Abstract: A method and apparatus for detecting proper arrangements of fuses (10) in fuseblock (70). A scanner (80) detects a chemical material in fuse (10) and identifies the material and correlates the material to a proper amperage rating. The arrangements of different amperage rating fuses in the block is automatically compared to a standard by a microprocessor or computer to determine if fuse location is proper.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for providing a laser beam that is automatically aligned with a substantially rigid, stabilized platform or frame that can be oriented over a wide angular range, such as by the gimbals of a laser pointing and tracking system. A single-transverse-mode master laser oscillator 12 is mounted on the stabilized platform 13 which is part of the inner gimbal, which can be rotated about an elevation axis 16, and a multipass laser amplifier 21 wiht a phase conjugation mirror 22 and an optional nonlinear frequency-conversion device 20 are located off the inner gimbal. An outer gimbal or pedestal mount permits rotation about an azimuthal axis 17. The laser oscillator 12 and laser amplifier 21 are coupled by means of a beamsplitter 15 and two reflecting elements 18 and 19. The laser media used for the oscillator 12 and amplifier 21 are either the same, or compatible media having the same wavelength.

Abstract: A compact and efficient two direction of arrival system which is responsive over a large incident solid angle. The system is operative to use relatively few detectors, simple and inexpensive optics in a small assembly, and a very wide field coverage.

Abstract: A vision apparatus for indicating the locations of edges of work pieces in an illuminated work area including several arrays where each array includes several light conducting fibers. One end of the array is positioned in the work area to be illuminated by light except when blocked by the object. The other end of the optical fibers are positioned in a matrix plate contained within a camera enclosure. The camera enclosure further includes a lens to optically couple light from the matrix plate optical fiber ends to a light sensing device that produces electrical signals indicating the presence or absence of light at each of the fiber ends.

Abstract: An optical read/write head assembly for a record disk includes a hollow body member 3, 6 mounting an objective lens 1, a prism 16 and a laser 10. An intermediate plate 20 is mounted to the body by a screw 21 extending through an enlarged bore 23 in the plate to enable its positional adjustment in an X-Y plane. A cylindrical holder 8 extends slidably through a further bore 29 in the plate and through an enlarged bore 36 in the body member, and mounts a quadranted photodiode on its inner end. The holder is axially adjustable in the Z axis direction, to thus enable the centering and focusing of a reflected beam on the face of the photodiode.

Abstract: The scanning photon microscope according to this invention relates the phase of the ac photovoltage or photocurrent signal to the hue of a color image and the amplitude of the signal to the brightness of the image in representing the signal distribution in the specimen in the form of a color image, in order to make a clear distinction between the amplitude and phase of the ac photovoltage or photocurrent induced in the specimen when irradiated with a photon beam, thus permitting detailed and multilateral analysis of the specimen's characteristics.

Abstract: The single channel encoder comprises a transparent scale in which the scale divisions are defined by transverse opaque lines having a width greater than the width between the opaque lines. An emitter holder and a detector holder snap together, clamping an aperture plate there between. The aperture plate has a slit therein which is disposed in the optical path between the emitter and the detector. Projections functioning as scale supports on the opposite sides of the emitter holder and the detector holder are disposed in longitudinally spaced positions and define a gap therebetween for engaging the outside edges of the encoder scale outside of the opaque transverse lines to precisely position the scale in the optical path for maintaining a constant gap between the encoder scale and the aperture plate.

Abstract: A laser instrument of the kind used to detect light reflected from a target which is spaced from the laser instrument, includes a source laser for generating a laser high beam for transmission to the target and a bifocal lens assembly which is retro-directive in nature. The bifocal lens assembly is composed of a lens, and a mirror, much smaller in diameter than the lens, being attached to the lens for receiving and reflecting the laser light beam onto the optical axis of the lens. Respective small diverging and converging lens portions, formed on opposite sides of the lens and in alignment with its optical axis, expand and focus the received laser beam on the target. Respective large diameter converging lens portions, formed on opposite sides of the lens about the respective small diameter diverging and converging lens portions and in alignment with the optical axis of the lens, collect and focus on a light detector the light being reflected from the target.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for receiving radiant energy to approximate a uniform and homogeneous radiant energy beam from a non-homogeneous beam by a sampling from the beam by an array of receiving ends of optical fibers. A first plurality of optical fibers have receiving ends disposed parallel to a first common plane and transmitting ends directed to a first detector. A second plurality of optical fibers have receiving ends disposed parallel to a second common plane and transmitting ends directed to a second detector. The first and second common planes are oriented with respect to each other at an predetermined angle for receiving radiant energy.

Abstract: The device for detection with time delay and phase integration comprises detectors arranged in rows and columns. Capacitors for storing electric charges are associated with each detector. Any one point of the image is received sequentially by the detectors of a given row and each column of detectors is addressed sequentially by a shift register. The data stored by the detectors of a given row are received sequentially on a common lead by a charge-coupled device associated with each row. The function of this device is to delay the data delivered by the detectors of the same row in order to add these data in synchronism. The charge-coupled devices are located externally with respect to the rows of detectors. Their outputs are connected as feedback to their inputs in order to re-inject into the device the information previously received from a detector in phase with the information received from the following detector of the same row.

Abstract: Optronic tracking and guiding instruments are maintained in a readiness state by simulating various conditions including mechanical loads and, possibly, temperature variations for obtaining a set of corrective data which is then used for compensating possible errors during a real live mission. The compensation involves particularly focusing and exposure time control.

