Abstract: Systems (100) and methods (500, 600) for monitoring at least one dynamic characteristic (DC) of a surface or surrounding environment. An RFID Tag and Sensor Module (RFID-TSM) is disposed on a surface. The RFID-TSM (1081, . . . , 108N) collects information relating to DC. A communication device (CD) is disposed within a communications range of DC. CD (102) comprises an RFID reader (104) and customizable software application (258). The RFID-TSM senses DC and communicates data relating to DC to CD. CD determines if a condition exits using the data and software application. In response to the existence of the condition, an operation is performed by CD using the software application. The operation can involve communicating the data and other information to at least one external device (112, 116) that is remote from CD. The condition, operation, information and external device can be defined by a consumer during a user-interactive session.

Abstract: A photonic integrated chip having low insertion loss and facilitating alignment of the optical fiber with an optical device, preferably a waveguide or optical detector. The photonic integrated chip includes an optical fiber having a substantially spherical lens attached to one end. The device includes an etched via that receives the spherical lens attached to the optical fiber. An optical device is aligned with the via opposite the spherical lens such that light transmitted through the spherical lens is transmitted to the optical device. An anti-reflection coating is preferably applied on the end of the optical device abutting the via and the surface of the spherical lens to reduce scattering and insertion loss during transmission of data from the spherical lens to the optical device. Index matching fluid is alternatively disposed between the spherical lens and the via for this same purpose.

Abstract: Device whereby one or more bands of optical wavelengths may be selected for further transmission. All light within the optical bandwidth of operation is first coupled from the core mode of an optical fiber to a specific cladding mode by a chirped broadband cladding mode coupler. These cladding mode lightwaves then enter a narrow-band core mode coupler whereby selected optical bands of wavelengths, tuned by the tension on the optical fiber, are re-coupled back into the core of the optical fiber. The chirped broadband cladding mode coupler is isolated from the narrow-band core mode coupler by an acoustic absorber to limit the acoustic interaction between them.

Abstract: A device whereby one or more bands of optical wavelengths may be selected for further transmission. All light within the optical bandwidth of operation is first coupled from the core mode of an optical fiber to a specific cladding mode by a chirped broadband cladding mode coupler. These cladding mode lightwaves then enter a narrow-band core mode coupler whereby selected optical bands of wavelengths are re-coupled back into the core of the optical fiber. The chirped broadband cladding mode coupler is isolated from the narrow-band core mode coupler by an acoustic absorber to limit the acoustic interaction between them.

Abstract: A device whereby one or more bands of optical wavelengths may be selected for further transmission. All light within the optical bandwidth of operation is first coupled from the core mode of an optical fiber to a specific cladding mode by a chirped broadband cladding mode coupler. These cladding mode lightwaves then enter a narrow-band core mode coupler whereby selected optical bands of wavelengths are re-coupled back into the core of the optical fiber. The chirped broadband cladding mode coupler is isolated from the narrow-band core mode coupler by an acoustic absorber to limit the acoustic interaction between them.

Abstract: The acousto-optic bandpass filter is a device whereby one or more bands of optical wavelengths may be selected for further transmission. In this device, all light within the optical bandwidth of operation is first coupled from the core mode of a optical fiber to a specific cladding mode by a long-period photo-induced grating. These cladding mode lightwaves then enter an acousto-optic interaction region where selected RF frequencies of flexure waves, induced by an acoustic wave amplifier, re-couple selected bands of wavelengths back into the core mode. The interaction region is isolated from the broadband coupler by an acoustic absorber to limit acoustic interaction to the interaction region.

Abstract: The acousto-optic bandpass filter is a device whereby one or more bands of optical wavelengths may be selected for further transmission. In this device, all light within the optical bandwidth of operation is first coupled from the core mode of a optical fiber to a specific cladding mode by a long-period photo-induced grating. These cladding mode lightwaves then enter an acousto-optic interaction region where selected RF frequencies of flexure waves, induced by an acoustic wave amplifier, re-couple selected bands of wavelengths back into the core mode. The interaction region is isolated from the broadband coupler by an acoustic absorber to limit acoustic interaction to the interaction region.

Abstract: The present invention stores and retrieves digital information by altering the phase transmission characteristics of a multiple layer phase recording by modulating the carrier frequency and the carrier frequency angle. These layers are organized into several regions, called page areas, which contain an array of juxtaposed encoded digital information data. Each page area may have several pages of digital information; each recorded with a different carrier frequency and carrier angle. The data layers are stacked together and aligned such that the page areas and encoded digital information on them are also aligned with each other into books. When one of these books is selectively illuminated by a controllable light source, a lenslet aligned with that book projects the transformed images of the data pages within that book, through a shutter array, and a reimaging lens onto a photosensor detector array.