Abstract: A liquid gauging system for a liquid container, the system comprising sensor means for producing a first electromagnetic signal that corresponds to liquid quantity in the container, and remote interrogation means for receiving the first electromagnetic signal and producing a system output that corresponds to the liquid quantity; the sensor means being energized by a second electromagnetic signal transmitted by the remote interrogation means.

Abstract: A scanner with an extended depth of focus for electro-optically reading indicia having parts of different light reflectivity, comprises a collection optical system for collecting radiation reflected from objects in the field of view along plural different optical axes and an optical detector for detecting radiation collected by the collection optical system along each of the plural different optical axes and for generating electrical output signals indicative thereof. The scanner further includes processing circuitry for processing the output signals of the optical detector by comparing the output signals of the optical detector with one another, a memory for storing the detector output signals and further processing circuitry receiving the stored output signals of the optical detector from the memory and selectively outputting one of the received signals to a decoder.

Abstract: In a device for filtering harmonic signal components which are created during the scanning of a scale graduation by means of at least one scanning graduation, the graduation marking of the scale or the scanning graduation have a definite shift with respect to equidistant spacing intervals. The shift is chosen such that the signal components of the n-th even harmonic are eliminated by virtue of the resulting phase shift while at the same time the phase position for the signal components of the fundamental wave remains constant and thus independent of the scanning site. In particular, the depth of modulation of the fundamental wave is not reduced.

Abstract: In order to test whether a diamond 2 comprises synthetic diamond material, a plurality of different zones of the diamond 2 are irradiated with radiation substantially of wavelength substantially 230 nm to 320 nm, an image or reading of the radiation transmitted by each zone of the diamond 2 being produced.

Abstract: A rain sensor in which an optical effective radiation (11) is subjected to at least one total reflection in a sheet of glass (16). The effective radiation (11) coupled out of the sheet of glass (16) into a coupling-out part (22) at the end of a measuring segment (24) and possibly present interference radiation (31') impact a separating surface (25) of the coupling out part, at which surface only one of the two radiations (11, 31') is totally reflected. The separating surface (25) permits a separation of the interference radiation (31') from the effective radiation (11) before it impacts a radiation-measuring device (30). The rain sensor of the invention is particularly suited for use in motor vehicles in connection with a windshield-wiping system which is operated automatically as a function of the rain sensor.

Abstract: The present invention is a method and apparatus for providing a vehicle entertainment control system that controls a plurality of display units. The vehicle entertainment control system includes a remote override control circuit capable of activating a remote signal for moving at least one of the plurality of display units between a first position and a second position. In addition, the vehicle entertainment control system includes a local display unit movement control circuit coupled to one of the plurality of display units.

Abstract: An image sensor chip is mounted on a printed wiring frame over a substrate, which is plated with a spider web of plated conductors connecting the IC through via holes to the bottom of the substrate as output terminals. After wiring bonding the IC to the plated conductor, the package is sealed. A wall is erected around the image sensor chip and is covered with a transparent glass. A lens may be placed in the middle of the cover for focusing. The structure is amenable to mass production. A large number of printed wiring frames are arranged as a matrix on a common substrate. The frames are sealed column by column or sealed all at once. After sealing, the common substrate are diced into individual packages. The image sensor package may mounted with integrated circuit chips as peripheral circuits. The image sensor chips may be sealed with transparent glue and the integrated circuit chip may be sealed with opaque glue.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for remotely sensing the orientation of an object takes advantage of the fact that, for flat surfaces, a change in radiation frequency illuminating the object produces a global translation at the detector plane of the speckle pattern reflected from the object. An object is illuminated with radiation of two different frequencies and the corresponding speckle patterns are compared to determine the magnitude and direction of shift from the first speckle pattern to the second. The magnitude and direction of the speckle pattern shift indicates the orientation of the object.

Abstract: A portable optical reader system for reading optical information over a substantial range of distances includes a casing having a light receiving opening for alignment with optical information. Further included is a reading sensor for converting a reflected light image of optical information into an information signal and reflected light optical elements for forming a reflected light image. The optical system is adjustable to tend to focus a reflected light image of optical information, located within a substantial range of distances, onto the reading sensor. A light beam generator is associated with the casing and directed relative to the optical elements and the light receiving opening such that a light beam generated thereby will impinge on an information carrier, having optical information to be read, and will be reflected therefrom through the light receiving opening and via the optical elements to the reading sensor.

Abstract: A method for focusing the objective of an optical pick-up head on the desired information layer of an optical memory device. The focus error signal when the focus servo is in open loop mode is used to determine the location of the information layers (or layer) and to provide a mechanism for providing a signal which can be used to time/trigger the closing of the focus servo, thus providing focus on the desired layer. One example of an embodiment of the invention is an application to a dual layer optical disc.

Abstract: A detection sensor with a single switch for multi-function programming of the sensor is disclosed. The sensor has a processor operatively connected to the switch, an emitter, and a detector for controlling one or more operational parameters of the sensor in response to a program signal from the switch. In the preferred embodiment the processor compares a signal detected by the sensor in a first state and a second state and automatically establishes the sensor amplifier gain and switching thresholds based on the signal difference in the two states.

