Abstract: A novel concept is applied to the conventional vending machines in order to enhance the serviceability of the vending machines dramatically. The item-selector comprising a keypad or the like is made moveable so that it can ‘walk with customer’ as the customer walks up and down the vending machine in an effort to determine a right item for him. In this way, the customer does not have to walk between the item he wants to buy and the item-selector. Also, by making the moveable item-selector accompanied by a video camera, preferably with two-way communication capability, personal attention and service by an attendant located in a remote office becomes possible.

Abstract: This invention devises a method to make it feasible for a vending machine to sell controlled items requiring age verification. The controlled items are displayed in a section where customer access is under the control of an attendant in a remote office. In order to generate the expenses for the remote age-verification, the vending operation sells general items as well as controlled items. Also, a plurality of such vending sites are linked to one central monitor office so that the age-verification expenses are shared among many vending sites.

Abstract: A simple and economic item-retriever for retrieving an item from a display peg-hook is disclosed. This item-retriever is displayed behind the item behind the item on the peg-hook. The item-retriever has a built-in ‘magnet contact part’ that is accessible to a magnet. The magnet approaches to the ‘magnet contact part’ of the item-retriever within a distance close enough to create a magnetic force that is strong enough to pull the item retriever out of the peg-hook. When the item-retriever is pulled out of the peg-hook by the magnet, the item displayed in front of the item-retriever is also pulled out of the peg-hook because it is in the way. Various means and methods will be described.

Abstract: The size and cost of fabricating fiber optic pressure sensors is reduced by fabricating the membrane of the sensor in a non-planar shape. The design of the sensors may be made in such a way that the non-planar membrane becomes a part of an air-tight cavity, so as to make the membrane resilient due to the air-cushion effect of the air-tight cavity. Such non-planar membranes are easier to make and attach.

Abstract: It is desirable to establish vending services as a stand-alone operation, that is, similar to a coin laundry and gasoline station. It is the objective of this patent application to devise means and methods to make it feasible. This objective is achieved by surrounding vending machines with an intrusion-proof cage, and placing all the interactive devices (money-inserting boxes, item-retrieving box, etc.) outside of the cage. In order to lessen the negative feeling people would have on the cage, some items and figures in the forms of vicious wild animals, devils, etc. can be placed inside the cage so as to create an atmosphere that the cage exists there to keep them in, not to keep customers out.

Abstract: The size and cost of fabricating fiber optic pressure sensors is reduced by fabricating the membrane of the sensor in a non-planar shape. The design of the sensors may be made in such a way that the non-planar membrane becomes a part of an air-tight cavity, so as to make the membrane resilient due to the air-cushion effect of the air-tight cavity. Such non-planar membranes are easier to make and attach.

Abstract: The size and cost of fabricating fiber optic pressure sensors is reduced by fabricating the membrane of the sensor in a non-planar shape. The design of the sensors may be made in such a way that the non-planar membrane becomes a part of an air-tight cavity, so as to make the membrane resilient due to the air-cushion effect of the air-tight cavity. Such non-planar membranes are easier to make and attach.

Abstract: A system and method for a family fund management based on an internet family web site is described in which family funds dedicated to some of the relatives dispense monetary rewards to pre-verified beneficiaries. The financial details on the family funds in terms of the principal amount, income from the principal, dispensable amount, past transactions, are readily available for display on the web site in a self-explanatory fashion. The clarity of the financial transactions and the transparency of the financial details allow the family web site being steered largely in an auto-pilot mode, thus contribute to preserving the family web site over many generations at a reasonable financial management cost and to reducing the possibility of financial fraud substantially. It could be preferable to dispense the dedicated family funds only during one short period during the year, such as a few days around Christmas or New Year day.

Abstract: A savings plan is devised to prepare a fund to operate a private web site after the host of the web site dies. In order to lessen the financial burden, regular deposits over an extended period are configured. An insurance feature could be built in the saving plan in order to prevent a failure to establish the target amount of the fund in a case person who is responsible for regular deposits dies before the target amount is reached.

Abstract: A novel means for interconnecting two optical components is disclosed, in which there are two connecting surfaces with matching surface features, and one optical component is located at a predetermined location on the first surface, and the other optical component is located at a matching location on the second surface. When the two surfaces are mated in a face-to-face fashion, they are locked into a stable position through the matched surface features. The first and the second optical components are aligned properly as they are located at a same spot with respect to the face-locking surface features. The unique surface features and the locations of the optical components may be registered by a lithographic method that has a sub-micron accuracy. Modular approach is feasible in which a combination of face-lock embodiments are stacked together to align a number of optical components.

Abstract: Novel embodiments and manufacturing methods for optical fiber connector plugs and sleeves are disclosed, in which precision holes are fabricated through a thin slab, preferably using preferential etching technique on a semiconductor wafer, such as silicon or gallium arsenide. The angle of the slope is specific in the preferentially etched through-holes. Optical fibers are inserted into the V-shaped through-holes, with the orientation perpendicular to the surface of the slab. The edges of the slab may be sloped at the same slope angle of the through-holes. The same technique can be used to fabricate a sleeve with a twin V-square recess with the same slope angle on the both ends. Since the slope angles are all same and specific, precisely-fitting through-holes, plugs, and sleeves may be fabricated for single-fiber connection and array connection.

