Processing apparatus

Abstract

This processing apparatus includes a conversion unit, an accumulation unit, a processing unit, and a control unit. The conversion unit converts supplied first energy into another type of second energy. The accumulation unit accumulates the second energy converted by the conversion unit. The processing unit performs predetermined processing using the second energy. The control unit performs control so as to supply the second energy converted by the conversion unit to the processing unit when the amount of energy consumed by the processing unit satisfies a predetermined condition lower than an energy amount of the second energy converted by the conversion unit, and to supply the second energy accumulated in the accumulation unit to the processing unit when the amount of energy consumed by the processing unit does not satisfy the predetermined condition.

Description

Processing equipment

[0001] The present invention relates to a processing device.

[0002] Devices that are powered solely by energy supplied by optical power transmission have been proposed. FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of an optical power transmission system having such devices. The optical power transmission system shown in FIG. 12 is an optical communication system having a transmitting device and devices connected by optical fiber. The transmitting device is installed, for example, in a central office. The devices have a signal processing circuit. The signal processing circuit performs signal processing that is the primary purpose of the devices. The type of signal to be processed is arbitrary. For example, if the device is an ONU (Optical Network Unit, optical subscriber line network device), the signal processing circuit performs signal processing as an ONU, and if the device is an IoT (Internet of Things) master device, the signal processing circuit performs signal processing as an IoT master device.

[0003] The device is powered by optical power energy from a transmitter. When in an operating state, the device consumes more power than the amount of optical power supplied. Therefore, the device operates intermittently, alternating between a power-saving sleep state and an operating state. In other words, the signal processing circuit has both a low-power consumption state with low power consumption and a high-power consumption state with high power consumption. To achieve this intermittent operation, the device photoelectrically converts the energy provided by the optical power supply and then stores it all, and the power required for the sleep and operating states is supplied by a storage battery.

[0004] 13 is a flow diagram showing the operation of storing power from the power supply light in the device. The photoelectric converter of the device photoelectrically converts the power supply light transmitted from the transmitter to obtain an electrical signal. The storage battery stores all of the electrical signals obtained by photoelectric conversion.

[0005] 14 is a flow diagram showing the operation related to the startup of a device. When the device's signal processing circuit is in a low-power consumption state, such as a sleep state, which does not require a large amount of power, it operates using a small amount of energy stored in the storage battery. On the other hand, when the device is in a high-power consumption state, such as a drive state, which requires a large amount of power, the signal processing circuit operates using a large amount of energy stored in the storage battery.

[0006] However, the energy conversion efficiency of storage batteries is generally low. For example, even if the power at the output end of the photoelectric converter, i.e., the input end of the storage battery, is 50 mW, the power at the output end of the storage battery is reduced to an average of 25 mW (see, for example, Non-Patent Document 1).

[0007] Hiroaki KATSURAI, Youichi FUKADA, Ryo MIYATAKE, Haruka NAGOSHI, Masayoshi SEKIGUCHI, and Tomoaki YOSHIDA, "Sleep / Active operation of optical-power-supplied ONU without electricity for rural IoT", 2022 International Conference on Emerging Technologies for Communications (ICETC 2022)

[0008] The amount of power that can be supplied by optical power supply is small, and as described above, the power loss increases due to the energy conversion caused by the power storage, so the amount of power that can be supplied decreases.

[0009] In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a processing device that can reduce loss of power supplied by optical power feeding.

[0010] A processing device according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises a conversion unit that converts supplied first energy into a different type of second energy, a storage unit that stores the second energy converted by the conversion unit, a processing unit that performs a predetermined processing using the second energy, and a control unit that controls the second energy converted by the conversion unit to be supplied to the processing unit when a low-consumption state is reached in which a predetermined condition is met in which the amount of energy consumed in the processing unit is lower than the amount of energy of the second energy converted by the conversion unit, and controls the second energy stored in the storage unit to be supplied to the processing unit when a high-consumption state is reached in which the amount of energy consumed in the processing unit does not satisfy the predetermined condition.

[0011] According to the present invention, it is possible to reduce the loss of power supplied by optical power feeding.

[0012] FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an optical power supply system according to an embodiment. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an optical power supply system according to an embodiment. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an optical power supply system according to a first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a processing flow of a device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of an optical power supply system according to a second embodiment. FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of an optical power supply system according to a third embodiment. FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of an optical power supply system according to a fourth embodiment. FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of an optical power supply system according to the fourth embodiment. FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram of an optical power supply system according to the fifth embodiment. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the hardware configuration of devices according to the first to fifth embodiments. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an optical power supply system according to a conventional technique. FIG. 1 is a flow diagram showing the operation of a device according to a conventional technique.

[0013] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. A processing device according to this embodiment is, for example, a device driven by optical power supply. The following description will be given taking a case where the device is a communication device as an example. The signal processing circuit of the communication device has a sleep state in which power consumption is low and an active state in which power consumption is high. When the signal processing circuit of the communication device is in the sleep state, the communication device supplies power obtained by photoelectrically converting received power supply light to the signal processing circuit without using a storage battery.

[0014] 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of an optical power supply system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The optical power supply system 1 includes a transmitting device 2 and a device 3. The transmitting device 2 is installed, for example, in a station building. The transmitting device 2 and the device 3 are connected by an optical fiber 4. The device 3 is a communication device that operates using optical power supplied from the transmitting device 2.

[0015] The device 3 includes a photoelectric conversion unit 31, a power distribution unit 32, a voltage stabilization circuit 33, a storage battery 34, and a signal processing unit 35. The photoelectric conversion unit 31 is a photoelectric converter that converts the power supply light from the transmitter 2 transmitted through the optical fiber 4 into electrical power. The photoelectric conversion unit 31 outputs the power obtained by the photoelectric conversion to the power distribution unit 32. The power distribution unit 32 switches the power output from the photoelectric conversion unit 31 between outputting the power to the voltage stabilization circuit 33 and the storage battery 34, or outputting the power to the storage battery 34, based on a switching instruction from the signal processing unit 35. The voltage stabilization circuit 33 is a power source E1 that supplies low power to the signal processing unit 35. The low power is power equal to or less than the power obtained by photoelectrically converting the power supply light. The voltage stabilization circuit 33 supplies the power input from the power distribution unit 32 to the signal processing unit 35 at a constant voltage. The storage battery 34 is a power source E2 that supplies high power to the signal processing unit 35. The high power is greater than the low power, for example, greater than the power obtained by photoelectric conversion of the power supply light. The storage battery 34 stores the power input from the power distribution unit 32 and supplies the stored power to the signal processing unit 35.

