Abstract: The image formed by a laser flying spot scanner on a photosensitive medium is subject to error in size and/or position because of deviation of the photosensitive surface from a nominal position. The deviation will occur if the substrate carrying the photosensitive surface does not have a uniform thickness. In a scanning system having a code mask that produces reference signals for controlling timing of writing beam modulation, compensation for the error is provided by maintaining a fixed distance between the code mask and the surface of the medium. The code mask floats freely upon the medium surface to move up and down with height variations of the surface as the medium passes under the code member and under the writing beam. Alternatively, the platen that supports the photosensitive medium is allowed to float and is continuously urged upwardly against spacing or position sensing devices to maintain the medium surface at a fixed distance from the mask.

Abstract: For trapping loose particles remaining in the envelope of an electron image tube after manufacture or subsequently formed therein, the envelope has a trapping space (49 or 50) which is readily accessible to the loose particles but wherefrom the loose particles can escape only with great difficulty, and which is such that particles trapped therein will not substantially adversely affect normal operation of the tube. The entrance of the trapping space suitably is a funnel-like slit (46 or 48) directed towards the interior of the trapping space (49 or 50). The trapping space (49, 50) is preferably in a region of the envelope free of strong fields which occur during normal operation of the tube.

Abstract: An input apparatus for use with a computer, including a housing having a top aperture and a bottom aperture, a spherical member supported in the housing so that a portion thereof protrudes through the top and bottom apertures, and encoding means for transforming the motion of the ball into computer compatible signals, wherein the input apparatus can be moved over a surface, so as to function as a mouse, or can be supported by its housing, with motive force applied to the portion of the spherical member protruding from the top aperture, so as to function as a trackball.

Abstract: Disclosed is a highly precise encoding structure utilizing incremental or absolute encoding techniques. The drum configuration allows the use of less expensive materials and the capability to manufacture such a device in a labor-saving and therefore less expensive manner. This is accomplished, in part, by utilizing drums having differing radius measurements, thereby requiring a simpler gearing interrelationship between the plurality of drums. Furthermore, in one embodiment, drums of differing sizes may be installed one inside the other in a space-saving configuration.

Abstract: An optical transmission system arrangement for transmitting data between two relatively rotatable parts. A hollow cylinder with a mirror-coated inner surface onto which the light is incident at the smallest possible grazing angle and is frequently reflected. The light is coupled in and out through a coupling section in the hollow cylinder, at which the light is incident onto the inner surface. The system achieves a comparatively low damping because the reflecting power at small angles of incidence is comparatively high.

Abstract: A pattern detector comprises a plurality of photoelectric converter elements having thin film semiconductors disposed adjacently in a line in one plane. The converter elements are shaped that they overlap one another by a predetermined length when viewed in a direction perpendicular to a direction in which the converter elements are disposed. The photoelectric converter elements may be disposed in a plurality of parallel arrays, staggered so that the center of one element in one array is opposed to a space between neighboring elements of the other array.

Abstract: A system is disclosed for checking on the presence or absence of inserted leads of a component into the openings of a printed circuit board. The system is utilized within a component insertion machine wherein a plurality of optical lead sensors are preferably located within the cut and clinch mechanism. A computer system associated with the optical lead sensors compares the optical readings of the lead sensors with predefined data relating to the presence or absence of leads for each particular component being inserted.

Abstract: A device for examining optical surfaces in an optical train for a laser employs radiation diffusely scattered from the surfaces as input to a noninterfering sampling system that can examine any optical surface in the total system from a single sampling position.

Abstract: The invention is a television camera apparatus (10) wherein bright objects are attenuated to fit within the dynamic range of the system, while dim objects are not. The apparatus receives linearly polarized light from an object scene (12), the light being passed by a beam splitter (20) and focused on the output plane of a liquid crystal light valve (16). Light valve (16) is oriented such that, with no excitation from cathode ray tube (22), all light is rotated 90.degree. and focused on the input plane of video sensor (28). The light is then converted to an electrical signal, which is amplified by amplifier (30) and used to excite CRT (22). The resulting image is collected and focused by lens (24) onto light valve (16), which rotates the polarization vector of the light to an extent preportional to the light intensity from CRT (22). The overall effect is to selectively attenuate the image pattern focused on sensor (28).

Abstract: A detector device for detecting the passage of articles of a conveyor comprises an energy source element 8, an energy responsive element 10 and reflector means 27, 9 and 28, positioned so that a beam of energy from the source element 8 to the responsive element 10 first traverses the conveyor path substantially parallel and close to the conveyor surface and is then reflected back and forth across the conveyor path in a plane substantially perpendicular to the conveyor surface.