Abstract: A sensing and tracking system is provided which includes a stationary array of sensors, a control system and a stationary lens assembly. The control system activates at least one sensor of the array of sensors and for receiving data therefrom. The stationary lens assembly focusses radiation from at least one object spaced away from the sensing and tracking system on the activated sensor.

Abstract: A high gain, optically triggered, photoconductive semiconductor switch (PCSS) implemented in GaAs as a reverse-biased pin structure with a passivation layer above the intrinsic GaAs substrate in the gap between the two electrodes of the device. The reverse-biased configuration in combination with the addition of the passivation layer greatly reduces surface current leakage that has been a problem for prior PCSS devices and enables employment of the much less expensive and more reliable DC charging systems instead of the pulsed charging systems that needed to be used with prior PCSS devices.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are disclosed for performing detection of the position of a substrate, such as used in photolithography, with high precision by zero Nth-order detection. Alignment marks (grating marks) on the substrate are illuminated by coherent light beams comprising multiple wavelength components. Reflected light forms diffraction patterns that are detected by appropriate detectors. At least one level-difference detection circuit and at least one detected-position-correction circuit are provided, the former detecting grating-mark positions grating mark positions .DELTA.Xn' at respective wavelengths from light-quantity signals produced from the detectors, and the latter calculating relative level differences .delta..sub.n for the respective wavelengths at each grating mark, based on changes in the light-quantity signals accompanying relative scanning and based on design data for the grating marks.

Abstract: The amount of the light beam passing through two diffraction gratings is output as an electrical signal by a photo detector. The amount of relative displacement of the diffraction gratings is detected according to the electric signal (output signal) that changes in proportion to the relative displacement. Groove portions and ridge portions are alternately arranged on the first diffraction grating, through which the light beam passes and undergoes wavefront modulation by mutual interference of the zeroth-order diffracted light. This eliminates interference of the zeroth-order diffracted light with a diffracted light of another order, and eliminates changes in the fundamental wave component of the output signal caused by changes in the gap between the two diffraction gratings. The output signal can be made not to include a high-order component by a predetermined modification to at least one of either the array pitch or width of a transparent portion in the second diffraction grating.

Abstract: A photoelectric barrier and operation thereof, the barrier having at least two pairs of transmitters/receivers each operating synchronously. Each of the two transmitters transmits a light signal having a specific identifier, the signal being in the form of a double pulse separated by a pause, which double pulse consists of two pulse groups each separated by a pause, and each receiver then evaluates a light signal of the associated transmitter as correctly received when at least one of the two pulse groups is recognized as valid by means of the associated identifier, in which the duration of the pulse groups and the pauses between them are established so that at most one pulse group of one double pulse of the one transmitter is superimposed with one pulse group of one double pulse of the other transmitter.

Abstract: A sampler module is disclosed for use in a sampling waveform measurement device that samples subject signals and measures the waveform of the signals. The module is constructed by accommodating within a metal container: a laser diode driver circuit that receives laser drive sampling pulse signals from the outside and supplies pulse drive signals by a gain switching method, a laser diode that receives the drive signals from the LD driver circuit and generates optical probe pulse light, a sampling photoconductor that performs switching in accordance with irradiated light pulses and samples the subject signals, a condenser that focuses optical probe pulse light from the laser diode upon the photoconductor, and cooling temperature control means that maintains the temperature of the laser diode at a fixed temperature.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring warp of a semiconductor wafer cassette is provided. A wafer cassette is secured within a housing that places the end wall of the cassette in a predetermined position. An array of laser diodes is arranged to transmit a light reference across the end wall of the cassette. An array of photo detectors is placed opposite the laser diodes to detect the transmitted light reference. If the end wall of the cassette is not warped, the transmitted light is blocked by the cassette. If the end wall of the cassette is warped, some or all of the photo detectors receive the transmitted light. Measurement of the light received by the photo detectors is used to determine the nature and degree of warp on the end wall of the cassette.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for measuring strain of gratings written into an optical fiber. Optical radiation is transmitted over a plurality of contiguous predetermined wavelength ranges into a reference optical fiber network and an optical fiber network under test to produce a plurality of reference interference fringes and measurement interference fringes, respectively. The reference and measurement fringes are detected and sampled such that each sampled value of the reference and measurement fringes is associated with a corresponding sample number. The wavelength change of the reference optical fiber, for each sample number, due to the wavelength of the optical radiation is determined. Each determined wavelength change is matched with a corresponding sampled value of each measurement fringe. Each sampled measurement fringe of each wavelength sweep is transformed into a spatial domain waveform.

Abstract: Novel rotation sensors are disclosed, sensors with a temporal resolution of one measurement per rotation. A transparent or absorbing substrate can be coated with a transparent thin film to produce a linear response in reflectance versus angle of incidence over a certain range of angles. The best results were obtained when the incident light was s-polarized. For example, a Si substrate coated with an SiO.sub.2 film was used in constructing a reflection rotation sensor. Experimental results and an error analysis of this rotation sensor are presented.