Abstract: An electronic switching circuit is provided for controlling transfer of electrical power from an alternating polarity electrical power supply to a load means through use of a field-effect transistor device as the primary power controlling element. A bypass means is used to provide shunting between one of the terminating regions of the field-effect transistor device and its substrate in situations where the field-effect transistor device is passing substantial current.

Abstract: An improved conductor for optical cables in which the protective casing for each individual transmission element or fiber optic comprises a double layer protective casing placed on the fiber or fiber bundle with a spacing, said casing having an inner layer of polystyrene and outer layer of polyamide or another plastic material with similar properties.

Abstract: The manufacturing, fluctuations in electrical parameters of I.sup.2 L double-collector current source transistors each of which is connected in series with a bias transistor having a base zone common with the base zone of the other bias transistors, are compensated by means of a bias voltage generator whose output voltage is fed to said common base. The bias voltage generator consists of a current mirror comprising a further I.sup.2 L double-collector current source transistor and a further bias transistor having the same configuration and conductivity type as the I.sup.2 L double-collector current source transistors and the bias transistors.

Abstract: An optical control device having at least two optical fibers arranged extremely adjacent to each other over a certain distance so that the optical fibers are optically coupled to each other. Among optical waves propagating in one of the optical fibers, a particular optical wave which is selected by the propagation constants of the two optical fibers and the propagation constant of an ultrasonic applied to the one optical fiber is transmitted to the other optical fiber.

Abstract: A device for remote viewing of objects in ionizing radiation fields, wherein a fibre-optics channel for transmitting the image of an object under observation beyond the biological shield against ionizing radiation comprises an entrance lens in whose immediate vicinity there is placed one of the ends of a bundle of optic fibres, the other end of the bundle being beyond the biological shield. The fibre-optics channel also comprises a source of heat to maintain at least only the fibre bundle at a temperature ensuring thermostabilization of its light conducting properties in the presence of the ionizing radiation.

Abstract: A fiber optic relay switch is provided for switching an optical signal from a first fiber to a second fiber. The switch comprises a pair of cylindrical members which are axially aligned and rotatable with respect to each other. Housed in the first member is at least a first optic fiber. In the second member is provided at least two optic fibers. A coupling face is provided between the ends of the first and second member. The fiber in the first member is terminated with the end of the fiber being aligned with the coupling face of the first member and is aligned with at least one of the two fibers in the second member. The two fibers in the second member are terminated with the ends thereof being aligned with the coupling face of the second member. When the members are rotated a predetermined angular amount the fiber in the first member is aligned with the other of the fibers in the second member.

Abstract: A connector assembly comprises a lead frame mounting one or more semiconductor chips, having optically active areas, a fiber guide and optical fibers held in optical communication with the chips. The fiber guide is formed of a plate like member having two or more reference points, in order to precisely locate the fibers relative to the chip. Several embodiments of the guide are shown including a plate having fiber receiving bores extending therethrough as well as a plate having fiber receiving grooves extending along sides thereof preferably used in conjunction with a bar biased against fibers disposed in the grooves. The bar, which may be made of elastomeric material is shown having a straight edge facing the grooves while a variation of the bar is provided with an additional set of grooves. The lead frame mounts a relatively large thermally and electrically conductive pad which in turn mounts the semiconductor chip having optically active areas.

Abstract: An arrangement for alignedly coupling two coated light-conductive fibers includes three clamping rods which are supported in a support sleeve by a deflectable element and two actuating elements are introduced into the sleeve from two opposite ends thereof and inwardly deflect the deflectable element to press the clamping rods into a clamping engagement with the stripped portions of light-conductive fibers located therebetween. Each of the actuating elements has a longitudinal channel therein through which the respective light-conductive fibers to be coupled pass, each channel including three sections one of which receives the coated cable, another one of which accepts the stripped end portion of the cable, and a next one of which accommodates ends of the clamping rods. Because of its configuration, the channel prealigns the fiber with a passage defined by the clamping rods during the introduction of the fiber into the arrangement.

Abstract: A device (70) for switching optical signal paths of the type utilizing a plurality of light-transmitting optical fibers (40, 50) comprises a flexible elongated sleeve (20) having a longitudinally continuous interior cross section (24) with a plurality of corners (30) forming fiber-aligning grooves. The sleeve loosely receives a first fiber (40) from a first sleeve end (26) and a plurality of second fibers (50) from a second sleeve end (28). Each second fiber has its coupling end biased against an assigned corner. Also, the ends of all the second fibers are contained in one transverse plane (23). The coupling end (46) of the first fiber adjacent the transverse plane and a portion (42) of the first fiber, remote from its end, is fixedly secured to the sleeve. Coupling of the first fiber with any of the second fibers is achieved by flexing the sleeve to move the first fiber end to the corner containing the selected second fiber.

