Abstract: A solid state relay circuit includes a MOSFET receiving a photovoltaic output generated across a photovoltaic diode array responsive to a light signal from a light emitting element, a control electrode of a normally ON type driving transistor made to be at a high impedance state by a voltage generated across an impedance element connected in series to the photovoltaic diode array upon application of the photovoltaic output across the gate and source of the MOSFET and at a low impedance state upon disappearance of the photovoltaic output is connected to a connecting point between the diode array and the impedance element, and the driving transistor is connected across the gate and source of the MOSFET with a resistor interposed. A falling gradient of output signal upon being turned OFF of the relay circuit is made thereby sufficiently gentle, and relay operation upon being turned OFF can be minimized in response time.

Abstract: A signal detecting apparatus in an optical disc apparatus having an objective lens which converges light emitted from a light source onto an optical disc and a condenser lens which converges light reflected by the optical disc and transmitted through the objective lens includes first and second light receiving elements, each having a light receiving surface located before or behind a convergence point on which the light reflected from the optical disc is converged when the objective lens is in a focal position. Each of the light receiving surfaces are split into at least four light receiving areas.

Abstract: An optical dispersion sensor for sensing optical dispersion introduced by the atmosphere in near real-time and an optical system using the dispersion sensor to compensate for atmospheric dispersion are described. The input signal to the dispersion sensor is the image of the scene being viewed by a scanning optical system. The image of the scene is passed through an aperture near the image plane of the optical system and then onto at least two individual light detecting systems. One of the detecting systems is adapted to detect light of a first wavelength band. The other detecting system detects light of a second wavelength band. The sensor computes the relative time delay between the signals derived from the two detecting systems. The time delay indicates the spectral dispersion introduced by the atmosphere.

Abstract: A movement detector includes a moving body having a slit pattern which is provided on it by forming a number of slit-shaped light transmitting parts at certain intervals in the direction of movement. As the moving body is moved, depending on the presence and absence of the light transmitting parts of the slit pattern, light images and dark images appear alternately on the light receiving surface of a semiconductor position detecting element while moving in one direction. In response to the light and dark images, the semiconductor position detecting element provides output currents, which detecting means utilizes to provide output pulses. The output pulses are utilized to detect not only the amount of movement of the moving body but also the direction of movement of the latter.

Abstract: A tubular illuminator for focusing a bright line of approximately specular illumination onto the surface of a web moving at high speed to detect defects usually in the surface of the web.

Abstract: Disclosed are Power Encoder means for imprinting MICR characters on checks, with optical check-sensing means disposed along a check-transport path, including optical skew-sensor means and a transport control arrangement for advancing checks past processing stations according to one or several "velocity-profiles", depending upon the type and/or condition of the check.

Abstract: The invention relates to an image display or shooting apparatus, in which several matrixes are joined edge to edge in accordance with the same plane, so as to form a large apparatus. The addressing circuits of the rows and columns of said matrixes are subdivided into addressing subcircuits and located in areas which are naturally inactive, or which are made deliberately inactive, i.e. areas having no active elements. In the case of shooting or photographing, in order to make the areas inactive, the active elements of certain pixels are destroyed in order to install in their place the addressing subcircuits, the information normally contained in the destroyed pixels being replaced by a reconstitution information obtained by averaging the information of adjacent intact pixels. The invention more particularly applies to the retinas of cameras used for the detection of non-focusable radiation and which are more particularly employed in radiology and nuclear imaging.

Abstract: Document-imager for imaging documents (e.g. checks that are transported past an imaging-site, where the site is illuminated by one (or two) pairs of lamps symmetrically disposed about the site, with image-reflection sent back between lamps to be captured.

Abstract: A binocular stereomicroscope comprises a binocular magnifying optical system, which is composed of right and left sets of elements, an objective lens, which is located in front of the binocular magnifying optical system, and an illumination device for irradiating a light beam for illumination, which has been produced by a light source, to an object via the objective lens. Semi-transparent mirrors are respectively interposed in the right and left sets of elements of the binocular magnifying optical system. A distance measuring device is provided with detection elements, on which images of light beams separated by the semi-transparent mirrors are formed. The distance measuring device generates a distance measurement signal from the relationship between positions, at which the right and left images of the light beams separated by the semi-transparent mirrors are formed.

Abstract: The invention provides a monitor for monitoring the condition of fibre optic communication cables. The system employs one or more of the optical fibres of a cable to monitor the cable structure for damage or kinks. By using two separate laser sources and simultaneously monitoring the optical losses at two distinct and separate wavelengths, the loss signature of the monitored fibre is determined, analyzed and related to the mechanical condition of the cable structure. To monitor splice points for moisture, a special optical splice sensor unit detects any penetration of water into the splice and transmits a coded alarm signal over the monitored fibre to the optical receiver. Every splice location is assigned a unique sensor code. The optical splice sensor is driven by moisture detection cell, which forms a single cell water activated battery. Water entering the monitored splice closure wets the tape, which activates the cell.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for tracking a light source in a transient event rich environment locks on to a light source incident on a field-of-view 1 of a charge-coupled-device (CCD) array 6, validates the permanence of said light source and transmits data relating to the brilliance and location of said light source if said light source is determined to be permanent.

