Abstract: An apparatus for measuring rectilinear motion and rotation angle errors of a rectilinearly moving body having a horizontal, parallel two-surface mirror positioned in a horizontal plane and including two reflection mirrors whose reflection surfaces face each other and are spaced by a distance (2)d and a vertical, parallel two-surface mirror positioned in a vertical plane and including two reflection mirrors whose reflection surfaces face each other and are spaced by a distance (2)d, and also has a light source for generating a laser beam, semi-transparent mirrors for splitting the laser beam into two laser beams, optical path changing reflection mirrors for changing a direction of each laser beam, and position sensors for detecting positions of the laser beam reflected from the horizontal, parallel two-surface mirror and the vertical, parallel two-surface mirror, respectively fixed to positions outside of the rectilinearly moving body.

Abstract: The present invention relates to photosensitive chips for creating electrical signals from an original image, as would be found for example in a digital scanner, copier, facsimile machine, or other document generating or reproducing device. More specifically, the present invention relates to preferably providing a supplemental chip in each abutment region to enhance image quality.

Abstract: An output method and apparatus of a printer are provided. A rule which dominates a describing language of reception data is judged and stored. The reception data is processed in accordance with the rule determined. The data which is received before the elapse of a predetermined time after the reception data was processed is processed in accordance with the rule decided. With respect to the data which is received after the elapse of the predetermined time, a rule which dominates such data is newly discriminated. The content of the description of the reception data is discriminated and the resolution of the printer is changed in accordance with the resolution of the image data indicated by the reception data.

Abstract: A multiple raster image processor (RIP) system is described that enables faster system performance over multiple processors, and includes a zero RIP feature consisting of a language interpreter sub-RIP that interprets a print instruction file but does not process the graphics rendering steps or the post-language processing operators. A skip RIP interprets selected pages in a way that skips all or most of the processing for that page. Pages to be skipped are scheduled for a different processor, thereby saving processing time and enabling the provision of a multiple processor RIP.

Abstract: An image forming system includes a first image forming apparatus which can be connected to a host computer as an image data supplying source and also connected to a second image forming apparatus so that the host computer can be selectively and reliably connected to one of the first and second image forming apparatuses. The first image forming apparatus is connected to the host computer so as to print the image data provided from the host computer. The second image forming apparatus is operatively connectable to the host computer via the first image forming apparatus so as to print the image data sent from the host computer. A switching device is provided in the first image forming apparatus. The switching device switches a connection of the host computer so that one of the first image forming apparatus and the second image forming apparatus is operatively connected to the host computer.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus which has a facsimile function by which it records image data received in facsimile communications and a printer function by which it records image data output from a host computer. The apparatus includes a printing mode setting device for setting the apparatus to one of a plurality of printing modes, a recording device for recording image data, a reception device for receiving facsimile image data, and a control device for causing the setting device to set the apparatus to a specific printing mode when facsimile image data received by the reception device is to be recorded, independent of any printing mode in which the apparatus has previously been set by the setting device. The plurality of printing modes include at least one of a draft mode in which image data is recorded in a thinned-out form and a high-quality mode in which recording is performed by one-direction printing. The specific mode is a two-direction recording mode.

Abstract: In electronic collated printing of an electronic document of plural electronic pages with a printer printing normal sheets with a normal jam rate but printing abnormal printing sheets with a substantially higher jam rate, where associated with the electronic pages is printing sheet selection information, there is provided here electronic separation of the electronic pages of the document which specify the abnormal printing sheets. The system then prints those separated pages onto their abnormal printing sheets prior to printing any of the other electronic pages, temporarily holds them in an interposer, then prints the other pages of the document onto normal sheets, and provides collated merging in the interposer to provide collated output of the entire electronic document.

