Abstract: An optical system for automated vision and detection. The system includes a light source configured to emit a beam into an environment and a first diffractive optical element. The beam passes through the first diffractive optical element, resulting in a plurality of beams. One or more of the plurality of beams are reflected by the environment, resulting in reflected beams. A second diffractive optical element of the optical system is configured to receive the reflected beams. A detector in alignment with the second diffractive optical element receives the reflected beams. The detector is configured to determine wave data from the reflected beams and generate a plurality of phasorgrams in a single image representing the wave data. The optical system also includes a processor configured to receive the single image and generate a representation of the environment. A control computer is configured to receive the representation of the environment from the processor.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a lens, an alignment feature positioned adjacent to a surface of the lens, a detector for producing an alignment signal in response to a portion of incident light reflected by the alignment feature and a portion of the incident light reflected by the surface adjacent to the alignment feature, and an actuator for controlling alignment of the incident light in response to the alignment signal. A method of controlling alignment of the beam of incident light is also provided.

Abstract: An optical medium including a plurality of data layers stacked relative to each other in a dielectric medium. A respective data layer including mark and land regions for having information recorded thereon. A mark region and a land region in the respective data layer are disposed beside each other and have substantially the same optical path length across respective thicknesses of the mark region and the land region. A method and computer program product associated with forming the optical medium which determines whether an admittance curve for a material to be used as the mark region forms an intersection with a desired admittance curve based on the admittance of a land region disposed beside the mark region, and determines a thickness of the material based on the intersection.

Abstract: An optical data recovery system including an optical receiver configured to receive light reflected from an optical medium and produce modulated data, a processing unit configured to transform the modulated data into a series of transform coefficients respectively identifying frequencies of the modulated data at respective times, and the processing unit is configured to identify from the series of transform coefficients defect coefficients associated with positions in the modulated data where the modulated data is corrupted.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a moveable arm for positioning an optical transducer adjacent to a storage medium, a light source, and an elliptical or ellipsoid shaped mirror mounted for reflecting light from the light source to the optical transducer. The elliptical mirror can be positioned on an ellipse, the moveable arm can pivot about an axis passing through a first focus of the ellipse, and the light source can direct light from a point on a second axis passing through a second focus of the ellipse to the elliptical minor. The light source can include a fixed laser and a moveable mirror mounted to pivot about the second axis or a moveable laser mounted to pivot about the second axis. A method performed by the apparatus is also provided.

Abstract: An optical data recovery system including an optical receiver configured to receive light reflected from an optical medium and produce modulated data, a processing unit configured to transform the modulated data into a series of transform coefficients respectively identifying frequencies of the modulated data at respective times, and the processing unit is configured to identify from the series of transform coefficients defect coefficients associated with positions in the modulated data where the modulated data is corrupted.

Abstract: An optical medium including a plurality of data layers stacked relative to each other in a dielectric medium. A respective data layer including mark and land regions for having information recorded thereon. A mark region and a land region in the respective data layer are disposed beside each other and have substantially the same optical path length across respective thicknesses of the mark region and the land region. A method and computer program product associated with forming the optical medium which determines whether an admittance curve for a material to be used as the mark region forms an intersection with a desired admittance curve based on the admittance of a land region disposed beside the mark region, and determines a thickness of the material based on the intersection.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a lens, an alignment feature positioned adjacent to a surface of the lens, a detector for producing an alignment signal in response to a portion of incident light reflected by the alignment feature and a portion of the incident light reflected by the surface adjacent to the alignment feature, and an actuator for controlling alignment of the incident light in response to the alignment signal. A method of controlling alignment of the beam of incident light is also provided.