Abstract: An arrangement of light wave conductors are correlated with the sensor areas of an image sensor array. The individual light wave conductors consist of glass wafers or glass fibers whose width or diameter each corresponds to the width of a sensor area. The light wave conductors are joined to form a block whose top surface area corresponds to the area of a document to be scanned line by line.

Abstract: Disclosed is an automatic focusing apparatus for an optical imaging system which utilizes a focus detector which monitors the contrast of the image at the focal plane of the imaging system, the image being deemed to be in focus when the contrast of the image is maximized. The focus detector comprise a plurality of detector/converter elements arranged in an array in the focal plane. Each detector/converter senses the light intensity in a respective portion of the image at the focal plane and provides a pulse signal having a pulse-width which is approximately inversely proportional to the sensed light intensity. A detection circuit receives the pulses provided by the detector/converter elements and derives a digital quantity which is related to the difference between the maximum and minimum pulse-widths of the pulses. The digital quantity is received by a digital servosystem which appropriately adjusts the focusing of the imaging system to maximize the digital quantity provided by the detection circuit.

Abstract: A new preamplifier for use in fiber-optic receiver applications, or other applications in which a signal detector such as a photodiode is used that exhibits a large input capacitance to the receiver circuitry. The preamplifier combines transimpedance features to generate a voltage output from a current input signal generated by photodiodes used in such applications, and bootstrap features in which the capacitance of the photodiode is bootstrapped to reduce its effect on the receiver.

Abstract: An encoding disk including a multiplicity of linear gratings placed accurately on the disk to diffract a light beam to a fixed point in space accurately does so independently of the centering of the disk on its axis of rotation.

Abstract: Device for controlling with adjusting members and a measuring device the lateral position of a web in a web printing machine, the controlling device, for effecting centralized control, having respective optical scanning systems for detecting edges of the web on both sides thereof and the respective positions of the edges and, upon lateral shifting of the web, activating the adjusting members for correcting the position of the web in accordance with a nominal value, including a respective bandpass filter connected to each of the optical scanning systems, and means for detecting a long-term change in the control signal by the bandpass filter of one of the optical scanning systems, the one optical scanning system being in position yet being idle with respect to controlling the lateral position of the web, the other optical scanning system being active with respect to scanning the respective web edge for controlling the lateral position of the web, the detection of the long-term change in the control signal by th

Abstract: A circuit for adjusting the sensitivity of a sensor which is used typically in document handling equipment is disclosed. A special application of the circuit relates to using a plurality of the sensors in a height-determining operation which is used in conjunction with an imaging device, which scans or images the front, for example, of a document. The height of the particular document being scanned by the imaging device is used to "scan" only as far as the height of the document so as to eliminate meaningless data from the image of the document.

Abstract: A system is provided for the sensing of documents, which system includes an arrangement of reflective elements capable of directing illumination onto the object to be sensed in such a manner that the flux density of the illumination is greater adjacent to the boundaries of said object than in the middle portion thereof. This compensates for the vignetting effect found in lenses. A source of illumination is positioned on a first focal line of a cylindrical elliptical mirror, with the object to be illuminated being positioned at the second focal line. First additional mirrors forming end pieces for the elliptical mirror, and second additional mirrors located adjacent to the boundaries of the object to be sensed, cooperate to direct light from the source to the object in such a way as to achieve the desired distribution of illumination across the object. Several different embodiments of the cylindrical elliptical mirror are disclosed.

Abstract: A smoke detector contains a pulse-operated radiation source and a radiation receiver arranged externally of the region directly irradiated by the radiation source. The radiation receiver, in the presence of smoke in the radiation region, is impinged by scattered radiation and delivers output pulses. There is provided an evaluation circuit which generates a blocking pulse, and which inputs a resetting signal to a counter device in consequence of the difference of the blocking pulse and output pulse of the radiation receiver. The counter or counting device, in the absence of a resetting signal, is switched further and upon reaching a predetermined counter state triggers an alarm signal. High-frequency electrical disturbances which arise, as long as the radiation source delivers radiation pulses, at most can generate an additional resetting signal for the counter, so that the integrity of the smoke detector against triggering of false alarms is enhanced.

Abstract: It is an object of the invention to provide an arrangement comprising several or a plurality of light-sensitive components having as few contacts as possible. According to the invention there is provided an arrangement comprising several light-sensitive components, with one rectifying component connected in series to each light-sensitive component, further comprising a lead matrix with column leads and line leads, with the mth line lead connected directly to the mth column lead and to the remaining column leads through one series connection, respectively, consisting of a light-sensitive component and a rectifying component. External contacts are attached to the line leads or column leads.

Abstract: Apparatus for illuminating a remote object first with uniform intensity and second with a pattern so the detector array may view the object to determine its characteristics and view the pattern to determine the range to the object.