Abstract: A sensor device (340) for determining a flow characteristic of an object (341) being movable in an element (342) comprises a light emitting unit (344) configured for emitting light towards the element (342) and a light detecting unit (344) configured for detecting light scattered back from the element (342). The sensor device (340) comprises an optical unit (346) configured for spatially separating a light incidence element portion (348) of the element (342) and a light detection element portion (350) of the element (342) from one another, wherein the light incidence element portion (348) is associated with the emitted light inciding on the element (342) and the light detection element portion (350) is associated with the back-scattered light scattered back from the element (342) for detection.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for measuring a distance. A self-mixing interference (SMI) unit (2) generates an SMI signal, wherein the SMI unit comprises a laser (3) emitting a first laser beam (4) for being directed to an object (5) and wherein the SMI signal depends on an interference of the first laser beam and a second laser beam (6) reflected by the object. A peak width determination unit (8) determines a peak width of the SMI signal, and a distance determination unit (9) determines a distance between the object and the SMI unit depending on the determined peak width of the SMI signal. Since the distance is determined depending on the peak width of the SMI signal, without requiring a laser driving current modulation, advanced electronics for modulating the driving current of the laser are not needed. This reduces the technical efforts needed for determining the distance.

Abstract: An optical storage medium (20) comprises a first data layer (21), for example a Blu-ray (BD) data layer. In addition, the optical storage medium (20) comprises a second data layer (23), for example a DVD data layer. The second data layer (23) is bonded to a substrate (25) using a third layer (27). The third layer (27) comprises an adhesive layer combined with a reactive layer. A reactive agent contained in the reactive layer acts to provide a limited lifetime to the data contained in the second layer (23). The second data layer (23) (i.e. having a limited lifetime) contains access data for controlling access to at least some of the data contained on the first data layer (21). In this way, access to a BD layer can be controlled by a separate DVD layer having a limited lifetime.

Abstract: The present invention refers to a method of operating a self-mixing interference sensor and a corresponding self-mixing interference sensor device. In the method the laser (1) of the device is controlled to periodically emit a laser pulse followed by an emission period of laser radiation having a lower amplitude. The pulse width of the laser pulse is selected such that the pulse after reflection at the object (3) re-enters the laser (1) during the emission period of laser radiation with lower amplitude. The corresponding SMI signal has an increased signal to noise ratio.

Abstract: The method is based on a determination of the orientation of the sensor to the surface moving with respect to the sensor and then acquiring data where the lateral velocity is small and the forward velocity is large. Then, the orientation of the sensor with respect to the direction of the forward velocity is determined and the velocity data subsequently measured are corrected using the measured orientation of the sensor with respect to the reference surface and the forward velocity direction.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus (1) for determining a flow property of a fluid (2). The apparatus comprises a distance and velocity determination unit (3) for determining distances of elements of the fluid to the distance and velocity determination unit (3) and for determining velocities of the elements at the same time based on a self-mixing interference signal. The apparatus (1) comprises further a flow determination unit (4) for determining the flow property of the fluid (2) based on at least one of the determined distances and velocities. This allows determining the flow property, even if the fluid (2) is optically thick.

Abstract: An optical sensor (600) for detecting the movement of an object relative to the position of the optical sensor (600), using self-mixing interference, is described. The optical sensor (600) comprises a laser (100), a detector (200) and a filter device (500). The filter device (500) suppresses measurement signals generated by means of the detector (200) when movements of the object at a velocity below a defined threshold value cause the measurement signals. The optical sensor (600) may be used in a switch in order to enable selective switching depending on the velocity of the movement of the object.

Abstract: The invention relates to a microelectronic sensor device for the detection of target components that comprise label particles, for example magnetic particles (1). The sensor device comprises a carrier (11) with a binding surface (12) at which target components can collect and optionally bind to specific capture elements. An input light beam (L1) is transmitted into the carrier and totally internally reflected at the binding surface (12). The amount of light in the output light beam (L2) and optionally also of fluorescence light emitted by target components at the binding surface is then detected by a light detector (31). Evanescent light generated during the total internal reflection is affected (absorbed, scattered) by target components and/or label particles (1) at the binding surface (12) and will therefore be missing in the output light beam (L2). This can be used to determine the amount of target components at the binding surface (12) from the amount of light in the output light beam (L2, L2a, L2b).

Abstract: The invention provides an efficient reading device in which, even if one radiation beam should fail, no information is lost and the information can still be read out without time-consuming recurring operations. The present invention solves this problem by providing a reading device (FIG. 5A) and a means (FIG. 4) for forming read-out spots (A, B, C, D, E) that are built up by multiple radiation beams from the radiation source (4). This has the advantage that each read-out spot will have energy contributions from different radiation beams and, should one radiation beam break down, the intensity of some of the read-out spots may indeed diminish, but the information can still be read out thanks to the contributions from other radiation beams.