[0016] The signal processing unit 35 processes signals transmitted and received between the transmitting device 2 or another communication device (not shown). The signal processing unit 35 has a low power consumption state and a high power consumption state. The low power consumption state is a state / mode in which power consumption is low, such as a sleep state in which no signal processing is performed. The high power consumption state is a state / mode in which power consumption is high, such as a drive state in which signal processing is performed.

[0017] The signal processing unit 35 of the device 3 has a low power consumption state and a high power consumption state, as in the prior art, and operates by arbitrarily transitioning between these states. In order to increase available power, when the device 3 is in a low power consumption state such as a sleep state, the standby power of the signal processing unit 35 is directly supplied from the power photoelectrically converted by the photoelectric conversion unit 31, without using the storage battery 34. The standby power is a minute amount of power used to maintain the sleep state of the signal processing unit 35. On the other hand, when the device 3 needs to supply a large amount of power in an operating state, the storage battery 34 supplies power to the signal processing unit 35. Therefore, the signal processing unit 35 outputs a power supply switching instruction to the power distribution unit 32 based on its own power consumption information. The voltage stabilization circuit 33 is a power source E1 that supplies a small amount of power, and the storage battery 34 is a power source E2 that supplies a large amount of power.

[0018] For example, if the signal processing unit 35's own power consumption is below a threshold or in a mode operating at power consumption below the threshold, the signal processing unit 35 notifies the power distribution unit 32 that it is in a low power consumption state or by issuing a switching instruction to switch the output to power sources E1 and E2. Furthermore, if the signal processing unit 35's own power consumption is above a threshold or in a mode operating at power consumption above the threshold, the signal processing unit 35 notifies the power distribution unit 32 that it is in a high power consumption state or by issuing a switching instruction to switch the output to power source E2. The threshold value is a value below the power obtained by converting the power supply light by the photoelectric conversion unit 31. For example, the threshold value may be set to a value equal to the "power obtained by converting the power supply light," or a margin value M may be determined in advance and the value of "power obtained by converting the power supply light" minus "margin value M" may be used as the threshold. Alternatively, a value determined in advance before the optical power supply system 1 is put into operation may be used as the threshold. When the power consumption is below the threshold, the signal processing unit 35's power consumption is low and the load is low. When the power consumption is equal to or greater than the threshold, the power consumption of the signal processing unit 35 is high and the load is high.

[0019] When the signal processing unit 35 is in a low power consumption state such as a sleep state, the power distribution unit 32 distributes and outputs power to both the constant voltage circuit 33 and the storage battery 34. During the low power consumption state, the storage battery 34 continues to store power, and the signal processing unit 35 receives power only from the constant voltage circuit 33 (power supply E1).

[0020] On the other hand, when the signal processing unit 35 is in a high power consumption state such as an active state, the power distribution unit 32 does not distribute power and outputs all of the power input from the photoelectric conversion unit 31 to the storage battery 34. During the high power consumption state, the signal processing unit 35 receives power only from the storage battery 34 (power supply E2).

[0021] As described above, the signal processing unit 35 outputs a switching instruction to the power distribution unit 32 based on its own state, whether it is in a low power consumption state or a high power consumption state. The power distribution unit 32 controls the output destination of the power obtained by photoelectrically converting the power supply light based on the switching instruction received from the signal processing unit 35.

[0022] Another example of the configuration of the devices will be described. Fig. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of an optical power supply system 1a. In the optical power supply system 1a shown in Fig. 2, the same components as those in the optical power supply system 1 shown in Fig. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their description will be omitted. The optical power supply system 1a has a device 3a instead of the device 3 shown in Fig. 1.

[0023] The device 3a includes an energy distribution unit 36, a first photoelectric conversion unit 37, a second photoelectric conversion unit 38, a storage battery 34, a voltage stabilization circuit 33, and a signal processing unit 35. The signal processing unit 35 outputs a power supply switching instruction to the energy distribution unit 36 ​​based on its own power consumption information. When the signal processing unit 35 is in a low power consumption state such as a sleep state, the energy distribution unit 36 ​​distributes and outputs the power supply light transmitted from the transmitter 2 to both the first photoelectric conversion unit 37 connected to the voltage stabilization circuit 33 and the second photoelectric conversion unit 38 connected to the storage battery 34 based on the switching instruction. The first photoelectric conversion unit 37 converts the power supply light input from the energy distribution unit 36 ​​into electric power and outputs it to the voltage stabilization circuit 33. The second photoelectric conversion unit 38 converts the power supply light input from the energy distribution unit 36 ​​into electric power and outputs it to the storage battery 34. During the low power consumption state, the storage battery 34 continues to store power, and the signal processing unit 35 receives power only from the constant voltage circuit 33 (power supply E1).

[0024] On the other hand, when the signal processing unit 35 is in the high power consumption state, the energy distribution unit 36 ​​outputs the power supply light transmitted from the transmitter 2 to the second photoelectric conversion unit 38 based on the switching instruction. The second photoelectric conversion unit 38 converts the power supply light input from the energy distribution unit 36 ​​into electricity and outputs it to the storage battery 34. Then, during the high power consumption state, the signal processing unit 35 only receives power supply from the storage battery 34 (power source E2).

[0025] As described above, the signal processing unit 35 outputs a switching instruction to the energy distribution unit 36 ​​based on its own state, such as a low power consumption state with low power consumption or a high power consumption state with high power consumption. The energy distribution unit 36 ​​controls the output destination of the power supply light based on the switching instruction received from the signal processing unit 35.

[0026] The signal processing unit 35 is not limited to a configuration that outputs a switching instruction based on power consumption. For example, the signal processing unit 35 may output a switching instruction based on information such as a driving mode or time.

[0027] Note that the configurations of the device 3 shown in Fig. 1 and the device 3a shown in Fig. 2 are merely examples, and the configuration of the optical power supply device is not limited thereto. For example, any one or more of the photoelectric conversion unit 31, the power distribution unit 32, and the storage battery 34 may be provided separately from the device 3, rather than being provided inside the housing of the device 3 as shown in Fig. 1. In other words, any one or more of the photoelectric conversion unit 31, the power distribution unit 32, and the storage battery 34 may be provided outside the device 3. Similarly, any one or more of the energy distribution unit 36, the first photoelectric conversion unit 37, the second photoelectric conversion unit 38, and the storage battery 34 may be provided outside the device 3a.

