Abstract: There is provided a physical information acquiring method of acquiring physical information for a predetermined purpose on the basis of change information that is acquired under predetermined detection conditions for a physical quantity using an portion for physical quantity distribution detection. The portion for physical quantity distribution detection includes a detector that detects change information corresponding to a change in a physical quantity made incident on the detector and has unit components that output unit signals based on the change information detected by the detector arranged in a predetermined order. In the physical information acquiring method, a carrier signal is converted into a signal related to a frequency on the basis of the change information detected by the detector. The physical information for a predetermined purpose is acquired using the signal related to a frequency.

Abstract: The present invention provides an optical module, a host board, and a method of manufacturing the host board, where the number of man-hours required for manufacture has been reduced. Accordingly, the present invention need not have such type of optical transceiver module as the conventional host board since the host board on which the optical module has been mounted may automatically perform a control corresponding to property data of a light emitting element and a light receiving element by mounting a memory circuit on the optical module. As a result, it may be achieved to provide an optical module, a host board, and a method of manufacturing the host board, where the number of man-hours required for manufacture has been reduced.

Abstract: Microelectronic imagers with integrated optical devices and methods for manufacturing imagers. The imagers, for example, typically have an imaging unit including a first substrate and an image sensor on and/or in the first substrate. An embodiment of an optical device includes a stand-off having a compartment configured to contain the image sensor. The stand-off has a coefficient of thermal expansion at least substantially the same as that of the first substrate. The optical device can further include an optics element in alignment with the compartment of the stand-off. The stand-off can be formed by etching a compartment into a silicon wafer or a wafer of another material having a coefficient of thermal expansion at least substantially the same as that of the substrate upon which the image sensor is formed. The optics elements can be formed integrally with the stand-offs or separately attached to a cover supported by the stand-offs.

Abstract: A projector includes: an optical component; a sealed structure within which the optical component casing is disposed, the sealed structure including: a loop air-circulation path in which air is circulated; an optical component casing having an inlet for the air to flow into the optical component casing and an outlet for the air to flow out of the optical component casing; a plurality of ducts that introduces the air into the optical component casing through the inlet and re-introduces the air flowing out of the optical component casing through the outlet into the optical component casing through the inlet; and a heat radiator having a heat-receiving member disposed inside the sealed structure to receive the heat of the air within the sealed structure and a heat-conducting member that penetrates an inside and an outside of the sealed structure, the heat-conducting member having a first end disposed inside the sealed structure and coupled to the heat-receiving member in a heat-transferable manner to transfer th

Abstract: A modulated laser light detector that converts laser light energy into electrical signals which exhibit a frequency that is substantially the same as the laser light modulation frequency, in which these signals allow the detector unit to determine a position where the laser light is impacting upon a photodiode array. A superheterodyne receiver circuit is used to provide high gain at an improved signal-to-noise ratio to improve the range at which the modulated laser light signal can be reliably detected. Various types of signal detection circuits are available. Various processing algorithms are disclosed, including one which rejects laser light strikes that are due to reflections, rather than due to a direct strike from the laser transmitter.

Abstract: An encoder position signal processing system comprises an analog encoder reader and a codewheel. The codewheel possesses an optical track that modulates the quadrature encoder signal amplitude in order to generate an amplitude change (home pulse) once per revolution of the codewheel. The analog encoder reader outputs a quadrature signal comprised of sine and cosine signals. The quadrature signal is converted to a magnitude signal that is sampled in order to generate a rate of change (ROC) signal, which increases the signal-to-noise ratio. An algorithm using the characteristic shape of the ROC home pulse signal can then be applied to the ROC signal to increases robustness of detecting the home pulse.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes an electron emission array having electron sources arranged in matrix form and having a plurality of horizontal scan lines, a photoelectric conversion film opposed to the electron emission array, and a control and drive circuit configured to select one or more of the horizontal scan lines in a given video signal output period and to cause the electron sources included in the selected one or more horizontal scan lines to emit electrons toward the photoelectric conversion film to produce a video signal, wherein the control and drive circuit is configured to cause the electron sources included in unselected one or more horizontal scan lines not selected in the given video signal output period to emit electrons toward the photoelectric conversion film in a blanking period immediately preceding the given video signal output period.

Abstract: A laser safety device and method of protecting against harmful levels of radiation. The device includes a housing with first and second apertures. A photodetector generates a first signal corresponding to a level of radiation entering the housing through the first aperture. A control circuit receives the first signal and generates a drive signal based upon the level of the radiation. A reflector array which can include micro-electro-mechanical mirrors receives the drive signal and diverts a first part of the radiation away from an incident path extending from the first aperture to the second aperture. The reflector array allows a second part of the radiation to continue along the incident path at a safe level towards the second aperture. Optionally, the reflector array blocks the incident path so that substantially no radiation passes to the second aperture if unsafe levels are detected.

Abstract: Screens are positioned at front areas of respective placing tables which form placing spaces for placing an article. Each of the screens is a transmission-type screen capable of transmitting projection image light projected on a back side of the screen. A first optical system and a second optical system are arranged inside the display shelf. The first optical system leads first partial image light, which is included in projection image light projected from a projector in the display shelf, to the back sides of the screens. And the second optical system leads second partial image light, which is included in the projection image light, to at least one of the placing spaces.

Abstract: Methods for operating a pixel cell include efficient transferring of photo-charges using multiple pulses to a transistor transfer gate during a charge integration period for an associated photosensor. The pixel cell can be operated with efficient transfer characteristics in either normal or high dynamic range (HDR) mode. The high dynamic range can be realized by either operating an optional HDR transistor or by fluctuating the voltage applied to a reset gate.

