Abstract: A spectacle lens having in a first see-through region a power suitable for distant viewing in a wearing position, and in a second see-through region a power suitable for medium-distance viewing, i.e. for distances of about 1 meter and more, in a wearing position, and in which the power continuously increases from the first see-through region along a plane or winding principal line to the second see-through region. The spectacle lens has the following features: the power increases not only from the first see-through region to the second see-through region, but also continuously to beyond the second see-through region to a lower edge of the spectacle lens; and a region of clear vision, i.e. a region in which a residual astigmatism of a system spectacle-lens/eye does not exceed 0.5 dpt, narrows below the first see-through region towards the lower edge of the spectacle lens to have a funnel-shaped configuration, i.e. without any constriction.

Abstract: Provided is an ophthalmologic image taking apparatus with which an image of the eye to be examined can be taken with an appropriate light intensity and at an appropriate gain. In the case where an observation of an eye to be examined is conducted when it is detected that an image taking switch is turned on, an image taking light source emits light after a lapse of a predetermined time. The predetermined time is a time required to completely switch a gain from a gain obtained by AGC to a fixed gain and a time which is not influenced by blinking of the eye to be examined.

Abstract: An ophthalmic apparatus includes an illumination optical system for illuminating a specified point of a subject eye with slit-light and an observation optical system having left and right eyepiece systems to enable an examiner to use both eyes to observe an image of the specified point formed by objective lenses. An optical element is located between the objective lenses and the specified point and between the effective diametric centers of the left and right eyepiece systems to guide the image of the specified point of the eye to an imaging means. Such an arrangement enables differences between the observed and captured images to be substantially eliminated and the images to be observed with no degradation.

Abstract: A contrast chart device of the present invention comprises a contrast target presenting part for presenting a contrast target for a contrast sensitivity test at prescribed timing; a pupil data measuring part for producing an image of an anterior ocular segment of a subject and measuring the diameter or area of a pupil region in the anterior ocular segment; and a measurement timing forming part for forming timing at which the pupil data measuring part performs measurement.

Abstract: An addition image generation module 10 sequentially timewise adds images (input images) of still pictures at individual discrete time points included in a motion picture to be analyzed, thereby generating two kinds of addition images (image A and image B), respectively including images of still pictures at different discrete time points with the images being added at different ratios. Matrix development modules respectively take out pixel groups (first pixel group a(i, j) and second pixel group b(i, j)) located in a predetermined area (for example, in an area having a size of 3×3), from the generated image A and image B. A motion detection module compares the taken out first pixel group a(i, j) and second pixel group b(i, j), to detect a motion component in the motion picture to be analyzed.

Abstract: A display has a screen which incorporates a light modulator. The screen may be a front projection screen or a rear-projection screen. Elements of the light modulator may be controlled to adjust the intensity of light emanating from corresponding areas on the screen. The display may provide a high dynamic range.

Abstract: A panel cooling system A has a pair of Sirocco fans 51A, 51B arranged at both sides of the radial direction of a projection lens 46, a suction duct portion 52A and an exhaust duct portion 52B. The suction duct portion 52A communicates a suction port of the undersurface of an armored case 2 with a suction side of each of the Sirocco fan 51A, 51B, and the exhaust duct portion 52B communicates an exhaust side of each of the Sirocco fans 51A, 51B and color lights R, G B of an optical part.

Abstract: A flat-panel projection display comprises a tapered transparent slab (1), a projector (2) adapted to inject images into the thick end of the slab, a translucent screen (3) over the face of the slab from which the display is to be viewed, and spacers holding the screen away from the slab so that light emerging from the face of the slab can spread to cover the area of the screen. In this way the gaps or blank strips that would otherwise be present at the points where the light bundles are being reflected off the rear surface of the tapered waveguide are eliminated.

Abstract: A method and systems for projecting an image onto a screen in high ambient light. The image is composed as pixels comprising selected intensities of preselected bands of visible light. The pixels are created by modulating three frequencies of light corresponding to hues in the red, green, and blue spectrum. The modulated light selectively generates pixels of a frame of the image. A diffusive projection screen has a triple bandpass light filter surface that selectively transmits preselected bands of light frequencies around the red, green, and blue spectrums of the modulated light source. The triple bandpass light filter is used with projection screens in front and rear projection systems. The hues of red, green, and blue may be generated from LEDs or from extracting the frequencies from a broadband source. The modulator system may comprise a time multiplexed single modulator design or a triple modulator design.