[0028] In this embodiment, the small amount of power required to maintain the device in standby mode is directly supplied from the power after photoelectric conversion without using a storage battery. This reduces the power loss associated with power storage and improves the power utilization efficiency of the device. More detailed embodiments are described below.

[0029] (First Embodiment) Fig. 3 is a diagram showing the configuration of an optical power supply system 11 according to a first embodiment. In the optical power supply system 11 shown in Fig. 3, the same components as those in the optical power supply system 1 shown in Fig. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their description will be omitted. The optical power supply system 11 includes a transmitting device 2 and a device 310. The transmitting device 2 and the device 310 are connected by an optical fiber 4.

[0030] The device 310 includes a photoelectric conversion unit 311, a power distribution unit 312, a voltage regulation circuit 313, a storage battery 314, and a signal processing unit 315. The photoelectric conversion unit 311, the power distribution unit 312, the voltage regulation circuit 313, the storage battery 314, and the signal processing unit 315 included in the device 310 have the same functions as the photoelectric conversion unit 31, the power distribution unit 32, the voltage regulation circuit 33, the storage battery 34, and the signal processing unit 35 included in the device 3 shown in FIG.

[0031] The photoelectric conversion unit 311 converts the power supply light from the transmitting device 2 transmitted through the optical fiber 4 into electric power and outputs it to the power distribution unit 312. The power distribution unit 312 switches the output destination of the electric power output by the photoelectric conversion unit 311 based on a switching instruction from the signal processing unit 315.

[0032] The voltage regulator circuit 313 is a circuit that adjusts the voltage of the signal input from the power distribution unit 312 to a specified value and outputs the adjusted voltage. For example, a DC-DC converter or the like can be used for the voltage regulator circuit 313. A typical signal processing circuit requires a specified voltage input for operation. Therefore, the voltage regulator circuit 313 is used to regulate the voltage supplied to the signal processing circuit so that it is a specified value or within a range of specified values. Note that the energy of the signal does not increase or decrease before or after input to the voltage regulator circuit 313. In other words, the voltage regulator circuit 313 changes the amount of current to maintain a specified constant voltage. For example, if the signal processing unit 315 is a circuit that does not require a specified voltage input, such as a circuit that operates on a constant current source, the voltage regulator circuit 313 may not be used. Alternatively, if the voltage output from the power distribution unit 312 is within the specified voltage range of the signal processing unit 315, even if it is not regulated to a constant voltage, the voltage regulator circuit 313 may not be used. The storage battery 314 stores the power input from the power distribution unit 312 , converts it to a constant voltage value at which the signal processing unit 315 can operate, and then supplies the stored power to the signal processing unit 315 .

[0033] The signal processing unit 315 is a signal processing circuit that performs arbitrary signal processing according to the type of device 310. The signal processing unit 315 is configured, for example, using a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and a memory (main storage device). The signal processing unit 315 functions when the processor executes a program. The program may be recorded on a computer-readable recording medium. Examples of computer-readable recording media include portable media such as a flexible disk, a magneto-optical disk, a ROM, a CD-ROM, and a semiconductor storage device (e.g., an SSD (Solid State Drive)), as well as storage devices such as a hard disk or semiconductor storage device built into a computer system. The program may be transmitted via a telecommunications line. Furthermore, all or part of the functions of the signal processing unit 315 may be implemented using hardware such as an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), a PLD (Programmable Logic Device), or an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array). The signal processing unit 315 outputs a power supply switching instruction to the power distribution unit 312 based on its own power consumption information.

[0034] The signal processing unit 315 has a first terminal connected to the constant voltage circuit 313 (power supply E1) and a second terminal connected to the storage battery 314 (power supply E2). The signal processing unit 315 switches the terminal so that it receives power from the constant voltage circuit 313 using the first terminal when in a low power consumption state, and receives power from the storage battery 314 using the second terminal when in a high power consumption state. In this way, the signal processing unit 315 determines which terminal to input power from based on its own state, whether it is in a low power consumption state (low power state) or a high power consumption state (high power state), and controls the power supply source. Note that the first and second terminals do not necessarily need to be physically separate terminals. For example, the signal processing unit 315 may have one physical input terminal, which is shared by the power supplies E1 and E2.

[0035] 3, the device 310 has a power distribution unit 312 immediately after the photoelectric conversion unit 311. When the signal processing unit 315 is in a low power consumption state where it is driven with low power, the power distribution unit 312 distributes and outputs power to both the constant voltage circuit 313 and the storage battery 314.

[0036] For example, if the "low power" required for signal processing unit 315 to operate in a low power consumption state is B [W], power distribution unit 312 distributes power so that the power supplied from voltage stabilization circuit 313 to signal processing unit 315 is B [W]. Then, while signal processing unit 315 is operating with low power, storage battery 314 continues to store the power output from power distribution unit 312, and signal processing unit 315 receives power only from voltage stabilization circuit 313 (power supply E1). Therefore, a fixed amount of power (B [W]) is directly supplied from power distribution unit 312 without going through storage battery 314, thereby avoiding loss due to power storage.

[0037] When the signal processing unit 315 is in a high power consumption state where it is consuming a large amount of power, the power distribution unit 312 does not distribute power and outputs all of the power input to the power distribution unit 312 to the storage battery 314. Then, while the signal processing unit 315 is consuming a large amount of power, it receives power only from the storage battery 314 (power source E2).

[0038] 3 illustrates the simplest configuration in which the device 310 includes one storage battery 314. However, the number of storage batteries 314 included in the device 310 is not limited to one, and the device 310 may include multiple storage batteries 314. When the device 310 includes multiple storage batteries 314, for example, a configuration in which the number of output terminals for the storage batteries included in the power distribution unit 312 and the number of power input terminals from the storage batteries included in the signal processing unit 315 are increased in accordance with the number of storage batteries 314 can be considered.

[0039] 3 also shows a case where the device 310 includes one constant voltage circuit 313. However, the device 310 is not limited to including one constant voltage circuit 313, and the device 310 may include multiple constant voltage circuits 313. When the device 310 includes multiple constant voltage circuits 313, for example, a configuration is conceivable in which the number of output terminals for the constant voltage circuits in the power distribution unit and the number of power input terminals from the constant voltage circuits in the signal processing unit increase in accordance with the number of constant voltage circuits.

