Abstract: An optical distance sensor includes a first substrate provided with a light emitting element and a light detecting element, a one-piece optical structure body on a second substrate, the optical structure body having optical elements for converging incident light in a direction parallel to a surface of the second substrate and for converging an outgoing light beam from the light emitting element and a light beam reflected by an object in the direction parallel to the surface of the second substrate, and lenses for converging incident light in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the second substrate and for converging the outgoing light beam from the light emitting element and the light beam reflected by the object in the direction perpendicular to the surface of the second substrate, respectively.

Abstract: A sliding door system has a pair of horizontally opposed vertical surfaces defining therebetween an opening, an upper horizontal surface connecting uppermost ends of the vertical surfaces, a lower horizontal surface connecting lowermost ends of the vertical surfaces, and a door moving horizontally to open and close the opening. The sliding door system also includes a first optical device having a light emitter for emitting light, a second optical device having a light detector for detecting the light, and a light reflector for reflecting the light emitted from the light emitter to the light receiver. The light reflector is positioned in at least one of the horizontally opposed vertical surfaces. The first and second optical devices are positioned in the upper horizontal surface.

Abstract: A sensor head includes a first substrate provided with a light emitting element and a light detecting element, a one-piece optical structure body on a second substrate, the optical structure body having optical elements for converging incident light in a direction parallel to a surface of the second substrate and for converging an outgoing beam from the light emitting element and a light beam reflected by an object in the direction parallel to the surface of the second substrate, and lenses for converging incident light in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the second substrate and for converging the outgoing beam from the light emitting element and the light beam reflected by the object in the direction perpendicular to the surface of the second substrate, respectively.

Abstract: An identity verification apparatus includes a light source for applying light that can pass through an object to be detected having a fingerprint to the object to be detected, an image pickup unit for picking up both light emitted out of the light source and passing through projections of the fingerprint and light emitted out of the light source and passing through depressions of the fingerprint, and for generating a fingerprint image including dark portions corresponding to the projections and bright portions corresponding to the depressions, and a signal processing unit for performing image processing on the fingerprint image generated by the image pickup unit so as to generate fingerprint information, and for verifying an identity based on the fingerprint information.

Abstract: An irregular pattern detector includes a first optical system, a transparent light guide body and a second optical system. The first optical system has a light source. The transparent light guide body has an incident face receiving incident light from the light source of the first optical system, a detection face facing the incident face for placing of a subject having an irregular pattern, a curved surface reflecting scattered light from the detection face, an optical absorbing face facing the curved surface and having an opening outputting light reflected from the curved surface. The second optical system, such as an imaging lens, guides the light from the opening of the optical absorbing face of the transparent light guide body to a camera device. This irregular pattern detector can be scaled down, and can produced precise images without any deformation.

Abstract: A sliding door system 10 has a pair of horizontally opposed vertical surfaces 82 defining therebetween an opening 34, an upper horizontal surface 84 connecting uppermost ends of the vertical surfaces, a lower horizontal surface 94 connecting lowermost ends of the vertical surfaces, and a door 38 moving horizontally to open and close the opening. The sliding door system 10 also includes a first optical device 78 having a light emitter 88 for emitting light, a second optical device 80 having a light receiver 90 for receiving the light, and a light reflector 89 for reflecting the light emitted from the light emitter to the light receiver. The light reflector 89 is positioned in at least one of the horizontally opposed vertical surfaces. The first and second optical devices are positioned in the upper horizontal surface 84.

Abstract: An elevator system has a pair of horizontally opposed vertical surfaces defining therebetween a doorway or opening to an elevator cage and a door moving horizontally to open and close the opening. In particular, the system has a first optical device having a light emitter for emitting light and a second optical device having a light receiver for receiving the light emitted from the light emitter. The first and second optical devices are positioned in a vertical plane crossing the opening and adjacent to the opening. One of the first and second optical devices is positioned below the other of the first and second optical devices and mounted in the vertical surface.

Abstract: A sensor head includes a first substrate provided with a light emitting element and a light receiving element, an optical structure body formed in one piece on a second substrate, the optical structure body having a plurality of optical elements intended for converging incident light in a parallel direction to a surface of the second substrate, for converging an outgoing beam from the light emitting element and a light beam reflected by an object to be measured in the parallel direction to the surface of the second substrate, and lenses intended for converging incident light in a perpendicular direction to the surface of the second substrate, for converging the outgoing beam from the light emitting element and the light beam reflected by the object to be measured in the perpendicular direction to the surface of the second substrate, respectively.

Abstract: An elevator system has a pair of horizontally opposed vertical surfaces defining therebetween a doorway or opening to an elevator cage and a door moving horizontally to open and close the opening. In particular, the system has a first optical device having a light emitter for emitting light and a second optical device having a light receiver for receiving the light emitted from the light emitter. The first and second optical devices are positioned in a vertical plane crossing the opening and adjacent to the opening. One of the first and second optical devices is positioned below the other of the first and second optical devices and mounted in the vertical surface.

Abstract: An irregular pattern detector includes a first optical system, a transparent light guide body and a second optical system. The first optical system has a light source. The transparent light guide body has an incident face receiving an incident light from the light source of the first optical system, a detection face provided to face the incident face and for placing a subject having an irregular pattern thereon, a curved surface reflecting scattering light from the detection face, an optical absorbing face provided to face the curved surface and having an opening part outputting the reflection light from the curved surface. The second optical system such as an imaging lens guides the light from the opening part of the optical absorbing face of the transparent light guide body to a camera device. This irregular pattern detector can be scaled down, and can obtain precise images without any deformation.

Abstract: A detecting unit provided with an optical system is disposed away from a control unit formed by an electric circuit and an optical transmission/receiving means, and the detecting unit and the control unit are coupled through a transmission optical fiber. The control unit transmits to the detecting unit through the optical fiber a light wave which was subjected to the intensity modulation by a sinusoidal wave of a predetermined frequency. The transmitted light wave is branched into at least two branched optical paths within the detecting unit thereby to perform the phase modulation as to the respective light waves. The light waves passed through the respective branched optical paths are subjected to the phase modulation by the sinusoidal waves which differ in phase 1/4 period by 1/4 period from one another according to a position on a straight line or a rotation angle of a subject to be detected.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical rotary encoder for detecting a position optically. In the optical rotary encoder of the invention, a light beam reflected by a half mirror enters a deflector, whereby it is reflected while being deflected in a certain direction. The reflected light beam again enters the half mirror. Transmitted light from the half mirror enters a position detector, in which a light spot is formed on an annular photodiode. The path of the reflected light from the deflector forms a cone having a vertical angle which is twice the angle of deflection of the deflector. The position detector is disposed perpendicularly to the optical axis of the reflected light in the case of the deflection angle being 0.degree. and with the center of the annular photodiode made coincident with the said optical axis. A suitable distance between the deflector and the photodiode is selected so that a light spot is radiated onto the photodiode.

Abstract: An irregular pattern input device includes an optical fiber bundle in which an entrance surface and an exit surface are respectively formed at both ends thereof. Lighting means emits irradiation light so as to provide a light pattern according to a convex portion of a subject in contact with the entrance surface, and according to a concave portion of the subject in no contact with the entrance surface. In this case, an angle of incidence of the irradiation light is set to be larger than a critical angle on an interface between a core portion of each optical fiber of the optical fiber bundle and the air. It is thereby possible to provide total reflection on the entrance surface in no contact with the concave portion of the subject, and non-total reflection on the entrance surface in contact with the convex portion of the subject, resulting in reflected light having a light pattern according to an irregular pattern.