Abstract: A light-receiving and amplifying device includes a plurality of photodiodes and amplifier circuits which receive inputs from anodes of the photodiodes. There is provided a first current mirror circuit for outputting a second current having the same magnitude as that of a first current which is a sum of currents flowing through cathodes of the photodiodes. Further provided is a second current mirror circuit which receives the second current from the first current mirror circuit and receives divided currents each having an even magnitude from the anodes of the photodiodes. An AC operation range of the light-receiving and amplifying device is widened in a simple manner at a low cost without significant dimensional increase of the device.

Abstract: A method of providing near simultaneous night vision and communication including directing a narrow voice modulated IR laser beam at a distant receiver/demodulator during communication periods, causing the IR laser beam to diverge substantially during scene viewing periods, other than the data communication periods, for illuminating a darkened scene which includes the laser beam receiver, and viewing the darkened scene with an IR viewing device.

Abstract: A device for stacking selected sheets in an offset manner so as to facilitate print quality measurements. Certain sheets are automatically or manually selected to be offset deposited onto a stack of sheets so that an edge of the selected sheet including a number of printed measuring fields extends beyond other sheets in the stack. A measuring head transversely scans the measuring fields of the selected sheet for print quality measurements while subsequent sheets are stacked in the ordinary manner. Since subsequent sheets do not cover the extending edge of the selected sheet, sufficient time is provided to complete the scanning operation with a single measuring head without interrupting or slowing the normal stacking rate.

Abstract: An electro-optical glare shielding device for protective glasses, protective helmets or protective masks, which includes an electro-optical glare shield including at least one liquid crystal cell, an electronic circuit connected to the electro-optical glare shield for applying an electric operating voltage thereto for varying the optical transmission value of the at least one liquid crystal cell, a light sensor connected to the electronic circuit for providing an input signal thereto indicative of sensed light adjacent to the electro-optical glare shielding device and in which the electronic circuit produces an electric operating voltage such that the optical transmission value of the at least one liquid crystal cell is less than 1% and the electric operating voltage frequency is less than 32 Hertz.

Abstract: A large area active matrix array (2) is manufactured by providing four substrates (1) each carrying a sub-array (21) having an active area (11) comprising a matrix of switching elements (30) and associated row and column conductors (41) and (42) for enabling addressing of individual switching elements (30). The row and column conductors (41) and (42) terminate in respective connecting leads (41a and 42a) extending beyond the active area (11). A portion (1a) of each substrate (1) and the connecting leads carried is removed so as to form a new substrate edge (1'a) adjacent each of two adjoining edges of the active area (11) and the substrates (1) are mounted onto a support (12) so that each new substrate edge is adjacent another new substrate edge (1'a) to form the large area array (2), thereby allowing the same pixel pitch to be maintained across the array (2). Each sub-array (2') may be fully tested before completion of the array (2) which should allow higher yields.

Abstract: An optical operational memory device comprises a light-emitting device, a first and second phototransistors, and a load resistor. The light-emitting device and the first phototransistor are connected electrically in series to form an optical bistable switch based on optical positive feedback. The second phototransistor is connected in parallel to the optical bistable switch, and the load resistor is connected in series to the optical bistable switch. The time constant given by the product of the current gain of the second phototransistor, the base-collector capacitance of the second phototransistor, and the resistance of the load resistor is larger than the period required for recombination of the excess majority carriers in the base of the first phototransistor. A single optical beam modulated with pulse signals is input to the first and the second phototransistors simultaneously.

Abstract: Differential displacement is optically detected by independent movement of either a collimated light source or a dual element photosensitive detector. Relative movement between the detector or light source generates a signal proportional to the amount of light striking the photosensitive elements. This invention relates to improved devices for the transformation of physical forces into mechanical and electro-optical response, for measuring the forces involved, and, in particular for wet/wet liquid and gas differential, gage and absolute, pressure measurements.