[0040] 4 is a flow diagram showing the processing of the device 310. The photoelectric conversion unit 311 of the device 310 photoelectrically converts the power supply light transmitted from the transmitter 2 to obtain an electrical signal (step S1). The power distribution unit 312 determines whether to distribute power to perform both power storage and voltage regulation, or to only store power without distributing it, based on the operation mode information notified by the signal processing unit 315 (step S2).

[0041] When the power distribution unit 312 determines based on the operation mode information that the signal processing unit 315 is in an operation mode that operates with low power, it determines to perform both power storage and voltage regulation. The power distribution unit 312 distributes the photoelectrically converted electrical signals and outputs them to both the voltage regulation circuit 313 and the storage battery 314. The voltage regulation circuit 313 regulates the power of the electrical signals distributed by the power distribution unit 312 to a constant voltage and supplies it to the signal processing unit 315, and the storage battery 314 stores the power of the electrical signals distributed by the power distribution unit 312.

[0042] On the other hand, if the power distribution unit 312 determines based on the operation mode information that the signal processing unit 315 is in an operation mode that consumes a large amount of power, it determines to perform only power storage. The power distribution unit 312 outputs all of the photoelectrically converted electrical signals to the storage battery 314. The storage battery 314 stores the power input from the power distribution unit 312 (step S4).

[0043] The signal processing unit 315 operates using power supplied from the constant voltage circuit 313 (power supply E1) when in an operation mode consuming low power, and operates using power supplied from the storage battery 314 (power supply E2) when in an operation mode consuming high power (step S5). The signal processing unit 315 notifies the constant voltage circuit 313 of operation mode information. Note that the signal processing unit 315 may notify the power distribution unit 312 of operation mode information indicating the changed operation mode when the operation mode is changed, or may periodically notify the power distribution unit 312 of operation mode information indicating the current operation mode. The device 310 repeats the process from step S1.

[0044] According to the first embodiment, when the device operates on low power, it can directly use the power obtained by photoelectric conversion of the power supply light and store the remaining power, thereby improving the power utilization efficiency of the device.

[0045] Second Embodiment In a second embodiment, a station supplies a power supply light in which two spectrums are frequency-multiplexed to a device. The second embodiment will be described, focusing on the differences from the first embodiment.

[0046] Fig. 5 is a diagram showing the configuration of an optical power supply system 12 according to the second embodiment. In the optical power supply system 12 shown in Fig. 5, the same components as those in the optical power supply system 11 according to the first embodiment shown in Fig. 3 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their description will be omitted. The optical power supply system 12 includes a transmitting device 2 and a device 320. The transmitting device 2 and the device 320 are connected by an optical fiber 4.

[0047] The device 320 includes an optical filter 321, a first photoelectric conversion unit 322, a second photoelectric conversion unit 323, a voltage stabilization circuit 313, a storage battery 314, and a signal processing unit 315. The optical filter 321, the first photoelectric conversion unit 322, the second photoelectric conversion unit 323, the voltage stabilization circuit 313, the storage battery 314, and the signal processing unit 315 correspond to the energy distribution unit 36, the first photoelectric conversion unit 37, the second photoelectric conversion unit 38, the voltage stabilization circuit 33, the storage battery 34, and the signal processing unit 35 shown in FIG. 2 , respectively.

[0048] Any optical filter with low loss can be used for the optical filter 321. For example, a dielectric multilayer filter or the like can be used as the optical filter 321. The optical filter 321 switches the output destination of the power supply light transmitted from the transmitter 2 based on a switching instruction from the signal processing unit 315. The first opto-electrical conversion unit 322 converts the power supply light input from the optical filter 321 into electric power and outputs it to the voltage stabilization circuit 313. The second opto-electrical conversion unit 323 converts the power supply light input from the optical filter 321 into electric power and outputs it to the storage battery 34.

[0049] In the second embodiment, a special design is made for the spectrum of the optical power supply output from the transmitter 2 in the station to the device 320. The transmitter 2 inputs into the optical fiber 4 a power supply light that is frequency-multiplexed with a spectrum P1 for a sleep state (for low power) and a spectrum P2 for power storage, which have different wavelengths.

[0050] The optical filter 321 turns on its filter function based on a switching instruction from the signal processing unit 315 when the signal processing unit 315 is in a low power consumption state. While the filter function is on, the optical filter 321 wavelength-separates the received power feed light and outputs the power feed light with spectrum P1 to the first opto-electrical conversion unit 322 on the voltage regulator circuit 313 side and the power feed light with spectrum P2 to the second opto-electrical conversion unit 323 on the storage battery 314 side. The first opto-electrical conversion unit 322 and the second opto-electrical conversion unit 323 convert the power feed light input from the optical filter 321 into electric power. The voltage regulator circuit 313 inputs the electric power converted by the first opto-electrical conversion unit 322, converts it to a constant voltage, and supplies it to the signal processing unit 315. The storage battery 314 stores the electric power converted by the second opto-electrical conversion unit 323. During the low power consumption state, the signal processing unit 315 operates by receiving power only from the voltage regulator circuit 313 (power source E1).

[0051] Furthermore, the optical filter 321 turns off the filter function when the signal processing unit 315 is in a high power consumption state based on a switching instruction from the signal processing unit 315. While the filter function is off, the optical filter 321 inputs both the power supply light of spectrum P1 and the power supply light of spectrum P2 to the second opto-electrical conversion unit 323 on the storage battery 314 side, and inputs nothing to the first opto-electrical conversion unit 322. The second opto-electrical conversion unit 323 converts the power supply light input from the optical filter 321 into electricity and stores it in the storage battery 314. During the high power consumption state, the signal processing unit 315 operates by receiving power only from the storage battery 314 (power source E2).

[0052] The power requirement B [W] of the signal processing unit 315 in the low power consumption state is known. Therefore, the transmitter 2 performs the following calculation to determine the amount of energy TxPow1 of the spectrum P1 in advance.

[0053] TxPow1[W]=(B[W]+D[W / km]×C[km]+E[W]+G1[W])×(100 / F[%])

[0054] Here, B represents the power consumption of the signal processing unit 315 in a low power consumption state (for example, a sleep state), D represents the fiber loss per km, C represents the fiber length from the transmitting device 2 (station) to the device 320, E represents the loss of the optical filter 321, G1 represents other losses and margins, and F represents the efficiency of photoelectric conversion in the first photoelectric conversion unit 322. From the above, the energy of spectrum P1, which is the power supply light for the low power consumption state, can be calculated.

