Abstract: An LED light engine system that incorporates light emitting diodes (LEDs) with one or more distinct colors, including broad band white light obtained from phosphors or a combination of LED die colors and LED die coated phosphors. The LED die or die arrays are mounted to a high thermal conductivity circuit board comprising COB technology which can include both the LED die and electronic drive components resulting in a compact and reliable design with improved thermal and optical performance. High efficiency non-imaging collection optics are coupled to the LEDs to efficiently capture substantially all of the light which they emit and reformat it as an output with substantially the same éntendue as that of the LED to provide high brightness sources. Feedback from the output back to a photosensor on the circuit board is provided to assure that the output of the collection optic remains constant.

Abstract: A packaging system having a housing for providing a hermetically sealed interior space for receiving and supporting optoelectronic components. The housing has at least one section of wall comprising a layer of liquid crystal polymer (LCP). At least one hermetically sealed electrical port is formed in the LCP wall section over a predetermined area and comprises a layer of metal adhered to and overlying the predetermined area on the of the LCP wall section. An electrode passes through the metal from the exterior of the system to the interior space to provide an electrical communication path between the optoelectronic components and the exterior of said packaging system. A solder joint is formed between the electrode and the layer of metal to provide a hermetic connection between the layer of metal and the electrode to assure that the hermeticity of the housing remains unchanged with the electrical port present.

Abstract: The invention herein comprises a linear lighting system which incorporates light emitting diode (LED) light sources with one or more distinct colors including broad band white light. The LED die or die arrays are mounted to a high thermal conductivity circuit board comprising COB technology which can include both the LED die and electronic drive components resulting in a more compact and reliable design with improved thermal and optical performance at lower cost. In conjunction with high efficiency imaging collection optics and aberration corrected cylindrical optics, the output of the LED sources are imaged to a bright line suitable for use in machine vision applications and the like.

Abstract: Solid state lenses, lens blanks, and lens components formed of compressible mixed powders of two or more optical substances where the mixing ratio has been deliberately varied from place to place within the volume of the optical component to produce optically useful variations in the local refractive. The compressible mixed powders are ground as fine powders having mechanical properties that make them capable of being formed into cohesive monolithic masses that are low in scattering. The fine powders may be admixtures of host matrix materials and others which, when combined, provide preferred optical properties such as index and dispersion. Parts possessing transmission from within the range from the ultraviolet to the infrared are possible. The materials are suited to low temperature formation of aspheric lenses transmissive in the near and far IR.

Abstract: Solid state lenses, lens blanks, and lens components comprising compressible materials ground into fine powders having mechanical properties that make them capable of being formed into cohesive monolithic masses that are low in scattering. The fine powders may be admixtures of host matrix materials and others which, when combined, provide preferred optical properties such as index and dispersion. Parts possessing transmission from within the range from the ultraviolet to the infrared are possible. The materials are suited to low temperature formation of aspheric lenses transmissive in the near and far IR.

Abstract: An electrically conducting wire structure and a method for its manufacture where the wire structure has at least one elongated electrically conducting wire and a liquid crystal polymer coating of insulation formed by cross-head extrusion as a layer around the electrically conducting wire. An abrasion layer is preferably formed over the liquid crystal polymer coating, the elongated electrically conducting wire is selected from the group that includes copper, silver, tinned copper, aluminum, and conducting polymers, and the liquid crystal polymer material is a thermotropic thermoplastic.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to video and/or television projection systems, and more particularly, to LED based light source systems utilizing generally non-rotationally symmetric, preferably oblong or rectangular, non-imaging collection optics for providing improved projection systems relative to arc lamp and other LED based light source systems. The non-rotationally symmetric non-imaging collection optics are configured to operate with LEDs to provide preferred, generally, uniform light distributions whose étendues match those of downstream applications such as those encountered in projection systems. Also provided are various arrangements for coupling LED output to the entrance aperture of collection optics and for coupling the outputs from a plurality of collection optic outputs to form single beams of illumination of preferred patterns, intensities, and color.

Abstract: An underwater camera housing provided with an adaptive mechanical control arrangement for use with a broad range of camera brands and models. The camera housing is preferably formed of front and rear housing sections that are molded of clear transparent plastic and arranged to be moved between an open position for mounting a camera within the housing and a closed position in which the housing provides a watertight enclosure for protecting and communicating with a camera. The housing is provided with a truncated hemispherical lens through which a camera views scenes to be photographed to reduce distortion and not foreshorten viewing angle and a flat window and optional diffuser for providing controlled artificial illumination to a scene.

Abstract: The invention relates to high-strength, abrasion-resistant optical fiber cable having a supplemental layer consisting essentially of a liquid crystal polymer (LCP) to enhance the cable's tensile strength and hermetically seal it, and an outermost encasing layer to protect the LCP supplemental layer from damage that could otherwise diminish the tensile strength or destroy the moisture barrier properties of the cable gained by adding the supplemental liquid crystal polymer layer. The encasing layer is preferably a thin layer of a smooth, non-crystalline thermoplastic that can be easily removed with chemicals that do not affect the properties of the supplemental layer so that the supplemental layer can be made accessible for promoting the formation of hermetically sealed interfaces between the cable and other structures. Cross-head extrusion methods for coating optical fibers with LCP and encasing layers are described along with laser and ultrasonic bonding techniques for fabricating hermetic packages.

