Abstract: An undesirable protrusion on a golf ball is automatically detected by means of an optical system. Light (5) is illuminated to a selected position (3) on the spherical surface of a golf ball (1a) in a tangential direction. The ball (1a) is rotated in line with the light illuminating direction. A line sensor camera (6) is operated to take a line image of the spherical surface in the vicinity of the selected position and along a line perpendicular to the light illuminating direction. A two-dimensional image is constructed from image data of the camera. An abnormal brightness change which appears in the two-dimensional image as a result of an undesirable protrusion (9a, 9b) on the spherical surface shutting out the light (5) is detected, thereby detecting the presence of the undesirable protrusion.

Abstract: A phase modulated light is propagated through an optical fiber sensing loop, from which a propagated light is obtained. The propagated light is converted to an electric signal, from which a fundamental wave component and even number harmonic wave components of a phase modulating signal for the phase modulated signal are detected. In accordance with the changes of the fundamental and even number harmonic wave components, fault is detected. On the other hand, the electric signal may be integrated to provide an integrated signal. In accordance with the comparison between the integrated signal and a fault reference voltage, the fault may be detected.

Abstract: A spectrophotometer employs an array of optical elements to focus light from at least one, but preferably two light sources onto a fiber optic beam splitter that provides a pickup for a selected bandwidth of wavelengths of light in the spectral pattern. The spectral pattern can include wavelengths in the visible, near infrared and ultraviolet spectrum. To create the spectral pattern, two reflecting prisms having spherical surfaces are used, and the optical elements are arranged so that the two spectral bands from each prism are longitudinally aligned to create the spectral pattern. The prisms are on a motor driven pivot mount so that the spectral pattern may be swept across the pickup. The optical elements and the pickup are sized so that the selected bandwidth is less than twenty nanometers over the spectral pattern. The pickup is formed by a single row of the ends of fiber optic strands which are then collimated into two bundles to transmit a test component and a reference component of light.

Abstract: A spectrophotometric system uses an immersible spectrophotometric probe that can be directly interfaced to a pH/ISE meter for calibration and read-out. The probe contains a light source, a photodetector, and interface circuitry for converting the signal from the photodetector to an output voltage within a predetermined range suitable for the pH/ISE meter (e.g., 0-1.8 volts). The probe housing can also include a sample chamber to provide a predefined optical path from the light source through a portion of the sample fluid to the photodetector. An optical filter can be included in the optical path to allow measurements within a selected wavelength range. The pH/ISE meter receives the output voltage from the probe, applies a calibration function, and displays the resulting value. In the preferred embodiment, the probe is designed as a unitary structure that is plug-compatible with most conventional pH/ISE meters.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for studying the conditions under which multiple condensed phases form during production, transportation, and processing of crude oil and other organic liquids. The sample temperature and pressure are controlled, and changes in fluorescence and/or electrical conductance or conductivity occurring within the sample due to formation of multiple condensed phases are detected. The measurements are made using a cell containing the liquid sample at elevated temperature and pressure. The cell has a generally cylindrical housing and separate means for visually inspecting a liquid sample which is present within the cell, controlling the temperature of the liquid sample, controlling the pressure of the liquid sample, detecting fluorescence changes occurring within the sample, and determining the electrical conductivity of the sample.

Abstract: A flying height tester that can vary an air pressure and measure an air bearing height between a slider and a substrate. The substrate is located within a chamber that has an air pressure. The tester includes a loader which places a slider adjacent to the substrate. An optical system computes the air bearing height from a light beam that is directed through the substrate and reflected off of the slider. The chamber is coupled to a pressure control system that can vary the pressure of the air surrounding the slider. The pressure control system varies the pressure to simulate slider operation at various altitudes. The tester of the present invention can thus measure air bearing height while simulating various altitude conditions.

Abstract: Coherent light emitted from a coherent light source 1 is sent as a probe beam through a connector 31 into an optical fiber being measured. A portion of this beam is sent to an optical frequency converter 100 to form an optical pulse train having a frequency which is frequency-swept in steps of a designated frequency at a designated periodicity, and an optical pulse having a designated frequency is extracted from the optical pulse train by an electro-optic switch 18 and sent to the optical fiber being measured. Then, a signal beam exiting the optical fiber being measured is heterodyne-received by means of a local beam passing through either a connecting optical fiber 6 side or a frequency shifter 7 side according to the selection of optical switches 4 and 5. Consequently, it is possible to measure the characteristics of the optical fiber by means of a BOTDR, BOTDA or a COTDR.

Abstract: A torch for Inductively Coupled Plasma Spectrometry (ICPS) is formed from quartz and has inner and outer tubes defining an annular channel. The end of the inner tube is within an end portion of the outer tube, to define a chamber for a plasma ball. An inlet for a main gas flow opens tangentially into the annular channel. The annular channel is configured so as to maximize the swirl component of this flow. To this end, a connection to the inlet is provided with an annular toroidal shape, having a cross-section to or larger than the inlet. Further, the inlet is mounted relatively close to the end of the inner tube, so as to minimise decay of the swirl component as the gas flows along the annular channel, the length of the annular channel being sufficient to ensure that the flow leaving the annular channel is uniform and has a uniform swirl component.

Abstract: Benzene and substituted aromatic hydrocarbons can be predicted within .+-.0.31% vol or better, using Raman NIR spectroscopy and multivariate analysis, with optional fiberoptics multistreaming, preferably with Partial Least Squares regression analysis. The resulting signal can be used to control concentration of such compounds in product to desired levels.

