA, a tablet PC, a laptop computer, a video camera, an IC recorder, a portable media player, an electronic notebook, an electronic dictionary, a calculator, or a portable game console, or another electronic device such as a desktop computer, a display device, a television receiver, a radio receiver, a video recorder, a printer, a car navigation system, a game console, a router, a hub, or an optical network unit (ONU). Alternatively, the electronic device 100 can constitute a part or the whole of an electrical appliance such as a refrigerator, a washing machine, a clock, an interphone, air-conditioning equipment, a humidifier, an air purifier, lighting equipment, or a cooking appliance, or a vehicle as will be described later.

2. Structures of Electronic Device and Optical Communication Cable

Next, with reference to FIG. 2 to FIG. 4 in addition to FIG. 1, structures of the electronic device 100 and the optical communication cable 200 will be described. FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the optical communication connector 10A illustrated in FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the optical communication connector 10B illustrated in FIG. 1, and FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view illustrating a connection state of the optical communication connectors 10A and 10B illustrated in FIG. 1. Hereinafter, the optical communication connectors 10A, 10B will be described first in detail, and then the electronic device 100 and the optical communication cable 200 including them will be described in detail.

(Optical Communication Connector)

Hereinafter, the optical communication connectors 10A, 10B will be described in detail. In addition, since the optical communication connectors 10A, 10B have a common structure, the structure of the optical communication connector 10A will be mainly described.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the optical communication connector 10A is a plug provided on the leading end side of the cable body 201. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the optical communication connector 10A has a lens section 110A and a diffusion section (cylindrical lens) 120A. Note that the optical communication connector 10A may include as necessary a positioning member for positioning each member, a protection member for protecting each member, a casing for carrying each member, and the like, in addition to the above-described components.

The lens section 110A is arranged so as to come into contact with the leading end side of an optical transmission path 202A existing in the cable body 201. In a collimating lens 111A on the leading end side, the lens section 110A converts light of an optical signal ejected from the optical transmission path 202A into a parallel light (collimated light) L_A1and outputs the parallel light. On the other hand, when parallel light is input to the collimating lens 111A on the leading end side, the lens section 110A collects the parallel light for ejection toward the optical transmission path 202A.

Note that two collimating lenses 111A are illustrated in the drawing, whilst the illustrated mode is not a limitation, but the lens section 110A can have one or more collimating lenses of any number in accordance with the number of the optical transmission paths 202A. For example, the lens section 110A may be a micro lens array in which collimating lenses are arrayed in the thickness direction and in the width direction of the optical communication connector 10A. For example, the lens section 110A may be a micro lens array in which two columns of collimating lenses are arrayed in the thickness direction (the vertical direction in the drawing) and a plurality of rows of collimating lenses are arrayed in the width direction (the depth direction in the drawing).

The diffusion section 120A is a cylindrical lens structured and arranged so as to refract and output the parallel light L_A1ejected from the lens section 110A. The diffusion section 120A is arranged on the leading end side of the optical communication connector 10A with respect to the lens section 110A. In addition, the diffusion section 120A is extended in the width direction (the depth direction in the drawing) as necessary so as to be capable of receiving the parallel light L_A1from each of the collimating lenses 111A arranged in the lens section 110A. Note that the illustrated mode is not a limitation, but in a case where three or more collimating lenses 111A, for example, are arranged in the thickness direction, or in a case where only one collimating lens 111A is arranged, the diffusion section 120A can be extended or shortened in the thickness direction accordingly. In addition, regarding the diffusion section 120A, in a case where a plurality of collimating lenses are provided in correspondence to a plurality of optical transmission paths 202A, a plurality of diffusion sections 120A can also be provided in correspondence to the respective collimating lenses. The diffusion section 120A may include a spherical lens other than a cylindrical lens. In this case, a diffusion section 120B also includes a spherical lens.

A surface of the diffusion section 120A on the leading end side, that is, on the output side of a refracted light L_A2which will be described later, forms a cylindrical convex surface 121A.

In addition, in the diffusion section 120A, an anti-reflection section may be formed in the convex surface 121A on the leading end side. Accordingly, when receiving an optical signal from the optical communication connector 10B, the optical signal can be input to the diffusion section 120A efficiently. In addition, such an anti-reflection section can be achieved by an anti-reflection film or a minute concavo-convex structure of a cycle of less than 1 μm, for example, a moth-eye structure or the like. Similarly, an anti-reflection section may be formed in a concave surface 122A which will be described later. Accordingly, when receiving an optical signal from from the lens section 110A, the optical signal can be input to the diffusion section 120A efficiently. Note that, also in a flat surface 121A and a convex surface 121B of the optical communication connector 10B which will be described later, an anti-reflection section may be formed similarly.

In addition, in the diffusion section 120A, a surface protection section may be formed in the convex surface 121A on the leading end side. Accordingly, the diffusion section 120A is prevented from being damaged unintentionally, and the refracted light L_A1is output more uniformly, as a result of which the optical signal is improved in quality. Such a surface protection section can be achieved by a transparent resin film of an acrylic resin or the like or a transparent coating of an inorganic material, for example. Note that, also in the convex surface 121B of the optical communication connector 10B which will be described later, a surface protection section may be formed similarly.

