Abstract: A command selector includes a scroll wheel mounted in a support and free to rotate about a main axis, a fixed printed circuit board, a detection wheel rotating about a secondary axis, a means of transmission rotationally connecting the scroll wheel to the detection wheel of which the rotations are detected by a rotation sensor arranged on the printed circuit board. The main axis and the secondary axis are non-parallel, the means of transmission defines an angle, and the detection wheel rotating in a plane parallel to the printed circuit board, the secondary axis being perpendicular to the printed circuit board, so as to minimize the circumscribed volume of the selector.

Abstract: A control module includes a fixed control apparatus which is provided with a touch-sensitive surface so as to provide a control signal representative of the position or of the movement of a finger on the sensitive surface. The sensitive surface of the control apparatus includes a toroidal portion arranged about a main axis. The control module includes a control unit which is designed to detect an axial component and a circumferential component of a tactile movement on the sensitive surface so as to produce a processed control signal which is a function of these two components.

Abstract: A control module includes a fixed control apparatus which is provided with a touch-sensitive surface so as to provide a control signal representative of the position or of the movement of a finger on the sensitive surface. The sensitive surface of the control apparatus includes a toroidal portion arranged about a main axis. The control module includes a control unit which is designed to detect an axial component and a circumferential component of a tactile movement on the sensitive surface so as to produce a processed control signal which is a function of these two components.

Abstract: The invention relates to a head-up display device, including a projector for generating a light beam carrying information to be displayed, a combiner having a display position for displaying the information in the field of vision of a user, and an optical system defining an optical path between the projector and the combiner when the latter is in the display position thereof, for directing the light beam onto the combiner. The optical system includes a first and a second deflecting mirror. The first mirror is arranged for receiving the light beam from the projector and for sending said light beam to the second mirror, the latter being arranged for sending the light beam over the optical path toward the combiner. An actuation system is provided for adjusting the length of the optical path between the projector and the combiner by positioning the first and second deflecting mirrors.

Abstract: A command selector includes a scroll wheel mounted in a support and free to rotate about a main axis, a fixed printed circuit board, a detection wheel rotating about a secondary axis, a means of transmission rotationally connecting the scroll wheel to the detection wheel of which the rotations are detected by a rotation sensor arranged on the printed circuit board. The main axis and the secondary axis are non-parallel, the means of transmission defines an angle, and the detection wheel rotating in a plane parallel to the printed circuit board, the secondary axis being perpendicular to the printed circuit board, so as to minimize the circumscribed volume of the selector.

Abstract: An instrument cluster, in particular for a motor vehicle comprises a display screen to display information to the driver of the vehicle, a holographic memory containing the information stored in the form of holograms, and a light source to generate one or more reading light beams to extract the information to be displayed from the holographic memory and display the information extracted from the holographic memory on the display screen. A head-up display device is integrated in the instrument cluster and comprises a combiner that projects information extracted from the holographic memory into the head-up field of view of the driver.

Abstract: The invention relates to a head-up display device, including a projector for generating a light beam carrying information to be displayed, a combiner having a display position for displaying the information in the field of vision of a user, and an optical system defining an optical path between the projector and the combiner when the latter is in the display position thereof, for directing the light beam onto the combiner. The optical system includes a first and a second deflecting mirror. The first mirror is arranged for receiving the light beam from the projector and for sending said light beam to the second mirror, the latter being arranged for sending the light beam over the optical path toward the combiner. An actuation system is provided for adjusting the length of the optical path between the projector and the combiner by positioning the first and second deflecting mirrors.

Abstract: An indicator device for vehicles includes a fixed support mounted in the vicinity of a steering column, an actuation lever, a moveable finger mechanically connected to the actuation lever, and safety means. In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, the moveable finger is mounted on the fixed support slidingly between a position of engagement of its free end, pivoting of the moveable finger being possible only in the engagement position. Return means are provided to return the finger into its disengaged position. The moveable finger and the fixed support each include an indexing surface, and the two surfaces are superimposed as to co-operate with an elastic push button on the end of the actuation lever.

