Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide an optical encoder for an electronic device. The optical encoder comprises an elongated shaft having an encoding pattern made up of axial markings and radial markings. The encoding pattern may be disposed around a circumference of the elongated shaft. The optical encoder also includes an optical sensor. In embodiments, the optical sensor includes an emitter and a photodiode array. The emitter causes light to shine on the encoding pattern. The encoding pattern reflects the light back to the photodiode array and the photodiode array determines movement of the shaft based on the reflected light.

Abstract: There is provided an optical navigation module including an optical package and a light reflective element. The optical package includes an image sensor which has a sensor surface. The light reflective element is configured to reflect light propagating parallel to the sensor surface to light propagating perpendicular to the sensor surface to impinge on the sensor surface thereby performing the lateral detection.

Abstract: System for determining positions along a direction of advance, having a first sensor, particularly a line sensor, having a scanning length (L) for scanning a first 2D pattern and producing a scan signal. The first 2D pattern has pattern elements that each form a first code word on at least one portion of the scanning length (L), which first code word codes a position along the direction of advance absolutely. In addition, the first code word can be taken as a basis for determining a deviation from an ideal position for the first sensor in relation to the first 2D pattern.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices are disclosed for photoconductive switch package configurations. In some aspects, a photoconductive switch package includes of a wide bandgap photoconductive material (e.g., GaN, ZnO, diamond, AlN, SiC, BN, etc.), a source for energetic photons (e.g., a laser), a mechanism to couple the laser into the switch, and a mechanism for high voltage to enter and leave the switch package. In some implementations, the disclosed photoconductive switch packages can be configured as a three terminal device, e.g., similar to transistors, with one of the terminals being laser input or the voltage input to the laser system.

Abstract: Described are imaging systems that employ diffractive structures as focusing optics optimized to detect visual edges (e.g., slits or bars). The diffractive structures produce edge responses that are relatively insensitive to wavelength, and can thus be used to precisely measure edge position for panchromatic sources over a wide angle of view. Simple image processing can improve measurement precision. Field-angle measurements can be made without the aid of lenses, or the concomitant cost, bulk, and complexity.

Abstract: A device for regulating the supply to a photovoltaic converter, the device comprising: a laser source (2); a photovoltaic converter (6) that feeds a DC-DC converter (8); circuit (100) for regulating the input impedance of said DC-DC converter (8) as a function of the operating voltage (Us) of the photovoltaic converter (6) and of its no-load voltage (Us0); and circuit (42) for measuring an output voltage of the DC-DC converter (8) and for producing a regulation signal (SR) for regulating the laser source.

Abstract: An imaging spectrometer and method are provided. In one example, the imaging spectrometer includes foreoptics positioned to receive electromagnetic radiation from a scene, a diffraction grating positioned to receive the electromagnetic radiation from the foreoptics and configured to disperse the electromagnetic radiation into a plurality of spectral bands, each spectral band corresponding to a diffraction grating order of the diffraction grating, and a single-band focal plane array configured to simultaneously receive from the diffraction grating overlapping spectra corresponding to at least two diffraction grating orders.

Abstract: A ring amplifier amplifies one or more spot-beams that scan a circular pattern in a two-dimensional FOV to extend the range of range steerable laser transmitter or an active situational sensor. Mechanical, solid-state or optical phase array techniques may be used to scan the spot-beam(s) in the circular pattern. Mirrors are preferably positioned to redirect the spot-beams to enter and exit the ring amplifier through sidewalls to amplify the spot-beam and return it along a path to scan the circular pattern. For efficiency, the pumps and thermal control may be synchronized to the circular scan pattern to only pump and cool the section of gain medium in which the spot-beam is currently scanned and the next section of gain medium in the circular scan pattern.

Abstract: This invention discloses an excreta occult blood inspection method and the apparatus thereof. The inspection method comprises the following steps. At least one light source is provided to emit at least one light to illuminate excreta to produce at least one specimen light. At least one photo-sensitive unit is provided to receive the specimen light and generate a detected data. An analysis processor is provided to receive and analyze the detected data to produce an analysis data. Above-mentioned method and apparatus can make excreta occult blood inspection become efficient and convenient.

Abstract: Embodiments include a dither system comprising a support member to support a sensor housing having a common line-of-sight (LOS). A first metal bellows is coupled to the support member and being concentric to the sensor housing to constrain rotational motion of the sensor housing and allow angular motion. An eccentric cam comprising: an outer circumference having an axis coaxial with an axis of the first bellows and an inner circumference including an axis laterally offset from the axis of the first bellow. The eccentric cam drives tilt motion of the sensor housing and LOS. A second metal bellows is coaxial to the inner circumference of the eccentric cam and being concentric to the sensor housing. A position measurement system coupled to the sensor housing tracks the tilt motion of the sensor housing with respect to the angular motion of the eccentric cam. A system and method are also provided.

Abstract: The present disclosure includes a method that includes generating a decoded output signal that corresponds to reflected light received by a plurality of single photon avalanche diodes (SPAD) by removing ambient light from a plurality of SPAD array output signals. The removing of ambient light including synchronizing the plurality of SPAD array output signals by using a plurality of parallel time to digital converters, each time to digital converter outputting a synchronized SPAD array output signal, determining a plurality of flexible thresholds for each one of the synchronized SPAD array output signals, comparing current data on the synchronized SPAD array output signals with the respective ones of the flexible threshold in a filter, and outputting the first output signal.

