Abstract: Solid-state waveguide structures are disclosed to detect and/or encode very fast (picosecond) optical signals. The waveguides are appropriately configured to cause very fast signals to interact with interrogation or erasure pulses by a two photon absorption mechanism. The coincidence of the pulses in particular regions causes erasure and/or changes in the waveguide conductivity which can be measured conventionally by parallel circuitry.

Abstract: Correction for variations in scan period of optical image scanners includes measuring and storing the scan times at which optical events occur to cause image detector signals, detecting an optical marker near the end of the scan and the scan time of its detection, determining the difference between this scan time and a stored scan period, comprising the nominal scan time for marker detection, which difference represents the scan period error, dividing the difference by the stored scan period to provide a scan time unit error and multiplying each stored measured scan time by the unit error to provide a correction for each measured scan time, thereafter adding the correction to the stored measured scan time to give a corrected scan time.

Abstract: A solar array positioning system includes first light sensor means facing the same direction as the solar array and second light sensor means facing the opposite direction. A third sensor, this one responsive to gravity, is employed to indicate the direction about a diurnal slew axis that the array is tilted. These sensors are employed to determine the initial array slewing direction to insure that during slewing and subsequent tracking, the array never is rotated through more than a given angle, less than 360.degree., between two fixed limits. This permits connection to the array by hard wiring rather than slip rings. The system includes also fourth sensor means for providing fine tracking signals which assume control of the array position during tracking. A vane structure reduces the sensitivity of various of the sensors to obscuration by foreign particles. A low cost uncorrected lens may be used with the fourth.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for inspecting the side walls of transparent bottles for the detection of dirt or foreign bodies therein. The inspection is effected by projecting a plurality of images of the side walls of a bottle, as viewed from at least two different directions in plan, on to at least one integrated circuit device comprising an array of photodiodes arranged in a plurality of rows in combination with means to interrogate each diode in turn, along each row in turn, to provide a video signal comprising a sequence of electrical signals corresponding to the light energy each diode has received. The two optical paths are so folded that over part of their lengths they are parallel and vertical, thus enabling both path lengths to be varied simultaneously by a common adjustment means, thereby to shorten or lengthen the object distance to obtain the appropriate magnification over a range of bottle sizes and make full use of the potential resolution of the photodiode array.

Abstract: A level measuring device suitable for measuring the level of any substance, advantageously but not necessarily dangerous substances whether due to heat, toxicity or others, with or without anti-oxidization superficial layers, including in mutual cooperation and coordination an intense light source illuminating a limited and restricted area on the surface of the medium whose level is to be measured, a receiver-perceptor processor so arranged that at least part of the optical control axis is at an angle in relation to the incidence optical axis of said light source, therebeing advantageously present one or more regulating means responsive to the ambient light and to possible infrared rays or the like, regulating means responsive to absorption and reflection features of the light by the material of the surface and the medium in which the rays propagate, alarm means and regulation means.

Abstract: An encoder arrangement for machines having a rotating worm shaft which controls the movement of a working part and which has an optical disc on the shaft whose movement is photoelectrically sensed and interpreted by a controller to govern drive mechanism for moving the part in accordance with a program. The disc and photoelectric sensing means are contained in a dust-proof casing mounted on the machine and surrounding the shaft. The disc is in the form of companion segments which are clamped to each other and about the shaft. The casing is in the form of companion shells which are mounted on the machine casing and are connected to each other about the shaft. A preferred use of the encoder arrangement is with paper cutting machines of the type having a backstop movable along a worm shaft.

Abstract: A contact monitoring circuit for producing a dynamic signal representative of the state of a contact. The circuit includes a control signal generator for generating a pair of optical pulse streams comprised of alternate and sequential optical pulses. A pair of gating means, each responsive to one of the pair of pulse streams, connects each of two conductors to one of a positive and negative source of potential in time coincidence with the associated pulse stream. A circuit means, including an optical coupler, the contact being monitored and a fixed potential, has a complete supply circuit during times coincident with only one of the pulse streams, the condition of the contact determines which of the pulse streams will complete the supply circuit. Therefore, the optical coupler produces a dynamic signal representative of the contact state.

Abstract: A optical focussing apparatus, preferably used in the manufacture of integrated semiconductor circuits which automatically positions the focal point of a lens on an object to be focussed on. The focussing apparatus is comprised of a plurality of optical sets distributed around the object, each of which sets is comprised of a photo emitter for projecting a light beam onto the object and an oppositely disposed photo detector for receiving the light beam reflected from the object. Means are provided to adjust the relative distance between the object and the focal point of the lens in response to the average intensity level of the reflected light beams.

Abstract: A automatic focusing apparatus is disclosed for automatically focusing a focal point on an object substrate wherein the pn junction of an emitting part of a semiconductor ray source itself, has the effect of a pin-hole in order to eliminate a complicated setting of a position of a pin-hole panel whereby variation of the output of the semiconductor ray source caused by reflective ray is detected by a phase detector and the output is applied to an actuator to carry out an automatic focusing.

