Abstract: Systems and methods for regulating optical power are described. A system for regulating optical power includes a laser driver circuit that receives an enable/disable signal and a data modulator input. The enable/disable signal regulates asynchronous mode operation. The system also includes a laser module including a laser diode emitter and a photodiode detector. The laser module is coupled to the laser driver circuit and receives a laser bias current from the laser driver circuit. The system also includes a switch coupled to the photodiode to receive a signal from the photodiode detector. The system also includes an automatic power control (APC) feedback circuit that receives a signal from the switch and provides a laser bias current feedback signal to the laser driver circuit to compensate for power output changes in the laser diode emitter over time.

Abstract: The measuring device of the invention uses a capacitor polarized by a continuous voltage and conditioned by a continuous charge amplifier, this charge amplifier having a high-band filter structure, preferably of the second order. The technology of the capacitor and the linking cable is coaxial. The tuning of the chain measurement is effected theoretically without needing standardization.

Abstract: A technique for measuring capacitance and displacement, in which two circuits are combined, one that produces a current proportional to capacitance, and another that integrates that current between two reference levels, and supplies an output proportional to the integration time. In preferred embodiments, the first circuit is a capacitive pump circuit, and the second circuit a dual-slope integrator.

Abstract: A diode driver circuit has an adjustable, fixed-value current source and a variable offset current source for drawing a bias current through a laser diode. A Darlington pair buffer circuit isolates the diode from the rest of the driver circuit. The output current of the offset current source is controlled by a number of digital-to-analog converters each controlling a different contribution to the total offset current. A diode protector circuit protects the diode when the system is in an inactive state.

Abstract: A temperature controller for a thermal system comprises a linearized feedback loop. A linearized thermistor and heating element are disclosed. A current source adjusts the bias current of the thermistor so that the thermistor voltage is equal to a given voltage when the thermistor is at the desired temperature. When the thermistor is biased in this way, the incremental gain from temperature errors to thermistor voltage errors becomes independent of set point. The heating element includes a power regulator and a power resistor. Because temperature is a linearly related to the power dissipated in the power resistor, square-law circuitry keeps the voltage output of the power regulator linearly related to the square root of the error in the controlled temperature. In other embodiments of the invention, a voltage source adjusts the bias voltage of the thermistor so that the incremental gain from temperature errors to thermistor current errors is independent of set point.

Abstract: A fast settling amplifier for use in a phase locking system operative to phase lock a local clock to incoming data bits in a packet of short duration within a specified accuracy range, using no more than a few initial bits of the packet. Phase locking is achieved by phase shifting the data packet bits relative to a local clock signal a fixed, non-integral fraction of a bit period until the phasing lies within the specified range. The phasing is then accurate enough to permit signal decoding with an open loop over the limited duration of the packet. The phase locking process is activated each time the beginning of a new packet is detected. A Manchester code is typically utilized as the representation of the signal upon which synchronization is achieved.

Abstract: The amount of electrically conductive finish that has been applied to a filament is determined by measuring the conductance of a length of the filament. The measurements are made independently of any difference in conductivity of finish mediums by means of a reference cell containing a sample of the particular finish medium used. An electric measurement circuit provides an indication of the amount of finish medium on the filament by determining the ratio of the conductance of the length of filament to the conductance of the reference cell. In one circuit embodiment, two operational amplifiers are placed in series. The reference cell takes the place of the feedback resistor of one operational amplifier and the length of filament takes the place of the input resistance of the other amplifier. The resulting output of the series circuit is a scaled ratio of the conductances of the finish along the length of filament and in the cell.

Abstract: An optical torquemeter adapted to provide torque readings as accurate as 1-to-2 foot pounds over a torque range of the order of 1 to 2 thousand foot pounds. It converts a binary-type optical message to an electric signal in the form of variable-width pulses. The width of the electric pulses indicates both the magnitude and the direction of torque and the pulses are processed to provide an output representing torque.