On the other hand, a surface of the diffusion section 120A on the base end side, that is, on the input side of the parallel light L_A1, forms the concave surface 122A. With such a concave surface 122A, the parallel light L_A1is refracted, and is further refracted on the convex surface 121A to turn into the refracted light L_A2, and is output from the convex surface 121A.

In addition, the diffusion section 120A can include a transparent resin material such as polycarbonate, a glass material such as BK7, synthetic quartz, anhydrous synthetic quartz, or alkali aluminosilicate, or another transparent inorganic material. In particular, polycarbonate is excellent in mechanical strength, processability, and transparency, and is suitable as a constituent material of the diffusion section 120A.

As described above, the optical signal passing through the optical transmission path 202A in the cable body 201 turns into the parallel light L_A1by the lens section 110A, and is output to the diffusion section 120A arranged on the front surface of the collimating lens 111A. The lens section 110A side of the diffusion section 120A is the concave surface 122A curved concavely, and the parallel light L_A1input from the collimating lens 111A is diffused by the curvature of the concave surface 122A, further passes through the convexly curved cylindrical convex surface 121A on the front surface of the diffusion section 120A, is collected by the curvature of the convex surface 121A as the light ray L_A1having a focal point C near the front of the convex surface 121A, and is diffused significantly from the focal point. The curvatures of the concave surface 122A and the convex surface 121A are adjusted such that safety standards are met by this diffusion.

The optical communication connector 10B illustrated in FIG. 3 is a receptacle arranged on a side surface of the electronic device 100. The optical communication connector 10B has a structure substantially similar to that of the above-described optical communication connector 10A. For example, the structure of a lens section 110B is substantially similar to that of the lens section 110A. On the other hand, a surface of the diffusion section 120B on the leading end side, that is, on the input side of a parallel light L_B1output by a collimating lens 111B of the lens section 110B, forms such a flat surface 121A that is substantially perpendicular to the parallel light L_B1.

In addition, a surface of the diffusion section 120B on the leading end side, that is, on the output side of a refracted light L_B2which will be described later, forms a concave surface 121B corresponding to the cylindrical convex surface 121A of the diffusion section 120A of the optical communication connector 10A.

The optical signal passing through an optical transmission path 202B turns into the parallel light L_B1by the lens section 110B, and is output to the diffusion section 120B arranged on the front surface of the collimating lens 111B. Since the lens section 110B of the diffusion section 120B is the flat surface 121A substantially perpendicular to the parallel light L_B1, the parallel light L_B1passes through the flat surface 121A as parallel light, and further passes through the concavely curved concave surface 121B of the front surface of the diffusion section 120B, turns into the light ray L_B2by the curvature of the concave surface 121B, and is diffused. The curvature of the concave surface 121B is adjusted such that safety standards are satisfied by the diffusion.

Each structure of the optical communication connectors 10A and 10B has been described above. Since parallel lights are diffused by the diffusion sections 120A, 120B, in a case where the optical communication connectors 10A, 10B are not connected to each other, that is, during non-optical coupling, parallel lights are prevented from being directly emitted to the outside of the optical communication connectors 10A, 10B as described above. Accordingly, even in a case where the strength of the parallel lights L_A1, L_B1generated by the collimating lenses 111A, 111B is relatively great, the parallel lights L_A1, L_B1are prevented from being directly input to eyeballs or the like, for example, of a user, and thus, an unintentional health damage can be prevented.

In the meanwhile, in general, the output light intensity of parallel light (laser light) does not degrade theoretically. Therefore, there is a risk that a health damage occurs when laser light is input to eyeballs, for example, of a user. For this reason, there exist standards that define safety of laser products as international standards (IEC 60825-1, 2). The optical communication connectors 10A and 10B easily satisfy such international standards by means of the above-described diffusion sections 120A, 120B.

On the other hand, as illustrated in FIG. 4 and as will be described later, when the optical communication connectors 10A, 10B are connected, an optical signal passing through the two diffusion sections 120A, 120B turns into parallel light again, and optical coupling becomes possible.

As illustrated in FIG. 4, the optical communication connectors 10A, 10B are arranged such that, when they are connected, the diffusion sections 120A, 120B are symmetric, and the convex surface 121A and the concave surface 121B are opposed. In this case, first, light discharged from the optical transmission path 202A is collimated in the lens section 110A to turn into the parallel light L_A1. Then, the parallel light L_A1is input to the diffusion section 120A, is refracted by the concave surface 122A, is further diffused by the convex surface 121A in the vertical direction of the sheet of drawing to turn into the light ray L_A2, and is input to the diffusion section 120B by the concave surface 121B. The path of the input light ray L_A1is collected by the curvature of the concave surface 121B, and is reconstructed into a parallel light L_A3parallel to L_A1. The parallel light L_A1is collected in the lens section 110B, and is transported to the optical transmission path 202B.

Similarly, light discharged from the optical transmission path 202B is collimated in the lens section 110B to turn into the parallel light L_B1. Then, the parallel light L_B1is input to the diffusion section 120B, and is refracted by the concave surface 121B to turn into the light ray L_B2which is diffused light. Then, the light ray L_B2is input to the diffusion section 120A. The light ray L_B2input to the diffusion section 120A is refracted again in the convex surface 121A and the concave surface 122A to turn into a parallel light L_B3parallel to L_B1. The parallel light L_B3is collected in the lens section 110A, and is transmitted to the optical transmission path 202A. From the foregoing, bidirectional transmission of an optical signal between the electronic device 100 and the optical communication cable 200 via the optical communication connectors 10A, 10B becomes possible.

