Abstract: A hot clock adiabatic gate, using CMOS technology, incorporates an ancillary transistor. The gate is energized by multiple clock signals of different phases to reduce power consumption. The output logic voltage of the gate can reach full-rail voltage by allowing the CMOS technology to discharge via the ancillary transistor. The hot clock adiabatic gate and associated ancillary transistor may be incorporated into various logic circuits, such as an inverter, a memory cell, a NAND gate, and a NOR gate. In one configuration, a CMOS inverter is controlled by four clock signals having four discrete phases. The CMOS inverter optimally includes a CMOS gate transistor pair wherein the semiconductor channels of two ancillary transistors are in series with the semiconductor channels of the CMOS gate transistor pair.

Abstract: An optical sensor system uses a light source which outputs light at a plurality of wavelengths which vary with time in a manner such that only one wavelength is output at any one point in time; and a transducer which modulates light at each wavelength in a manner indicative of the parameter (for example, position or temperature) begin sensed. The transducer's output is, therefore, an optical signal in which the modulated intensity varies with time since only one wavelength is output at any one point in time. Because only a single wavelength is output at any one time, there is no need for an optical demultiplexer and detector array. Only a single detector is needed.

Abstract: A radiated light of a light source for optical characteristic measurement is amplitude modulated by an optical modulator and directed into a light-propagating probe. A phase and intermittent rate of the optical modulator are adjusted by a phase shifter. A sample characteristic measuring light is radiated onto the surface of the sample from the distal end of the probe. A light transmitted through or scattered by the sample, or fluorescent light generated from the sample is directed into a photoelectric converter via an optical system. The light radiating area of sample characteristic measuring light can be efficiently modified to improve the resolution of a light characteristic image of the surface topography and optical characteristic of the sample at high resolution, without relying on the existence of transmissivity and conductivity in the sample.

Abstract: An electro-optical input device for computers or electronic games which uses electro-optical elements to sense input from a user. A user actuation element, such as a directional control pad or a joystick is pivotally disposed on a printed circuit board. Two photoemitters are mounted on the printed circuit board, at or near the circumference of the footprint described by the user actuation element. The photoemitters are positioned 90.degree. apart, one along the North-South axis of flit of the actuation element, and one along the East-West axis. At least one photodetector is mounted to the base at or near the pivot point of the actuation element so that it can receive light from both of the photoemitters. A skirt or flange depends annularly from the actuation element, at or near its periphery, positioned between the photodetector and the photoemitters.

Abstract: The present invention describes an optical technique for analyzing undiluted, multi-phase fluid flows as typically encountered inside reactor vessels or flow lines in the chemical industries. In particular the technique uses a pulsed, coherent light source and measures the back-scattered light collected over a wide scattering angle. A light beam is relayed via a set of lenses down a long probe tube, through a window at a probe tip to illuminate the material that is passing past the window. The light beam is pulsed to "freeze" the motion of the particles streaming past the window. The backscattered light is collected by the same set of optics and is focused on the front surface of a CCD chip.

Abstract: An omnidirectional light sensor is provided in a disk-like housing including a plurality of successive spaced apart individual radially directed capsules, each including a lens in a frontmost opening on a side edge of the housing, for focussing light rays from surrounding scenery into the interior of the capsule. A prism or reflecting mirror in each capsule receives the focussed light rays for directing them onto an associated photosensor located radially inward in the capsule, for converting the light rays into pixels representing the associated image portion. The pixels form a panoramic digital data strip from the received image portions.

Abstract: An improved photocathode (12) and image intensifier tube (10) are disclosed along with a method for making both the tube (10) and photocathode (12). The disclosed image intensifier tube (10) creates a visible light image (20) from an image emitting photons (22). The tube (10) comprises a photocathode (12) having an indium-gallium-arsenide active layer (26) and an aluminum-gallium-arsenide window layer (28). The photocathode (12) is operable to emit electrons (23) in response to the photons (22). A display apparatus is coupled to the photocathode (12) and is operable to transform the emitted electrons (23) into a visible light image (24). An embodiment of the invention is capable of detecting 1.06 .mu.m radiation.