Abstract: A solid state photo-electric converting device consists of a direct conjunction of a photo-electric converting layers formed of satisfactorily selected materials and a solid state amplifier formed, for instance, of an FET, a conductive electrode being inserted therebetween for collecting signal charges induced in those converting layers efficiently, thereby an excellent spectral sensitivity performance and an extremely high conversion efficiency being realizabe. Accordingly, a solid state imaging apparatus employing a matrix of the above converting devices can be provided with an excellent spectral and noiseless performance.

Abstract: A speed control system for a container processing line is disclosed. The container processing line has a container capper and a labeller for applying labels to capped containers, the speed control system providing improved line performance, smooth bottle handling and continuity in operation of the units. The speed control system synchronizes the labeller speed with the capper speed when a predetermined backlog of containers has accumulated upstream of the labeller.

Abstract: A seismic cable connector is provided for use with a dual fiber cable in a fiber optic seismic exploration system. The connector contains a digital transceiver which includes an optical detector connected to one fiber of the cable and a fiber optic transmitter connected to the other fiber. The digital transceiver is housed in an environmentally sealed case to protect the transceiver and the ends of the optical fibers from being affected or damaged during use in the field. The transceiver is activated by transistor-transistor logic contained within the connector. The optical fibers are protected by buffer tubes extending the length of the cable. A sixty-one pin electrical plug is provided in the cable connector for mating the connector with remote seismic data gathering units.

Abstract: A test assembly is provided for decreasing the skill and time required for aligning the code detector unit with an optical encoder disc. The output signals from the encoder assembly are conditioned to remove DC offset and to balance the amplitudes of the signals. The conditioned signals are used to generate a staircase display on an oscilloscope by weighting the signals and summing them in parallel circuits to provide parallel multiphase signals. Those signals are converted to square waves which are summed to provide the staircase. The timing of the staircase is indicative of the phase relationships of the multiphase signals. The relationship of those signals is in turn dependent on the phase relationship of the output signals from the code detector.

Abstract: With the heretofore known monitoring systems the parameters or magnitudes to be monitored are converted into electrical signals and transmitted, by means of electrical lines or conductors, to a central station. Because electrical signal transmitters are undesired, particularly in explosion endangered atmospheres or surroundings and, further, since spurious signals can be induced in electrical signal lines, proposals have already been made to utilize monitoring apparatuses working with optical signal conductors. The different embodiments of feelers of the invention, for optical monitoring apparatuses, enable monitoring the continuous change and/or exceeding a predetermined threshold, of electrical, mechanical and thermal parameters or the like.

Abstract: Device for scanning and following information tracks, for use in conjunction with "VLP" or "Compact Disk", tracking errors being mitigated by deriving an additional control voltage from the envelope of the information, which counteracts positional deviations of the information transducer relative to a desired track on the information carrier to an increased extent.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for detecting and measuring mechanical movement that is directly or indirectly representative of a physical phenomenon. The method and apparatus involve the use of at least one optical fiber that defines a region of bend having a curvature, the radius of which varies in direct relation with the particular mechanical movement that is induced by the physical phenomenon. Light is introduced into one extremity of the optical fiber and propagates through the fiber where the intensity of the light emitted or radiating from the opposite extremity of the fiber is measured. Differentiation between introduced light and emitted light determines the degree of perturbance caused by the region of bend and is thus representative of the physical phenomenon that alters the radius of curvature at the region of bend.

Abstract: Apparatus for applying a radiant beam against an opaque diaphragm (18) to melt an aperture in the diaphragm (18). Bracket means (12) are provided for positioning the diaphragm (18) at a predetermined position, along with a source of the radiant beam (20) and electric circuit means (21) for activating the source (20). Photocell means (52) may be positioned whereby a properly positioned diaphragm (18) initially shades the photocell (52) from the beam, and the beam strikes the photocell (52) when the aperture is formed. Means are provided to shut off the radiant beam responsive to the beam striking the photocell (52). The photocell (52) may be positioned in a pivotable switch arm (46), and the radiant beam source (20) may be a special filament-type light bulb (20) with a focusing reflector (24).

Abstract: The liquid level indicator contains a number of first light fibers, a number of second light fibers, optical lens means interposed between each output end of the first fibers and an associated input end of the second fibers, and light detectors associated with the output ends of the second fibers. The optical lens means has substantially the same index of refraction as the liquid. When the lens means is not immersed into the liquid, it focusses light from the first fiber to the second fiber. This focussing effect is eliminated when the lens is submerged into the liquid.

Abstract: An automatic isolator of blood plasma comprising a photosensor to detect the border between the blood plasma layer and that of the blood cells, which have been separated using a centrifugal machine and stored in a blood bag, and a solenoid to stop the transfer of the blood plasma from the blood bag through a tube, by pinching the tube when the border is detected by the photosensor.

Abstract: A focusing system for focusing a radiation beam onto an object, in particular an optical disc. The focusing system comprises focusing-error detection means and two control elements for correcting the focusing depending on the detected focusing error. The detection means are constructed so that via one of the two control elements a feedback servo system is obtained while via the other control element a servo system without feedback, i.e. a feed-forward system, is obtained.