As described above, a signal for optical communication by the optical communication connectors 10A, 10B in the present embodiment can meet the safety standards since light output from the receptacle and the plug becomes a diffused optical signal. In addition, in a state where the optical communication connector 10A and the optical communication connector 10B are connected, it is possible to couple parallel light in a reconstructed form because of diffusion and collection effects, and bidirectional communication can be made.

In addition, because the diffusion sections 120A, 120B are arranged on the leading end side, the front surfaces of the optical communication connectors 10A, 10B have a gently curved cylindrical shape, and the collimating lenses 111A, 111B and the optical transmission paths 202A, 202B are not exposed to an external environment. Therefore, intrusion of dirt or dust into the optical transmission paths 202A, 202B and the collimating lenses 111A, 111B can be suppressed reliably, and adhesion of oil or the like is suppressed, as a result of which the need for cleaning them is eliminated, and even in a case of being structured as compact connectors, maintenance properties are excellent. Further, since the leading end sides of the diffusion sections 120A, 120B form the convex surface 121A and the concave surface 121B, soil such as dirt or dust is less likely to accumulate.

Further, in the optical communication connectors 10A, 10B, the lens sections 110A, 110B in charge of light transmission between the optical transmission paths 202A and 202B have an identical shape to each other. Therefore, when manufacturing an optical communication connector set including the optical communication connector 10A and the optical communication connector 10B, components required to have high dimensional accuracy can be manufactured in common. Therefore, optical coupling quality of such an optical communication connector set can be increased.

The optical communication connectors 10A, 10B as described above have excellent maintenance properties, and are capable of performing collimating optical coupling. In addition, because of not having a movable member such as a shutter for shielding parallel light or for preventing intrusion of dust or the like on the front surfaces of the connectors, the optical communication connectors 10A, 10B have a simple mechanism, and reliability when insertion and removal are repeated can be improved significantly, and are less likely to break down. Therefore, the optical communication connectors 10A, 10B are suitable for commercial optical communication application in which insertion and removal of the optical communication cable 200 are performed relatively frequently. Further, because of the simple structures, both of the optical communication connectors 10A, 10B can also be easily designed.

(Electronic Device)

Next, a configuration of the electronic device 100 according to the present embodiment will be described. As illustrated in FIG. 1 and as described above, the electronic device 100 includes the light transmitting and receiving section 110. The light transmitting and receiving section 110 includes an optical signal light emitting section 120, an optical signal light receiving section 130, and the optical communication connector 10B as a receptacle.

The light emitting section 120 outputs data to be transmitted in the electronic device 100 as an optical signal, and inputs the optical signal to the optical communication connector 10B via the optical transmission path 202B arranged on the leading end side of the light emitting section 120.

In addition, the light receiving section 130 receives the optical signal from the optical communication connector 10B via the optical transmission path 202B, and outputs the optical signal to an interface in the electronic device 100.

In addition, a detailed hardware configuration of the electronic device 100 is not particularly limited, but can be one as illustrated in FIG. 5, for example. FIG. 5 is a block diagram for describing a hardware configuration of the electronic device 100 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure.

The electronic device 100 mainly includes a CPU 901, a ROM 902, and a RAM 903. Furthermore, the electronic device 100 also includes a host bus 907, a bridge 909, an external bus 911, an interface 913, an input device 915, an output device 917, a storage device 919, a drive 921, a connection port 923, and a communication device 925.

The CPU 901 serves as an arithmetic processing apparatus and a control apparatus, and controls the overall operation or a part of the operation of the electronic device 100 according to various programs recorded in the ROM 903, the RAM 905, the storage device 919, or a removable recording medium 927. The ROM 903 stores programs, operation parameters, and the like used by the CPU 901. The RAM 905 primarily stores programs used the CPU 901 and parameters and the like varying as appropriate during the execution of the programs. These are connected with each other via the host bus 907 including an internal bus such as a CPU bus.

The host bus 907 is connected to the external bus 911 such as a PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect/Interface) bus via the bridge 909.

The input device 915 is an operation means operated by a user, such as a mouse, a keyboard, a touch panel, buttons, a switch and a lever, for example. Also, the input device 915 may be a remote control means (a so-called remote controller) using, for example, infrared light or other radio waves, or may be an external connection apparatus 929 such as a mobile phone or a PDA conforming to the operation of the electronic device 100. Furthermore, the input device 915 generates an input signal on the basis of, for example, information which is input by a user with the above operation means, and includes an input control circuit or the like for outputting the input signal to the CPU 901. The user of the electronic device 100 can input various data to the electronic device 100 and can instruct the electronic device 100 to perform various types of processing by operating this input device 915.