Abstract: An apparatus for photographing an image of a sample observed through a microscope comprises a photometry region designating unit, an optical member for superimposing an image of an indicator light beam on an image of an object light beam, an area sensor, a reflecting member for reflecting the object light beam and the indicator light beam and guiding them to the area sensor, a photometry region determining unit, a photometry unit, and a photographing unit. The photometry region designating unit generates an indicator light beam which is movable in a plane perpendicular to the optical axis of the object light beam output from an objective lens. The photometry region determining unit stores a photometry signal supplied from the area sensor in correspondence with a position of a light receiving plane, detects the position of the light receiving plane, on which the indicator light is projected, by using the photometry signal, and determines a photometry region based on the detected position.

Abstract: A photon emitting high speed event detector provides for the optimum detection and location of high speed events such as strobe light sources, pulsed laser, gunfire, and lightning. The detector includes a focal plane array, a control circuit and a cueing sensor. The focal plane array is capable of receiving and storing photons which are emitted from a device. The focal plane array is continuously switched by the control circuit between an integrate (charging) and non-integrate (clearing) state until a high speed event is detected by the cueing sensor. During the charging state, incident photon energy is stored by the focal plane array. Upon detection of an event, the cueing sensor instructs the control circuit to hold the focal plane array in the integrate state and the control circuit reads out the stored charge which can be provided to a video monitor for display.

Abstract: In an X-ray image intensifier tube, a casing for the protection from x-radiation from the X-ray image intensifier tube. The casing according to the present invention comprises a jacket of a thermoplastic material charged with a powder of a material that absorbs the x-radiation and a shielding from outside magnetic fields. The shielding is in contact with the jacket. The screen that absorbs the x radiation thus is at least partially formed of the jacket.

Abstract: The present invention utilizes the internal photovoltaic effect of a GaAs SFET to mix an RF modulated optical signal with a microwave signal. As those skilled in the art will readily recognize, a GaAs MESFET generically comprises an n layer of GaAs (channel) deposited on semi-insulating GaAs (substrate). Source, gate and drain electrodes are then formed on the channel with the gate acting as a Schottky barrier. In this standard MESFET, the difference in doping between the channel and substrate produces a potential barrier. It has been found that when the device is illuminated, the potential barrier is reduced in the region between the source and the gate and drain and the gate. This reduced potential barrier allows more drain current to flow from the device. It has been found that this drain current photoresponse is highly non-linear with respect the gate voltage applied to the device and therefore, it may be used to mix RF modulated optical signals with microwave signals.

Abstract: The device for determining the relative attitude and range of a chaser vehicle and of a target vehicle comprises, on the chaser, a camera for forming the image of a field of view of determined angular extent and, on the target, a set of several markers. The spacing between the markers is such that they are at least partially outside the angular field of view of the camera carried by the chaser when the range between the chaser and the target is less than a determined value, and the target (11) carries reflector means (16) which remain entirely within the field of view, even at ranges less than said value, and which provide images of the markers (14) in the field of the camera.

Abstract: A thin-type photoelectric smoke detector which is less susceptible to the effect of disturbance light noise, contamination of a smoke detecting unit, etc., and which ensures high sensitivity for the optical detection characteristic of the smoke detecting section. In the photoelectric smoke detector of the type in which infrared light is irradiated into a flat smoke detecting chamber and the scattered light of the irradiated infrared light due to smoke entering into the smoke detecting chamber is detected by a light-sensing element, there are provided optical members for expanding the visual field of the light-sensing element to a flat visual field corresponding to the cross-sectional shape of the smoke detecting chamber.

Abstract: A method of detecting an object, comprising the steps of generating radiation by means of a source of radiation; emitting the radiation in the direction of the object; and detecting a first radiation component at a first angle of deflection of substantially 180.degree.; measuring a second component of the reflected radiation at a second angle of deflection and performing a first differential measurement between a first intensity signal representing the first radiation component and a second intensity signal representing the second radiation component. Also an apparatus for carrying out the method is described.

