Abstract: Methods of sampling a surface having a micro-texture upon which an optical navigation circuit tracks movement. An embodiment of the method comprises determining a rate for taking samples of the surface, determining an exposure level of the surface, illuminating the surface at the determined rate for taking samples, and illuminating the surface for each of the samples with pulses of light at the determined exposure level.

Abstract: An optical detection system for flow cytometry that uses two or more light sources positioned laterally at different distances from a central axis of a flow stream for providing light through different parts of the flow stream. One or more lenses are used to focus the light from the two or more light sources through the flow stream and onto a common focal point or region on the opposite side of the flow stream. One or more light detectors are then placed at, near or around the common focal point or region. A processor or the like receives at least one output signal from the one or more light detectors to analyze and determine selected characteristics of the flow stream.

Abstract: An optical system made up of lens arrays and normal lenses is particularly suitable for use as a massive parallel reader (approximately 102 channels) for microtiter plates and the like in absorption, fluorescence and luminescence.

Abstract: An attachment for a light unit, which attachment comprises light-detecting means adapted to generate an output signal corresponding to the intensity of light incident thereon, and adjustable attaching means for removably attaching said attachment to an existing light unit such that the light detecting means are positioned within a beam of light emitted by the light unit when operated and are adapted to detect light that is directed towards the light unit, said attaching means being adjustable to allow the attachment to be selectively fitted to a range of different existing light units. Particularly, said light sensing means are adapted to sense light from the light unit that is retro-reflected back towards the light unit.

Abstract: A method and device for measuring optical wavefront shape parameters based on line-by-line analysis of the wavefront are disclosed. The method comprises at least one step (ACQi) consisting of acquiring a wavefront line. The acquisition comprises detecting (DETi) the line for delivering an electric signal characterizing it, for example, by means of a detection module including, in particular, an array of microlenses and a sensor, the module capable of being mobile in rotation and/or in translation. The acquisition comprises a step (Tsi) for processing the signal for determining a set Ki of parameters, for example, values proportional to the wavefront phase values measured on the line. In an embodiment, the method further comprises a step (RECi) for reconstructing each wave line consisting, for example, in expressing the line phase on a base of orthogonal polynomials, then a step (RECs) for reconstructing the wavefront on the basis of the reconstructed lines.

Abstract: A photoelectric switch device for detecting an object within a field of detection on the basis of a position of the object is presented. The position is determined on the basis of a value relating to light that is reflected by the object. The photoelectric switch device has a light projecting and receiving optical arrangement disposed on a front wall of a box shaped casing, a display unit and a push type of adjusting switch disposed on a rear wall of the box shaped casing. The photoelectric switch device also has a push type of selecting fixing setting switch and an indicator disposed on one of walls of the box shaped casing, except the front and rear walls, and an output cable extending from a corner between the rear wall and another wall opposite to the one wall. The selecting fixing setting switch is used to select types of information that is to be displayed on the display unit in order to set and fix the value. The adjusting switch is used to adjust the value of information displayed on the display unit.

Abstract: Calibration of the light emitting elements in an optical printer is carried out by mounting the optical printer on an external monitoring apparatus. The external monitoring apparatus comprises: a sensor mounting portion whereon a plurality of photosensors are mounted in a straight line; a signal processing circuit for processing the signals output from the photosensors; a reference voltage generating circuit; and a comparison and control circuit for comparing the output from the signal processing circuit with the reference voltage from the reference voltage generating circuit and outputting a signal based on the results of the comparison. The photosensors receive the light output from the light emitting elements, being subject to calibration, in the optical printer.

Abstract: A paper currency recognition system used in a money exchange machine includes a LED type transmitter unit and a phototransistor type receiver unit controlled by a CPU. The receiver unit also includes an N-channel MOSFET. When a variation in the induction or signal current from the receiver unit is detected, the CPU controls the MOSFET to let a part of the induction current be shunt to the MOSFET, enabling the value of the induction current to be regulated to a readable range, and at the same time drives a control chip of the receiver unit to regulate the LED driving current, keeping the light intensity of the LED within a constant value.

Abstract: An optical module includes a window having an interior, e.g., first, surface. The interior surface includes a central region and a peripheral region. A first electronic component is coupled to the peripheral region. The optical module further includes a substrate and an image sensor coupled to the substrate. The window is coupled to the substrate such that the image sensor is aligned with the central region of the window.

Abstract: A scanning head is described, having on a side facing a scale at least one patterned photodetector, which is realized in a semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor substrate has an anisotropic blind hole that is symmetrical to the several photodetectors, and a light source arranged on a base plate in the blind hole. The transmitting grating for the light source is formed either in a metallization layer on the semiconductor substrate or, in the form of bars of the semiconductor substrate that have not been etched away. The distance between the scale and the transmitting grating as well as the distances between the scale and the patterned photodetector are essentially the same.

Abstract: An electro-optical sensor includes a detector pixel including a plurality of detector elements responsive to electromagnetic radiation, and a plurality of switches configurable to selectively combine signals from the detector elements in the detector pixel to provide a signal corresponding to a pixel in an image. The sensor may include a plurality of such detector pixels arranged, for example, in a linear array or in a two-dimensional array. Each of the detector pixels may have an associated group of switches configurable to selectively combine signals from the detector elements in the detector pixel.

