Abstract: A computer-implemented method of providing personalized route information involves gathering a plurality of past location indicators over time for a wireless client device, determining a future driving objective using the plurality of previously-gathered location indicators, obtaining real-time traffic data for an area proximate to the determined driving objective, and generating a suggested route for the driving objective using the near real-time traffic data.

Abstract: A three-dimensional imaging and display system is provided in which user input is optically detected in an imaging volume by measuring the path length of an amplitude modulated scanning beam as a function of the phase shift thereof. Visual image user feedback concerning the detected user input is presented.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus that use microseismic event data, stress data, seismic data, and rock properties to predict the hydrocarbon production success of a well location are disclosed. An example method generates a hydrocarbon production function based on information associated with at least a first well location, obtains information associated with a second well location, and calculates the hydrocarbon production function using the information associated with the second well location to predict the hydrocarbon production of the second well location.

Abstract: The invention can include an apparatus for producing optical pulses, comprising an oscillator for producing optical pulses at a first optical pulse repetition frequency, the optical pulses having a first wavelength and a first time duration; a pulse picker for receiving optical pulses having the first optical pulse repetition frequency, first wavelength and first time duration and operable to reduce the optical pulse repetition frequency to produce optical pulses having the first wavelength, first time duration and a reduced optical pulse repetition frequency that is less than the first optical pulse repetition frequency; an optical fiber receiving optical pulses at the reduced optical pulse repetition frequency and having the first wavelength and first time duration to produce, at the reduced optical pulse frequency, optical pulses that include one or more nonlinearly produced wavelengths different than the first wavelength.

Abstract: An active retrodirective antenna array is provisioned with a virtual beacon for use with uncooperative targets. An RF pilot signal is imposed onto an optical carrier beam and directed at a target. The scattered optical carrier beam is optically detected by a plurality of the retrodirective array nodes to extract the RF pilot signal. Each recovered RF pilot-signal is phase-conjugated with a phase reference signal, amplified and retransmitted towards the target where the RF beams add-in phase at the virtual beacon. The array may be used to complete an RF communication link with the target, to transfer microwave power from orbiting solar power stations to a target or as a directed energy weapon to prosecute the target.

Abstract: An object detection system for a host vehicle includes an imaging device, a ranging device and a processor. The imaging device has a field of view exterior of the host vehicle and is operable to capture image data representative of an object exterior the host vehicle. The ranging device has a field of view that sweeps at least the field of view of the imaging device and that detects the object exterior the host vehicle. The processor processes image data from the imaging device and processes data from the ranging device in order to determine if the detected object is an object of interest. The determination that the detected object is an object of interest is made in accordance with a priority score.

Abstract: A pulsed laser system includes a variable attenuator located in a secondary optical path bounded by a target surface and one or more reflective surfaces outside of the primary laser oscillator of the laser system. The variable attenuator isolates an output optical amplifier of the laser system from light reflected from the target during time periods between laser pulses. In some embodiments, the variable attenuator is synchronously controlled with the primary laser oscillator. In some other embodiments, the variable attenuator is controlled separately from the primary laser oscillator to shape the generated laser pulses.

Abstract: A laser and amplifier combination delivers a sequence of optical pulses at a predetermined pulse-repetition frequency PRF. An interferometer generates a signal representative of the carrier-envelope phase (CEP) of the pulses at intervals corresponding to the PRF. The signal includes frequency components from DC to the PRF. The signal is divided into high and low frequency ranges. The high and low frequency ranges are sent to independent high frequency and low frequency control electronics, which drive respectively a high-frequency CEP controller and a low frequency controller for stabilizing the CEP of pulses in the sequence.

Abstract: A wavelength-tunable laser system includes an optical fiber collimator array having at least two ports, an optical amplifier connected to one port of an optical fiber, an optical coupler for coupling light incident from the optical amplifier and transmitting the coupled light to another port, a diffraction grating plate for guiding each wavelength component of light incident from the optical fiber collimator array in a different direction, and an Opto-Very Large Scale Integration (Opto-VLSI) processor.

Abstract: Provided is a distance measuring apparatus and a distance measuring method enabling measurement of, based on an image, a relative distance from an object even during nighttime. Included are imaging means for taking an image in a traveling direction of an own-vehicle as a taken image; specifying means for respectively specifying combinations of positions, in the taken image, of direct light which is imaged in the taken image and of a reflected light which is a reflection of the direct light on a travel path surface; and measuring means for measuring a relative distance from an object based on the combinations of the positions of the direct light and the positions of the reflected light, which are specified by the specifying means.

Abstract: A three-dimensional imaging and display system is provided in which user input is optically detected in an imaging volume by measuring the path length of an amplitude modulated scanning beam as a function of the phase shift thereof. Visual image user feedback concerning the detected user input is presented.

Abstract: The invention provides a distance measuring instrument, comprising a light emitting unit 13 for emitting a distance measuring light, a photodetecting unit 14 for receiving and detecting a reflected distance measuring light from an object to be measured and a part of the distance measuring light emitted from the light emitting unit as an internal reference light, a sensitivity adjusting unit 23 for electrically adjusting photodetecting sensitivity of the photodetecting unit, and a control arithmetic unit 22 for calculating a measured distance based on a photodetection signal of the reflected distance measuring light from the photodetecting unit and based on a photodetection signal of the internal reference light, wherein the control arithmetic unit can measure a distance by selecting a prism mode measurement and a non-prism mode measurement, and controls so that photodetecting sensitivity of the photodetecting unit is changed by the sensitivity adjusting unit in response to the selected measurement mode.