Abstract: In a focus detection system for detecting focus condition of an objective lens, there is disposed a pair of photo sensor arrays each having a plurality of photo cells lined up in one direction to receive a first image and second image passed through respectively a lens system and the photo sensor arrays produce first original signal groups and second original signal groups each signal groups corresponding to light intensity of the images projected thereto. A processing device processes the original signal groups in such a manner that the first original signal groups are respectively divided into a plurality of blocks, and one of the blocks of the first original signal groups is selected and it is detected that in what group in the selected block best coincidence occurs.

Abstract: A particle detection method for matching particles detected in two scans of a surface taken at different times in which particles having a light scattering intensity above a collection threshold are first detected and the measured position and scattering intensity therefor stored in a computer memory. Corresponding first and second measured positions from the respective first and second scans are determined by forming a triangle from selected first detected particles and finding those second detected particles which form a variant triangle with matching perimeter and area. From these matching first and second particles a transformation is found for mapping first measured positions to corresponding second positions and vice versa. Areas around corresponding positions of particles having a scattering intensity above a display threshold are examined for matching particles. If not found, the area is reexamined at a reduced threshold.

Abstract: An image sensor driving circuit of the matrix driving type includes a plurality of sensor elements for converting light image information into an electrical image signal, an operational amplifier circuit section for amplifying the electrical image signal and a logic circuit section for controlling the operation of the amplifier circuit section. In one embodiment, the amplifier circuit section includes a single stage operational amplifier having a pair of series-connected feed-back resistors and a trimmer capacitor connected between the interconnection between the feed-back resistors and ground, which allows to eliminate the differential signal component arising from the parasitic capacitance of the sensor element. In another embodiment, the operational amplifier is provided with an input offset compensation circuit which supplies a compensation voltage opposite in polarity to the input offset voltage of the operational amplifier, thereby preventing crosstalk from occurring.

Abstract: An automatic focussing system is disclosed which comprises an output circuit for sequentially outputting signals corresponding to a focus condition in a predetermined period, a prediction circuit for predicting a focus point by use of at least three signals outputted from the output circuit and a control circuit for controlling focus on the basis of the result of prediction by the prediction circuit when the difference of two signal outputs outputted from the output circuit is below a predetermined value and when the levels of signals satisfy a predetermined condition. The automatic focussing system further includes a detection circuit for detecting lens information of a photographic lens and a correction circuit for correcting the predicted value by the prediction circuit in accordance with the lens information obtained by the detection circuit.

Abstract: In an auto-focus apparatus of the invention, an image sensor (e.g., a CCD) produces an image signal corresponding to an image on a microfilm. The image signal from the image sensor is encoded to a binary image signal by a binary encoding circuit. Alternation points (i.e., leading or trailing edges) of the binary image signal are counted by a counter. A system controller fetches count values from the counter, and detects an image position corresponding to a maximum count value. The system controller causes a lens driving circuit to move an imaging lens to the detected image position.

Abstract: In a method and an arrangement for aligning, examining and/or measuring two-dimensional objects situated on a table of a measuring machine, which table is displaceable at least in two coordinate directions extending perpendicular to one another, light fluxes which are distinguishable according to the associated coordinate direction and which are combined in a beam path and which are imaged in a common intermediate image plane and which are deflected by an optical element according to the coordinate directions associated with them are projected by an imaging system onto the object to be measured in each instance. For the illumination of the respective object structures, an illuminating beam is generated for each coordinate direction, and the object structures illuminated by means of this beam are imaged, separately according to coordinate directions, on scanning means.

Abstract: A laser DC bias controller is disclosed for controlling and monitoring the laser of a fiber-optic transmitter. The arrangement comprises an optical power monitor including a light detector for converting the light output by the laser into photo current. The photo current is converted by the optical power monitor into a voltage representation of the magnitude of the light output by the laser. The voltage representation is output to a DC constant current source which uses the voltage to provide operating current to the laser of sufficient magnitude to keep the laser operating at a set output level. A transmit data detector monitors the incoming data signals to the fiber optic transmitter and outputs to the optical power monitor a current signal which indicates a failure of the data signal. The optical power monitor converts the current signal to a voltage representation which is output to the DC constant current source.

Abstract: A method of operating a radiation sensor, such as a charged coupled device array, having a number of radiation sensitive devices and associated transfer buffers. The method comprises (1) illuminating the radiation sensor for a predetermined duration whereby the radiation devices each store a charge relating to the total radiation incident thereon; (2) after the illumination step, transferring the stored charges to the transfer buffers; (3) reading out the charges in the transfer buffers; and, (4) repeating steps 1 to 3 until the transferred charge is substantially constant. Image scanning apparatus incorporating apparatus for performing this method is also described.

Abstract: This invention relates to a grating adjustment apparatus of 3-beam type optical pick-up for the compact disk player and, more particularly, to an apparatus automatically and readily adjusting a grating to the angle where the target value of a tracking error signal is obtainable. Sub-beam currents from the optical pick-up is, through current-voltage transducing amplifiers, converted into voltage signals, which are applied to a differential amplifier. The differential amplifier puts out the tracking error signal mixed with noise, which passes through a band pass filter removing said noise. So only pure tracking error signal is obtained, which is, after its phase is compensated by the low frequency lag compensator, applied to a differentiator. This signal is applied to a discriminator.