The output device 917 includes a device capable of visually or audibly notifying a user of acquired information. Such a device includes a display device such as a CRT display device, a liquid crystal display device, a plasma display device, an EL display device and a lamp, an audio output device such as a speaker and a headphone, a printer, a mobile phone, a facsimile machine, and the like. For example, the output device 917 outputs a result obtained by various types of processing performed by the electronic device 100. Specifically, the display device displays, in the form of text or images, a result obtained by various types of processing performed by the electronic device 100. On the other hand, the audio output device converts an audio signal including reproduced audio data, sound data, and the like into an analog signal, and outputs the analog signal.

The storage device 919 is a device for storing data configured as an example of a storage unit of the electronic device 100. The storage device 919 includes, for example, a magnetic storage device such as a HDD (Hard Disk Drive), a semiconductor storage device, an optical storage device, a magneto-optical storage device, or the like. This storage device 919 stores programs to be executed by the CPU 901 and various types of data, externally obtained various types of data, and the like.

The drive 921 is a reader/writer for a recording medium, and is built in the electronic device 100 or attached externally thereto. The drive 921 reads information recorded in the attached removable recording medium 927 such as a magnetic disk, an optical disc, a magneto-optical disk, or a semiconductor memory, and outputs the read information to the RAM 905. Furthermore, the drive 921 can write records in the attached removable recording medium 927 such as a magnetic disk, an optical disc, a magneto-optical disk, or a semiconductor memory. The removable recording medium 927 is, for example, a DVD medium, an HD-DVD medium, a Blu-ray (registered trademark) medium, or the like. In addition, the removable recording medium 927 may be a CompactFlash (CF; registered trademark), a flash memory, an SD memory card (Secure Digital Memory Card), or the like. Further, the removable recording medium 927 may be, for example, an IC card (Integrated Circuit Card) equipped with a non-contact IC chip, an electronic appliance, or the like.

The connection port 923 is a port for allowing devices to directly connect to the electronic device 100. Examples of the connection port 923 include a USB (Universal Serial Bus) port, an IEEE1394 port, a SCSI (Small Computer System Interface) port, and the like. Other examples of the connection port 923 include an RS-232C port, an optical digital terminal, a High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI, registered trademark) port, and the like. By connecting the external connection apparatus 929 to this connection port 923, the electronic device 100 directly acquires various types of data from the external connection apparatus 929 and provides various types of data to the external connection apparatus 929. Note that the above-described optical digital terminal can be configured as the light transmitting and receiving section 110 including the above-described optical communication connector 10B.

The communication device 925 is a communication interface including, for example, a communication device or the like for connecting to a communication network 931. In the present embodiment, the communication device 925 includes the light transmitting and receiving section 110 including the above-described optical communication connector 10B. The communication device 925 may be a router for optical communication. In addition, the communication device 925 further includes, for example, a communication card or the like for a wired or wireless LAN (Local Area Network), Bluetooth (registered trademark), or WUSB (Wireless USB). Further, the communication device 925 may include a router for DSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line), a modem for various types of communication, or the like. This communication device 925 can transmit and receive signals and the like in accordance with a predetermined protocol, for example, FTTx such as FTTR, FTTB, FTTH or FTTD, TCP/IP, or the like, on the Internet and with other communication devices, for example. In addition, the communication network 931 connected to the communication device 925 includes a network and the like which is connected in a wire or wireless manner, and may be, for example, the Internet, a home LAN, infrared communication, radio wave communication, satellite communication, or the like.

(Optical Communication Cable)

The optical communication cable 200 includes the cable body 201 and the optical communication connector 10A. The cable body 201 internally has the optical transmission path 202A. The optical transmission path 202A is an optical fiber, for example. Note that the optical transmission path 202A is not particularly limited as long as light can be transmitted, and may be other than an optical fiber. The optical transmission path 202A has a coating on the outer peripheral surface as necessary. In addition, the optical communication connector 10A is connected to the leading end side of the optical transmission path 202A.

Such an optical communication cable 200 can be used for a connection for optical communication between an electronic device such as the electronic device 100 as described above and another device.

3. Application Examples

The technology according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is applicable to a variety of products. For example, the technology according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may be implemented as devices mounted on any type of vehicles such as automobiles, electric vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles, and motorcycles.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration example of a vehicle control system 2000 to which the technology according to an embodiment of the present disclosure can be applied. The vehicle control system 2000 includes electronic control units connected via a communication network 2010. In the example illustrated in FIG. 6, the vehicle control system 2000 includes a drive line control unit 2100, a body system control unit 2200, a battery control unit 2300, a vehicle outside information detecting unit 2400, a vehicle inside information detecting unit 2500, and an integrated control unit 2600. The communication network 2010, which connects these control units, may be an in-vehicle communication network such as a controller area network (CAN), a local interconnect network (LIN), a local area network (LAN), or FlexRay (registered trademark) that is compliant with any standard.

Each control unit includes a microcomputer that performs operation processing in accordance with a variety of programs, a storage section that stores the programs, parameters used for the variety of operations, or the like executed by the microcomputer, and a driving circuit that drives devices subjected to various types of control. Each control unit includes a network I/F used to communicate with the other control units via the communication network 2010, and a communication I/F used to communicate with devices, sensors, or the like outside and inside the vehicle through wired communication or wireless communication. FIG. 6 illustrates a microcomputer 2610, a general-purpose communication I/F 2620, a dedicated communication I/F 2630, a positioning section 2640, a beacon receiving section 2650, an onboard device I/F 2660, an audio and image output section 2670, an in-vehicle network I/F 2680, and a storage section 2690 as the functional configuration of the integrated control unit 2600. Each of the other control units similarly includes a microcomputer, a communication I/F, a storage section, and the like.