Abstract: A combination scanning and digital projector device including a scanning assembly connected to an input/output control device for capturing a scanned image of a document, a processing device connected to the input/output control device for processing digital image data representative of a scanned image and an image projection subassembly connected to the input/output control device for projecting digital image data.

Abstract: Disclosed is a stage device by which high precision motion and high speed motion can be accomplished simultaneously. The stage device includes a stage, a repulsive magnet unit for accelerating and/or decelerating the stage with respect to a movement direction, and a magnetic driving system for controlling the position of the stage. The repulsive force generator has (i) a repulsive stator, as a set magnet, including a plurality of magnets disposed along a direction orthogonal or substantially orthogonal to the movement direction, with a spacing therebetween while different poles of them are opposed to each other, and (ii) a repulsive movable element, as an insert magnet, to be mountably and demountably inserted into the spacing and being disposed in relation to the repulsive stator so that the same poles are opposed to each other.

Abstract: A laser exposure device at which alignment marks of a plate material on an exposure stage, which is moving in a direction opposite to a scanning direction, are read by a CCD camera mounted at a support gate, after which an imaging region, whose position is judged using the alignment marks, is exposed by a laser beam from a laser scanner. Here, a distance along the scanning direction from the CCD camera to the laser scanner is not less than a pitch of the alignment marks that are provided to respectively correspond to a trailing end and a leading end of the imaging region. According to this laser exposure device, even in a case in which a plurality of the imaging region is provided at a recording medium, an increase in a duration for forming images on the recording medium in accordance with an increase in imaging regions is prevented.

Abstract: Alignment to buried marks is carried out by using electromagnetic radiation to induce waves in the layers covering the buried layer. The acoustic or thermal waves cause reflectivity changes and displacements in the surface whose position and/or time dependence reveals the true position of the buried alignment mark. The buried alignment mark may be revealed by mapping the thickness of covering layers in its vicinity, e.g. by measuring the time dependence of the decay of a standing wave induced in the covering layers or by measuring the delay time of echoes of a travelling wave created at interfaces between different ones of the covering layers. Alternatively, a travelling wave can be created over the whole area of the mark so that echoes off the top and bottom of the buried mark carry positive and negative images of the mark; these cause reflectivity differences and displacements when they reach the surface which can be aligned to.

Abstract: An optical member made of silica glass manufactured by the direct method where a material gas comprising an organosilicon compound is allowed to react in an oxidizing flame,

Abstract: A cataoptric projection optical system for projecting a reduced size of a pattern on an object plane onto an image plane includes first, second, third and fourth mirrors from the image plane along an optical path, wherein the third and fourth mirrors are located between the first mirror and second mirror.

Abstract: In relation to a small object identifying device and its identifying method, there is provided a small object identifying device and its identifying method which can identify easily, reliably and efficiently a large number of small objects from several tens, to several hundreds, to several thousands, to more than several tens of thousands, without stopping in the case of identifying several kinds of small objects.

Abstract: A method is presented for calculating the Rayleigh backscattered signal (RBS) for an inhomogeneous fiber span amplified by a counter-propagating pump source, the fiber span being a concatenation of sections of different types of fiber. The method may be used to determine the Raman gain coefficients of each fiber section within the inhomogeneous fiber span. In addition, when the Raman gain coefficients for the fiber types are known, the method may be used to determine the fiber type of a section, if unknown.

Abstract: In order to measure an electrical voltage in an electrooptical voltage converter, polarized light at two wavelengths is sent through the medium (1). On the output side, the light is passed through a polarizer (10) and the remaining signal is measured. In order to compensate for the temperature dependency of the electrooptical coefficients, the measurement results at the two wavelengths are compared with one another, and that voltage value which is consistent with both measurements is used.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device and a method for automatically inspecting objects traveling in an essentially mono-layer flow. Said device comprises a detection unit (4) through which the object flow (2) passes, consisting of the following: means (6) for applying electromagnetic radiation in the direction of the plane of conveyance of said objects (2) and defining a lighting plane, the intersection of the lighting plane and plane of conveyance defining a detection line; a receiver device (8) periodically scanning each point on said detection line and receiving radiation reflected by an elementary measuring zone, the plane defined by said detection line and the optical input center being known as the scanning plane; means (10) for transmitting said reflected radiation.

