Abstract: An optical pickup apparatus is provided for recording and/or reproducing information on an optical disc in which information can be recorded at recording positions. The optical pickup apparatus includes: a light source; a relay optical system; an objective lens for converging a light flux onto one of the plurality of recording positions; a photodetector for receiving a light flux from the optical disc; a detector; a first actuator; and a second actuator. The detector is provided for detecting information for keeping a distance between the optical disc and the objective lens a predetermined value. The first actuator is provided for driving the objective lens for keeping the distance between the optical disc and the objective lens the predetermined value. The second actuator is provided for driving the relay optical system corresponding to one of the plurality of recording positions where information is recorded and/or reproduced.

Abstract: An optical system for use in an optical pickup device for recording and/or reproducing information on an optical recording media, the optical system having an optical axis and comprising: an objective system for converging a light beam emitted from a light source on the optical recording media; an optical aberration correcting element comprising two lenses arranged on an optical path between the light source and the objective system and having an adjustable distance in the direction of the optical axis, the optical aberration correcting element comprising a ring-shaped phase structure formed in at least one lens surface of the optical aberration correcting element, and wherein the ring shaped phase structure is non-periodic and comprises a plurality of concentric ring surfaces k (k=1 . . . N), and each of the ring surfaces has a step in the direction of the optical axis between the adjacent ring surface.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical coupling lens and light source module. An optical coupling lens is provided for converging a light flux emitted from a light source to an entrance aperture. The optical coupling lens satisfies a predetermined condition according to a third-order astigmatisms coefficient of the optical coupling lens. A light source module includes: a light source; an optical waveguide; and an optical unit including one or more of an optical coupling lens for converging a light flux emitted from the light source onto the optical waveguide. At least one optical coupling lens satisfies predetermined condition according to a third-order astigmatism coefficient of the optical coupling lens.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical element for use in an optical pickup apparatus and an optical pickup apparatus. An optical element is provided for use in an optical pickup apparatus which records or reproduces information by converging a light flux from a light source onto an information recording surface of an optical disc and by receiving a light flux reflected by the information recording surface by a photodetector. The optical element includes: a first area including an optical axis of the optical element; and a second area surrounding the first area and including a diffractive structure in a radial shape. The first area transmits a light flux from the light source, and the second area diffracts a light flux with the predetermined wavelength from the light source.

Abstract: An optical pickup apparatus includes first and second light sources; an objective lens; a spherical aberration correcting optical unit; and a chromatic aberration correcting optical element which includes a diffractive surface on at least one optical surface of the chromatic aberration correcting optical element such that a diffractive structure which is constructed by a plurality of ring-shaped zones separated by fine steps is formed on the diffractive surface, wherein the depth of steps along an optical axis is designed so that n2, which is a diffraction order of a diffracted ray having a largest diffraction efficiency among diffracted rays caused when the second light flux enters into the diffractive structure, is a lower order than n1, which is a diffraction order of a diffracted ray having a largest diffraction efficiency among diffracted light rays caused when the second first light flux enters into the diffractive structure.

Abstract: An optical system for use in an optical pickup apparatus comprises a first optical surface having a superposition type diffractive structure including a plurality of ring-shaped zones which are formed concentrically around an optical axis, wherein each ring-shaped zone is composed of a plurality of stepped sections stepwise, and a second optical surface having a diffractive structure including a plurality of ring-shaped zones which are formed concentrically around an optical axis, wherein each of the plurality of ring-shaped zones are divided by a stepped section to generate a diffractive light ray of diffractive order whose absolute value is not small than 1 for the light flux.

Abstract: An optical communication module includes a first light-receiving element with a receiving surface in which a light flux with a wavelength ?1 emitted from an end surface of an optical fiber enters; a light-emitting element for emitting a light flux with a wavelength ?2; and a first optical element arranged between the first light-receiving element and the light-emitting element, and the end surface of the optical fiber. The first optical element includes a first optical surface with a positive refractive power and a second optical surface having a diffractive structure. One of the first optical surface and the second optical surface is divided into at least a first optical functional surface and a second optical functional surface through a step difference.

Abstract: An optical system for use in an optical pickup apparatus comprises a first optical surface having a superposition type diffractive structure including a plurality of ring-shaped zones which are formed concentrically around an optical axis, wherein each ring-shaped zone is composed of a plurality of stepped sections stepwise, and a second optical surface having a diffractive structure including a plurality of ring-shaped zones which are formed concentrically around an optical axis, wherein each of the plurality of ring-shaped zones are divided by a stepped section to generate a diffractive light ray of diffractive order whose absolute value is not small than 1 for the light flux.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, implementing techniques for testing user interfaces of software application. The techniques include interacting with a user to identify one or more straight lines in a first rendering of a user interface for a software application, the straight lines being diagnostic of the correct layout of the first rendering of the user interface, and using the one or more straight lines as reference lines to determine if a second rendering of the user interface has a correct layout.

Abstract: An optical pickup apparatus includes: first-third light sources; a packaged multiple light source unit for packaging emitting points of at least two of the first-third light sources in one housing; an objective optical system for converging light fluxes emitted by light sources onto information recording surfaces of at least three kinds of optical disks; and a magnification adjusting optical unit having an actuator and a movable lens group and being arranged in an optical path between the packaged multiple light source unit and the objective optical system, wherein the movable lens group is driven by the actuator along the optical axis so as to change a magnification of the objective optical system according to a wavelength of a light flux emitted by the packaged multiple light source unit.