Abstract: An optical fiber interconnecting structure for connecting an optical fiber to an optical channel waveguide, in which a channel waveguide is extended collinearly by a hollow channel with sectional area and shape substantially identical to those for the channel waveguide. An optical fiber is laid collinearly with the channel, and a core-extension is formed at the end facet of the optical fiber to form a gradual and smooth optical transition to the channel waveguide. The channel waveguide may be tapered out to have a substantially larger sectional area at the far end so as to ease the optical interconnection.

Abstract: The basic embodiment of the present invention comprises an optical fiber having cores and a claddings, and core-extensions, wherein the individual core-extensions are built onto the core end facets in a shape of the diverging horn-like structure, with the sectional area increasing gradually as the individual core-extensions extend farther away from the core end facets to merge together and form a common core-extension for light mixing and coupling. The core-extension may be made of a photo-reactive material to be shaped after the diverging radiation pattern of light emitted from the core end facets.

Abstract: A laser which contains a substantially planar waveguide wherein the waveguide along the direction of light propagation is comprised of varying combinations of high-gain and low-gain regions so that the cumulative gain from one end of the optical cavity to the other varies as a function of position along a line within the plane of said waveguide which is perpendicular to the direction of light propagation.

Abstract: A dart game toy that is suitable for simulating the popular ball games comprises a dart, a group of offensive target pieces to be used by offensive team, and a group of defensive target pieces to be used by defensive team, wherein one game play consists of a set of sequential dart throwings being thrown alternately by offensive team and defensive team. The objective of the offensive team is to have the dart landed on the offensive target pieces, and the objective of the defensive team is to have the dart landed on the defensive target pieces that are recognized as defensive countermeasures against the offensive target pieces on which the dart have landed. Game rules are made in such a way that the outcome of the sequential dart throwings are interrelated and interlocked, making the result of the set of dart throwings determinable after and only after all the dart throwings belonging to the play have been completed.

Abstract: An optical fiber transmission path for interconnecting a transmitter and receiver for single mode operation at a predetermined wavelength. Most of the path is formed by a transmission cable made up of several optical fibers, spliced end-to-end, that are single mode at a wavelength longer than the predetermined wavelength, but possibly not single mode at the predetermined wavelength. The splice between the fibers is fabricated so as to exhibit minimized splice loss, as measured for only the fundamental mode at the predetermined wavelength. The transmission path of the invention also includes an optical fiber which is very short relative to the transmission cable and is in the path between the transmitter and the cable. The short fiber is selected to be single mode at the predetermined wavelength. A mode stripper is in the path, near the end of the transmission cable that is nearest the receiver. The mode stripper transmits only the fundamental mode at the predetermined wavelength.

Abstract: An optical fiber attenuator is fabricated using an adhesive liquid including submicron light absorbing particles. A portion at the end of a first optical fiber is coated with the liquid. The liquid is spread about the surface of the end of the fiber, as by ultrasonic vibration, to provide a uniform and very thin coat on the fiber. Then the first fiber is spliced at the coated end to an end of a second optical fiber.

Abstract: A fiber optic interferometric physical sensor. A fiber optical Mach-Zehnder interferometer includes a sensor arm and a reference arm having different optical path lengths. A transducer coupled to the sensor arm modulates the phase of light signals passing therethrough in response to a physical quantity. The interferometer is supplied with an input optical signal which includes light components at two different wavelengths. The detected intensity of the output of the interferometer includes two components, each of which vary in relation to the physical quantity. Each output component is related to one of the two optical input wavelengths. The two output components differ in phase by an amount proportional to the path length difference between the sensor and reference arms and proportional to the wavelength difference between the light components of the input optical signal.

Abstract: A transmitter for fiber optics communication having a solid state light source device biased to emit light and a solid state optical amplifier device positioned adjacent the source device to receive the emitted light and amplify it. A modulation current is provided to one of the devices so as to cause a corresponding modulation of the output light from the optical amplifier, for transmission of the information contained in the modulation. The invention is advantageous for multiple state digital encoding. In addition, it can generate a multiplexed output, which facilitates demultiplexing of the information transmitted.

Abstract: A multiwavelength multiplexer-demultiplexer constructed from units each cble of multiplexing or demultiplexing two wavelengths. As many such units as required can be interconnected to form multiplexer-demultiplexers of any number of wavelengths. Each two-wavelength multiplexer-demultiplexer unit includes a four-port power divider, a four-port phase shifter having two ports connected to two ports of the power divider, and another four-port power divider having two ports connected to two ports of the phase shifter. The power divider may be a single-mode optical fiber directional coupler, or a half-silvered mirror beam splitter. The phase shifter may include a pair of single mode optical fibers or a pair of oppositely disposed mirrors.