Abstract: A portable electronic apparatus including a casing having a connecting surface adapted to be connected to a connecting surface of an external apparatus; a control unit accommodated in the casing; a transmitting terminal provided on the connecting surface of the casing for transmitting data as an optical signal generated by the control unit; and a receiving terminal provided on the connecting surface of the casing for receiving data as an optical signal generated by the external apparatus. The transmitting terminal and the receiving terminal are positioned in symmetrical relationship to each other with respect to a center of the connecting surface of the casing. Accordingly, in carrying out data transfer by optical space communication between two portable electronic apparatuses of the same kind, the transmitting terminal of one of the portable electronic apparatuses can be easily aligned to the receiving terminal of the other portable electronic apparatus.

Abstract: The electro-optic measurement tapping device for a motion sensor movably arranged in a receptacle which can be rotated about a shaft, the deflection of the motion sensor from an initial position being detected and measured. The motiond detector has, on a side facing the rotating shaft of the receptacle, a scale provided with different optical characteristics in code form. In an axial bore of the rotating shaft, at least one fiber-optical light guide is arranged, one end of which is directed to the scale and the other end of which is directed to an electro-optic component, the electro-optic component being fixedly connected with a housing part bearing the rotating shaft of the receptacle.

Abstract: The solid-state imaging device is applicable to a high sensitivity color camera although its structure is as simple as that of a monochromatic camera, and comprises a semiconductor chip in which a large number of pixels are arranged in a matrix form on one surface of a semiconductor substrate, and an optical grating body for separating an incident light into rays of light to allow them to be incident to the pixel trains in one direction on the chip. The optical grating body includes optical gratings arranged at a pitch corresponding to two or three pixels of a pixel train in a direction perpendicular to the above-mentioned one direction, having a fixed inclination relative to the substrate surface, and juxtaposed provided in the above-mentioned one direction, and a supporting surface for supporting the gratings so that they have the above-mentioned fixed inclination.

Abstract: An all-optical fibre Sagnac antiresonant interferometer (2) is formed from an optical fibre having a non-linear refractive index. The coupler (8) is a dichroic coupler coupling equal portions of a cw optical signal at 1.53 .mu.m from laser (16) to ports (14 and 16) and all of a pulsed optical signal from laser (20 ) to port (14). The intensity of the pulsed optical signal is sufficient to provide a relative phase shift in the counter propagating 1.53 .mu.m signals. The loop (6) is longer than the inverse of the absolute difference in group delays of the cw and pulsed optical so causing a square optical pulse at 1.53 .mu.m to be switched to port (12) of the coupler.

Abstract: A lead frame transporting device, which uses a pusher to feed a lead frame from a loader onto feeder rails and two optical sensors that are positioned above the both sides of the lead frame. The pusher feeds the lead frame a predetermined distance so that a first detecting point of the lead frame arrives under the sensors and then further feeds the lead frame so that a second detecting point of the lead frame arrives under the sensors. The sensors detects detecting holes of the lead frame at the first and second detecting points so that top or bottom and front or back of the lead frame is detected, so that improperly oriented lead frame is prevented from further being fed to a next step.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for removing the deleterious effects of interference on the focus error signal when focusing interferometric optical systems using triangulation or astigmatic techniques. These interference effects are eliminated by using the phase relationship between the differential error signal and the total intensity of the beam incident on the differential detector to identify and recover a unique focus position of a surface under test.

Abstract: A device for detecting air in large bore thin walled transparent tubing, including a body providing accommodation for the tubing; an LED in a passage body for transmitting light energy towards the tubing; a phototransistor mounted in an orthogonally extending passage for receiving light transmitted by LED and modified by changes in the constituency of fluid passing through tubing; and an optical spacer in the form of a slotted collar of material optically matched to the material of tubing occupying space between LED and the tubing and phototransistor.

Abstract: An energy saving, optoelectronic system provides a means for energizing and deenergizing electrical loads. The system includes a continuous light transmission source and a light receiving circuit that senses a light pattern and, in response, develops a first or a second output signal. The system also includes a gating circuit that receives the output signal. The gating circuit comprises a logic circuit arranged such that the receiving circuit will transmit the second output signal upon receiving a predetermined light signal. The system further includes a power switch that is open in response to an open circuit signal from the gating circuit and is closed in response to close circuit signal from the gating circuit.

Abstract: A planar optical head is described with a corrected input grating for scanning a surface, for example, a recording surface (2) in an optical record carrier (1). A radiation source (5) supplies a beam (6) which is coupled into a waveguide (9) by an input grating (7) and is formed to a focused scanning beam (11) by an output grating (10). Deficiencies of the radiation beam such as the non-round cross-section of the beam, astigmatism and wavelength variations caused by the radiation source can be corrected by means of an adapted grating structure of the input grating.

Abstract: An avalanche photodiode array comprising a plurality of photosensitive regions in a light sensitive body with each photosensitive region having a semiconductor junction. Between said photosensitive regions, there are a plurality of low response regions separating the photosensitive regions. A plurality of wedged shaped regions having a reflective coating on their surface are placed on the light sensitive body to cover the low response regions and to reflect incident light rays towards a photosensitive region; such incident light rays typically arriving at the photosensitive regions at angles of grazing incidence. Back reflector regions having a reflective coating on their surface are positioned about the periphery of the light entry surface to reflect light incident thereon to a photosensitive region.