[0055] Furthermore, if the total energy that can be input to the optical fiber 4 for optical power supply is H, the energy amount TxPow2 of the spectrum P2 that is the power supply light for the storage battery can be calculated as follows.

[0056] TxPow2[W]=H[W]-TxPow1[W]-G2[W]

[0057] Here, G2 means a safety margin between the total energy that can be input to the optical fiber 4 and the energy that is actually input.

[0058] For example, if B=10, D=2, C=1, E=1, G1=1, F=10, H=500, and G2=5, then TxPow1=(10+2×1+1+1)×10=140, and TxPow1=500−140−5=355.

[0059] According to the second embodiment, it is not necessary to control the ratio of power distributed to the voltage stabilizing circuit in the device, and it is possible to change the amount of power stored in the device from the transmitting device.

[0060] (Third Embodiment) In the second embodiment, the device separated the optical power supply by wavelength. In the third embodiment, the device separates the optical power supply using an optical coupler. This allows the signal processing unit to directly supply power when in a low power consumption state, thereby avoiding loss due to power storage. The third embodiment will be described, focusing on the differences from the above-mentioned embodiments.

[0061] Fig. 6 is a diagram showing the configuration of an optical power supply system 13 according to a third embodiment. In the optical power supply system 13 shown in Fig. 6, the same components as those in the optical power supply system 12 according to the second embodiment shown in Fig. 5 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their description will be omitted. The optical power supply system 13 includes a transmitter 2 and a device 330. The transmitter 2 and the device 330 are connected by an optical fiber 4. The device 330 differs from the device 320 according to the second embodiment shown in Fig. 5 in that it includes an optical coupler 331 instead of the optical filter 321. The optical coupler 331 is a general optical coupler that divides input light at a specified energy ratio and outputs the divided light.

[0062] The transmitter 2 transmits feed light with one spectrum. Based on a switching instruction from the signal processing unit 315, when the signal processing unit 315 is operating in a low power consumption state, the optical coupler 331 divides the feed light input from the transmitter 2 via the optical fiber 4 at a specified energy ratio and outputs the divided light. For example, assume that the energy ratio is specified as 1:10. The optical coupler 331 separates the feed light with input energy 11 according to the energy ratio, and outputs the feed light with energy 1 from the output terminal connected to the first optoelectric conversion unit 322 and the feed light with energy 10 from the output terminal connected to the second optoelectric conversion unit 323.

[0063] The power requirement B [W] of the signal processing unit 315 in the low power consumption state is known. Therefore, the transmitting device 2 designs a division ratio and the like in advance and sets it in the optical coupler 331 so that the energy calculated in the same manner as in the second embodiment is supplied to the constant voltage circuit 313 side and the storage battery 314 side without excess or deficiency. The first photoelectric conversion unit 322 and the second photoelectric conversion unit 323 convert the power supply light input from the photoelectric coupler 331 into electric power. The voltage constant circuit 313 inputs the electric power converted by the first photoelectric conversion unit 322, converts it to a constant voltage, and supplies it to the signal processing unit 315. The storage battery 314 stores the electric power converted by the second photoelectric conversion unit 323.

[0064] Furthermore, based on a switching instruction from the signal processing unit 315, when the signal processing unit 315 is operating in a high power consumption state, the optical coupler 331 outputs all of the power supply light from the transmitter 2 input from the optical fiber 4 to the second opto-electrical conversion unit 323 from the terminal on the storage battery 314 side without branching it, and does not output it to the first opto-electrical conversion unit 322. The second opto-electrical conversion unit 323 converts the power supply light input from the optical coupler 331 into electricity and stores it in the storage battery 314. The signal processing unit 315 operates using power supplied from the storage battery 314 while in the high power consumption state.

[0065] According to the third embodiment, the transmitting device does not need to change the energy amount of the power supply light according to the power required by the device in the low power consumption state.

[0066] Fourth Embodiment In a fourth embodiment, a transmitter supplies power supply light to a device through each core of a multi-core optical fiber. The fourth embodiment will be described, focusing on the differences from the above-described embodiments.

[0067] Fig. 7 is a diagram showing the configuration of an optical power supply system 14 according to a fourth embodiment. In the optical power supply system 14 shown in Fig. 7, the same components as those in the optical power supply system 12 according to the second embodiment shown in Fig. 5 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their description will be omitted. The optical power supply system 14 includes a transmitting device 2 and an apparatus 340. The transmitting device 2 and the apparatus 340 are connected by a multi-core optical fiber 4a.

[0068] The device 340 includes a first photoelectric conversion unit 322, a second photoelectric conversion unit 323, a constant voltage circuit 313, a storage battery 314, a switching unit 341, and a signal processing unit 315. Based on a switching instruction from the signal processing unit 315, the switching unit 341 switches between outputting the power output from the constant voltage circuit 313 (power supply E1) to the signal processing unit 315 and outputting the power supplied from the storage battery 314 (power supply E2) to the signal processing unit 315.

[0069] The two cores of the multi-core optical fiber 4a are referred to as core #1 and core #2. Core #1 is connected to a first opto-electrical conversion unit 322 of the device 340, and core #2 is connected to a second opto-electrical conversion unit 323 of the device 340. The transmitter 2 inputs feeding light P1 with an energy amount corresponding to low power into core #1, and inputs feeding light P2 for power storage into core #2.

[0070] The first optoelectric conversion unit 322 converts the feed light P1 transmitted through core #1 of the multi-core optical fiber 4 a into electric power. The voltage regulator circuit 313 inputs the electric power converted by the first optoelectric conversion unit 322, converts it into a constant voltage, and outputs it to the switch unit 341. Meanwhile, the second optoelectric conversion unit 323 converts the feed light P2 transmitted through core #2 of the multi-core optical fiber 4 a into electric power. The storage battery 314 stores the electric power converted by the second optoelectric conversion unit 323.

[0071] Based on a switching instruction from the signal processing unit 315, the switching unit 341 switches between outputting the power output from the constant voltage circuit 313 (power source E1) to the signal processing unit 315 and outputting the power supplied from the storage battery 314 (power source E2) to the signal processing unit 315. The content of the switching instruction is determined, for example, based on the magnitude of power consumption in the signal processing unit 315. For example, if the switching instruction indicates that "the signal processing unit 315 is currently in a low power consumption state," the switching unit 341 outputs power from the constant voltage circuit 313 to the signal processing unit 315. On the other hand, if the switching instruction indicates that "the signal processing unit 315 is currently in a high power consumption state," the switching unit 341 outputs power from the storage battery 314 to the signal processing unit 315.

