PURPOSE: To cut the number of necessary photodetecting means down to one piece by using a control means which controls plural light sources independently of each other and using said means in common between the photodetecting means and an ON/OFF information collecting means.

CONSTITUTION: A 1st light source LED1 is turned on in response to the application of a power supply. Then a feed means TF for punch tape T is actuated in response to an information request signal produced from a host computer. A data collecting signal is produced from an initial control means IC when the punched area of the tape T is coincident with the passing area of the optical signal received from the LED1 and a photodetecting means PD detects light. An information collection control means ICC turns on the light source LED 2WLEDn successively except the LED1 in response to said data collection signal and the means PD detects successively the beams of those LEDs. At the same time, the information obtained from detection of the LEDs via the means PD is stored in a memory means M. In such constitution, just a single piece of the means PD suffices and therefore an economical load can be reduced.