The present invention provides a counter unit (10) that supports, in a plurality of output devices, both a case where there is no problem in a state in which common signal terminals or power supply terminals are connected by common wiring, and a case where it is preferable to connect the common signal terminals or the power supply terminals by circuits insulated from each other. The counter unit (10) is provided with a switching unit (15) that performs switching between a non-insulated circuit (16) that connects a plurality of common signal terminals (COMA, COMB, COMC) and/or a plurality of power supply terminals (IOV, IOG) by common wiring, and an insulated circuit (17) that connects the plurality of common signal terminals and/or the plurality of power supply terminals by circuits insulated from each other.

An information collecting system includes a first device including a counter, a second device that collects data from one or more sensing devices in response to a command from the first device, and a third device including a time-measuring unit that manages time. The first device adds, to the data collected by the second device, a first count value output from the counter at a timing when the second device collects the data, to generate a first data set. The third device adds, to the first data set, a correspondence relationship between a time output from the time-measuring unit and a second count value output from the counter of the first device.

The present invention provides a counter unit (10) that supports, in a plurality of output devices, both a case where there is no problem in a state in which common signal terminals or power supply terminals are connected by common wiring, and a case where it is preferable to connect the common signal terminals or the power supply terminals by circuits insulated from each other. The counter unit (10) is provided with a switching unit (15) that performs switching between a non-insulated circuit (16) that connects a plurality of common signal terminals (COMA, COMB, COMC) and/or a plurality of power supply terminals (IOV, IOG) by common wiring, and an insulated circuit (17) that connects the plurality of common signal terminals and/or the plurality of power supply terminals by circuits insulated from each other.

An information collecting system includes a first device including a counter, a second device that collects data from one or more sensing devices in response to a command from the first device, and a third device including a time-measuring unit that manages time. The first device adds, to the data collected by the second device, a first count value output from the counter at a timing when the second device collects the data, to generate a first data set. The third device adds, to the first data set, a correspondence relationship between a time output from the time-measuring unit and a second count value output from the counter of the first device.