Abstract: In a printer control method, image-data processing which has previously been performed in a printer (printer unit) is performed by a host computer (host unit), so that the cost of the printer is reduced. More specifically, the printer unit includes a holding unit for holding control commands from the host unit, and an execution unit for executing the control commands. The host unit includes an analysis unit for analyzing printer commands, control-command forming unit for forming control commands from the printer commands, and a transmission unit for transmitting the control commands to the printer unit. The printer unit is controlled by converting printer commands into control commands in accordance with printing instructions provided from host-unit application software and transmitting the obtained control commands to the printer unit.

Abstract: An image printing apparatus includes a digital camera for taking a picture image and a main body for printing the image. The digital camera supplies a photographic image signal to the main body. The main body takes one screen of a still image signal out of the image signal supplied. The still image signal thus taken out is returned to the digital camera where it is delivered to a built-in monitor. The monitor displays thereon a still image corresponding to the delivered still image signal. Thereafter, if a print button is manipulated, a still image being displayed on the monitor is then printed by a printer provided on the main body.

Abstract: A data communication apparatus having a connection unit for connecting an information processing terminal, a memory for storing predetermined registration data, a detector for detecting a change in the registration data stored in the memory, and a transfer unit for, if the detector detects a change in the registration data, transferring the changed registration data to change registration data in the information processing terminal connected by the connection unit.

Abstract: A method for establishing two-way communications between a host system and a device when the address of the device is initially unknown. The host system submits a job to a device with the job including address and other information required for the device to respond with the device's address. Once the host system has the device address, the host system and the device can establish bi-directional communications. In a print job, a print job language (PJL) command known as SOCKETPING is used to transmit the information between a print client and a printer. The SOCKETPING command includes fields for host system address family, protocol, address, and port as well as extensions to define job status reporting parameters. The printer responds to the SOCKETPING command with the necessary address information for the printer and job status reports as specified in the SOCKETPING extensions.

Abstract: An on-line automated printing system quickly produces consistent printed materials. The system includes front-end customer setup and product setup modules available on a web server. A Print Ready File is produced embodying the product to be printed. The Print Ready File is compiled and all operations on the file can be completed via reference to the information contained therein. A state flag is associated with each element of the file, the flag having states such as preview, print, both, or none. The file is stored on an asset management file server. The file (unchanged) may be previewed or printed using internal flags and logic built-in to the PostScript language. A batcher service batches print jobs. A plater service accepts the Print Ready Files and outputs a plate file to a print vendor's ordering system. Over the Internet the plate file is sent to a vendor computer. The plate file is sent to a raster image processor (RIP) which outputs a bitmap to be printed.

Abstract: In order to improve the ease of use of personal boxes provided in a copier connected to a host computer via a network, a large-capacity hard disk is provided. A personal-box region having a plurality of storage regions corresponding to respective users are present within the hard disk. The copier performs control so that a printing mode changed through an operation unit returns to a printing mode set by the host computer in accordance with a predetermined instruction. When a plurality of image data to be printed are selected from a personal box, it is prohibited to change the printing mode set by the host computer.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for selective copying of regions of a printed sheet (101). The printed sheet (101) comprises a plurality of said regions (111,112,113, and 114) having recorded therein associated text and/or graphics. The printed sheet (101) also includes information (202,204,206,208) stored on said printed sheet indicating the location of the regions. The method comprises a reading step (304), a selecting step (302), and a copying step (308). In the reading step (304), the method reads the information stored on said printed sheet indicating the location of the regions. In the selection step (302), a user selects one or more desired regions and associated text and/or graphics for copying. In the copying step (308), the method copies the selected regions and associated text and/or graphics in accordance with said information.

Abstract: A printhead controller controls printing of a page by at least one printhead. The printhead controller is connected, in use, via a data communications link to a printer controller for receiving data, in a compressed format relating to the page to be printed, the data including a page description comprising a bi-level black layer and a contone color layer. The printhead controller includes a first decoder for expanding compressed data relating to the bi-level black layer and a second decoder for expanding compressed data relating to the contone color layer. The first and second decoders are arranged in parallel. First and second temporary storage devices are provided for storing the expanded data from the first and second decoders, respectively. A data manipulating unit manipulates the data output from these temporary storage devices to be fed to the printhead.

