Abstract: A method for detecting errors in loading a lenticular material (10) on a printer (60) comprises loading the lenticular material (10) on a vacuum platen (20) and drawing a vacuum on the vacuum platen (20). An airflow is measured on the vacuum platen (20) and compared to a predetermined value.

Abstract: A lenticular image printer creates an image on received media having a series of lenticules with parallel axes. The printer includes a transport system adapted to move received media in an in-track direction substantially perpendicular to the axes of the lenticules. An alignment beam generator is arranged to transmit an alignment beam through the lenticules of received media such that the alignment beam is in-track position-modulated by the lenticules. Three position-sensing detectors are aligned in a cross-track direction perpendicular to the in-track direction so as to receive the position-modulated alignment beam whereby the position of the position-modulated alignment beam on the detectors provides an indication of the relative alignment of the axes of the lenticules and the cross-track direction.

Abstract: An optical actuator adapted to control the position of the actuator in at least two degrees of freedom of motion. The actuator includes a base, a moveable lens holder having a lens, a structure for connecting the lens holder to the base to support movement of the lens holder, and first and second pairs of surface-field motors, each pair of surface-field motors having first and second surface-field motors, each first and second surface-field motor including a surface-field coil and a surface-field magnetic assembly for applying forces to the lens holder to move the lens holder in at least two degrees of freedom of motion relative to the base, the surface-field coil being mounted on either the base or the lens holder, and the corresponding surface-field magnetic assembly being oppositely mounted on either the lens holder or the base to interact with the surface-field coil.

Abstract: An optical recording actuator includes: a base and a lens holder having a lens. A pair of spaced-apart flexible, inextensible, coplanar connecting members are connected between the base and the lens holder. A force is applied to the lens holder in the plane of the connecting members to generate tension in the connecting members. A motor applies forces and moments to the lens holder so that the lens holder can move the lens in a desired manner. The resulting actuator has four controllable degrees of freedom of motion relative to the base: focus, tracking, pitch and roll.

Abstract: Apparatus for measuring warp of an optical disk is disclosed. The apparatus includes an actuator having a base and a moveable lens holder, the lens holder being moveable in a vertical direction relative to the base. The apparatus further includes a structure for moving the actuator to selected positions relative to the surface of the disk and for measuring the vertical displacement of the disk surface relative to the actuator base at each of the selected positions, a structure for providing displacement signals corresponding to the vertical displacement of the disk surface at each of the selected positions, and a structure responsive to the displacement signals for computing a radial tilt matrix and a tangential tilt matrix of optical disk surface tilt values, the matrices representing the warp of the surface of the disk.

Abstract: A lens actuator for an optical disc storage device including a base; a lens holder assembly movably mounted to said base; said lens holder assembly comprising a lens holder with a single surface-field magnet and a lens mounted thereon; a single surface-field coil set mounted to said base parallel to and proximate said surface-field magnet; whereby a current introduced in a coil of said coil set produces a net magnetic force having a resultant line of action passing through said lens holder assembly.

Abstract: An optical actuator is disclosed which includes a base, a moveable lens holder including an objective lens and positioned relative to the base, and at least six planar magnetic coils and a plurality of magnetic assemblies arranged to be associated with the coils, each of the assemblies including magnets having two or more poles fixed to the actuator base, the coils and the magnets being mounted relative to each other on the lens holder and the base. The actuator includes circuitry for applying signals to the coils to induce magnetic fields in the coils for positioning the lens holder and detectors for providing signals representing the four degrees of freedom of positions of the lens holder with respect to the base. A computational circuitry responsive to the detectors determines the coil signals for positioning the moveable lens holder in six degrees of freedom of motion relative to the base.

Abstract: An optical recording actuator is disclosed and includes a base and a moveable actuator lens holder having its position controlled between two to six degrees of freedom of motion. Such lens holder including an objective lens. The actuator further includes a sensing system a light source and three sensors and mounted on the moveable lens holder three separate plates, each corresponding to a sensor and having an aperture and arranged so that light from the source passes through the aperture of each plate and illuminates its corresponding sensor mounted on the base. Each sensor includes an arrangement for providing position detection in two orthogonal directions and a microprocessor responsive to the position detection to determine the position of the moveable lens holder with respect to the base in six degrees of freedom of motion.

Abstract: An optical actuator is disclosed for positioning a lens to focus a laser light on a surface of a member, such as an optical disk, with minimum lens tilt error. The optical actuator includes a lens mount for supporting the lens, a plurality of flexures fixed to the lens mount, and a based spaced from the lens mount. The optical actuator further includes a motor structure for operating the actuator in energized and de-energized states. In the energized state, a force is applied to the lens mount to cause the lens mount to move in a focus direction. In the de-energized state, the flexures relax, causing the lens mount to move substantially in the focus direction. The optical actuator further includes an actuator travel stop disposed relative to the base and the lens mount for supporting the lens mount in a downward direction when the actuator is in the de-energized state, to thereby prevent the flexures from creeping in such a way so as to result in lens tilt.