[0072] The signal processing unit 315 may output a switching instruction based on information such as the driving mode and time in addition to the power consumption.

[0073] Furthermore, the device may use an optical switch to distribute the power supply light transmitted by each core of the multi-core optical fiber. Fig. 8 is a diagram showing the configuration of an optical power supply system 15 of a fourth embodiment. In the optical power supply system 15 shown in Fig. 8, the same components as those in the optical power supply system 12 of the second embodiment shown in Fig. 5 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their description will be omitted. The optical power supply system 15 includes a transmitting device 2 and a device 350. The transmitting device 2 and the device 350 are connected by a multi-core optical fiber 4a.

[0074] The device 350 includes an optical switch (optical SW) 351, a first opto-electrical conversion unit 322, a second opto-electrical conversion unit 323, a constant voltage circuit 313, a storage battery 314, and a signal processing unit 315. Based on a switching instruction from the signal processing unit 315, the optical SW 351 switches whether to output the feeding light P1 and P2 from the transmitting device 2 that has transmitted through each core of the multi-core optical fiber 4a to the first opto-electrical conversion unit 322 and the second opto-electrical conversion unit 323, or to output the feeding light P1 and P2 to the second opto-electrical conversion unit 323.

[0075] The transmitter 2 inputs a low-power optical feed P1 into core #1 of the multi-core optical fiber 4a, and inputs a high-power optical feed P2 into core #2. The optical SW 351 of the device 350 inputs the optical feed P1 transmitted through core #1 and the optical feed P2 transmitted through core #2. The optical SW 351 of the device 350 switches the output destination of the optical feed P1 and P2 based on a switching instruction from the signal processing unit 315. The content of the switching instruction is determined based on, for example, the magnitude of power consumption in the signal processing unit 315.

[0076] For example, if the switching instruction indicates that "the signal processing unit 315 is currently in a low power consumption state (such as a sleep state)," the optical SW 351 outputs the power supply light P1 transmitted through core #1 to the first opto-electrical conversion unit 322 and outputs the power supply light P2 transmitted through core #2 to the second opto-electrical conversion unit 323. The first opto-electrical conversion unit 322 converts the power supply light P1 input from the optical SW 351 into electric power, and the second opto-electrical conversion unit 323 converts the power supply light P2 input from the optical SW 351 into electric power. The voltage regulator circuit 313 regulates the electric power converted by the first opto-electrical conversion unit 322 and supplies it to the signal processing unit 315. The storage battery 314 stores the electric power converted by the second opto-electrical conversion unit 323. In this way, the storage battery 314 continues to store electric power, and the signal processing unit 315 operates by receiving only power from the voltage regulator circuit 313 (power supply E1).

[0077] On the other hand, if the switching instruction indicates that "the signal processing unit 315 is currently in a high power consumption state (such as an active state)," the optical SW 351 outputs the power feed light P1 transmitted through core #1 and the power feed light P2 transmitted through core #2 to the second opto-electrical conversion unit 323. The second opto-electrical conversion unit 323 converts the power feed lights P1 and P2 input from the optical SW 351 into electric power, and the storage battery 314 stores the electric power converted by the second opto-electrical conversion unit 323. The signal processing unit 315 operates by receiving power only from the storage battery 314 (power source E2).

[0078] In this way, the signal processing unit 315 outputs a switching instruction to the optical switch 351 based on its own state, such as a state with low power consumption or a state with high power consumption. The optical switch controls the output destination as described above based on the received switching instruction. Note that the signal processing unit 315 may output a switching instruction based on information such as the driving mode and the time in addition to the power consumption.

[0079] In the optical power supply systems 14 and 15 of the fourth embodiment, the energy amounts of the power supply light P1 and the power supply light P2 are determined based on the required power in the sleep state and the total amount of energy that can be input to the optical fiber, in the same manner as in the second embodiment. By performing photoelectric conversion for each core, the devices 340 and 350 do not require the power distribution unit 312 described in the first embodiment or the optical filter 321 and optical coupler 331 described in the second and third embodiments.

[0080] The number of cores in the multi-core optical fiber 4 a is not limited to two, and the present embodiment can be realized with any number of cores. In this case, the devices 340 and 350 each have a plurality of pairs of the second photoelectric conversion unit 323 and the storage battery 314.

[0081] Fifth Embodiment In the fourth embodiment, the transmitting device in the station and the equipment are connected by a multi-core optical fiber. In the fifth embodiment, the transmitting device in the station and the equipment are connected by a plurality of optical fibers. Instead of each core of the multi-core optical fiber, each optical fiber transmits a low-power feed light and a high-power feed light to provide energy to the equipment. Except for the use of a plurality of optical fibers, the optical power feeding system of the fifth embodiment operates in the same manner as the optical power feeding system of the fourth embodiment. The fifth embodiment will be described, focusing on the differences from the above-mentioned embodiments.

[0082] Fig. 9 is a diagram showing the configuration of an optical power supply system 16 according to a fifth embodiment. In the optical power supply system 16 shown in Fig. 9, the same components as those in the optical power supply system 14 according to the fourth embodiment shown in Fig. 7 are designated by the same reference numerals, and their description will be omitted. The optical power supply system 16 includes a transmitting device 2 and a device 340. The transmitting device 2 and the device 340 are connected by optical fibers 4-1 and 4-2.

[0083] The transmitting device 2 inputs a low-power optical feed P1 into the optical fiber 4-1 and a high-power optical feed P2 into the optical fiber 4-2. The first opto-electrical conversion unit 322 of the device 340 receives the optical feed P1 transmitted through the optical fiber 4-1 and performs opto-electrical conversion, and the second opto-electrical conversion unit 323 receives the optical feed P2 transmitted through the optical fiber 4-2 and performs opto-electrical conversion. Except for this, the device 340 operates in the same manner as in the fourth embodiment.

[0084] Fig. 10 is a diagram showing the configuration of an optical power supply system 17 according to a fifth embodiment. In the optical power supply system 17 shown in Fig. 10, the same components as those in the optical power supply system 15 according to the fourth embodiment shown in Fig. 8 are designated by the same reference numerals, and their description will be omitted. The optical power supply system 17 includes a transmitting device 2 and a device 350. The transmitting device 2 and the device 350 are connected by optical fibers 4-1 and 4-2.