The drive line control unit 2100 controls the operation of devices related to the drive line of the vehicle in accordance with a variety of programs. For example, the drive line control unit 2100 functions as a control device for a driving force generating device such as an internal combustion engine or a driving motor that generates the driving force of the vehicle, a driving force transferring mechanism that transfers the driving force to wheels, a steering mechanism that adjusts the steering angle of the vehicle, a braking device that generates the braking force of the vehicle, and the like. The drive line control unit 2100 may have the function of a control device for an antilock brake system (ABS) or an electronic stability control (ESC).

The drive line control unit 2100 is connected to a vehicle state detecting section 2110. The vehicle state detecting section 2110 includes, for example, at least one of sensors such as a gyro sensor that detects the angular velocity of the axial rotating motion of the vehicle body, an acceleration sensor that detects the acceleration of the vehicle, or a sensor that detects the operation amount of the accelerator pedal, the operation amount of the brake pedal, the steering wheel angle of the steering wheel, the engine speed, the wheel rotation speed, or the like. The drive line control unit 2100 uses a signal input from the vehicle state detecting section 2110 to perform operation processing, and controls the internal combustion engine, the driving motors, the electric power steering device, the braking device, or the like.

The body system control unit 2200 controls the operations of a variety of devices attached to the vehicle body in accordance with a variety of programs. For example, the body system control unit 2200 functions as a control device for a keyless entry system, a smart key system, a power window device, or a variety of lights such as a headlight, a backup light, a brake light, a blinker, or a fog lamp. In this case, the body system control unit 2200 can receive radio waves transmitted from a portable device that serves instead of the key or signals of a variety of switches. The body system control unit 2200 receives these radio waves or signals, and controls the vehicle door lock device, the power window device, the lights, or the like.

The battery control unit 2300 controls a secondary battery 2310 in accordance with a variety of programs. The secondary battery 2310 serves as a power supply source of a driving motor. For example, the battery control unit 2300 receives information such as the battery temperature, the battery output voltage, or the remaining battery capacity from a battery device including the secondary battery 2310. The battery control unit 2300 uses these signals to perform operation processing, and performs temperature adjusting control on the secondary battery 2310 or controls a cooling device or the like included in the battery device.

The vehicle outside information detecting unit 2400 detects information on the outside of the vehicle including the vehicle control system 2000. For example, the vehicle outside information detecting unit 2400 is connected to at least one of an imaging section 2410 and a vehicle outside information detecting section 2420. The imaging section 2410 includes at least one of a time of flight (ToF) camera, a stereo camera, a monocular camera, an infrared camera, and other cameras. The vehicle outside information detecting section 2420 includes, for example, an environment sensor that detects the current weather, and a surrounding information detecting sensor that detects another vehicle, an obstacle, a pedestrian, or the like around the vehicle including the vehicle control system 2000.

The environment sensor may be, for example, at least one of a raindrop sensor that detects rainy weather, a fog sensor that detects a fog, a sunshine sensor that detects the degree of sunshine, a snow sensor that detects a snowfall. The surrounding information detecting sensor may be at least one of an ultrasonic sensor, a radar device, and a light detection and ranging/laser imaging detection and ranging (LIDAR) device. These imaging section 2410 and vehicle outside information detecting section 2420 may be installed as independent sensors or devices, or as a device into which sensors and devices are integrated.

FIG. 7 illustrates an example of installation positions of the imaging section 2410 and the vehicle outside information detecting section 2420. Imaging sections 2910, 2912, 2914, 2916, and 2918 are positioned, for example, at least one of the front nose, a side mirror, the rear bumper, the back door, and the upper part of the windshield in the vehicle compartment of a vehicle 2900. The imaging section 2910 attached to the front nose and the imaging section 2918 attached to the upper part of the windshield in the vehicle compartment chiefly acquire images of the area ahead of the vehicle 2900. The imaging sections 2912 and 2914 attached to the side mirrors chiefly acquire images of the areas on the sides of the vehicle 2900. The imaging section 2916 attached to the rear bumper or the back door chiefly acquires images of the area behind the vehicle 2900. The imaging section 2918 attached to the upper part of the windshield in the vehicle compartment is used chiefly to detect a preceding vehicle, a pedestrian, an obstacle, a traffic light, a traffic sign, a lane, or the like.

Additionally, FIG. 7 illustrates an example of the respective imaging ranges of the imaging sections 2910, 2912, 2914, and 2916. An imaging range a represents the imaging range of the imaging section 2910 attached to the front nose. Imaging ranges b and c respectively represent the imaging ranges of the imaging sections 2914 and 2912 attached to the side mirrors. An imaging range d represents the imaging range of the imaging section 2916 attached to the rear bumper or the back door. For example, overlaying image data captured by the imaging sections 2910, 2912, 2914, and 2916 offers an overhead image that looks down on the vehicle 2900.