Abstract: An optical element used in a bidirectional optical communication module used for bidirectional optical fiber communication by a wavelength multiplex system, comprising a diffraction grating of binary structure prepared by molding, wherein a taper is formed at a portion of the diffraction grating where light entering the diffraction grating is intercepted by a convex part of the binary structure of the diffraction grating.

Abstract: An optical pickup apparatus according to the present invention includes: a first light source for emitting a first light flux; a second light source for emitting a second light flux; a third light source for emitting a third light flux; and an objective optical element. The objective optical element has an optical surface including at least two areas provided with optical path difference providing structures. The objective optical element converges the first to third light fluxes each passing through the predetermined areas on the objective optical element onto respective information recording surfaces of the first to third optical disks. The optical pickup apparatus provides a wavelength dependency of a spherical aberration so as to correct a change in a spherical aberration due to a refractive index change with a temperature change of the objective optical element.

Abstract: An optical pickup apparatus according to the present invention includes: a first light source for emitting a first light flux; a second light source for emitting a second light flux; a third light source for emitting a third light flux; and an objective optical element. The objective optical element has an optical surface including at least two areas provided with optical path difference providing structures. The objective optical element converges the first to third light fluxes each passing through the predetermined areas on the objective optical element onto respective information recording surfaces of the first to third optical disks. The first optical path difference providing structure is a ring-shaped structure which includes a plurality of ring-shaped zones including respective steps having at least two kinds of amounts selected from the predetermined expressions.

Abstract: An optical pickup apparatus according to the present invention includes: a first light source for emitting a first light flux; a second light source for emitting a second light flux; a third light source for emitting a third light flux; and an objective optical element. The objective optical element has an optical surface including at least two areas provided with optical path difference providing structures. The objective optical element converges the first to third light fluxes each passing through the predetermined areas on the objective optical element onto respective information recording surfaces of the first to third optical disks. In the optical pickup apparatus, the third light flux which has passed through an optical path difference providing structure forms a first best focus and a second best focus.

Abstract: An optical pickup apparatus according to the present invention includes: a first light source for emitting a first light flux; a second light source for emitting a second light flux; a third light source for emitting a third light flux; and an objective optical element. The objective optical element has an optical surface including at least two areas provided with optical path difference providing structures. The objective optical element converges the first to third light fluxes each passing through the predetermined areas on the objective optical element onto respective information recording surfaces of the first to third optical disks. One of the optical path difference providing structures includes a first basic structure and a second basic structure which are predetermined optical path difference providing structures and overlap with each other.

Abstract: An optical pickup device comprises a light source to emit a light flux having wavelength ?; an objective lens including at least two plastic lenses of a first plastic lens having positive refractive power and a second plastic lens having positive refractive power, wherein the first plastic lens and the second plastic lens are arranged in this order from the light source side; and an actuator to drive the objective lens; wherein the objective lens satisfies the following expression (1-1): ?0.0004<?3SA/(NA4·f·(1?m))<0.0004??(1-1) where ?3SA (?RMS) represents a rate of change of a third order spherical aberration of the objective lens when the temperature of an entire body of the objective lens uniformly changes, f (mm) represents the focal length of the objective lens for the light flux having wavelength ?, and m represents the magnification of the objective lens.

Abstract: An optical scanning device (1) for scanning an information layer (4) of an optical record carrier (2), the device (1) comprising a radiation source (11) for generating a radiation beam (12, 15, 20) and an objective system (18) for converging the radiation beam on the information layer, the information layer being covered by a transparent layer (3) of thickness td and refractive index nd. The objective system comprises a lens having a protection device projecting away from the lens towards the optical record carrier such that the distance between the protection device and the optical record carrier is less than the free working distance. The lens satisfies the condition: where D is the entrance pupil diameter, FWD is the free working distance, and D, FWD, t and td are all expressed in millimeters and where FWD+td/nd<0.51.

Abstract: The present invention provides a semiconductor light source module including: a semiconductor light source for emitting a light flux with a predefined wavelength; a SHG element for converting an incident light flux entering onto an incident end surface of the SHG element into an outgoing light flux having a different wavelength from the incident light flux; a light converging optical system for converging a light flux emitted from the semiconductor light source onto the incident end surface of the SHG element; a light receiving element for receiving a part of a light flux emitted from the SHG element; and a drive device for driving an optical element in the light converging optical system based on a light flux received by the light receiving element.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a diffractive grating member and to an optical communication module. The optical communication module includes a semiconductor laser; a coupling optical system for coupling a light flux with a wavelength of ?1 emitted by the semiconductor laser to an optical fiber; and two light-receiving elements for receiving at least two light fluxes each having wavelengths ?2 and ?3 emitted from an end surface of the optical fiber. The coupling optical system has a diffractive structure, and the coupling optical system changes paths of light fluxes each having wavelengths ?1, ?2 and ?3 into relatively different directions such that the light flux with the wavelength ?1 emitted by the semiconductor laser enters into the optical fiber and each of the at least two light fluxes each having the wavelengths ?2 and ?3 enters into each of the two light-receiving elements.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, implementing techniques for testing user interfaces of software application. The techniques include interacting with a user to identify one or more straight lines in a first rendering of a user interface for a software application, the straight lines being diagnostic of the correct layout of the first rendering of the user interface, and using the one or more straight lines as reference lines to determine if a second rendering of the user interface has a correct layout.

Abstract: A method of splicing together metal webs for use in planography with the ends thereof being butted or lapped against each other. In the metal web splicing method, the ends of the metal webs are spliced together in a butted manner, the splice portion thereof is welded, and the welded splice portion is rolled. According to the splicing method, there is left no level difference in the welded splice portion, which eliminates the possibility of the spliced metal webs being broken during the movement thereof and also has no ill effect on the coating process for the spliced metal webs.