Abstract: A method and a device for simultaneously reading information from a plurality of data tracks (14) of an optical disc (22) by means of a detector illuminating said plurality of data tracks with laser spots (25), wherein light reflected from the laser spots is collected by means of a servo lens (29), further providing the detector with a plurality of detector elements (28a, 28b, 28c, 31a, 42a, 28bc, 28cc, 32a, 32b, 42ac, 51a, 52a, 52b) spaced apart from each other, arranging each detector element to detect (read) light reflected from a data track allotted to each element, arranging at most two detector elements (28bc, 28cc, 32a, 32b, 42ac, 52a, 52b) to be segmented detectors for providing both a power signal for the allotted track and an output signal for focus error control in a servo system guiding said detector along said tracks, reading only the power signal for each track by means of second detector elements (28a, 28b, 28c, 31a, 42a, 51a) and arranging each one of said second detector elements to be of sub

Abstract: The present invention relates to providing a portable storage medium (10,20) and a stamping unit (70) for producing such a portable storage medium (10,20), for enabling reading data at a high data rate and writing data. The portable storage medium (10,20) for storing data, is further insertable in a data reading and/or writing device, comprises a data portion (12,22), wherein the data portion (12,22) comprises a first division comprising a group (32,418,54,64) of essentially parallel transversely separated first tracks (36,39,408), wherein said first tracks (36,39,408) have a first format, and a second division comprising a second track (33,52,62) of a second format, wherein the group (32,418,54,64) of essentially parallel transversely separated first tracks (36,39,408) has a parallel format, so as to enable parallel reading of content at a high data rate.

Abstract: An arrangement for read-out of information from an optical information carrier is disclosed. The system comprises a VCSEL for improving the signal-to-noise ratio of light reflected from and modulated by an information carrier. The VCSEL has a substrate that transmits the emission from the active regions of the VCSEL. Thereby, the need for beam-splitters in the detection branch of the device is completely eliminated.

Abstract: A method for measuring the laser power of a forward multiple beam generated by a laser diode array comprising at least two laser diodes, the method comprising a generation step, comprising generating the forward multiple beam; a separation step, comprising separating at least part of the forward multiple beam into individual beams (31, 32, 300, 301, 302, 303), the number of individual beams being equal to the number of laser diodes in the laser diode array, the arrangement being such that each individual beam comprises light originating from a single laser diode and a measurement step, comprising measuring the laser power of each individual beam by means of photo detectors (121, 122, 125, 126, 127, 128). The separation may be performed in space, by means of an imaging lens or making use of vignetting of the collimator lens, or in time.

Abstract: An optical storage medium (20) comprises a first data layer (21), for example a Blu-ray (BD) data layer. In addition, the optical storage medium (20) comprises a second data layer (23), for example a DVD data layer. The second data layer (23) is bonded to a substrate (25) using a third layer (27). The third layer (27) comprises an adhesive layer combined with a reactive layer A reactive agent contained in the reactive layer acts to provide a limited lifetime to the data contained in the second layer (23). The second data layer (23) (i.e. having a limited lifetime) contains access data for controlling access to at least some of the data contained on the first data layer (21). In this way, access to a BD layer can be controlled by a separate DVD layer having a limited lifetime.

Abstract: The invention applies to a 2D storage medium carrying meta-tracks of N (N>1) bit-rows, two adjacent meta-tracks being separated by a guard band of at least one bit-row referred to as guard band bit-row. The invention proposes to store non-content information in the guard band bit-row. The non-content information are clock data and/or control data.

Abstract: In conventional one-dimensional optical storage systems, the data is arranged in a linear fashion, and the format is read out by a single spot. A two-dimensional encoded disc is different, because the data is arranged in a two-dimensional manner (bits are on a bit lattice) and the data is read out by multiple spots. It is important to know the relative intensity of the read-out spots, because the intersymbol interference is used in the signal processing of the reflected signals, and the present invention provides a way of calibrating the relative intensities by placing one or more mirror sections (150) in a non user-data area of an optical record carrier (1) and using the signals reflected therefrom to determine the relative intensities and enable the required accurate calibration of the relative intensities. In one exemplary embodiment, a mirror section (15) is located in the lead-in area (2) of the record carrier (1) in addition to a plurality of broad meta-tracks containing calibration patterns (152).

Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical reader/writer for a two dimensional storage disc, comprising means (21, 22, 23, 14, 16, 15) for generating a plurality of laser beams and projecting said beams onto a rotating disc, means (24, 25, 26) for detecting the beams after being diffracted by the disc, and means (24, 27, 28) for determining a focus error signal (29) based on one of said plurality of beams. The plurality of beams comprises an array of beams having a first wavelength, and a dedicated focus tracking beam having a second wavelength, and the focus error signal (29) is based on said focus tracking beam. According to the invention, beams having one wavelength is used for the actual accessing of the data on the disc, while a beam having a second wavelength is used for focus tracking. The focus tracking can then be based on one single beam without interference from adjacent beams.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical system for performing radial tracking on an associated optical record carrier. The optical system contains at least one radiation-emitting device capable of emitting at least three beams: a first beam for reading and/or recording information, and at least a second beam and a third beam for tracking. The optical system is adapted for radial tracking of the first spot from a tracking error signal generated based on the high-frequency component of the central-aperture signal of the second and third beams. The tracking error signal may be generated based on a difference signal of a DC-level of the power of the high-frequency components of the central-aperture signal.

Abstract: An optical scanning device for scanning a first and a second information layer of an optical record carrier, a scanning method, and an optical record carrier. The device includes at least one radiation source for providing a first radiation beam for scanning the first information layer and a second radiation beam for scanning the second information layer. An objective lens system is arranged to converge the first and second radiation beams on the respective information layers. The device is configured to determine tracking information from only one of said radiation beams, for tracking error compensation.

Abstract: A device (1) for scanning an optical disc (6), the disc (6) comprising substantially parallel data tracks (10). The device (1) comprises an optical unit for creating track light spots (12) on the data tracks (10) and a plurality of detector light spots on a plurality of signal detectors. The device further comprises a focus error unit for with a beam manipulating element (21, 22, 22a, 92) for providing for at least one of the reflected beams a first optical path (24) to a first segmented detector (8a) and a second optical path (25) to a second segmented detector (8b).