Vehicle outside information detecting sections 2920, 2922, 2924, 2926, 2928, and 2930 attached to the front, the rear, the sides, the corners, and the upper part of the windshield in the vehicle compartment of the vehicle 2900 may be, for example, ultrasonic sensors or radar devices. The vehicle outside information detecting sections 2920, 2926, and 2930 attached to the front nose, the rear bumper, the back door, and the upper part of the windshield in the vehicle compartment of the vehicle 2900 may be, for example, LIDAR devices. These vehicle outside information detecting sections 2920 to 2930 are used chiefly to detect a preceding vehicle, a pedestrian, an obstacle, or the like.

The description will continue with reference to FIG. 6 again. The vehicle outside information detecting unit 2400 causes the imaging section 2410 to capture images of the outside of the vehicle, and receives the captured image data. Further, the vehicle outside information detecting unit 2400 receives detection information from the connected vehicle outside information detecting section 2420. In a case where the vehicle outside information detecting section 2420 is an ultrasonic sensor, a radar device, or a LIDAR device, the vehicle outside information detecting unit 2400 causes ultrasound, radio waves, or the like to be transmitted, and receives the information of the received reflected waves. The vehicle outside information detecting unit 2400 may perform a process of detecting an object such as a person, a car, an obstacle, a traffic sign, or a letter on a road, or a process of detecting the distance on the basis of the received information. The vehicle outside information detecting unit 2400 may perform an environment recognition process of recognizing a rainfall, a fog, a road condition, or the like on the basis of the received information. The vehicle outside information detecting unit 2400 may compute the distance to an object outside the vehicle on the basis of the received information.

Further, the vehicle outside information detecting unit 2400 may perform an image recognition process of recognizing a person, a car, an obstacle, a traffic sign, a letter on a road, or the like, or a process of detecting the distance on the basis of the received image data. The vehicle outside information detecting unit 2400 may perform a distortion correcting process, a positioning process, or the like on the received image data, and combine image data captured by a different imaging section 2410 to generate an overhead view or a panoramic image. The vehicle outside information detecting unit 2400 may use the image data captured by the other imaging section 2410 to perform a viewpoint converting process.

The vehicle inside information detecting unit 2500 detects information on the inside of the vehicle. The vehicle inside information detecting unit 2500 is connected, for example, to a driver state detecting section 2510 that detects the state of the driver. The driver state detecting section 2510 may include a camera that images the driver, a biological sensor that detects biological information of the driver, a microphone that picks up a sound in the vehicle compartment, or the like. The biological sensor is attached, for example, to a seating face, the steering wheel, or the like, and detects biological information of the passenger sitting on the seat or the driver gripping the steering wheel. The vehicle inside information detecting unit 2500 may compute the degree of the driver's tiredness or the degree of the driver's concentration or determine whether the driver have a doze, on the basis of detection information input from the driver state detecting section 2510. The vehicle inside information detecting unit 2500 may perform a process such as a noise cancelling process on the picked-up audio signal.

The integrated control unit 2600 controls the overall operation inside the vehicle control system 2000 in accordance with a variety of programs. The integrated control unit 2600 is connected to an input section 2800. The input section 2800 is implemented as a device such as a touch panel, a button, a microphone, a switch, or a lever on which a passenger can perform an input operation. The input section 2800 may be, for example, a remote control device that uses infrared light or other radio waves, or an external connection device such as a mobile telephone or a personal digital assistant (PDA) corresponding to the operation of the vehicle control system 2000. The input section 2800 may be, for example, a camera. In that case, a passenger can input information through gesture. Moreover, the input section 2800 may include an input control circuit or the like that generates an input signal, for example, on the basis of information input by a passenger or the like using the above-described input section 2800, and outputs the generated input signal to the integrated control unit 2600. The passenger or the like operates this input section 2800, thereby inputting various types of data to the vehicle control system 2000 or instructing the vehicle control system 2000 about a processing operation.

The storage section 2690 may include a read only memory (ROM) that stores a variety of programs to be executed by a microcomputer, and a random access memory (RAM) that stores a variety of parameters, operation results, sensor values, or the like. Further, the storage section 2690 may be implemented as a magnetic storage device such as a hard disk drive (HDD), a semiconductor storage device, an optical storage device, a magneto-optical storage device, or the like.

The general-purpose communication I/F 2620 is a general-purpose communication I/F that mediates in communication between a variety of devices in an external environment 2750. The general-purpose communication I/F 2620 may implement a cellular communication protocol such as Global System of Mobile communications (GSM), WiMAX, Long Term Evolution (LTE) or LTE-Advanced (LTE-A), or other wireless communication protocols such as a wireless LAN (which is also referred to as Wi-Fi (registered trademark)). The general-purpose communication I/F 2620 may be connected to a device (such as an application server or a control server) on an external network (such as the Internet, a cloud network, or a network specific to a service provider), for example, via a base station or an access point. Further, the general-purpose communication I/F 2620 may be connected to a terminal (such as a terminal of a pedestrian or a store, or a machine type communication (MTC) terminal) in the vicinity of the vehicle, for example, using the peer-to-peer (P2P) technology.