Abstract: Provided are a low-voltage image sensor and a method of driving a transfer transistor thereof, which are obtained by changing the structure and driving method of a typical transfer transistor of a 4-transistor CMOS transistor, and can eliminate the influence of a voltage or physical structure of a diffusion node on a reset or transfer operation of a photodiode. The image sensor includes a light receiving device for detecting light and a signal conversion unit for reading photocharge generated by the light receiving device to an external circuit. The signal conversion unit includes a transfer transistor including at least two gate electrodes. When the photocharge is transferred to a channel of a transfer gate electrode disposed closest to a photodiode, a transfer gate electrode disposed adjacent to a diffusion node remains turned off.

Abstract: A device includes a flash unit to generate light, and an optical sensor to receive the light from the flash unit, and generate a light intensity signal based on the received light. The device also includes a controller to generate a modified error signal based on the light intensity signal. The device further includes a control circuit to receive the modified error signal from the controller, receive an output voltage from a power source associated with the device, control the output voltage based on the modified error signal, and provide the controlled output voltage to the flash unit.

Abstract: In a light sensor test unit, a test circuit is built in a display panel and connected to an output node of a light sensor which senses an intensity of an external light. When external light having a predetermined intensity is provided to the light sensor, the test circuit outputs a driving signal in response to a sensing signal output from the output node. A test pixel part includes pixels selected from a plurality of pixels arranged in the display panel and receives the driving signal from the test circuit to display a gray-scale corresponding to the driving signal. A brightness measurer measures a brightness corresponding to the gray-scale displayed in the test pixel part to compare the measured brightness with a predetermined brightness, thereby testing whether the light sensor built in the display panel is normally operated.

Abstract: A photodetector to be incorporated in an optical pickup device, comprising: a photodiode that a laser light emitted from a laser diode is applied to and that outputs a signal corresponding to light amount of the laser light; and a translucent resin member configured to cover the photodiode, including a light receiving portion that the laser light is applied to and that causes the laser light to be applied to the photodiode, and a peripheral portion provided around the light receiving portion, the light receiving portion being smaller in thickness than the peripheral portion.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an imaging system which employs the same principles as coded aperture imaging. High angular resolution coded aperture imagers require a small aperture size and relatively large spacing between the coded aperture array and the detector. At such high resolutions diffraction effects can start to dominate and can degrade image quality. The present invention provides a detector array which receives radiation from a scene via a coded diffractive mask. The coded diffractive mask is designed such that its diffraction pattern at the waveband of interest is a well conditioned coded intensity pattern having a strong autocorrelation function with low sidelobes. Thus radiation reaching the detector array is diffracted by the diffractive mask but in a defined way and it is the diffraction pattern of the mask which provides the coding.

Abstract: An cradle 100 equipped with a projector commands the power supply to an electronic camera 200 that is mounted on the cradle 100 to be turned on and the display of a main liquid crystal display 201 to be turned off in response to an on signal from a projection switch 101. A CPU 131 (FIG. 2) is provided in the cradle 100, and the CPU 131 (FIG. 2) performs expansion processing on the image data transmitted to the cradle 100 from the electronic camera 200 if the image data is compressed. The CPU 131 (FIG. 2) of the cradle 100 performs resizing processing on the image data having been expanded according to a projection resolution of the projector unit and records the resized data in a memory card. The CPU 131 reads out the resized image data from the memory card and performs replay processing to project the image data via the projector unit.

Abstract: With this projector, by forming in a lamp casing an aperture, for leading out a wire connected to an electrode terminal of a lamp, near that electrode terminal, and by fitting an insulating member which has an opening portion for leading out this wire, and a lid member which covers this opening portion, to this wire lead out aperture, even though the lamp casing is made from metal, still it is possible to ensure adequate clearances and creepage distances between the electrode terminal and the lamp casing. Furthermore it is possible to prevent light, or air which has been heated up, from leaking out from the wire lead out aperture.

Abstract: A machine for inspecting glass containers which are being rotated at an inspection station. A light source illuminates a selected area on a rotating glass container while the container rotates through a selected angle and a camera is triggered to capture an image while the bottle rotates through that angle. A plurality of sequential images are recorded and a critical addition is made to be inspected.

Abstract: An illumination apparatus includes a red light valve, a green light valve, a blue light valve, a polarization adjustment element, and a color combiner. The polarization adjustment element adjusts polarization of fourth color component light. The color combiner combines light emitted from the red light valve, the green light valve and the blue light valve. Superimposed component light which is any one of a red component light, a green component light and a blue component light enters the polarization adjustment element together with a fourth color component light. The polarization adjustment element transmits the superimposed component light without adjusting the polarization, and transmits the fourth color component light with adjusting the polarization.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus able to design lenses without regard as to a zoom position or zoom amount and able to restore an image by high precision operation and a method of same, including an optical unit 110 including a plurality of optical systems 110-1 and 110-2 forming a first order image and having different magnifications, an imaging element 120, and an image processing device 150 forming the first order image to a high definition final image, wherein, in the image processing device 150, a kernel size used at the time of the convolution operation and the coefficients used in the operation of numerical values thereof are made variable in accordance with the magnification of the optical system, this is determined by input of an operation unit 190 etc., and the kernel size having suitability in accordance with the magnification of the optical system or the above coefficients are linked.