Device provided with an optical communications function and optical communication system

An optical communication system for a device used for transmitting and receiving data via optical communications with an external device, said system comprising:

• a body;
• a plurality of communications units provided on different surfaces of the body for communicating optically with other devices;
• a data conversion unit comprising an encoder for encoding information for transmission from the communications unit to another device and a decoder for decoding encoded information received from another device;
• a selector for selecting one communications unit for handling data with the data conversion unit from among the plurality of communications units;
• a switch for controlling the selector so as to sequentially switch the communications units to handle information with the data conversion unit;
• a detector for detecting which communications unit is receiving a transmission from another device;
• and
• a controller for stopping an operation of the switch when transmission from another device is detected and executing optical communications using the detected communications units with another device.

A device comprising:

• a plurality of communications units for communicating optically with other devices;
• a processor for processing received data and data to be transmitted;
• a connector for connecting one of the communications unit with the processor;
• a switch for switching a connection with the processor to another connection between another communications unit and the processor sequentially;
• a detector for detecting which communications unit is receiving a transmission from another device;
• and
• a controller for performing communications using the communications unit detected by the detector with another device without switch operation by the switch.

A device having an optical communications function, comprising:

• a plurality of communications units for communicating optically with another device;
• a selector for selecting one of the communications units;
• a controller for controlling the selector to sequentially poll the plurality of communications units as to whether or not a there is a connection request from the other device and to stop the sequential polling when the one of the plurality of communications units indicates receipt of the connection request;
• and
• an interface for performing communications with the other device using the communications unit that indicates receipt of the connection request.