Abstract: A laser imaging system, such as a storage phosphor laser imaging system, includes a correction circuit for correcting laser noise in a scanned image signal.

Abstract: An inspection machine for inspecting the profile of a vertically standing glass bottle comprising a conveyor for horizontally displacing a vertically standing glass container through an inspection location, a pair of diffused light sources located behind the conveyor for directing beams of light horizontally at a container located at the inspection location, the beams being sufficiently large so that the light beams will pass around the entire profile of a container located at the inspection station, a mirror pair located in front of the conveyor for receiving each of the light beams and redirecting the beam rearwardly, a reflecting prism having a pair of angularly related reflecting surfaces, a two-dimensional camera having an imaging surface, a pair of mirrors for receiving the beams redirected from each of the mirror pairs and redirecting the received beams to reflect off a corresponding one of the prism reflecting surfaces onto a corresponding half of the imaging surface, means for evaluating the profile

Abstract: A method and apparatus for performing free space optical interconnection. A micro-mirror type of spatial light modulator has an array of mirror elements, whose height with respect to a deflection plane can be individually adjusted. These heights are adjusted such that an input beam of light is phase modulated, and by interference, it is deflected to a desired detector. More than one input beam can be used with the same spatial light modulator, whose mirror elements are adjusted in patterns for deflecting and focussing to multiple detectors.

Abstract: A contact-type image sensor assembly including: an image sensor; a light source for illuminating an original document which has image information; an optical lens for imaging light reflected by the original document onto the image sensor; and a supporting member for supporting the image sensor, the light source and the optical lens, wherein the supporting member includes: a first supporting member for maintaining the distance from the surface of the original document and the light incidental side of the optical lens at a predetermined distance; a second supporting member disposed individually from the first supporting member and acting to maintain the distance from the light emission side of the optical lens to the light receiving side of the image sensor; and a third supporting member for supporting the first and second supporting members at predetermined positions and the third supporting member supports the first and second supporting members in this way that their positions can be adjusted.

Abstract: A helmet-mounted night vision system that is compact, light in weight and ejection-safe. The system incorporates a night vision goggles apparatus for receiving incoming infrared and/or visible light from a viewed object and for converting the incoming light to an intensified visible light for presentation to an eye of a user, a visor mounted to a helmet to be worn by the user and adapted to be positioned in front of the night vision goggles apparatus, and connecting structure for connecting the visor to the night vision goggles apparatus for retaining the visor in position in front of the night vision goggles apparatus. By ensuring that the visor is safely retained in front of and substantially fully covers the goggles apparatus at all times, the system of the invention is rendered ejection-safe. The system also provides the user with numerous other structural and operational advantages.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to an electroluminescent (EL) device serving as a light emitting device in an image reading apparatus. An electroluminescent device is of a thick film type and well suited for combination with a photosensing device in the form of an integral light emitting and sensing device. The electroluminescent device is provided with a pair of linear light emitting elements spaced apart from each other on a transparent electrode. Each of the light emitting element includes a luminescent layer interposed between a light shielding electrode and a transparent electrode. The luminescent layer is of resin containing fluorescent particles dispersed therein and is obtained by deposition by a thick film technique. The electroluminescent device is further provided with a light shielding element and an optically transmissive area, both of which are formed between the linear light emitting elements.

Abstract: Improved linear sensor array and scanner apparatus and operating methods to reduce noise and streaking in a digitized image produced by the scanner. The scanner uses a charge coupled device linear sensor array having a pair of sensor output channels, each for processing one half of the array sensor elements which are interleaved with the other half of the sensor elements. To provide a reference, the CCD outputs are read a plurality of times with the system on but no article in scanning position, with the multiple readings for each sensor element being averaged to provide an average reference level therefor. These averages are stored in digital form, each to provide a calibration factor (multiplier) for the corresponding readings of the array during scanning of an article. During scanning, the output corresponding to each sensor element is multiplied by the corresponding calibration factor to normalize each output to a common reference.

Abstract: A photoelectric conversion circuit which can detect only signal light from applied light, to avoid influence by disturbance light. An anode of a photodiode (1) is grounded and an input end of a tuning circuit (5) is connected to its cathode through an input terminal (3). An output end of the tuning circuit (5) is connected to an output terminal (4) through an amplifier (6). The output terminal (4) is grounded through a load resistor (7). The tuning circuit (5) is tuned with the frequency of signal light included in light (2) which is applied to the photodiode (1). A photoelectric conversion current caused by disturbance light is removed in the tuning circuit (5), so that only a photoelectric conversion current caused by signal light is detected. Switching devices are connected to the photodiode for providing current from the photodiode to the input terminals of the amplifier.

Abstract: The present invention provides a joy stick mechanism having a simplified structure in which a size reduction of the apparatus can be attained, there is little possibility of breaking of electric wires, and switching can be surely realized. To this end, the joy stick mechanism is arranged in such a manner that it includes an optical system such as a slit lamp laser delivery system or a fundus camera and the optical system can be moved fore and aft, and right and left by operating a joy stick, the mechanism being provided with switch button device located at a top portion of the joy stick bar, a movable shaft which can move in an axial direction of the joy stick bar by the movement of the switch button device, a detection device for detecting the movement of the shaft, and a control device for generating a trigger signal of photographing, coagulating and so forth on the basis of the detected result.