Abstract: A machineable envelope assembly includes an envelope and a strip releasably attached to the envelope. The strip extends out from the envelope flap when the strip lies flat relative to the envelope pocket panels to define with the panels a rectangle having a full letter-size paper width. Thus, when the assembly is in a paper tray of a printer or copier, the assembly is configured and sized to engage both sides of the paper tray, so that the envelope is continually aligned and does not skew during a feeding and printing process in the printer or copier. Thereby the address(es) and/or any PC printed postage are printed straight and accurately positioned in the envelope. The assemblies can be stacked into printer infeed trays and automatically fed therefrom for mass printings and mailings. And after being printed and output by the printer, the strips are peeled off of the envelopes, the paper sheet(s) or other desired contents inserted into the envelopes and the envelope flaps sealed closed.

Abstract: A demonstration page automatically resizes itself to fit a preferred media size of a printing device on which the demonstration page is printed. The demonstration page image is embedded in a printer control language (or page description language) to enable the automatic resizing of the image. The demonstration page omits control language commands that would otherwise override the preferred media size. Thus, the preferred media size stored in the printing device is used by the demonstration page for resizing and printing purposes. The demonstration page includes control language that identifies an original media size associated with the stored image and further includes control language that calculates scale factors for resizing the image to best fit the preferred media size.

Abstract: An image data processing apparatus for storing a multi-valued image data inputted from an image scanner as a plural image data of various resolutions and applying them for tasks, such as printing and displaying. After the conversion by the resolution converting device to a multi-valued image of low resolution, the data is binarized by the binarization circuit and stored after the encoding by the encoding circuit. Meanwhile the encoded data is decoded as the binary data by the decoding circuit and then inputted to a display screen. The image scanner includes the first gradation converting device for converting the intermediate density area of the image data to a specific high or low density. Therefore, it is possible to increase the compression rate at the time of the encoding of the display image data.

Abstract: The present invention deals with a replaceable printing component for an ink-jet printing system. The ink-jet printing system is of the type having at least one replaceable component. The replaceable component includes an electrical storage device that is responsive to printing system control signals for transferring information between the printing component and the ink-jet printing system. The replaceable printing component includes a non-protected and a protected electrical storage portion. The non-protected electrical storage portion is responsive to write control signals for storing information provided to the non-protected electrical storage portion. The protected electrical storage portion has a protected state in response to an occurrence of a write protect active signal. In the protected state the protected electrical storage device prevents storage of information in the protected electrical storage portion.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus and method includes an image data correcting feature. The image processing apparatus is configured to correct the image data based on the image type. The image processing apparatus has an input unit for inputting image data, a detector for detecting a slope of an edge of an image data from the input unit, a comparing circuit for comparing the slope of an edge of an image data from the detector with a preset slope data, a correcting circuit for correcting image data from the input unit according to the result of the comparing of the comparing circuit and an output unit for outputting image data from the correcting circuit.

Abstract: A method for transforming an image, containing an arbitrary number of colors from a full color process printing mode to a spot color printing mode while preserving the user's intended color usage as much as possible. The method is contained in a utility and referred to as “Spot Color Transformation” (SCT). The SCT utility provides a user the ability to transform an image generated by a computer program module, such as a desktop publishing computer program module, from a full color mode into a spot color mode. The SCT utility operates on an object-by-object basis to map objects within an image to one of several partitions: a black partition and a color partition. The SCT utility maps each object that has an associated color that is substantially black or a tint of black to the black partition. Next, the SCT utility converts the colors of unmapped objects to a tint of the spot color based on the luminance value of the particular color relative to the lowest luminance value found in the image.

