Abstract: A CMOS sensor has unit pixels each structured by a light receiving element and three transistors, to prevent against the phenomenon of saturation shading and the reduction of dynamic range. The transition time (fall time), in switching off the voltage on a drain line shared in all pixels, is given longer than the transition time in turning of any of the reset line and the transfer line. For this reason, the transistor constituting a DRN drive buffer is made proper in its W/L ratio. Meanwhile, a control resistance or current source is inserted on a line to the GND, to make proper the operation current during driving. This reduces saturation shading amount. By making a reset transistor in a depression type, the leak current to a floating diffusion is suppressed to broaden the dynamic range.

Abstract: A non-volatile, absolute rotation sensor employs a radial guide and spiral guide rotating with respect to each other to move a marker element continuously along the radial guide so that a distance of the marker element along the radial guide provides an indication of shaft movement over multiple turns. A sensor system senses the distance of the marker element along the radial guide to provide an electric output.

Abstract: The invention concerns a structure of a CMOS active pixel, comprising a semi-conductive substrate (1) of a first type, at least one first photodiode operating in photovoltaic mode comprising a photovoltaic conversion area (2) defined by a doped area of a second type forming a PN junction with the substrate, said first photodiode re-emitting photoelectric charge carriers collected by the PN junction during the exposure of said first photodiode to a light, at least one second photodiode operating in integration mode and reverse-biased, said second photodiode comprising a charge accumulation area (3) defined by a doped area of the second type forming a PN junction with the substrate, said charge accumulation area being exposed to the charge carriers from the photovoltaic conversion area (2) in order to accumulate such charge carriers.

Abstract: A pixel cell, a method for manufacturing the same and an image sensor including the same are provided. The pixel cell includes: a substrate; a photodiode, a pass transistor and a floating diffusion structure respectively formed on the substrate, in which the pass transistor is formed between the photodiode and the floating diffusion structure; and a PINNED structure, formed on the substrate and connected with the floating diffusion structure, in which a reset voltage of the floating diffusion structure is higher than a depletion voltage of the PINNED structure.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for stabilizing a line of sight of a radiant energy system. The line of sight of a main beam is positioned using a first reflector and a second reflector based on a reference beam that is inertially stabilized in a selected direction. The line of sight of the main beam is stabilized using the reference beam to counteract a number of disturbances created within an optical path of the main beam.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a photosensor unit with a structure which is simple and also does not cause decrease in detection accuracy. Provided is a photosensor unit including a light emitting element 1 and a light receiving element 2 housed in a unit case 3, and configured such that reflected light of detection light emitted from the light emitting element 1 to the outside of the unit case 3 is received with the light receiving element 2, the reflected light being reflected from the outside of the unit case 3. A plurality of the light emitting elements 1 are disposed around the light receiving element 2, and a passage space for the reflected light inside the unit case 3 is separated from a passage space for the detection light inside the unit case 3 by an appropriate partition 4.

Abstract: An imager for imaging a plurality of images of a single scene over a plurality of disparate electromagnetic wavelength sets includes front-end optics for outputting a polychromatic, collimated image beam of the scene; a beam displacer configured for splitting the collimated image beam into spatially displaced, mutually parallel beams, and an imaging-sensor array configured for registration of the spatially displaced wavelength sets at disparate locations along the imaging-sensor array. In alternative versions, the beam displacer displaces constituent light beams based on at least one of wavelength and polarization. In various implementations, a back-end focusing element focuses each constituent beam onto a predetermined location along the imaging-sensor array. The imaging-sensor array is optimally configured for simultaneous sampling of the plural images focused thereupon by the back-end focusing elements.

Abstract: A transmitter unit for wireless transmission of power by way of a bundled laser beam is described. The transmitter unit has a laser fiber bundle having a plurality of laser fibers, wherein each laser fiber is designed to emit a laser beam; positioning optics for adjusting an emission direction of the bundled laser beam; a field lens and a primary lens. The plurality of laser fibers is designed to emit a laser beam from each, passing through the positioning optics, the collimator lens and the primary lens, in this order, so that the laser beam emitted by the transmitter unit is emitted in bundled form. A particularly efficient device with an unlimited flight time and a large radius of use is achieved by the hybrid drive with solar power and laser power from the ground and temporary storage of the power in batteries.

Abstract: A scene measurement assembly includes a first illuminator assembly having multiple grids of coplanar illuminators, a first system-on-chip light sensing device having sensors disposed to receive reflected light emitted by the first illuminator assembly, a second illuminator assembly having plural grids of coplanar illuminators, each of the plural grids of coplanar illuminators being disposed in different planes relative to each other, and a second system-on-chip light sensing device that receives reflected light emitted by the second illuminator assembly. Each of the multiple grids of coplanar illuminators of both illuminator assemblies is disposed in different planes relative to each other. The first and second system-on-chip light sensing devices each have a sampling rate of greater than 10,000 frames per second relative to performing on-chip image data processing. The system-on-chip light sensing devices are each disposed at a scene to be measured at locations having different perspectives of the scene.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide devices and methods involving the thermal stabilization of microring resonators, such as microring modulators. Power is measured via an on-chip photodetector integrated with a drop port of the microring resonator, providing a local measurement of average power. This average power is employed as a feedback measure to actively control a heater that is integrated with the microring resonator, in order to stabilize the resonant wavelength of the microring resonator in the presence of thermal fluctuations. Employing such a system, a microring modulator can maintain error-free performance under thermal fluctuations that would normally render it inoperable.