Abstract: The invention relates to an indicator device for vehicles, including: a fixed support (1) mounted in the vicinity of a steering column (2), an actuation lever (3), a moveable finger (4) mechanically connected to the actuation lever (3), and safety means. In accordance with the invention, the moveable finger (4) is mounted on the fixed support (1) slidingly between a position of engagement of its free end (5), pivoting of the moveable finger only being possible in the engagement position, return means (6) are provided to return the finger (4) into its disengaged position, the moveable finger (4) and the fixed support (1) each include an indexing surface (7, 8), the two surfaces (7, 8) being so superimposed as to co-operate with an elastic push button (3a) on the end of the actuation lever (3).

Abstract: The present invention provides a regenerator device for wavelength division multiplexed optical signals designed to regenerate the N channels of a multiplex simultaneously, the device being characterized in that it comprises at least one regenerator component (112, 152) suitable for coupling the inlet signal with a multiplex of N optical carriers, the regenerator component (112, 152) being constituted by a material presenting a spectrum line with non-uniform broadening so that there is no interaction between the various channels involved within the component.

Abstract: The device comprises a first opto-optical gate for resynchronization and a second opto-optical gate for amplitude regeneration, the signal output by the first gate being applied to the control input of the second gate. The device also includes an opto-optical gate for regenerating contrast which receives a signal to be generated both on a source input and on a control input. The opto-optical gate is a three-input Mach-Zehnder interferometer, with each of the two branches thereof having a respective semiconductor optical amplifier.

Abstract: The invention relates to a wavelength conversion apparatus for transmitting data carried by an incident pump wave beam of wavelength .lambda. to a probe wave of wavelength .lambda..sub.s. The apparatus has two semiconductor optical amplifiers and means for splitting the incident pump wave beam so as to inject a respective secondary pump wave beam into each of said optical amplifiers, said optical amplifiers are connected in series on the path of the probe wave so that each of them modulates said wave in intensity with the corresponding secondary pump wave beam by means of a crossover gain-saturation phenomenon.

Abstract: Optical communications system using traveling wave semiconductor optical amplifiers has at lest one optical fiber (2), tranceivers, (S1. . . , SN) placed along the fiber and having in each case at least one travelling wave semiconductor optical amplifier (A1. . . , AN), which is located in series with the fiber and transmission means (L1, L2) for feeding into the fiber at least one continuous optical signal. Each amplifier is used alternately to modulate the continuous optical signal in order to transmit information, and to detect information modulations of the optical signal which carry information.

Abstract: A multi-purpose component with integrated optics includes an optical light guide (12) formed on one face of a substrate (10) made of a double refracting material having neutral axes orientated so that one electromagnetic wave extending into the guide (12) is split up into two waves having polarizations perpendicular to each other and along the neutral axes. A power source (18) applies an electric filed perpendicular to the optical light guide (12) and uniformly along the guide (12). Two rectilinear polarizers (20, 22) with polarization directions (d1, d2) parallel to each other are each disposed at one extremity of the guide (12). The component also includes focussing means (24, 26, 28, 30). The component has particular utility for tuneable optical filtering and optical telecommunications.

Abstract: An image system (SPI) provides an image file which is recorded in a memory (3). A segmentation and framing module (M1) isolates each of the characters in the image file within individual matrices. A module (M2) finds primitive shapes in each character matrix by initially finding strokes therein and then substracting the strokes from the matrix. A module (M3) then makes a description of primitive shapes in the form of at least one partially ordered list of primitive shapes, and a module (M4) compares said description with standard description expressed in the same manner in a data base (M5). Character recognition, per se, is performed by determining the distances between the description of a character to be identified and the standard descriptions.

Abstract: A non-resonating laser diode optical amplifier comprises a strip of optically active material forming an amplifying optical guide, covered with a confinement sheath and defined by antireflection coating layers. The strip has end portions whose thickness is lesser than that of a central portion and is selected to give a low value to the difference between the wavelengths corresponding to the reflectivity minima for the two inherent polarization states. The end portions are connected to the central portion by transition sections having a progressively increasing thickness.

Abstract: The base comprises a metal support having a planar holder and a prismatic part provided with a slot, in which a metal strip is brazed. The upper edge of the strip is polished and receives the laser chip. An interconnection wafer is brazed to the holder.