Abstract: In multi-level error diffusion in an image processor, a quantization error data table is accessed at an address of data from a feedback adder, to output the data at the address as quantization error data. By using the table, the error is detected at high speed with an access time for the table. The quantization error is added to an input data by an adder after error integration with weights. Thus, the feedback calculation in multi-level error diffusion is performed at high speed, while the circuit structure thereof is simplified.

Abstract: To provide a reading/printing apparatus and a reading apparatus by which the facility with which each unit is assembled and maintained can be significantly improved because steps of fixing and connecting individual units need not be performed in order, a printing apparatus, a control board, and a power supply are disposed inside a housing obtained by integrally forming a base portion serving as a bottom surface, side walls serving as outer side surfaces, and an opening surrounded by the side walls. The reading apparatus, the printing apparatus, the control board, and the power supply are discretely constituted. The housing includes a first housing integrally formed with enough strength to separately fix the base portion, lower portions of the side walls, the reading apparatus, the printing apparatus, the control board, and the power supply, and a second housing covering the opening and integrally forming upper portions of the side walls.

Abstract: An image reader provided with an image pick-up unit which reads an image in a fast scanning direction in accordance with a fast scanning synchronizing signal, a drive unit which causes the image pick-up unit to move in a slow scanning direction in accordance with a drive control signal asynchronous with the fast scanning synchronizing signal, an intermittent read instruction unit which generates a stop instruction and a restart instruction for allowing the image reading to be performed intermittently by the image pick-up unit, a phase holding unit which, upon issuance of a stop instruction, recognizes and holds a phase difference between the fast scanning synchronizing signal and the drive control signal, and a phase control unit which, upon issuance of a restart instruction, corrects a phase difference between the fast scanning synchronizing signal and the drive control signal on the basis of the phase difference recognized and held by the phase holding unit.

Abstract: A facsimile machine is usable additionally as a copy machine and image reader based on its image reading function and printing function. The machine has its operating modes set up by the setting operation on any personal computer connected to it through a communication line and the transfer of setup information to the machine operating modes include a facsimile mode in which a source document is read and the document image is sent to the destination a copy mode in which a source document is read and the document image is printed on a recording medium, a scanning mode in which a source document is read and the document image is sent to a specified computer, and an electronic mail mode in which a source document is read and the document image is sent and stored in an electronic mail box assigned to a user through a communication line.

Abstract: A fax system employed in a packet switching network environment for use by fax users for transmission of fax information includes a network device coupled, through a network interface, to one or more communications devices for transmitting a processed fax message through the network interface to one or more of the communications devices, each of the communications devices being capable of receiving fax information and having a predetermined minimum scan line time therefor.

Abstract: During processing in an image reading apparatus, if the this-time pixel data Kn+1 is larger than the level value M, the value averaged by the averaging circuit 31 is not adopted, but an arrival value is adopted as it is. In the case where the this-time pixel data Kn+1 is not larger than the level value M, if the pixel data in which a differential value |Kn−Kn+1| of the last time pixel data Kn and the this-time pixel data Kn+1, calculated in the differential unit 32, is larger than the setting value L, arrives, an arrival value is adopted as it is, and if the pixel data in which a differential value |Kn−Kn+1| of the last time pixel data Kn and the this-time pixel data Kn+1, calculated in the differential unit 32, is not larger than the setting value L, arrives, the output of the averaging circuit 31 is adopted.

Abstract: When a monitor display is to be printed by a color printer, the present invention transforms the monitor colors to compensate for chromatic adaption while mapping the monitor's neutral axis with the printer's neutral axis so neutral colors remain neutral. In the preferred embodiment, it is assumed that there is only partial chromatic adaption by the viewer. The result is that printing the transformed monitor colors using a color printer causes printed colors to appear to the human eye to be similar to the displayed monitor colors, while preserving neutral colors, once the human eye has adapted to the displayed monitor colors and the printed colors.

