Abstract: The differential drive circuit generates a differential drive signal having a root mean square value defined by a digital input value. The differential drive signal includes a first differential component and a second differential component. The circuit comprises a first differential component generator and a second differential component generator. The first differential component generator is for counting the clock signal to generate successive values of a periodic count. Each of the values includes a most-significant bit. The first differential component generator is additionally for generating the first differential component in response to successive ones of the most-significant bit of the count. The second differential component generator is for generating the second differential component in response to the digital input value and the successive values of the count.

Abstract: Light emission methods and light emission devices are described including methods and devices capable of emitting light at a plurality of controllable wavelengths. According to one aspect, a light emission method includes providing a control signal and emitting light using a laser operating in a plurality of polarization states. The polarization state of the laser is adjusted responsive to the control signal and the wavelength of the light emitted using the laser is adjusted responsive to the adjustment of the polarization state of the laser.

Abstract: Methods for performing time-domain equalization of an information signal represented by an optical signal are provided. A representative method includes: receiving the optical signal; optically splitting the optical signal into beams; optically delaying at least one of the beams; detecting a plurality of the beams to generate respective electrical signal components; and combining a plurality of the electrical signal components to generate an electrical output signal representing the information signal. Systems and other methods also are provided.

Abstract: A programmable optical waveguide cross-connection array including a supporting substrate, one or more first waveguides fixed to the supporting substrate, one or more second waveguides fixed to the supporting substrate and disposed to form one or more intersections with the first waveguides, and an optical boundary or cavity in at least one switched intersection; whereby the optical signal entering the switched intersection from a first waveguide is redirected by the cavity to exit the switched intersection by way of the second waveguide. The device embodies a network of intersecting waveguides in which cross-connections between selected waveguide pairs can be permanently programmed at low cost. The programmable optical substrate provides customized local connectivity between a plurality of optical components and may be efficiently and reliably fabricated in large quantities.

Abstract: An optical retimer is provided that retimes an optical data signal entirely in the optical domain, thus eliminating the need for optical-to-electrical and electrical-to-optical converters, which are needed to perform retiming in the electrical domain. Eliminating these conversion steps also eliminates, or at least decreases, the potential for errors in the retimed optical signal, such as jitter. The optical retimer samples the optical data signal during a clock cycle that has been determined by clock recovery, allows the sampled signal to traverse an optical pathway for the remainder of the cycle, out-couples a fraction of the sampled optical signal each time the signal traverses the optical pathway, and amplifies the signal traversing the pathway to maintain the signal at the power level it had when it was sampled. By the end of the clock cycle, the out-coupled signal corresponds to a retimed version of the original signal, synchronized to the recovered clock signal.

Abstract: A photodiode array includes a plurality of arrayed individual diode devices. The arrayed diode devices include at least one active photodiode and at least one reference diode. A bias control circuit for the array monitors operation of the reference diode at an applied first bias voltage and adjusts that applied first bias voltage until optimal reference diode operation is reached. A second bias voltage having predetermined relationship to the first bias voltage is applied to the active photodiode to optimally configure array operation. More specifically, an operational characteristic of the reference diode at the first bias voltage is monitored and compared to a reference value. As a result of this comparison, the circuit adjusts the applied first and second bias voltage in order to drive the reference diode measured characteristic to substantially match the reference value.

Abstract: A liquid crystal micro display (lcmd) is manufactured by creating a hole in an lcmd surface, filling the lcmd with liquid crystal material through the hole, and then sealing the hole. The invention allows an lcmd to be tested before it is separated from other lcmds and packaged. As a result, the invention increases the yield and reduces the cost associated with lcmd manufacturing.

Abstract: The tunable optical filter comprises a Fabry-Perot cavity and a controlled-index device. The controlled-index device is located in the Fabry-Perot cavity and has a refractive index responsive to a control signal. The Fabry-Perot cavity has at least one resonant optical frequency that depends on the refractive index of the controlled-index device. The Fabry-Perot cavity has a maximum transmissivity for light having a frequency equal to its resonant optical frequency, and attenuates light whose frequency differs from the resonant optical frequency. Thus, the control signal controls the frequency of the light transmitted by the tunable optical filter.

Abstract: A microfluidic system for steering subject materials to a next processing region includes a substrate having at least one embedded gas generator that is activated in response to the result of an initial process, whereby a gas is formed having pressure to steer the subject materials to the next processing region. The gas generator includes resistors that are electrically activated. As current passes through the resistors, thermal energy is released to decompose a selected material from a solid or liquid state to gaseous state. In an alternative embodiment, a gas generator is activated in response to an external control.

Abstract: Solid state illumination using closed loop spectral control. Light emitting diodes producing different colors are mounted in close proximity to photosensors. Spectral content of the light emitting diodes is measured by the photosensors, and these measurements used to adjust light emitting diode currents to achieve the desired spectral characteristics.