The dedicated communication I/F 2630 is a communication I/F that supports a communication protocol defined for the purpose of use for vehicles. The dedicated communication I/F 2630 may implement a standard protocol such as wireless access in vehicle environment (WAVE), which is a combination of IEEE 802.11p for the lower layer and IEEE 1609 for the upper layer, or dedicated short range communications (DSRC). The dedicated communication I/F 2630 typically performs V2X communication. The V2X communication is a concept including one or more of vehicle-to-vehicle communication, vehicle-to-infrastructure communication, and vehicle-to-pedestrian communication.

The positioning section 2640 receives, for example, global navigation satellite system (GNSS) signals (such as global positioning system (GPS) signals from a GPS satellite) from a GNSS satellite for positioning, and generates position information including the latitude, longitude, and altitude of the vehicle. Additionally, the positioning section 2640 may also identify the present position by exchanging signals with a wireless access point, or acquire position information from a terminal such as a mobile phone, a PHS, or a smartphone that has a positioning function.

The beacon receiving section 2650 receives radio waves or electromagnetic waves, for example, from a wireless station or the like installed on the road, and acquires information such as the present position, traffic congestion, closed roads, or necessary time. Additionally, the function of the beacon receiving section 2650 may be included in the above-described dedicated communication I/F 2630.

The onboard device I/F 2660 is a communication interface that mediates in connections between the microcomputer 2610 and a variety of devices in the vehicle. The onboard device I/F 2660 may use a wireless communication protocol such as a wireless LAN, Bluetooth (registered trademark), near field communication (NFC), or a wireless USB (WUSB) to establish a wireless connection. Further, the onboard device I/F 2660 may also establish a wired connection via a connection terminal (not illustrated) (and a cable if necessary). The onboard devices I/2660 may include, for example, at least one of a mobile device of a passenger, a wearable device of a passenger, and an information device carried into or attached to the vehicle. The onboard device I/F 2660 exchanges control signals or data signals with, for example, a mobile device or a wearable device that a passenger has, or an information device carried into or attached to the vehicle.

The in-vehicle network I/F 2680 is an interface that mediates in communication between the microcomputer 2610 and the communication network 2010. The in-vehicle network I/F 2680 transmits and receives signals or the like in compliance with a predetermined protocol supported by the communication network 2010.

The microcomputer 2610 of the integrated control unit 2600 controls the vehicle control system 2000 in accordance with a variety of programs on the basis of information acquired via at least one of the general-purpose communication I/F 2620, the dedicated communication I/F 2630, the positioning section 2640, the beacon receiving section 2650, the onboard device I/F 2660, and the in-vehicle network I/F 2680. For example, the microcomputer 2610 may calculate a control target value of the driving force generating device, the steering mechanism, or the braking device on the basis of acquired information on the inside and outside of the vehicle, and output a control instruction to the drive line control unit 2100. For example, the microcomputer 2610 may perform cooperative control for the purpose of executing the functions of vehicle collision avoidance or impact reduction, follow-up driving based on the inter-vehicle distance, constant vehicle speed driving, automatic driving or the like.

The microcomputer 2610 may create local map information including surrounding information on the present position of the vehicle on the basis of information acquired via at least one of the general-purpose communication I/F 2620, the dedicated communication I/F 2630, the positioning section 2640, the beacon receiving section 2650, the onboard device I/F 2660, and the in-vehicle network I/F 2680. Further, the microcomputer 2610 may predict danger such as vehicle collisions, approaching pedestrians or the like, or entry to closed roads on the basis of acquired information, and generate a warning signal. The warning signal may be, for example, a signal used to generate a warning sound or turn on the warning lamp.

The audio and image output section 2670 transmits an output signal of at least one of a sound and an image to an output device capable of visually or aurally notifying a passenger of the vehicle or the outside of the vehicle of information. In the example of FIG. 6, an audio speaker 2710, a display section 2720, and an instrument panel 2730 are exemplified as the output device. For example, the display section 2720 may include at least one of an onboard display and a head-up display. The display section 2720 may have an augmented reality (AR) display function. The output device may also be a device other than these devices like a headphone, a projector, or a lamp. In a case where the output device is a display device, the display device visually displays a result obtained by the microcomputer 2610 performing a variety of processes or information received from another control unit in a variety of forms such as text, images, tables, or graphs. Further, in a case where the output device is an audio output device, the audio output device converts audio signals including reproduced audio data, acoustic data, or the like into analog signals, and aurally outputs the analog signals.

Additionally, in the example illustrated in FIG. 6, at least two control units connected via the communication network 2010 may be integrated into a single control unit. Alternatively, the individual control units may be configured as control units. Moreover, the vehicle control system 2000 may also include another control unit that is not illustrated. Further, a part or the whole of the functions executed by any of the control units may be executed by another control unit in the above description. That is, as long as information is transmitted and received via the communication network 2010, predetermined operation processing may be performed by any of the control units. Similarly, a sensor or a device connected to any of the control units may be connected to another control unit, and the control units may transmit and receive detection information to and from each other via the communication network 2010.

