Abstract: An optical transmitter for use, for example in a TPON (telecommunications over passive optical networks) network, has a servo circuit for controlling the optical output power of an optical source of the transmitter. In a power setting operation used for bringing the output power to a demand level when the transmitter is first connected to the network, the servo circuit causes the source to produce a series of optical pulses and monitors the power of the pulses using an optical sensor coupled optically to the source. If the modified power level of a pulse is less than the demand level then in the next pulse the drive signal value (I.sub.D) applied to the source is increased, relative to the drive signal value for the present pulse, by a predetermined adjustment amount, whereas if the monitored power level is greater than the demand level the drive signal value is decreased by the predetermined adjustment amount.

Abstract: A color display formed of information of one color on a different color background is projected onto a screen. Light from the bulb is passed serially through a neutral polarizer, a smectic liquid crystal cell, and a further polarizer. The cell comprises a smectic liquid crystal material incorporating an amount of a cholesteric material and a dye contained between two cell walls carrying electrodes and surface treated to give a molecular twist and alignment to the liquid crystal material. Information is written into the cell by scanning the laser beam over the cell, causing localized heating, in combination with or without an applied electric field to form selected areas with a twisted structure on a background of homeotropic structure, or vice versa. Thus plane polarized light is passed through the cell with its plane selectively rotated or non rotated. This provides a two color display of information of one color on a background of the other color.