Abstract: A switch is disclosed. In some examples, a switch includes a generally cylindrical housing; one or more sets of contact points enclosed by the housing; an indicator module, such as a multi-color LED illuminator, also enclosed by the housing; and a pushbutton actuator disposed to operate the contact points. The housing includes a display section spanning substantially the entire circumference of the housing such that the indication made by the indicator module is visible from all radial directions. When the pushbutton actuator is pressed, some of the contact points open to cut off power from hazards, while others are reconfigured to change the state of the indicator module to indicate the changed status of the switch. Multiple switches can be interfaced with each other, such as by serial connection, to facilitate multi-switch safety environment. Modular cables can be used to conveniently establish the interface.

Abstract: A focal plane array assembly includes a readout integrated circuit with a contact array surface, a photodiode array with a contact array surface facing the readout integrated circuit contact array surface, and an anisotropic conductive film disposed between contact array surfaces. The anisotropic conductive film includes conductive bodies that interconnect the photodiode array with the readout integrated circuit and an adhesive that couples the photodiode array to the readout integrated circuit.

Abstract: A module for a visualization apparatus includes an imaging optic accommodated in a base body for generating a viewing image of an object region with an optical viewing beam path. The module includes a display unit for visualizing an image superimposed on the viewed image of the object region with orientation information. The module has an image acquisition unit having an image sensor for acquiring an image of the object region. The module contains a switching unit for selectively providing and blocking an optical beam path from the display to the image sensor. The switching unit, in a first switching state, provides the image of a geometric structure on the display onto the image sensor with the optical beam path and, in a further switching state blocks the optical beam path from a geometric structure on the display to the image sensor.

Abstract: Provided is a solid-state imaging device including: a pixel array section that pixels which detect a physical quantities are arranged in two dimensions of matrix; an AD converting section that performs AD (Analog-Digital) conversion for a plurality of channels of analog pixel signals which are read-out from the pixel array section; and a control section that sets quantized units AD-converted by the AD conversion section according to a gain setting of the unit pixel signal, wherein the control section determines the grayscale number of digital outputs AD-converted for at least one channel of the unit pixel signals according to the gain setting of the pixel signal.

Abstract: A system for measuring light intensity of a specific location and wirelessly transferring the light intensity data contains at least one light intensity sensing assembly and a computing device. The light intensity data is recorded by the light intensity sensing assembly and is wirelessly transferred to the computing device. The light intensity sensing assembly contains a dome lens, a photocell, a processing unit, a wireless data-transferring module, and a portable power source. The photocell is centrally mounted within the dome lens in order to receive a maximum amount of light. The photocell is electronically connected to the processing unit. In order to transmit the light intensity data, the processing unit is electronically connected to the wireless data transfer module. The photocell, the processing unit, and the wireless data-transferring module are powered by the portable power source.

Abstract: A window has a pane of transparent material. A first set of microfluidic channels pass through a first area of the pane, and a second set of microfluidic channels pass through a second area of the pane. Microfluidic planes are in fluid communication with the first and second sets of microfluidic channels. A first pump is in fluid communication with the first set of microfluidic channels, and selectively moves a first fluid having a first level of opacity through the microfluidic planes via the first set of microfluidic channels. A second pump is in fluid communication with the second set of microfluidic channels, and selectively moves a second fluid having a second level of opacity through the microfluidic planes via the second set of microfluidic channels. Moving the second fluid into the microfluidic planes pushes the first fluid out of the microfluidic planes, thereby adjusting an opacity of the window.

Abstract: A position measuring instrument including a code carrier having first and second code tracks, each including an identical series of code elements, wherein each of the series of code elements has two subregions with complementary properties. A scanning unit having detectors for scanning code elements, wherein each of the code elements defines one corresponding code word, wherein each of the code words defines an absolute position in the measuring direction, and wherein the detectors form a corresponding scanning signal from each of the two subregions of the series of code elements. An evaluation unit generating one item of code information for each of the series of code elements from each corresponding scanning signal, and forming the corresponding code words from the one item of code information, wherein each of the code words is composed of N and K items of code information from successive code elements of the first and second code tracks, respectively, with N and K being greater than 1.

Abstract: Various imaging apparatuses, methods and their implementation are characterized herein. As may be implemented with one or more embodiments, a phase mask and optics operate to provide characterization of object depth and related rotational mobility of a feature corresponding to the object. In various implementations, the optics include a microscope having an objective and a detection pathway that operate with the phase mask for passing the light from the objective. Circuitry, such as light detector, processor or combination thereof operates with the phase mask and microscope to characterize the depth and rotational mobility, based on detected light passed via the microscope and the phase mask.

Abstract: A light-monitoring apparatus includes a power source, a light detector, a computer processor coupled with the power source and in communication with the light detector and configured to receive and record light exposure detected by the light detector, an output device coupled with the computer processor, and a computer-readable medium coupled with the computer processor and storing instruction code for summing the recorded light exposure from the computer processor over time and communicating a signal to the output device to generate and communicate a signal indicating that a cumulative threshold light exposure for achieving a health benefit has been reached. The apparatus can accordingly be used by an individual to monitor cumulative light exposure from both natural and artificial sources, e.g., in the treatment of seasonal or non-seasonal depression.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes: a pixel array section in which a plurality of pixels including an amplification transistor configured to amplify a signal based on a photoelectric charge in accordance with an amount of received light are disposed; through vertical signal lines of the pixel array section, a bias-current control section configured to turn on or off a bias current supplied to the amplification transistor for each of the vertical signal lines; and a drive control section configured to control the bias-current control section so as to turn on the bias current of the vertical signal line through which a pixel signal is read, and to turn off the bias current of the vertical signal line through which a pixel signal is not read.