Abstract: The installation for quality control of printed sheets (1) comprises means (8-13) for transferring said sheets, and cameras (2, 4, 6) for checking the print quality. The transfer means (8-13) are designed to transport the sheets in a plane and to allow the print quality of each of the faces of the sheet to be checked as well as a quality check using transparency to be carried out in succession and in a single pass. The means for checking each face are two cameras (2, 3) located on either side of said plane at two offset locations, the transfer means being designed to leave an open window at the side of each camera. A third camera (6) carries out the check using transparency.

Abstract: A detecting system for rail vehicles having at least one sprung rigid structure, for instance a bogie frame, and two axles, comprises photosensor position-detecting means applied to the structure and adapted to detect typical geometrical characteristics of the track and the relative position between the axles and the rails when the vehicle is running along the track and to supply electrical signals which are indicative of such geometrical characteristics and such relative position, and displacement detecting means also applied to the structure and adapted to detect relative displacements between the structure and the axles and to supply electrical signals indicative of these displacements. Electronic acquisition and processing means of these electrical signals provide a monitoring related to the configuration of the track and to the dynamic attitude of the structure and of the two axles.

Abstract: A programmable logic device having a plurality of logic cells arranged in groups defining separate logic regions, both regional and multi-regional bus lines, and a crosspoint switch matrix which serves only to route signals from bus lines to inputs of the logic cells without logically combining two or more of the bus signals, i.e. without forming product terms. Rather, all logic is carried out by the logic cells themselves. In particular, the switch matrix is constructed so that each bus line can connect to one or more logic cell inputs, but each logic cell input can meaningfully connect to only one bus line without shorting. In one embodiment, each logic cell feeds one logic signal back to a regional bus line and can potentially feed back another logic signal through its region's universal select matrix to a universal bus line. The select matrix connects a subset of the region's potential feedback signals to the universal bus.

Abstract: The device includes at least two abutting detection elements (16, 18) having, on one face, a plurality of photodetectors (22, 24). A complementary detection element (26) has, on one face, a plurality of detectors (28) and is positioned astride the two abutting elements. The photodetectors of said complimentary element are positioned facing the faces of the two abutting elements and have no photodetector facing the photodetectors of the complementary element. The invention is useful in thermal imaging.

Abstract: An optical proximity sensor generates information indicative of a distance to an object in a field and in some embodiments also generates information indicative of a spectral reflectance characteristic of the object. The information indicative of the spectral reflectance characteristic can be used to determine whether the object in the field is a living plant or another object such as soil. Light emitted from the optical sensor for reflection off the object is modulated so that reflected light from the optical sensor can be discriminated from reflected ambient sunlight. The optical sensor is scanned over the field to map objects in the field and/or to determine the location of rows of crop plants. A sensor in accordance with the present invention has many uses in agriculture including spraying, cultivation and vehicle guidance.

Abstract: A ballistic optical camera trigger having an integrated circuit capable of onverting light to a proportional frequency, wherein the integrated circuit has a fast response time and a wide dynamic range which allows it to sense positive or negative changes in light fast enough to trigger without delay for high speed imaging without computational delays or jitter causing interference. The frequency output of the integrated circuit is tracked by a phase lock loop/voltage controlled oscillator to allow it to follow slow changes in light, but not fast changes in light caused by, for example, a projectile such as a bullet. The frequency output from the integrated circuit is provided to one input of a logic gate which receives at another input thereof, a shaped pulse from the phase lock loop/voltage controlled oscillator circuit, wherein the output of the logic gate is applied to a one-shot for outputting a trigger signal.

