Abstract: A device for detecting the presence or absence of an original and size thereof and corresponding method therefore. The device is provided on an image forming apparatus, and provides accurate detection of an original and an original's size in the presence of external light. External light is detected during the non-emission state of a light emitting element and used to correct a reference value. The corrected reference value is then compared to a detected value of light emitted from the light emitting element and reflecting from an original, if one is present. Based on the comparison a determination is made as to the presence of an original. When an original is present the light emitting element traverses across the glass contact plate of the image forming apparatus on which the original is placed. Upon the determination of an absence of the original, the light emitting element halts its movement. The distance travelled by the light emitting element is then used to determine the size of the original.

Abstract: A position detecting apparatus in the form of a sphere movable about three mutually orthogonal axes and employing optical encoding such as gray scale encoding and detector so positioned that motion about any of the three orthogonal axes is detected by one and only one of the detector.

Abstract: A slant post driving device for a video cassette includes a slide member provided integrally to a take-up reel side loading ring and to which slant bases for a guide roller and a slant post, guiding means having an Y-shaped guide slot for guiding both the slant bases, and a guide piece disposed at a branched position of the guide slot to separate the travel of the slant bases being guided by the guide slot, whereby both the slant bases for the guide roller and the slant post are simultaneously moved along the single guide slot comprising a guide slot portion for the guide roller and a branched guide slot portion for the slant post so that it is simple in construction, thereby providing compaction of the product and enhancing accuracy of operation.

Abstract: A single processing device samples a serial output of a photodetector for detecting a light beam radiated out of a sample and generates a digital image signal, which corresponds to each main scanning line of a light beam irradiated by an optical system onto the sample. Pixel clock pulses are fed into the signal processing device, the period of the pulses being modulated so as to compensate for fluctuations in a speed, at which the optical system is moved by a movement mechanism with respect to a sample supporting member. A timing signal that determines the timing, with which the sampling process is begun, is generated. A grid pattern constituted of light reflecting or blocking members arrayed in the direction, along which the optical system is moved reciprocally with respect to the sample supporting member, is secured to the sample supporting member or the optical system. A light projector is associated with the optical system or the sample supporting member and irradiates a light beam to the grid pattern.

Abstract: An optical switch with a waveguide used as a detector is disclosed. The switch can be used for circuit or packet switching. The waveguide is used to tap off a fraction of the input signal going into the switch. The waveguide then sends the tapped off signal to a local electronic control to decide if switching is necessary or not. This is determined by within the local electronic control associated with the switch. The switch is set or reset based on information in the electrical representation of the signal which reaches the local electronic control. The switch can be used with continuous input signals as well as data packet input signals. By spacing the timing of data in the header differently than in the data in the "data" portion of a signal, extremely high bandwidth available in pure optical communications can be maintained.

Abstract: The relative position (M) of two members (33, 34) is sensed by scanning (S) an optical beam (25) over an encoded pattern (20) carried by one of the members, and by using a read head (21) secured to the other member to receive an optical signal transmitted from the encoded pattern (20). This optical signal is received by an optical position sensor to discriminate from the frequency of the signal, the position of the read head (21) relative to the encoded pattern (20). As the relative position is detected from the frequency of the signal rather than its intensity, components can be replaced without recalibration. The optical beam (25) is scanned by using a light source of variable wavelength which is passed through a device, such as a diffraction grating or a gradient index lens, for deflecting the beam (25) dependent on its wavelength.

Abstract: This invention describes a technique for improving the sensitivity of a resonant mirror sensor which has particular applications in areas involving sensing at an interface such as immunosensing using immobilized antibodies. By the introduction of a Bragg grating structure in the sensor, there is produced enhanced dispersion and hence enhanced sensitivity in the region close to the band edge. This improves the detection limit of the sensor without changing the composition or involving the sensor size and allows more sensitive operation at reduced incident angles.

Abstract: An image-reading device, in which the 1-bit signals a CCD line sensor has generated from the light applied from an illumination lamp and reflected from an original are shading-corrected, thereby forming image data. Before scanning the original, a black reference signal, a white reference signal at a level higher than that of the black reference level, and three intermediate reference signals are generated and stored into memories. During the scanning of the original, a selector selects two of the reference signals in accordance with the level of each signal output by the CCD line sensor, and the difference between the signal output by the sensor and the black reference signal is shading-corrected, by using the two reference signals selected by the selector.

Abstract: An imaging device has a lens for focusing light and a sensor for imaging that light. The lens is selected such that the focus coverage area projected from the lens is much greater in area than the area of the sensor. The sensor is moved through the coverage area of the lens linearly along mutually perpendicular axes that are also perpendicular to the axis of the lens allowing the field of view of the lens to be systemically scanned by the sensor utilizing only linear translational motion of the sensor.