In the vehicle control system 2000 described above, the optical communication connectors 10A to 10D described using FIG. 1 to FIG. 5 can be applied to various interfaces illustrated in FIG. 6. For example, the optical communication connectors 10A to 10D are applicable as communication connectors in the general-purpose communication I/F 2620, the dedicated communication I/F 2630, the onboard device I/F 2660, the audio and image output section 2670, the in-vehicle network I/F 2680, the external environment 2750 corresponding to this, an onboard device 2760, the audio speaker 2710, the display section 2720, the instrument panel 2730, the communication network 2010, and the like. In addition, the electronic device according to the present disclosure, for example, the electronic device 100 can be applied to the integrated control unit 2600, for example. Further, the optical communication cable according to the present disclosure, for example, the optical communication cable 200 is applicable for connection to each interface and device inside/outside the vehicle control system 2000, besides the communication network 2010.

In addition, at least some structural elements of the electronic device 100 described using FIG. 1 and FIG. 5 may be achieved in a module (for example, an integrated circuit module including a single die) for the integrated control unit 2600 illustrated in FIG. 6. Alternatively, the electronic device 100 described using FIG. 5 may be achieved by a plurality of control units of the vehicle control system 2000 illustrated in FIG. 6.

According to the present embodiment as described above, in the optical communication connectors 10A, 10B in which insertion and removal are frequently performed, it is possible to achieve their safety during non-fitting at the same time while having an advantage because of a collimating signal. In addition, maintenance properties against dust, soil, or the like due to frequently performed insertion and removal are high since the surfaces of the optical communication connectors 10A, 10B include gently curved surfaces, and by having no moving part, it is possible to continuously ensure high reliability, and the plug and the receptacle are easily designed.

The preferred embodiment(s) of the present disclosure has/have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, whilst the present disclosure is not limited to the above examples. A person skilled in the art may find various alterations and modifications within the scope of the appended claims, and it should be understood that they will naturally come under the technical scope of the present disclosure.

For example, it has been described in the above-described embodiment that the optical communication connector 10A is arranged in the optical communication cable 200 and the optical communication connector 10B is arranged in the electronic device 100, whilst the arrangement of the optical communication connectors 10A, 10B is not limited to the foregoing. For example, the optical communication connector 10A may be arranged in the electronic device 100, and the optical communication connector 10B may be arranged in the optical communication cable 200.

In addition, the shape of the diffusion sections 120A, 120B of the optical communication connectors 10A, 10B is not limited to the illustrated mode as long as the parallel lights L_A1, L_B1from the collimating lenses 111A, 111B can be refracted and diffused.

In addition, it has been described in the illustrated mode that the convex surface 121A and the concave surface 121B are separated when the optical communication connector 10A and the optical communication connector 10B are connected, whilst the structure according to the present disclosure is not limited to this. For example, the convex surface 121A and the concave surface 121B may be at least partially in contact when the optical communication connector 10A and the optical communication connector 10B are connected.

Further, the effects described in this specification are merely illustrative or exemplified effects, and are not limitative. That is, with or in the place of the above effects, the technology according to the present disclosure may achieve other effects that are clear to those skilled in the art from the description of this specification.

Additionally, the present technology may also be configured as below.

(1)

An optical communication connector including:

a collimating lens configured to collimate light from an optical transmission path; and

a diffusion section arranged on a leading end side with respect to the collimating lens, and configured to diffuse the light from the optical transmission path output from the collimating lens.

(2)

The optical communication connector according to (1), in which

a surface of the diffusion section on a light output side forms a convex surface or a concave surface.

(3)

The optical communication connector according to (1) or (2), in which

a surface of the diffusion section on a light output side forms a convex surface, and the light output from the collimating lens is diffused after collection.

(4)

The optical communication connector according to claim 1, in which

a surface of the diffusion section on a light output side forms a concave surface, and the light output from the collimating lens is diffused without collection.

(5)

The optical communication connector according to (3), in which

an input side of light from the collimating lens forms a concave surface.

(6)

The optical communication connector according to any of (1) to (3), in which

a surface of the diffusion section on a light output side forms a convex surface, and

when a second optical communication connector including another diffusion section and another collimating lens corresponding to the diffusion section and the collimating lens is connected such that the diffusion section and the other diffusion section are opposed,

the optical communication connector is configured such that the light output from the diffusion section passes through the other diffusion section to turn into parallel light.

(7)

The optical communication connector according to any of (1) to (6), in which

the diffusion section includes a cylindrical lens.

(8)

The optical communication connector according to any of (1) to (7), in which

the diffusion section includes an anti-reflection section in a surface on a light input side or a surface on a light output side.

(9)

The optical communication connector according to any of (1) to (8), in which

the diffusion section includes a surface protection section in a surface on a light output side.

(10)

The optical communication connector according to any of (1) to (9), in which

the diffusion section includes bolycarbonate.

(11)

An optical communication cable including:

an optical transmission path;

an optical communication connector including a collimating lens configured to collimate light from the optical transmission path and a diffusion section arranged on a leading end side with respect to the collimating lens and configured to diffuse and output the light from the optical transmission path output from the collimating lens.

(12)

An electronic device including:

an optical communication connector including a collimating lens configured to collimate light from an optical transmission path and a diffusion section arranged on a leading end side with respect to the collimating lens and configured to diffuse and output the light from the optical transmission path output from the collimating lens.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST

100 electronic device

111A, 111B collimating lens

120A, 120B diffusion section

121A convex surface

121B concave surface

122A concave surface

200 optical communication cable