[0085] The transmitter 2 inputs a low-power optical feed P1 into the optical fiber 4-1 and a high-power optical feed P2 into the optical fiber 4-2. The optical SW 351 of the device 350 inputs the optical feed P1 transmitted through the optical fiber 4-1 and the optical feed P2 transmitted through the optical fiber 4-2. Except for this, the device 350 operates in the same manner as in the fourth embodiment.

[0086] Although the above example shows the case where two optical fibers are used, this embodiment can be realized with any number of optical fibers. In this case, the devices 340 and 350 have multiple pairs of second photoelectric conversion units 323 and storage batteries 314.

[0087] According to the above-described embodiment, the device has an energy storage mechanism. The device divides energy supplied from another device into energy to be supplied to the energy storage mechanism and energy to be supplied to other devices. This reduces energy loss resulting from energy storage. The energy storage mechanism corresponds to, for example, the storage battery 314 in the embodiment. The supplied energy is, for example, electric power. In this case, the energy supply method is power supply using light.

[0088] The device can classify the energy supplied from other devices into energy consumed when in a high-load state and energy consumed when in a low-load state. When the device is in a low-load state, the device supplies the energy consumed when in the low-load state to a device other than the energy storage mechanism.

[0089] The steady energy consumption when the device is in a low load state is set to value A. In this case, the device may be designed to fixedly allocate energy to supplies other than the energy storage mechanism so that the energy allocated to supplies other than the energy storage mechanism is value A or a value obtained by adding a predefined margin to value A.

[0090] When optical power supply is used as an energy supply method, a transmitter that supplies optical power to a device wavelength-multiplexes and transmits an optical spectrum for supplying power to the device in a low-load state and an optical spectrum for supplying power to the device in a high-load state. The device separates the multiplexed spectrums before photoelectric conversion and uses the power obtained by photoelectrically converting each spectrum in a high-load state and a low-load state, respectively.

[0091] When optical power supply is used as an energy supply method, the device separates the optically supplied light using an element for processing light waves (such as a coupler), and uses the power obtained by photoelectric conversion of the separated light in both high-load and low-load states.

[0092] When optical power feeding is used as an energy supply method, a multi-core optical fiber may be used to transmit the feeding light from the transmitter to the device. The device uses the power obtained by photoelectric conversion of the light transmitted through each multi-core optical fiber in a high-load state and a low-load state. In this way, different fiber cores are used for the feeding light for the high-load state and the feeding light for the low-load state.

[0093] When optical power supply is used as an energy supply method, multiple optical fibers may be used to transmit the optical power supply from the transmitter to the device. The device uses the power obtained by photoelectric conversion of the light transmitted through each optical fiber in high-load and low-load states. In this way, different optical fibers may be used for the optical power supply for the high-load state and the optical power supply for the low-load state.

[0094] 11 is a diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the devices 3, 310, 320, 330, 340, and 350. The devices 3, 310, 320, 330, 340, and 350 each include a processor 701, a storage unit 702, a communication interface 703, a user interface 704, and a power supply unit 705.

[0095] The processor 701 is a central processing unit that performs calculations and control. The processor 701 is, for example, a CPU. The processor 701 reads and executes programs from the storage unit 702. The storage unit 702 further has a work area and the like when the processor 701 executes various programs. The communication interface 703 is connected to other devices so as to be able to communicate with them. The user interface 704 is an input device such as a keyboard, a pointing device (a mouse, a tablet, etc.), a button, a touch panel, etc., and a display device such as a display. Human operations are input via the user interface 704. The power supply unit 705 supplies power to each unit.

[0096] At least some of the functions of the signal processing unit 35 and the signal processing unit 315 are realized by the processor 701 reading and executing a program from the storage unit 702. The programs of the signal processing unit 35 and the signal processing unit 315 may be recorded on a computer-readable recording medium. Examples of computer-readable recording media include portable media such as flexible disks, optical magnetic disks, ROMs, and CD-ROMs, and storage devices such as hard disks built into computer systems. The programs of the signal processing unit 35 and the signal processing unit 315 may be transmitted via a telecommunications line. Note that all or some of the functions of the signal processing unit 35 and the signal processing unit 315 may be realized using hardware such as an ASIC, a PLD, or an FPGA.

[0097] According to the above-described embodiment, the processing device includes a converter, a storage unit, a processing unit, and a control unit. The processing device corresponds to, for example, the devices 3, 3a, 310, 320, 330, 340, and 350 in the embodiments. The converter corresponds to, for example, the photoelectric converters 31 and 311, the first photoelectric converters 37 and 322, and the second photoelectric converters 38 and 323 in the embodiments. The storage unit corresponds to, for example, the storage battery 34 and 314 in the embodiments. The processing unit corresponds to, for example, the signal processors 35 and 315 in the embodiments. The control unit corresponds to, for example, the signal processors 35 and 315, the power distributors 32 and 312, the energy distributor 36, the optical filter 321, the optical coupler 331, the switching unit 341, and the optical SW 351 in the embodiments. The converter converts the supplied first energy into a different type of second energy. For example, the first energy is light, and the second energy is electricity. The storage unit stores the second energy converted by the conversion unit. The processing unit performs a predetermined process using the second energy. For example, the processing unit may perform a predetermined process within the processing device, or may perform a process of transmitting and receiving signals to and from another device. The control unit controls the processing unit to supply the second energy converted by the conversion unit to the processing unit in a low-consumption state where a predetermined condition is met in which the amount of energy consumed by the processing unit is lower than the amount of the second energy converted by the conversion unit, and to supply the second energy stored in the storage unit to the processing unit in a high-consumption state where the amount of energy consumed by the processing unit does not satisfy the predetermined condition.

[0098] For example, the low-consumption state and the high-consumption state may be defined as states in which "the amount of energy consumed in the processing unit is less / more than the amount of energy of the second energy converted by the conversion unit." Alternatively, for example, the low-consumption state and the high-consumption state may be defined as states in which "the amount of energy consumed in the processing unit is less / more than a predefined threshold." Alternatively, for example, the low-consumption state and the high-consumption state may be defined by using a predefined margin value A_M depending on whether "the amount of energy consumed in the processing unit" is less or more than "(the amount of energy of the converted second energy) - (A_M)."

