An optical link has been developed for automotive multiplex wiring. The link transmits 16 bilateral (full-duplex) data with a plastic optical pair cord and time-division multiplexing, and can be operated in interior compartments.
The structure and material of a plastic optical cord and optical connectors were studied, and mass-producible, low cost ones have been developed.
A transceiver module is composed of a newly developed LSI for multiplexing and a hybrid IC for E/O, O/E, and I/O, and has characteristics important for practical use such as small size and light weight, low current consumption, wide optical dynamic range for elimination of adjustment, enough speed rate, and sufficiently high output current for actuating relays.