Abstract: The linearity of a fiber optic gyroscope can be improved by dithering the gyroscope's feedback signal. Any undesirable effects introduced by the dithering signal are removed by processing the gyroscope data over an entire cycle of the dithering signal. A further improvement in linearity can be achieved by introducing a compensation signal.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for optical detection and imaging of regional circulatory flow in biological tissues for research purposes. An animal or plant organ is perfused with a saline suspension of colored and/or fluorescent microspheres. The organ is excised and fixed in the form of a specimen block for mounting in a microtome or other suitable apparatus. Under automatic control of a microcomputer equipped with a frame grabber, a surface layer of the block is removed, the resulting new exposed surface of the block receives a flash of illumination from a light source, and light reflected by colored microspheres or, alternatively, light emitted by fluorescent microspheres, is detected by a CCD video camera aimed at the block. Also under microcomputer control, light filters having suitable light bandpasses are interposed between the light sources and the block, and between the block and the camera.

Abstract: An optical waveguide splice (SP) is subjected for a prescribable test period to a tensile stress (F), while the light (SL) is launched upstream of the splice (SP) and light (EL) is coupled out downstream of the splice (SP) and the optical power (a) thereof is determined continuously as a function of the tensile stress (F).

Abstract: An integrated-optic sensor includes a waveguide made from a substrate that is doped with rare-earth elements. A beam of light propagating along the waveguide excites these elements, causing them to emit light and thereby increase the total amount of light being propagated in the waveguide. The waveguide itself functions as a laser, so that any change in an optical property of an analyte material which forms a portion of the laser cavity can affect the operation of the laser. Consequently, the wavelength or power of light produced by the laser changes, in direct response to changes in the concentration of a material being sensed, and these changes are enhanced due to the inherent gain characteristics of the laser media.

Abstract: In an information gathering system especially suited to the monitoring of vegetable products in sorting apparatus, a light beam (23) is directed by a scanning source such as a laser (11) at the surface of an object (2) such as a tomato moving in the direction x--x through a scanning zone. The scanning operation is conducted in the y--y direction. Directly reflected light returned from the surface of the object (2) along a path (17) extending from light beam target region (12) is sensed by a line detector (14), which provides an output signal indicative of the level, of the directly reflected light. Light entering the material of the organic product (2) is subjected to a light scattering or diffusing process within the material of the product, so that at least a region (13) of the surface of the product (12) surrounding the target zone (12) of light beam (23) becomes lit-up or illuminated from within.

Abstract: A light return loss measurement method and system with an optical time domain reflectometer (OTDR) which displays an output of an arithmetic circuit. The method and system permits measurement of the light return loss over an arbitrary interval of an optical fiber. The system's arithmetic circuit calculates light return loss across a measurement interval set in a display waveform data by dividing a predetermined light return loss and integrating the measured waveform by multiplying the set interval by a light interception correction constant. The integration performed is a quadrature of various sections of an optical fiber. The light return loss measurement method and system also permits easy calibration of the light return loss in the OTDR.

Abstract: In an optical line testing device, light pulses are radiated to an optical line so as to receive response light, corresponding to each of the light pulses reflected by the optical line, for a certain period of time. The response light is converted to waveform data. The waveform data are averaged to create averaged data. The averaged data are stored in a memory and are also used to visually display a response waveform corresponding to the response light. A human operator manipulates an operator console while looking at the response waveform so as to analyze the response waveform, thus detecting a property of the optical line. A data range is set between first data and last data selected from among the averaged data representing the response waveform. According to an optical line testing method, the data range is partitioned into several regions so that an approximate line is calculated, using a method of least squares, with respect to each of the regions.

Abstract: Apparatus for improving the bias stability of a ring laser gyro by selecting a secondary transverse mode and controlling the path length of the gyro to maintain the selected mode.

Abstract: A tomographic imaging system works with a conventional real image formed by, e.g., a lens. Scanning is over an image formation area of the image plane. A plurality of differently-oriented scanning apertures are disposed over the surface of a spinning element (disk or rotor drum). A detector is located behind the image plane for creating a signal proportional to light passing through the scanning apertures, which sweep over the image. The apertures are swept through the image plane in a first direction by the spinning of the disk or drum; they are simultaneously swept in a second direction, also lying in the image plane, that is perpendicular to the first direction, by appropriate mechanical mechanism. The simultaneous sweeps allow signal processing means to reconstruct from the detector signal a scanned image by using conventional tomographic algorithms. The device may include a variable-diameter aperture and means for moving the aperture over the image formation area; this acts as a "zoom".

Abstract: A method of detecting variation in the diameter of an optical fiber includes the following steps:transversely illuminating a portion of the fiber by means of an incident light beam,measuring a radiation pattern produced by the fiber portion in a predetermined acute angular sector around the fiber, anddetecting variation in the diameter of the optical fiber causing modification of the angular radiation pattern produced in this way.The angular sector is defined by angles of 90.degree. and 105.degree. or by angles of 255.degree. and 270.degree..

Abstract: An optical detector for flowing sample comprises a light condenser for condensing a diverging monochrome light, a flow cell arranged in the course of convergence of the converged light beam, and a sample-side detector for receiving a sample-side light. Such a construction makes it possible to correct delicate changes of the light axis due to intensity, position, temperature changes of the light source, density change of the flowing liquid, and any change of other causes effectively for stable sample analysis without difficult optical adjustment.