Abstract: A holographic stereogram printing system to print holographic stereograms with good efficiency and no drop in the operating rate of the imaging system and holographic printer. An imaging system control section of an imaging system comprises an operating section that along with controlling the operation of the camera according to the desired selection of the user such as imaging method, image size selection or image layout, also creates an information management file for the base image based on the control information. A holographic stereogram printer prints out a holographic stereogram according to the information management file provided along a transmission path.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical path monitoring device on the basis of the identification of input ports in optical cross-connect systems. An optical path monitoring apparatus in an optical cross-connect system is provided. The optical cross-connect system in accordance with the present invention includes input ports, wavelength-division demultiplexers, optical switching devices, a control device, optical power regulating devices, wavelength-division multiplexers, and output ports. The optical path monitoring apparatus in accordance with the present invention includes a plurality of pilot tone superimposers, a plurality of optical splitters, and a plurality of pilot tone detectors.

Abstract: The invention includes a method for determining channel power in an optical communications network. The method includes determining at least one transmission parameter for a channel. Exemplary transmission parameters include transmission rate and transmission format. A number of channel units is determined in response to the transmission parameter. Channel power is then determined for the channel in response to the number of channel units. A system for implementing the method is also disclosed.

Abstract: Useful signals in the baseband or else in an intermediate frequency band are impressed on a plurality of laser diodes or other suitable optical sources having different emission wavelengths, and the wavelength channels thus formed are brought together. An external modulator with a high cutoff frequency is inserted into this wavelength multiplex system and is driven at the desired microwave or millimetric wave subcarrier frequency or a subharmonic thereof, with the result that the modulation of all the wavelength channels is converted upward. The individual wavelength channels are decoupled in a wavelength-selective fashion to arbitrary photodiodes or other direct receivers that supply the selected useful signal modulated onto the subcarrier.

Abstract: The invention describes an optical network architecture which uses a limited number of wavelength channels while providing flexible connections between the network nodes. Each node in the network deploys a fixed wavelength transmitter and a fixed wavelength receiver, whose wavelengths are misarranged so that a set of wavelengths of the transmitter differs from the set of wavelengths of the receiver, and wavelengths of transmitters and receivers at different nodes are arranged so that for any pair of nodes there is at least one common wavelength which is the same for one of the transmitter and receiver at one node and one of the respective receiver and transmitter at the other node, thus providing a direct connection between the nodes. The corresponding structure of optical add/drop multiplexer/demultiplexer for use at the network node, and method of providing direct connections between the nodes, are also provided.

Abstract: An optical wavelength add/drop multiplexer (WADM) is configured to add or drop two or more signals each associated with one of a plurality of channels in a wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) signal. The WADM comprises an optical circulator that is optically coupled at one port to two or more serially interconnected fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs), and is optically coupled at another port to a thin film filter including two or more serially interconnected thin film filter elements. Each of the two or more FBGs is matched with a thin film filter element, both arranged to be responsive to signals associated with one of the plurality of channels. Bandwidth and dispersion properties for the FBGs are selected to permit operation of the WADM at two distinct signal data rates.

Abstract: An optical packet header processing apparatus for processing a header of an optical packet expressing an address of a destination node to control a switching operation of an optical packet switch. The optical packet header processing apparatus comprises a beam splitter for splitting the optical packet header into a predetermined number of optical packet header elements, and a plurality of time interval detectors. Each of the time interval detectors receives a corresponding one of the optical packet header elements from the beam splitter and outputs a detect optical pulse if a pair of optical pulses having a predetermined time interval therebetween are present in the received optical packet header element. A plurality of optical pulse detectors are adapted to convert the detect optical pulses from the time interval detectors into electrical signals and transfer the converted electrical signals to the optical packet switch, respectively.

Abstract: An optical delay circuit includes an optical loop for repeatedly introducing a unit time delay into propagation of parts of an input optical signal representative of pieces of data information; when the optical loop introduces a time delay to be required for one of the parts, a controller instructs an optical switch inserted in the optical loop to transfer the part to an output optical circuit so that the optical delay circuit occupies small space.