Abstract: An optical reading or writing actuator for directing a laser beam for reading or writing an optical medium including a base and an actuator assembly having an objective lens fixed in the assembly and flexures for supporting the actuator assembly for movement in focus and tracking directions to position the objective lens. The actuator further includes at least one sensor disposed relative to the actuator assembly for producing an output tracking position signal and a beam splitter positioned relative to the actuator assembly and the sensor for directing a portion of the laser beam to the sensor and for directing another portion of the laser beam to the objective lens which focuses it on the optical medium.

Abstract: An assembly preferably utilized in cooperation with a method for determining a surface topology of a workpiece. The assembly includes a projectile; means for coupling the projectile to a surface of a workpiece, and for imparting an initial momentum to the projectile with respect to the surface; and, means for sensing a relative movement of the projectile with respect to the workpiece surface, for generating a locus of positional points over time of the projectile as a measure of the surface topology of the workpiece.

Abstract: A robust method for determining a radiation imaging system focus error, that employs a focus sensor and an accompanying curve determined analytically or empirically according to the characteristics of the sensor, is disclosed. In a preferred embodiment, the focus sensor comprises two beamsplitters, a spacer, and three detectors comprising CCD array. The three detectors are constrained to satisfy radiation path length specifications, with respect to the beamsplitters and spacer. In the method, the curve representing variance vs. focus position is empirically determined. The focus sensor may then be aligned in an unused portion of an imaging system radiation field. The detectors simultaneously image the same scene, sampling it at three different focus positions. These sampled points are then fit to the empirically determined curve; a maximum of the fitted curve is a robust measure of the imaging system focus error.

Abstract: A method for determining a surface topology of a workpiece preferably comprising a general symmetric asphere. The method includes the steps of coupling a projectile to a surface of a workpiece, and imparting a trajectory to the projectile with respect to the surface; sensing the trajectory of the projectile with respect to the workpiece surface, for assessing a locus of positional points over time of the projectile, the locus being a measure of the surface topology of the workpiece; and computing from the locus of positional points over time, the surface topology of the workpiece.

Abstract: An assembly suitable for statically and dynamically controlling an optical element, for example, a secondary mirror. The assembly realizes a novel design technique which treats the problems of static and dynamic control of the optical element, as subsumed moments of one interdependent problem. The one interdependent problem may be solved by way of a single structural design, featuring a unique lever arm, which can provide overlapping functions responsive, at one and the same time, to both moments.

Abstract: A method for determining a radiation imaging system focus error, that employs a novel focus sensor. In a preferred embodiment, the novel focus sensor comprises two beamsplitters, a spacer, and three detectors comprising CCD arrays. The three detectors are constrained to satisfy radiation path length specifications, with respect to the beamsplitters and spacer. In the method, the focus sensor may be aligned in an unused portion of an imaging system radiation field. The detectors simultaneously image the same scene, sampling it at three different focus positions. The sampling action becomes a basis for generating a parabolic curve; a maximum of the parabolic curve is a measure of the imaging system focus error.

Abstract: An assembly suitable for statically controlling and dynamically damping an optical element, for example, a secondary mirror. The assembly realizes a novel design technique which treats the problems of static control and dynamic damping of the optical element, as subsumed moments of one independent problem. The one interdependent problem may be solved by way of a single structural design, featuring a unique lever arm, which can provide overlapping functions responsive, at one and the same time, to both moments.

Abstract: A method for determining petal piston in a segmented optical imaging system. The system preferably comprises a center mirror and a set of P petals adjacent to the center mirror. The novel method is suitable for determining petal piston for each of the P petals, with respect to the center mirror, or with respect to each other. To this end, the novel method employs a three-part masking scheme, to simulate zero, positive and negative piston error, in order to develop a referrent as a measure of actual piston error.

Abstract: An assembly suitable for restoring and retaining a desired curvature profile for an optical system. The optical system may comprise a base structure, and a plurality of displacement actuators for positioning at least one of a plurality of optical elements, for example, mirrors, to the base structure, so that the optical elements have a desired curvature profile. Arbitrary and deleterious inputs to the optical system, which may tend to misalign the optical elements, thereby vitiating the desired curvature profile, are sensed by the assembly. The assembly computes new displacement actuator commands, for restoring the desired curvature profile.

Abstract: An assembly that can provide corrections of distortions of a mirror. The assembly uses the method of active optics to apply forces to the mirror to introduce deformations that cancel out the distortions. An important feature of the assembly is the employment of a force actuator which comprises a closed feedback loop that closes around the force actuator. An advantage of this novel feature is that, in response to a disturbance to the force actuator, the feedback loop can maintain a desired controlled force for application to the mirror.