Abstract: A digital pixel driver that operates in response to an M-bit digital input value defining the apparent brightness of the pixel. The pixel driver generates a pixel drive signal having a duty cycle that sets the apparent brightness of the pixel. The pixel driver comprises a memory, a digital sequence generator and a comparator. The memory receives and stores an N-bit word that represents the digital input value. The digital sequence generator generates a digital sequence of P-bit digital values that defines the temporal duration of the pixel drive signal and includes a first P-bit word that represents at least part of the digital input value at a location temporally corresponding to the duty cycle of the pixel drive signal as defined by the at least part of the digital input value. The comparator is connected to receive the digital sequence from the digital sequence generator and a second P-bit word from the memory. The second P-bit word constitutes at least part of the N-bit word.

Abstract: Luminaire for a traffic control system using light emitting diodes, in which a first group of light emitting diodes operate during normal operation, and a second group of light emitting diodes operate from a backup power source during power failures.

Abstract: A microdisplay is provided in which a display area, a bonding pad connected to the display area, and a contact pad operatively connected to the bonding pad are all located on a silicon die. An electrically conductive, coated glass is located over the display area and is electrically connected to the contact pad by a flexible conductive material. Under the coated glass is a material which responds to electricity to control the transmission or emission of light.

Abstract: An image sensing device includes: a light source, a recording member on which an image is formed and conveyed in one direction, illumination system for causing a light beam emitted from the light source to obliquely illuminate the recording member and, imaging system for condensing specularly reflected light from the image on the recording member and causing the reflected light to travel to a surface of a photodetector, so that the image sensing device obtains positional information of the image on the recording member on the basis of a signal obtained by the photodetector.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are described for monitoring the life of an arc lamp bulb. The apparatus includes a memory that stores a threshold property value. An arc lamp bulb property sensor acquires a current arc lamp bulb property value. A control circuit compares the current arc lamp bulb property value with the threshold property value. The control circuit generates an end-of-life notification signal when the current arc lamp bulb property value meets the threshold property value.

Abstract: An on-chip system and method for calibrating an illumination source includes a photo-detector and intensity sense and control circuitry resident on an integrated circuit. The integrated circuit is illuminated by an illumination source, which impinges upon the photo-detector. The intensity sense and control circuitry receives the measured intensity value of the illumination source and compares the measured intensity to a predetermined value representing the desired intensity. Subject to a range of operation, the intensity sense and control circuitry adjusts the intensity of the illumination source based upon the difference between the measured illumination intensity and the desired illumination intensity.

Abstract: A lithium secondary battery has high capacity and excellent current characteristics. The lithium battery comprises of a positive electrode, a negative electrode and an electrolyte; a least one of the electrodes contains ceramics particles such as Al2O3 irresponsible for the charge ad discharge reactions of the battery. The presence of the ceramics particles in the electrode leads to a decrease in the internal resistance of the battery because of the enhancement of ion conductivity in the electrode, resulting in higher capacity at high rate discharge of the lithium secondary battery.

Abstract: Disclosed is a polymer electrolyte battery affording a high capacity density in which a layer of electrode active material mixture containing a polymer has an adequately regulated porosity and/or polymer content. The battery includes a unitary laminated battery sheet composed of a negative electrode combined with positive electrodes, with a porous polymer separator being placed on both surfaces of the negative electrode. Each of the electrodes comprises a current collector and a layer of active material mixture disposed on both surfaces of the current collector, and the polymer is capable of absorbing and retaining nonaqueous electrolyte. The separator and the layer of electrode active material mixture have a porosity of 30 to 60%. Preferable polymer contents in the layer of active material mixture are in a range of 5 to 10 wt % for the positive electrode and in a range of 7 to 16 wt % for the negative electrode.

Abstract: Matched digital-to-analog conversions are performed in which, in each of N parallel channels, a digital input word is converted into a corresponding analog output. A digital sequence is generated, a time-varying analog signal having a predetermined relationship to the digital sequence is generated in response to the digital sequence, and the digital sequence and the time-varying analog signal are distributed to the N parallel channels. In each of the N parallel channels, the digital input word is digitally compared with the digital sequence, and, when the digital sequence is numerically equal to the digital input word, the time-varying analog signal is sampled to provide the analog output. The single time-varying analog signal derived from the single digital sequence at an operational speed at which high accuracy and low power consumption can be easily attained enables well-matched digital-to-analog conversions to be performed in any number of channels ranging from a few to many thousands.

Abstract: A gelled polymer electrolyte having a high mechanical strength and a high ion conductivity and a lithium polymer battery using the same electrolyte are disclosed. The gelled polymer electrolyte comprises a polymer alloy and an organic electrolyte solution, wherein the polymer alloy includes a polymer which is hardly soluble in the organic electrolyte solution and another polymer which is soluble in the organic electrolyte solution. The lithium polymer battery comprises a negative electrode including metallic lithium, a lithium alloy, carbon or an inorganic compound, and a positive electrode including an active material of a metal oxide capable of intercalating and deintercalating lithium in a reversible manner, such as LiCoO.sub.2, LiNiO.sub.2 or the like, and the gelled polymer electrolyte placed between both electrodes.