Abstract: In a symbol reading device, at least two laser beams having different optical path lengths, and, therefore, different focal positions are used to scan a symbol surface. The two laser beams are produced from a single beam issuing unit, and only one beam at a time scans the symbol surface. Furthermore, stationary reflecting mirrors are used to create the two laser beams of different focal length, reducing the number of moving mechanisms and the overall complexity of the device.

Abstract: A proximity detector for the probe of a beam delivery apparatus of a laser system includes a probe having a face for confronting a target surface to be struck by the laser beam; means for directing a gauging light to the target surface; means for sensing the gauging light returning from the target surface to the probe; and means responsive to the means for sensing for generating a control signal representative of the position of the probe relative to the surface to enable the laser system to fire.

Abstract: Pulse light is emitted by controlling the operation of a driving circuit by a microcomputer and is irradiated to a photographed object. Light reflected on the photographed object is received by a semiconductor optical position detector. First and second current outputs having a current ratio are inputted to first and second detecting circuits within an AF signal processing circuit in accordance with a light receiving position corresponding to a distance of the object. The first and second detecting circuits logarithmically transform changing amounts of the first and second current outputs. A differential detecting circuit calculates a difference between changing amounts of outputs of the first and second detecting circuits, and outputs a distance measuring signal to the microcomputer. A light receiving element measures the intensity of external light and an error in the distance measuring signal caused by the external light is corrected by the microcomputer on the basis of the above results.

Abstract: A uniform illumination of the projection surface is obtained by measuring light intensity of a projection surface and adjusting a distance between a light source and an optical element in response to the measured light intensity to optimize brightness and/or distribution.

Abstract: A wavefront sensor includes a plurality of holographic optical elements (HOEs 50) that are disposed on a surface of a mirror (12) that defines a pupil, each of the HOEs diffracting a portion of an output beam for providing an associated sample beam. An optical wavefront sensor (54) has an input that is optically coupled to each of the sample beams through a low aberration optical train and through a transfer lens (54a) that focuses the sample beams at a focal plane (FP). A detector (54b) is positioned in a plane parallel to and offset from the focal plane (focus-biased) for detecting spot images of the sample beams. Each of the HOEs has a prescribed amount of optical power associated therewith for causing the associated sample beam to be focussed by the transfer lens at the plane of the detector, and further has a prescribed amount of optical tilt associated therewith for compensating for a distortion of the sample beam due to a distortion of the pupil for different FOV angles.

Abstract: An optical sensing circuit having a photodiode, a differential amplifying circuit, and a comparator. The differential amplifying circuit is provided with an integral capacity. Adjusting capacities are connected in parallel to or disconnected from the integral capacity. A composite capacitance of the integral capacity and the adjusting capacities is adjusted by a control circuit so that the composite capacitance increases with increase of light intensity. This makes it possible to improve sensitivity of the optical sensing circuit for the light intensity and to widen the dynamic range for light sensitivity.

Abstract: An optically powered photomultiplier tube is provided, comprising a vacuum chamber having a window for incident optical radiation which is to be detected; a photocathode to receive the optical radiation; an electron multiplier system within the chamber to amplify the electron current from the photocathode; an anode to receive the amplified electron current; a high voltage photocell array positioned within the chamber for generating high voltage electrical power that is provided to the electron multiplier system; a system for delivering optical power to the photocell array; a first electrical contact penetrating the container in a vacuum tight manner and operably coupled to the anode; and a second electrical contact penetrating the container in a vacuum tight manner and operably coupled to the photocell array.

Abstract: An optical scanning unit which employs a mirrored spinner and a plurality of pattern mirrors that counter rotate to produce an omnidirectional scan pattern having a predetermined depth of field. The pattern mirrors are mounted within a drum which rotates freely within the scanner housing. The optical scanning unit employs a variable drive gear mechanism to counter rotate the spinner and pattern mirrors using a single motor. The optical scanning unit additionally employs a collection filtering system for filtering Fresnel reflections from light reflected from an article having a bar code label to be scanned. A plurality of scanning units may be arranged vertically or horizontally to form a multiple depth-of-field optical scanner.

Abstract: A driver circuit for an ultraviolet detector (UV) tube discriminates between firing of the UV tube in response to ultraviolet radiation impinging on it and a high resistance short between its output terminals. A capacitor charged on half cycles of AC power applied to the circuit discharges partially when the UV tube fires. This charge is transferred to a second capacitor to create a voltage displaced from ground. Each time the UV tube fires, the steep wave front generated thereby is passed by a high pass filter to a switch which momentarily grounds the voltage on the second capacitor through a resistor. The rapid change in the switch element's voltage signifies the presence of ultraviolet radiation on the UV tube.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus has an imaging system (PL) and a focus detection device for determining a deviation between the image plane of the imaging system and a second plane (WS) on which imaging is to take place. The focus error detection system includes a radiation source (S) which supplies a beam (b.sub.f) having a wide wavelength band, an object grating (G.sub.1) and an image grating (G.sub.2) which are imaged onto each other via the second plane. In the focus detection system a reference beam (b.sub.r) which is reflected by the outer surface (RP) of the imaging system can be used in combination or not in combination with the wideband beam and the gratings. By using a number of such focus detection systems a tilt detection device can be realized for detecting the position of the second plane (WS) with respect to the image plane.