Abstract: A position detector for a scanning beam comprising a plurality of rows of spaced apart sensors. Each row of sensors includes a plurality of logic zero sensors and a plurality of logic one sensors which are arranged in alternating logic order. Each row is arranged such that it is symmetrical about its center. Equal areas of logic zero sensors on each side of the center are equal distances away from the center and equal areas of logic one sensors on each side of the center are equal distances away from the center to substantially cancel out any background light effects on the sensors.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method for driving a photoelectric device comprising a photocathode, and controller for controlling electrons emitted from the photocathode, wherein gate voltages are applied respectively to the photocathode and the controller so that the electrons from the photocathode are not outputted from the controller.

Abstract: An integrated, optoelectronic, variable thresholding neuron implemented monolithically in a GaAs integrated circuit and exhibiting high differential optical gain and low power consumption. Two alternative embodiments each comprise an LED monolithically integrated with a detector and two transistors. One of the transistors is responsive to a bias voltage applied to its gate for varying the threshold of the neuron. One embodiment is implemented as an LED monolithically integrated with a double heterojunction bipolar phototransistor (detector) and two metal semiconductor field-effect transistors (MESFET's) on a single GaAs substrate and another embodiment is implemented as an LED monolithically integrated with three MESFET's (one of which is an optical FET detector) on a single GaAs substrate. The first noted embodiment exhibits a differential optical gain of 6 and an optical switching energy of 10 pJ. The second embodiment has a differential optical gain of 80 and an optical switching energy or 38 pJ.

Abstract: A typical printing device has a document feeder, a printer, and a document transport mechanism for transporting documents from the document feeder to the printer. In accordance with the invention, there is provided a thickness measurer which measures the thickness of a document prior to the transport of the document to the printer, a controller which receives the thickness information and which provides a gap-adjustment signal, and an adjuster which receives the gap-adjustment signal and adjusts the gap accordingly.

Abstract: The simultaneous monitoring of possibly uncrimped metal reinforcing clips on the mounting arms of a plastic housing or of a warped housing by photoelectric means and the determination of the presence or absence of the clips by electromagnetic switches in combination provide a significant improvement in the assembly and mounting of housing components to frame members.

Abstract: An optical scanning apparatus includes a light-shielding member, disposed between an optical deflection unit and a converging lens, for shielding a scanning beam incident on an edge portion of the converging lens on the scanning starting position side, and the apparatus converts a laser beam into a scanning beam by the optical deflection unit and raster-scans a photosensitve material with the scanning beam through the converging lens to form an image on the photosensitive material. The apparatus may further include a deflection mirror with another light-shielding member, disposed between the converging lens and the photosensitive material, for guiding the scanning beam which does not contribute to image formation immediately after starting of the scanning to a scanning beam detection unit. In the optical scanning apparatus, occurrence of a stray light can be prevented owing to the light-shielding member, whereby an image of high quality free from uneveness of an image or blurring of an image can be formed.

Abstract: The invention includes a blood detector disposed on a medical liquid duct adjacent a connection to a duct for circulating blood outside the body. When the medical liquid ceases to flow, blood sediments in the liquid duct and is detected therein. The detector makes it possible to verify that the medical liquid is indeed flowing into the blood. The invention is applicable in numerous blood treatment techniques making use of a circuit for circulating blood outside the body, such as hemofiltration, hemodiafiltration, and plasmapheresis.

Abstract: An improved photoelectric sensor assembly has a one-piece threaded barrel housing, preferably with focus lenses formed therein. An aperture piece fits within the barrel housing, and a printed circuit board carrying the scanner electronics fits in behind it with the optoelectronic elements aligned with the aperture piece and the lenses. A power and signal cable from the circuit board extends out the back end of the sensor housing. A foam compression ring fits against the PC board and is backed by a washer, second compression ring and second washer, all of which have apertures for the cable to pass through. An end cap threads onto the rear of the threaded barrel and compresses the washers and compression rings.

Abstract: A method for measuring internal defects of a specimen, comprising the steps of allowing a finely focused laser beam to be incident into a specimen from its surface and observing the scattered light of the said laser beam from inside the said specimen from the surface of the specimen and in a different direction to the optical axis of incidence of the laser beam.

Abstract: A temperature compensated, self-referenced fiber optic microbend pressure transducer employs a fiber optic loop (90) to compensate for thermal offset of the microbend sensor output. In the preferred embThis invention was made with Government support under Contract No. NAS3-25796 awarded by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The Government has certain rights in this invention.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting the velocity information of an object comprises the irradiation optical system for performing the irradiation of beam to the predetermined position on an object to be measured; the photodetector for detecting the light from the irradiated object by the irradiation optical system, the velocity information being obtained by the detection; the detector for detecting the irradiating state for detecting the deviation of the irradiating position of the beam on the object to be measured; and the adjuster for adjusting the irradiating state of the beam on the object based on the detection result of the detector for detecting the irradiating state. With such constituents as above, the apparatus is capable of dealing with the fluctuation of the lightning to obtain a high-precision detection of the velocity information at a high speed.