Abstract: A method of compensating the polarisation mode dispersion (PMD) of an optical transmission path carrying clocked digital data traffic involves modulating the state of polarisation (SOP) of the light launched into the transmission path, and employing consequential frequency components in an electrical signal detected at the far end of the transmission path to regulate the birefringence of a polarisation state controller portion of a birefringent element inserted between the transmission path and the receiver's photodetector. The SOP modulation, when represented on a Poincaré sphere, has an oscillatory rotational component at a frequency f1 about a first axis of the sphere and an oscillatory rotational component at a frequency f2 about a second axis of the sphere that is orthogonal to said first axis, and where f1≠f2, f1≠2f2, and f2≠2f1.

Abstract: An interferometer receives an input optical signal and outputs a signal after changing at least the dispersion of said signal. At least portions of the interferometer are adjustable to adjust at least a first dispersion parameter. Examples of dispersion parameters which are adjustable include dispersion magnitude, center wavelengths and waveshapes or slopes. Preferably the dispersion in the output signal is substantially reduced or substantially eliminated, compared to the dispersion of the input signal. By providing for adjustability of one or more dispersion parameters, a dispersion compensator can be appropriately adjusted for use in a variety of applications.

Abstract: A point-to-multipoint bi-directional wide area telecommunications network employing atmospheric optical communication. The network comprises a primary transceiver unit, a plurality of subscriber transceiver units and an optical router. The primary transceiver unit may send data destined for the subscriber transceiver units through the optical router, and the subscriber transceiver units may send data destined for the primary transceiver unit through the optical router. The primary transceiver unit and optical router communicate by means of light beams which are transmitted through the atmosphere. Similarly, the optical router and the subscriber transceiver units communicate by means of light beams which are transmitted through the atmosphere.

Abstract: An optical fiber transmitter, which consists of a modulated optical source, a pre-distortion circuit, a chirped-fiber grating, an optical circulator or a coupler, is designed to transport subcarrier multiplexed (SCM) signals over a long transmission distance. Here the SCM signals include: analog amplitude-modulated vestigial-sideband (AM-VSB) cable television signals, digital quadrature-amplitude-modulated (QAM) signals, or orthogonal-frequency-division-multiplexed (OFDM) signals, or quadrature-phase-shift-keyed (QPSK) signals, etc. on radio-frequency (RF) or microwave carriers, and/or digital wireless signals on RF, microwave or millimeter wave carriers. The modulated light source can be a directly modulated laser diode, or an external LiNbO3 modulator with a continuous wave (CW) laser diode as the source, or an external electro-absorption modulator with an integrated CW laser diode.

Abstract: An optical transmitter comprises a modulator for generating a modulated current in accordance with a modulation control signal, a light emitting element driven by the modulated current from the modulator to emit light in accordance with the modulated current, a first current source for supplying the modulator with a driving current, a first temperature detector for detecting an operating temperature of the modulator to output a signal indicative of a detected operating temperature of the modulator, and an amplifier for receiving a data signal to supply the modulator with the modulation control signal based on the data signal. The amplifier has a first modulation control signal controller for controlling a changing amount per unit time of the modulation control signal at rising and falling times in accordance with an output signal of the temperature detector.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical transmission system which reduces optical signal bandwidth with return-to-zero (RZ) signal.

Abstract: An optical transmitter for use in an optical transmitting system based on PDS (Passive Double Star) technology, does not erroneously output an optical signal when the optical transmitter is powered on/off. The optical transmitter has a current source 1 for outputting a drive current having a magnitude corresponding to an input control signal, a Laser diode (LD) for generating an optical output signal based on the received drive current, a modulator 9 for controlling the supply and cutoff of the drive current to the Laser diode (LD), a source voltage detector 3 for monitoring a source voltage to detect whether the source voltage is lower than a predetermined voltage, and a switch circuit 4 for outputting a control signal to the current source 1 to stop the supply of the drive current when the source voltage is determined to be lower than the predetermined voltage.