Abstract: The invention can include an apparatus for producing optical pulses, comprising an oscillator for producing optical pulses at a first optical pulse repetition frequency, the optical pulses having a first wavelength; a first optical fiber amplifier; a second optical fiber amplifier; a pulse picker located between the first and second optical fiber amplifiers, the pulse picker operable to reduce the optical pulse repetition frequency of optical pulses, wherein the first amplifier amplifies optical pulses at the first optical pulse repetition frequency and the second amplifier amplifies optical pulses at a reduced optical pulse repetition frequency that is less than the first optical pulse repetition frequency; a nonlinear optical fiber receiving amplified optical pulses having the reduced optical pulse repetition frequency and the first wavelength to produce, at the reduced optical pulse frequency, optical pulses that include one or more nonlinearly produced wavelengths different than the first wavelength; and

Abstract: A pulse fiber laser device 1 has a Fabry-Perot type optical resonator, and is provided with an excitation light source 11, an optical coupling unit 12, an amplifying optical fiber 13, a saturable absorber 14, a gradient index lens 15, an optical output unit 16, a dispersion adjusting unit 17, a mirror 21 and a mirror 22. The saturable absorber 14 and the mirror 21, integrated into one body, constitute a saturable absorber mirror 23. The gradient index lens 15 converges the light output from an end face of an optical fiber 32 and outputs the light to the saturable absorber mirror 23, and inputs the light reflected from the saturable absorber mirror 23 into the end face of the optical fiber 32. Thus, there is provided a pulse fiber laser device that enables easy adjustment of the intensity of light incident on a saturable absorber and facilitates miniaturization.

Abstract: A method for judging the drivability of vehicles including acquiring drivability-relevant physical data during the driving operation of the vehicle; checking the data for the presence of trigger conditions which indicate the existence of specific driving states; if a specific driving state exists, calculating at least one local evaluation, which is a judgment of an evaluation criterion relevant for the driving state; and calculating an overall evaluation for the acquired driving state. An increase in precision may be achieved with repeated occurrence of identical driving states, a correction variable is calculated for the evaluations, which is a function of the differences in the behavior of the vehicle upon identical driving states, and a corrected evaluation is calculated in which this correction variable is taken into consideration.

Abstract: An optical device comprises an optical device stage, which comprises an optical input, an optical AND gate, an optical flip-flop and an optical output. The optical input is arranged to receive an optical input pulse at an input wavelength. The optical AND gate comprises a first input arranged to receive a part of said optical input pulse, a second input arranged to receive at least a part of a flip-flop optical output signal, and an output. The optical AND gate is arranged to generate an AND gate optical output pulse dependent on said flip-flop optical output signal. The optical flip-flop comprises a first input arranged to receive a further part of said optical input pulse, a second input arranged to receive a said AND gate optical output pulse, and an output. The optical flip-flop is arranged to generate said flip-flop output signal at a flip-flop output wavelength. At least a part of the flip-flop output signal is provided to said output.

Abstract: The invention is a passive method to measure the translational speed of a visual scene using the distribution of light intensities. The invention combines two principles: perspective distortion matching over a broad field of view, and temporal filtering variation. The perspective distortion of the image is used to sample the visual scene at different linear wavelengths over the visual field. The result is a spatial sensitivity map of the visual scene. The obtained signal is then temporally filtered with cutoff frequencies proportional to the spatial sensitivity. The final result is a wide-spectrum computation of a ratio between temporal and linear spatial frequencies, in other words linear speed. The technique does not require the emission of a reference signal and is independent from external infrastructures.

Abstract: In accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure a system for compensating for polarization dependent loss experienced by an optical signal comprises an optical amplifier configured to amplify an optical signal and having a polarization dependent gain (PDG). The system also comprises a polarization rotator coupled to the amplifier and configured to rotate the polarization of the optical signal before the signal enters the amplifier. The system also comprises a polarization dependent loss (PDL) controller coupled to the amplifier and the rotator. The PDL controller may be configured to determine a post-amplifier PDL of the optical signal as the signal leaves the optical amplifier. The PDL controller may also be configured to control the rotator to rotate the polarization of the optical signal based on the post-amplifier PDL, such that the PDG of the amplifier compensates for the PDL experienced by the optical signal.

Abstract: A method for passive seismic surveying includes deploying seismic sensors in a plurality of spatially distributed wellbores disposed above a volume of subsurface formations to be evaluated. The sensors in each wellbore form a line of sensors. Each sensor generate optical or electrical signals in response to seismic amplitude. The seismic signals from each sensor are recorded for a selected period of time. The response of the seismic sensor recordings is beam steered to at least one of a selected point and a selected volume in the subsurface. At least one microseismic event is identified in the beam steered response.

Abstract: An optical transmission and amplification system includes a multichannel transmission span with a length of a multicore transmission fiber having a plurality of individual transmission cores. A first tapered multicore coupler provides connectivity between the plurality of transmission cores of the multicore fiber and a respective plurality of individual transmission leads. A fiber amplifier is provided having a plurality of individual cores including at least one pump core and a plurality of amplifier core. A second tapered multicore coupler provides connectivity between the amplifier cores of the fiber amplifier and a respective plurality of amplifier leads, and between the at least one pump core and a respective pump lead.