Abstract: A position control device arranged to store a stop position of a movable lens member and, after the lens member is moved from the stop position to an arbitrary position, to automatically move the lens member to the stored stop position includes a first encoder which divides a movable range of the lens member into a plurality of areas and detects one of the areas in which the stored stop position is located and a second encoder which outputs pulses according to the movement of the lens member at a finer rate of resolution than the resolution of the first encoder. In the position control device, information on the area detected by the first encoder and the number of pulses detected by the second encoder as a position within the detected area is stored as the information on the stored stop position. The position control device compares the output of the first encoder and that of the second encoder with the stored information in moving the lens member to the stored stop position.

Abstract: The invention provides a system for sensing angular motion. The system includes a light source, a transducing member, and a modulating member having a track of translucent and opaque regions positioned between the light source and the transducing member. The transducing member includes optical receivers spaced across a width larger than or equal to three translucent and three opaque regions. The optical receivers, which may be interlaced across the transducing member, generate a plurality of output signals that form at least one output channel signal. The system may further include a second track of translucent and opaque regions and a second interlaced transducing member. The second transducing member includes a second plurality of optical receivers arranged to generate a plurality of signals that may be used to generate at least one index signal.

Abstract: An image taking optical unit comprises an image taking optical system including a lens, an image pick-up element mounting substrate on which an image pick-up element chip is mounted, and a frame member for retaining the both. The frame member comprises a lens positioning face and a substrate positioning face, both of which cooperate to align centers of the lens and chip and position them with a suitable distance. The lens positioning face comprises a vertically lens positioning section for determining a vertical lens position and a horizontally lens positioning section for determining a horizontal lens position. The substrate positioning face comprises a vertically substrate positioning section for determining a vertical substrate position and a horizontally substrate positioning section for determining a horizontal substrate position.

Abstract: A photoelectric sensor is disclosed that comprises a sensor unit having a casing. The casing includes one surface having a first display and a second display. The first display is structured and arranged to display a threshold value that may be set by an operator of the photoelectric sensor. The second display is structured and arranged to display the actual conditions sensed by said photoelectric sensor. The sensor also includes a selection device for selecting different operational values to display on the second display. The selection device can include a mechanism disposed on the casing for changing the different operational values on the second display. The selection device can also include an adjustment switch disposed on the casing. The adjustment switch allows the operator to adjust the threshold value shown on the first display while the second display shows at least one of the actual conditions sensed by the photoelectric sensor.

Abstract: A light receiving unit comprises a condenser lens (11) which converges laser beam and a light receiving unit (12) which receives the incident beam converged by the condenser lens. The light receiving element is formed, such that the light receiving portion thereof has an area of 2 mm2 or less and disposed at the side of the condenser lens than the point P where the beam is converged by the condenser lens and at the position more apart from the condenser lens than the position F of the focal distance of the condenser lens. As a consequence, a light receiving unit which detects the laser beam can be obtained, the light receiving unit enabling it possible to always receive the laser beam regardless of a little eccentricity of a laser source while the speed of response is raised.

Abstract: A sub chip on board for an optical mouse is disclosed. The chip on board has a sub PCB having both a plurality of input/output pads and a plurality of pin holes. A sensor die has an optical sensor wire-bonded to said input/output pads for sensing received light, and is attached to a bottom surface of the sub PCB. A transparent resin covers the sensor die at the bottom surface of the sub PCB. A cap is attached to the bottom surface of the sub PCB such that the cap covers the transparent resin, and has a hole for guiding the received light to said optical sensor. A main PCB has both a hole for guiding the received light to the optical sensor and a plurality of pin holes corresponding to the pin holes of the sub PCB. A plurality of pins are commonly inserted into the pin holes of both the main PCB and the sub PCB.

Abstract: A spectroscope (2) spectrally separates a light from a light source (3) and outputs the separated light from an emitting terminal (6) thereof. An image pick-up device (1) having a solid-state image sensor picks-up an image of the emitting terminal (6). First operation means (7) performs a correction to each of plural image signals corresponding to plural pixels that are outputted by the image pick-up device (1) so that a gradation characteristic of the image pick-up device (1) is corrected from non-linearity to one closer to linearity. Second operation means (8) calculates, as a spectral responsivity characteristic for the separated light, a mean value of the plural image signals after the correction by averaging the same over a certain range within the plural pixels. As a result, the spectral responsivity characteristic of the image pick-up device (1) is measured precisely.

Abstract: An image reader includes a first image-reader unit, mounted on a body of the image reader, for reading image information of an original document on a first image-reader section, a closing unit which is openably supported on the body of the image reader through a closing device, a second image-reader unit, mounted on the closing unit, for reading image information of an original on a second image-reader section, and a closed-state detector for detecting a closed state of the closing unit. The closed-state detector includes a photoemitter, a photodetector, and a light-blocking unit which blocks a light beam traveling from the photoemitter to the photodetector, by moving in operative association with the opening and closing operation of the closing unit.

Abstract: An optical test system (10) for testing one or more detectors includes a signal generator (12) operable to generate an optical signal. The test system (10) also includes an aperture system (16) operable to regulate an intensity of the optical signal. The test system (10) further includes a signal distributor (20) coupled to the aperture system (16) and operable to distribute the optical signal to a plurality of optical connections (22). Each optical connection (22) is coupled to a detector.