Abstract: A glass sleeve has a bore that, at its ends, provides a clearance fit around optical fibres to be coupled with said bore tapering inwardly to a link piece of glass optical fibre having the same cross-section as that of the fibres to be coupled and unto which the wall of the glass sleeve has been collapsed over substantially the entire length of the link piece. The glass sleeve is retained within the central region of a tubular member by a pair of pierced watch jewels disposed at each end of the member and having apertures that provide a clearance fit around the fibres and are in axial alignment with the sleeve axis.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for discriminating among various types of illuminants, such as fluorescent light, incandescent light and natural daylight. Such apparatus includes a photoelectric circuit for producing a signal having an amplitude which varies with intensity variations of the illuminant, a bandpass filter circuit having a bandpass centered at the fundamental frequency of the intensity variations of an illuminant energized by an alternating current source, a high-pass filter circuit that passes frequencies higher than such fundamental frequency, a pair of peak detectors for detecting the peak value of signals passed by the first and second filter circuits, and logic circuitry responsive to the outputs of the peak detectors for providing logic outputs indicative of the type of illuminant.

Abstract: A device and method are disclosed for measuring solar energy during a testing period which uses a cell to provide an electrical signal in response to received solar energy and a resistor connected to the cell for providing an adjusted electrical signal at a valve chosen to represent a specified value of solar energy. A pulse train is provided which has a reduced frequency proportional to the adjusted electrical signal, the number of pulses are counted and this accumulated number is displayed, the number being representative of the solar energy received by the cell during the testing period. Batteries are used to supply power to the device and a normally open switch activates the display which is normally inactive during the testing period to conserve the life of the battery.

Abstract: A mechanical device for connecting optical fibres together by single or multiple connections with little attenuation loss. The connector has a body in the form of a cylinder, end pieces which support three cylindrical rods enclosing the fibre and disposed in guiding V-grooves, covers associated with the end pieces by spring washers which enable the cover to be longitudinally snap-fitted onto the body and a deformable blade which presses transversally against the rods.

Abstract: An optical waveguide coupler having intersecting deep and shallow grooves in a planar solid substrate, in which the deep groove accommodates an alignment fiber for fine vertical alignment of an optical fiber with another optical fiber or with an optical component such as a switch, modulator, multiplexer or source of light. The shallow groove accommodates the optical fiber. The alignment fiber may be tapered or have any configuration such that its manipulation causes the alignment fiber to contact the underside of the optical fiber for raising or lowering the optical fiber. There may be a plurality of shallow and deep grooves for coupling more than one optical fiber.

Abstract: An optical fibre connector in which cylindrical probes fitted to optical fibres are insertable into the opposite ends of the resiliently self-centering guide means which retains the two probes in co-axial end-to-end contact, the self-centering guide means comprise cylindrical precision rollers held in angularly-spaced relationship about a common axis by means of a cage structure which is itself surrounded by annular spring means of the guide means.

Abstract: A light branching and coupling device, having a light focusing transmission body, in which the refractive index distribution of the body gradually decreases from the center towards the periphery of the body in a cross-section thereof, said cross-section being perpendicular to the center axis of the body. The light focusing transmission body has a length substantially equal to a positive integral multiple of 1/4 pitch with a reflective surface positioned from an end face of the body at a predetermined distance substantially equal to an odd number multiple of 1/4 pitch. Light incident on one of two end faces perpendicular to the center axis of the body propagates undulatingly to the other end face at a predetermined pitch.

Abstract: Light distributing coupler means are provided for use in an optic fiber transmission system having a first, second, third and fourth optical fibers. The distributing means is arranged to couple light signals between a first fiber and a co-axially aligned, spaced second fiber and a laterally offset third fiber. The distributing means is an elongated, cylindrical, light transmissive member whose cross-sectional area and shape is approximately equal to the combined cross-sectional area and shape of the second and third fibers. The coupler is arranged to be disposed within a guide element, with the first and fourth fibers abutting one end of the coupler and with the second and third fibers abutting the other end thereof.

Abstract: A scanner comprises a first array of a multitude of optical fibres having one of their end faces aligned along a rectilinear line and having their other end face disposed on a circle, a second array of a multitude of optical fibres having one of their end faces disposed in opposing relationship with the said other end face of the optical fibres of the first array and having their other end faces arranged together at a single location, a scanning disc rotatably disposed between the opposing end faces of the first and second arrays and having a single signal transmission aperture and a plurality of timing apertures formed therein, a single phototube disposed in opposing relationship with the collected end faces of the optical fibres of the second array, and a channel detector disposed adjacent to the timing apertures. The scanner achieves an optical scanning of a specimen to be examined.

Abstract: An integrated optically-controlled 4-port bistable switch having a waveguide directional coupler as one of its elements is disclosed. A photodetector is positioned so as to be sensitive to the optical energy at one output port of the directional coupler and the voltage developed by this photodetector is coupled to electrode elements of the directional coupler. The resulting bistable device permits such functions as remote optical switching to be performed.

Abstract: A three-layer structure optical fiber comprises a first transparent dielectric core layer having a relatively high refractive index, a second transparent dielectric intermediate layer having a relatively low refractive index and a third transparent dielectric cladding layer having an intermediate refractive index wherein the parameter of the optical fiber is determined as follows: ##EQU1## where B is the bandwidth of the signal to be transmitted, z is the transmission distance, C is the velocity of light in vacuum, .eta.o is the refractive index of the core layer, q is the ratio of refractive indices between the core layer and second layer, V = normalized frequency, ##EQU2## p is the ratio of refractive index between the core layer and the third layer, and U.sub.11 =2,405.