Abstract: A stroboscope is employed as the lighting source for a video camera, the output of which is converted into a signal from which a fault in the object scanned is detected. The stroboscope is controlled in response to a portion of the output voltage of the video camera to insure that the luminous energy is constant.

Abstract: A light source which emits light in strips is provided for illuminating a scale of a photoelectric position measuring system. The light modulated by the scale is converted into a sinusoidal scanning signal by a scanning plate. The scanning plate is a semiconductor substrate structured in strips. The width (A) of the light-emitting areas and the width (B) of the interspersed non-emitting areas of the light source is such that defined harmonics are filtered out of the scanning signal. The scanning plate is of such configuration that further harmonics are suppressed.

Abstract: An optoelectronic sensor device includes a waveguide element for affixing to a transparent pane on one surface and connected to a housing by way of latching barbs provided on U-shaped arms which engage corresponding recesses in the waveguide element. Slide-like locking elements are guided by the housing, parallel to the waveguide element and the pane, into the spaces defined by the U-shaped arms to prevent the arms from disengaging their respective recesses. The locking elements are adjustable by way of a handle which is flush with the housing when the latching elements are in their locked position. The locking elements include dome-shaped protrusions which cooperate with an edge of the housing to secure the locking elements within the housing.

Abstract: The assessment of clearance conditions in an operating turbine structure has provide difficult to achieve. The invention provides apparatus which enables the clearance between seal fins on rotating blades and adjacent fixed structure, to be observed during rotation, and comprises refracting prisms (30, 32) on the fixed structure arranged so as to straddle sealing fin (14) on the blades. The stage of blades on their associated disc are moved towards the fixed structure and light which is refracted through the prisms is obscured by the fins. In one embodiment, the ratio of obscured to unobscured light is utilised to generate electrical signals, which are then manipulated so as to indicate the magnitude of the clearance.

Abstract: The charge storage elements (3) of an array (2) are arranged in columns and rows and each column is coupled to an associated column conductor (4). Each storage element (3) in a row is coupled to an associated second conductor by a first rectifying element (D1) and to an associated third conductor by a second rectifying element (D2). Each row shares its second and third conductors (5a, 5b, 6a, 6b) with any adjacent rows. One of the two conductors of each row forms a row conductor (5a, 5b) and the other (6a, 6b) one of first and second reference conductors (6a and 6b). Adjacent row conductors (5a, 5b) are separated by a reference conductor (6a or 6b). Each first reference conductor (6a) is separated from any other first reference conductor (6a) by two row conductors (5a, 5b) and a second reference conductor (6b).

Abstract: An electronic apparatus for converting an optical image of an object into a digital representation of this optical image is described. The apparatus comprises a cartridge having a first portion through which light emitted from a visible image of an object enters into the cartridge, which comprises a two-dimensional array of focusing elements, each of which having a field of vision intersecting a given area of the visible image. Adjacent ones of these focusing elements have fields of vision intersecting common portions of the visible image, whereby substantially the entirety of the visible image is covered by combined fields of vision of the focusing elements. The cartridge further comprises a two-dimensional array of optical sensors arrays, each of which being optically associated with a respective one of the focusing elements. These optical sensors arrays produce groups of analog pixel signals representing partial images associated with corresponding areas of the visible image.

Abstract: The storage elements (3) of an array (2) are arranged in rows and columns with the storage elements (3) in a column being coupled to a first conductor (4) and the storage elements (3) in a row being coupled to a second (5) and to a third (6) conductor. Each storage element (3) in a row is coupled to the associated second conductor (5) by a first rectifying element (D1) and to the associated third conductor (6) by a second rectifying element (D2) with the first and second rectifying elements (D1 and D2) allowing the passage of current when forward-biased by applied voltages. The third conductors (6) also form the second conductors (5) of any adjacent rows. The first and second rectifying elements (D1' and D2') of alternate rows (N, N+2, N+4, . . . ) are oppositely oriented to those (D1" and D2") in the remaining rows (N+1, N+3, . . . ).