[0099] The control unit may control the processing unit so that, when the processing unit is in a low consumption state, a portion of the second energy converted by the conversion unit is supplied to the processing unit, and the remaining second energy not supplied to the processing unit is stored in the storage unit, and, when the processing unit is in a high consumption state, the control unit stores the second energy converted by the conversion unit in the storage unit, and supplies the second energy stored in the storage unit to the processing unit.

[0100] The first energy may be light, and the second energy may be electric power. When the processing unit is in a low-consumption state, the control unit divides the electric power obtained by converting the supplied light by the conversion unit, supplies one of the divided electric powers to the processing unit, and stores the other of the divided electric powers in the storage unit. Furthermore, when the processing unit is in a high-consumption state, the control unit controls the storage unit to store the electric power obtained by converting the supplied light by the conversion unit, and to supply the electric power stored in the storage unit to the processing unit.

[0101] The conversion unit may include a first conversion unit and a second conversion unit. For example, the first conversion unit corresponds to the first photoelectric conversion unit 322 in the embodiment, and the second conversion unit corresponds to the second photoelectric conversion unit 323 in the embodiment. The first conversion unit converts input first energy into second energy and supplies the converted second energy to the processing unit. The second conversion unit converts input first energy into second energy and stores the converted second energy in the storage unit. The first energy may be light, and the second energy may be electricity. When the processing unit is in a low-consumption state, the control unit divides the supplied first energy and outputs one of the divided first energies to the first conversion unit and the other divided first energy to the second conversion unit. Furthermore, when the processing unit is in a high-consumption state, the control unit controls to output the supplied first energy to the second conversion unit and to supply the second energy stored in the storage unit to the processing unit.

[0102] The conversion unit may convert the first light and the second light transmitted through the first core and the second core of the multi-core optical fiber, respectively, into first power and second power. Alternatively, the photoelectric conversion unit may convert the first light and the second light transmitted through the first optical fiber and the second optical fiber, respectively, into first power and second power. Furthermore, the conversion unit may convert the received first light of a first wavelength into first power and convert the received second light of a second wavelength into second power. When the processing unit is in a low power consumption state, the control unit supplies the first power converted by the conversion unit to the processing unit and stores the second power in the storage unit. Furthermore, when the processing unit is in a high power consumption state, the control unit controls the storage unit to store the first power and the second power converted by the conversion unit, and to supply the power stored in the storage unit to the processing unit.

[0103] The processing unit of the processing device of this embodiment can also be realized by a computer and a program, and the program can be recorded on a recording medium or provided via a network.

[0104] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above with reference to the drawings, the specific configurations are not limited to these embodiments, and include designs within the scope of the present invention that do not deviate from the gist of the present invention.

[0105] 1, 1a, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 Optical power supply system 2 Transmitter 3, 3a, 310, 320, 330, 340, 350 Equipment 4, 4-1, 4-2 Optical fiber 4a Multi-core optical fiber 31, 311 Photoelectric conversion unit 32, 312 Power distribution unit 33, 313 Voltage regulation circuit 34, 314 Storage battery 35, 315 Signal processing unit 36 ​​Energy distribution unit 37, 322 First photoelectric conversion unit 38, 323 Second photoelectric conversion unit 331 Optical coupler 341 Switching unit 351 Optical switch 701 Processor 702 Storage unit 703 Communication interface 704 User interface 705 Power supply unit

Claims

1. A processing device comprising: a conversion unit that converts supplied first energy into a different type of second energy; a storage unit that stores the second energy converted by the conversion unit; a processing unit that performs a predetermined process using the second energy; and a control unit that controls the second energy converted by the conversion unit to be supplied to the processing unit when a low-consumption state is reached in which a predetermined condition is met in which the amount of energy consumed in the processing unit is lower than the amount of energy of the second energy converted by the conversion unit, and the second energy stored in the storage unit to be supplied to the processing unit when a high-consumption state is reached in which the amount of energy consumed in the processing unit does not satisfy the predetermined condition.

2. The processing device of claim 1, wherein the control unit controls the processing unit so that, when the processing unit is in the low consumption state, a portion of the second energy converted by the conversion unit is supplied to the processing unit, and the remaining second energy not supplied to the processing unit is stored in the storage unit, and when the processing unit is in the high consumption state, the control unit stores the second energy converted by the conversion unit in the storage unit, and supplies the second energy stored in the storage unit to the processing unit.

3. The processing device according to claim 2, wherein the first energy is light, the second energy is electricity, and the control unit, when the processing unit is in the low consumption state, divides the electricity obtained by converting the supplied light using the conversion unit, supplies one of the divided electricity to the processing unit, and stores the other of the divided electricity in the storage unit, and when the processing unit is in the high consumption state, stores the electricity obtained by converting the supplied light using the conversion unit in the storage unit, and supplies the electricity stored in the storage unit to the processing unit.

4. The processing device described in claim 1, wherein the conversion unit has: a first conversion unit that converts input first energy into second energy and supplies the converted second energy to the processing unit; and a second conversion unit that converts input first energy into second energy and stores the converted second energy in the storage unit; and the control unit, when the processing unit is in the low consumption state, controls the control unit to divide the supplied first energy and output one of the divided first energies to the first conversion unit and output the other divided first energy to the second conversion unit, and when the processing unit is in the high consumption state, controls the control unit to output the supplied first energy to the second conversion unit and supply the second energy stored in the storage unit to the processing unit.

5. The processing device according to claim 1, wherein the first energy is light, the second energy is electric power, the conversion unit converts the first light and the second light, which have been transmitted through each of the first core and the second core of a multi-core optical fiber, or which have been transmitted through each of the first optical fiber and the second optical fiber, into first electric power and second electric power, respectively, and the control unit controls, when the processing unit is in the low consumption state, to supply the first electric power converted by the conversion unit to the processing unit and store the second electric power in the storage unit, and when the processing unit is in the high consumption state, to store the first electric power and the second electric power converted by the conversion unit in the storage unit and supply the electric power stored in the storage unit to the processing unit.

6. The processing device of claim 1, wherein the first energy is light, the second energy is electric power, the conversion unit converts the received first light of a first wavelength into first electric power and converts the received second light of a second wavelength into second electric power, and the control unit, when the processing unit is in the low consumption state, supplies the first electric power converted by the conversion unit to the processing unit and stores the second electric power in the storage unit, and when the processing unit is in the high consumption state, stores the first electric power and the second electric power converted by the conversion unit in the storage unit and supplies the electric power stored in the storage unit to the processing unit.

7. The processing device according to claim 1, wherein the processing unit performs processing for transmitting and receiving signals to and from other devices.

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