Abstract: An angular localization system for determining an object's location includes a signal processor and three channels have a respective first, second, and third photodetector. The first channel images a first portion of an optical signal from which the first photodetector generates a first electrical signal. The second channel images a second portion of the optical signal onto a slow-varying optical mask having a strictly monotonic transmissivity along a dimension x. The second photodetector converts the second portion into a second electrical signal. The third channel images a third portion of the optical signal onto a fast-varying optical mask having a spatially-varying transmissivity having a same value at more than one value of x. The third photodetector converts the third portion into a third electrical signal. The signal processor is configured to determine, from each electrical signal, a respective signal amplitude, and determine the location parameter by comparing the signal amplitudes.

Abstract: A method for managing light energy received from at least one light source by at least one light sensor in an access control system. The method comprises receiving light energy by the at least one light sensor, measuring the amount of light energy received by an energy harvesting manager interconnected with an access control device, and determining whether the measured amount of light energy is above a predetermined threshold. If the measured amount of light energy is above the predetermined threshold, the method comprises converting the light energy into harvested energy by at least one energy harvester. If the measured amount of light energy is not above the predetermined threshold, the method comprises adjusting the amount of light energy available to the at least one light sensor from the at least one light source until the predetermined threshold is reached.

Abstract: A new adaptive filtering technique to reduce microphonic noise in radiation detectors is presented. The technique is based on system identification that actively cancels the microphonic noise. A sensor is used to measures mechanical disturbances that cause vibration on the detector assembly, and the digital adaptive filtering estimates the impact of these disturbances on the microphonic noise. The noise then can be subtracted from the actual detector measurement. In this paper the technique is presented and simulations are used to support this approach.

Abstract: A pixel sensor having a main photodiode and a parasitic photodiode and a method for reading out that pixel sensor are disclosed. The parasitic photodiode also serves the function of a floating diffusion node in the pixel. The pixel sensor is read by first determining the exposure as measured by the parasitic photodiode and then determining the exposure as read by the main photodiode. One of the two exposure measurements is chosen as the pixel output. The main photodiode has a light conversation efficiency chosen such that one of the two measurements will provide a measurement of the exposure over a dynamic range that is greater than that of either the main photodiode or the parasitic photodiode utilized separately.

Abstract: A detector having a transversal optical sensor adapted to determine a transversal position of at least one light beam traveling from an object to the detector and a longitudinal optical sensor having at least one sensor region. The longitudinal optical sensor is designed to affect at least one longitudinal sensor signal in a manner dependent on an illumination of the sensor region by the light beam. The longitudinal sensor signal, given the same total power of the illumination, is dependent on a beam cross-section of the light beam in the sensor region.

Abstract: A device for sensing light includes a first semiconductor region doped with a dopant of a first type and a second semiconductor region doped with a dopant of a second type. The second semiconductor region is positioned above the first semiconductor region. The device includes a gate insulation layer; a gate, a source, and a drain. The second semiconductor region has a top surface that is positioned toward the gate insulation layer and a bottom surface that is positioned opposite to the top surface of the second semiconductor region. The second semiconductor region has an upper portion that includes the top surface of the second semiconductor region and a lower portion that includes the bottom surface of the second semiconductor region and is mutually exclusive with the upper portion. The first semiconductor region is in contact with both the upper portion and the lower portion of the second semiconductor region.

Abstract: Dark current from a transfer transistor is suppressed and power-supply voltage in a second semiconductor substrate is lowered. A solid-state image pickup device includes a pixel array, a plurality of common output lines receiving signals read out from a plurality of pixels, a transfer scanning unit sequentially driving the plurality of transfer transistors, a signal processing unit processing the signals output to the common signal lines, and a level shift unit making amplitude of a pulse supplied to a gate of the transfer transistor larger than amplitude of a pulse supplied to a gate of a transistor constituting the signal processing unit. The pixel array and the level shift unit are arranged on a first semiconductor substrate, whereas the plurality of common output lines and the signal processing unit are arranged on a second semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: A light sensing unit for a light sensing circuit of an image sensor includes a first light sensing element, a first floating node and at least one coupling element. The first light sensing element is used for sensing light to obtain a light sensing result and generating a plurality of carriers accordingly. The first floating node is used for receiving and storing the plurality of carriers generated by the first light sensing element. The at least one coupling element is used for coupling the first floating node to at least one second floating node, and transmitting a part of the plurality of carriers stored in the first floating node to the at least one second floating node to be stored in the at least one second floating node.

Abstract: A photoelectric encoder of the present invention includes: a scale which includes a grid scale; a light emitting portion which irradiates light toward the scale; a light receiving portion which detects an image of the grid scale of the scale; and a telecentric optical unit which is provided between the scale and the light receiving portion and forms the image of the grid scale on the light receiving portion, wherein the telecentric optical unit includes a first optical element which is disposed near the scale, a second optical element which is disposed near the light receiving portion in relation to the first optical element and is disposed so that a gap is formed between the second optical element and the first optical element, and an aperture which is provided in at least one of a face near the second optical element in the first optical element and a face near the first optical element in the second optical element.