Abstract: A solid state, compression method for fabricating lenses, lens blanks, and lens components from materials ground into fine powders having mechanical properties the make them capable of being formed into cohesive monolithic masses that are low in scattering. The fine powders may be admixtures of host matrix materials and others which, when combined, provide preferred optical properties such as index and dispersion. Parts possessing transmission from within the range from the ultraviolet to the infrared are possible. The method is particularly suited to low temperature formation of aspheric lenses transmissive in the near and far IR.

Abstract: The invention relates to high-strength, abrasion-resistant optical fiber cable having a supplemental layer consisting essentially of a liquid crystal polymer (LCP) to enhance the cable's tensile strength and hermetically seal it, and an outermost encasing layer to protect the LCP supplemental layer from damage that could otherwise diminish the tensile strength or destroy the moisture barrier properties of the cable gained by adding the supplemental liquid crystal polymer layer. The encasing layer is preferably a thin layer of a smooth, non-crystalline thermoplastic that can be easily removed with chemicals that do not affect the properties of the supplemental layer so that the supplemental layer can be made accessible for promoting the formation of hermetically sealed interfaces between the cable and other structures. Cross-head extrusion methods for coating optical fibers with LCP and encasing layers are described along with laser and ultrasonic bonding techniques for fabricating hermetic packages.

Abstract: Interferometric methods and apparatus by which the map between pixel positions and corresponding part locations are determined in situ. The part under test, which is assumed to be a rigid body, is precisely moved from a base position to at least one other position in one to six degrees of freedom in three-dimensional space. Then, the actual displacements are obtained. The base position is defined as the position with the smallest fringe density. Measurements for the base and all subsequent positions are stored. After having collected at least one measurement for each degree of freedom under consideration, the part coordinates are calculated using the differences of the various phase maps with respect to the base position. The part coordinates are then correlated with the pixel coordinates and stored.

Abstract: A high intensity mutli-wavelength illumination apparatus comprising an array of LEDs each of which has a predetermined spectral output that is emitted over a predetermined solid angle, an array of non-imaging concentrators the individual non-imaging concentrators of which are optically coupled in one-to-one correspondence with the LEDs, each non-imaging concentrator in the array of non-imaging concentrators operating to collect radiation emitted by each of the LEDs and to re-emit substantially all the collected radiation as a beam having a diverging solid angle smaller than said predetermined solid angle over which radiation is emitted by each of the LEDs, the non-imaging concentrators each having an entrance aperture for receiving radiation emitted by a corresponding one of the LEDs and an exit aperture from which the LEDs output emerges spatially and spectrally uniform in the near field of the exit aperture, and a light integrator having an entrance facet optically coupled to each of the exit apertures of t

Abstract: An illuminator for irradiating targets to change their properties comprises at least one LED having spectral properties that are capable of interacting with a target to effect changes in its properties, a non-imaging concentrator for collecting radiation from the LED and emitting it as a spatially and spectrally uniform beam over a predetermined solid angle, and a light guide coupled to the exit aperture of the non-imaging concentrator to direct radiation to the target.

Abstract: The invention provides an LED lighting device and method that produces high intensity, spatially uniform, white light in the near and far fields in a reduced package size that does not significantly heat the surrounding environment, wherein the white light is produced by using a phosphor layer in conjunction with at least one LED.

Abstract: A Fizeau or other interferometer is used to provide high resolution, in-situ calibration of an external angle measurement system such as widely spaced high stability plane mirror interferometers (HSPMIs)). The calibrated measurement system then measures mechanical tilt during shearing. The tilt data is used to correct the sheared data, preferably before computation of the rotationally invariant (RI) terms. Alternatively, the data may be used to compute the spurious quadratic term and correct after integration.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for generating an empirically determined mathematical model of wavefront error in an interferometer as a function of aperture misalignment and then applying the model to correct subsequent measurements. The methods are useful in Fizeau and other types of interferometers in which carrier fringe analysis may be used for reducing errors caused by environmental and vibration effects.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining the geophysical position of an autonomous underwater system utilizing underwater acoustic modems that exchange broadband underwater acoustic signals. The method of the invention includes the steps of initiating an exchange of broadband acoustic signals between the autonomous system of unknown geophysical position and a base system of known geophysical position wherein the depths of both systems is known. A bearing calculation is made on one of the signals transmitted between the systems, preferably through the use of an array of hydrophones placed closely together at predetermined locations on either the autonomous or base system. Also, the range between the two systems is determined by measuring the time of travel of at least one signal.

Abstract: An illuminator with blue and red LEDs, a reflector upstream of the LEDs for capturing upstream light emitted out of the back surfaces of the LEDs and redirecting downstream as useful illumination, a band pass filter for conditioning the downstream light, a phosphor layer for changing the spectral properties of light from the LEDs, and a non-imaging concentrator for creating a beam of illumination over a predetermined solid angle, uniformity, and spectral content.

Abstract: Beam shearing apparatus for introducing a lateral shear between the components of a light beam. The apparatus is an optical assembly having a polarizing interface and input and output facets and two reflecting surfaces one of which is arranged at an angle generally opposite the input facet and the other of which is arranged at an angle generally opposite the output facet.