Abstract: Provided is an optical scanning apparatus in which images are formed precisely on the target surface to be scanned with a plurality of beams and low manufacturing cost is realizes. The optical scanning apparatus comprises four light sources, each of which emits a beam, a collimator lens and a polygon mirror. Provided between the polygon mirror and the target surface, cylindrical mirrors to form images with beams on the respective target surfaces. The optical path, from the polygon mirror to the target surface, of the beams emitted from the light sources away from the optical axis of the collimator lens is shorter than the corresponding optical path of the beams emitted from the light sources close to the optical axis. Thus, even though the collimator lens has the curvature of field, all of the image spots formed with the beams are located just on the target surface.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a system for modulating thermal infrared radiation for a pyroelectric imaging sensor or similar sensor by providing two discs rotating at the same speed, both discs provided adjacent to one another and between a source of radiation and a radiation sensor. Each of the discs is provided with a solid portion and an open portion. Changing the orientation of the solid portions of each the discs with respect to one another would change the sensitivity of the modulation device.

Abstract: An optical device comprises a dispersion element, a reflector, and an angle-to-offset (ATO) element. The angle-to-offset (ATO) element has optical power. The dispersion element is positioned in or near a focal plane of the ATO element and adapted to separate an input wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) light beam received from an input port of the optical device into two or more channel light beams. The reflector is positioned in or near a focal plane of the ATO element and arranged to receive the channel light beams from the dispersion element via the ATO element. The reflector is designed to reflect at least one of the channel light beams toward a respective output port of the optical device. With this arrangement, the dispersion element, reflector and ATO element cooperate to optically demultiplex the input WDM light beam.

Abstract: A spatial light modulating device includes: an electrically-addressed type element for being addressed by electric signals representing information to be written, the electrically-addressed type element including an image display portion having a pixel structure, the electrically-addressed type element being inputted with write light; an optically-addressed type spatial light modulator including a thin film material portion and a pair of substrates, the thin film material portion being provided between the pair of substrates, the thin film material portion having an optical addressing layer and a light modulation layer which are provided one on the other, the optically-addressed type spatial light modulator being inputted with read light; and a compensation layer having a predetermined thickness and provided between the image display portion and the thin film material portion.

Abstract: An optical switch that any vibration or oscillation transmitted to the optical switch from the outside is substantially prevented from being transmitted to a movable electrode is provided. In an optical switch comprising: a stationary electrode; a movable electrode opposed to the stationary electrode with a predetermined space therebetween; and a mirror mounted to the movable electrode, wherein the movable electrode and the mirror are moved together by applying a voltage between the stationary electrode and the movable electrode thereby to switch the path of an incident optical signal to the optical switch, a buffer member provided with a diaphragm is attached to the bottom of the stationary electrode, and a vibration or oscillation is substantially prevented from being transmitted to the movable electrode by the damping effects of the diaphragm and the space area formed above the diaphragm.

Abstract: A light receiving module and a light receiving method to reduce polarization dependence, used in evaluation of polarization characteristics of various optical parts. The light receiving module has an optical mechanism including a first light transmission plate and a second light transmission plate between a first lens and a second lens, and a light receiving element of the outside of the optical mechanism. The first light transmission plate is inclined at such an angle as to have the same value as polarization dependence due to the inclination of the light receiving surface of the light receiving element, and subsequently the first light transmission plate is rotated by 90° in relation to the optical axis.

Abstract: Coupling of anodic electrochromic compounds by a covalent bond or a bridge link which provides for electronic communication between the coupled electrochromic compounds results in coupled electrochromic compounds which exhibit greater stability as well as electrochromic activity that differs from the monomeric electrochromic compounds. Extension of the absorption spectrum into the near-infrared region of the spectrum is frequently observed. The coupled electrochromic compounds are highly suitable for use in electrochromic media used to produce electrochromic devices.