Abstract: This invention is a high speed illumination apparatus and technique which isolates bond wires, ball bonds, bond wedges and microcircuit chips exclusively for manual or high speed automatic inspection of microelectronics assemblies. This system consists of multiple concentric rings of illumination, which are focused towards the center of the rings, but from different angles of incident. Light from these angles reflect off the different specular surfaces of the bond wires, wire bonds, and bond wedges, providing background contrast. Light projected on the flat surfaces of microchip bodies tends to be absorbed, producing a negative contrast shadow if the other elements are illuminated in parallel. Unique angles of incidence provide substantial illumination contrasts between the areas of interest and its neighboring surfaces. The reflections provide unique signatures which are easily distinguishable by an image processing system.

Abstract: A mirror collimator has a larger parabolic mirror (11) and a smaller convexly shaped capture mirror (12) arranged at the concave side of the parabolic mirror and on its optical axis (27). A cut-out 15 is formed at the common focal point of the parabolic mirror (11) and of the capture mirror (12) and a photo-element (16) is arranged in the area of this cut-out (15). The capture mirror (12) is secured to the parabolic mirror (11) by at least one carrying device (17) extending alongside the cut-out (15).

Abstract: A signal processing apparatus and method adapted for use in bar code scanners is described. The apparatus forms a derivative signal, and utilizes the derivative signal to detect transition points from white to black bars and vice-versa. Then, the apparatus starts and stops the generation of digital pulses at or about the transition points, thereby generating pulses having widths corresponding to the widths of the bars making up the bar code symbol. The apparatus is capable of successively scanning a bar code symbol more than once, and varying various processing parameters used in forming the derivative signal over the successive scans, including threshold level, overall bandpass, overall amplification, and the like.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method are provided for selectively eliminating weeds in agriculture operations. To provide selective elimination, at least two light (radiation) emitters, powered by an internal power source, are modulated to switch on and off at very high speeds. Each emitter emits radiation of a different emitter wavelength. The on/off modulation of one emitter is phase shifted by approximately 90.degree. with respect to the modulation of the other emitter. The pair of emitters are focused on a particular spot on the ground. The light beams, provided by the emitters, are reflected off a plant or the soil and are intercepted by a photodetector. Because plants have a characteristic spectral reflectance in regions of the electromagnetic spectrum which can be discriminated from the spectral reflectance of the background earth, the relative amplitudes of the reflected radiation at the two emitter wavelengths varies depending on whether the radiation is reflected off a plant or the soil.

Abstract: A scanning confocal microscopes scans a sample with an incident beam of ultraviolet radiation, in a raster scan pattern, causing the sample to fluoresce and emit visible radiation, a portion of which retraces a 5 portion of the path optical of incident beam, to a dichroic mirror that separates it from the incident beam for detection by a photomultiplier tube. A clock signal for clocking the output of the photomultiplier tube is provided by a reference beam system that directs a reference beam onto the same scanning mirror as is the incident beam, at a coincident location on that mirror, and from there through a Ronchi grating having a uniform series of alternating transparent and opaque regions. The resulting pulsed reference beam is detected by a second photomultiplier tube, to produce a clock signal that is an accurate representation of the instantaneous scan rate of the reference beam and, thereby, the scanning incident beam.

Abstract: An ultra-violet/visible/infra-red gamma-insensitive gas avalanche focal plane array comprising a planar photocathode and a planar anode pad array separated by a gas-filled gap and across which is applied an electric potential. Electrons ejected from the photocathode are accelerated sufficiently between collisions with the gas molecules to ionize them, forming an electron avalanche. The gap acts like a proportional counter. The array of anode pad are mounted on the front of an anode plate and are connected to matching contact pads on the back of the anode via feed through wires. Connection of the anode to signal processing electronics is made from the contact pads using standard indium bump techniques, for example.