Abstract: In a laser light source device (2), a light source unit (11) has one condenser lens (14) for condensing a laser beam emitted from one semiconductor laser (12), another condenser lens (15) for condensing a laser beam emitted from another semiconductor laser (13), and a focusing lens (17) for focusing and projecting the laser beam condensed by one condenser lens and the laser beam condensed by another lens onto an incident face (16a) of one light guiding means.

Abstract: A system and method for inspecting a specimen, such as a semiconductor wafer, including illuminating at least a portion of the specimen using an excimer source using at least one relatively intense wavelength from the source, detecting radiation received from the illuminated portion of the specimen, analyzing the detected radiation for potential defects present in the specimen portion.

Abstract: A flow cell for examining specimen fluid flowing within sheath fluid. A housing defines a hollow fluid passage that includes a geometric focusing portion in which the fluid passage narrows in height and an examination area. A cannula injects specimen fluid into the fluid passage as a stream of the specimen fluid with an initial velocity. The sheath fluid flows through the fluid passage, having a first velocity as it passes the point the specimen fluid is injected. The initial velocity is less than the first velocity, which focuses down the height of the specimen fluid stream via linear flow rate focusing. The narrowing geometric focusing portion of the fluid passage also focuses down the height of the specimen fluid stream via geometric focusing.

Abstract: An apparatus for inspecting a wafer includes a handling unit for supporting, rotating and moving the wafer in horizontal and vertical directions, a first image acquisition unit for acquiring a first image corresponding to an upper surface of the wafer supported by the handling unit, a second image acquisition unit for acquiring a second image, a third image and a fourth image corresponding to a peripheral portion of the upper surface, a side surface and a lower surface of the wafer supported by the handling unit, respectively, a first driving unit for rotating the second image acquisition unit about a peripheral portion of the wafer supported by the handling unit in order to acquiring the second, third and fourth images, and an image processing unit for inspecting defects of the wafer supported by the handling unit from the first to fourth images.

Abstract: A method and arrangement for the depth-resolved optical detection of a specimen with an illumination light distribution of at least one wavelength generated on or in a specimen and detection particularly of the light that is influenced due to interaction with the specimen, particularly fluorescent light and/or reflected light and/or luminescent light and/or scattered and/or transmitted light, wherein the illumination light has a modulation in at least one spatial direction and the detection light which is modulated like the illumination light is spatially split into two components having a phase shift relative to one another, the components are measured separately and an optical section image of the specimen and/or of part of the specimen is calculated from them.

Abstract: A measuring head for determining the size of particles in transparent media, comprising a measuring head body which has an opening for an optical measuring point with two measuring windows, consisting of an illuminating device and a light receiving device which is connected to an opto-electronic converter device. A rinsing device is used to clean the optical measuring point. The aim of the invention is to provide a measuring head whose windows can be reliably prevented from becoming fouled or wetted by particles contained in the particle flow, enabling optical permeability of the measuring point and avoiding false measuring values.

Abstract: A method for controlling both the scattering and absorption of electromagnetic waves. The method is based on prescribing the sizes of the particles that are suspended in a specified medium and a ratio of the refractive indices of the particles and the medium. This method can be used in applications that require maximizing or minimizing scattering of electromagnetic waves. The present method can also be used in applications that require maximizing or minimizing absorption of electromagnetic waves. Further, the invention provides control of backscattering (radar cross section) and, controlling any combination of scattering, absorption and backscattering of electromagnetic waves. Applications for the present method include stealth technology, friend or foe identification, and defensive screening.

Abstract: The present invention provides a photoacoustic spectrometer that is field portable and capable of speciating complex organic molecules in the gas phase. The spectrometer has a tunable light source that has the ability to resolve the fine structure of these molecules over a large wavelength range. The inventive light source includes an optical parametric oscillator (OPO) having combined fine and coarse tuning. By pumping the OPO with the output from a doped-fiber optical amplifier pumped by a diode seed laser, the inventive spectrometer is able to speciate mixtures having parts per billion of organic compounds, with a light source that has a high efficiency and small size, allowing for portability. In an alternative embodiment, the spectrometer is scanned by controlling the laser wavelength, thus resulting in an even more compact and efficient design.

Abstract: A spectrometer configured to extract spectral information from a wavefront. The spectrometer includes a first collection device that includes an adjustable-optical path and configured to collect a first portion of a wavefront; a second collection device configured to collect a second portion of the wavefront; combiner optics configured to interfere the first and second portions of the wavefront at an image plane of the first and second collector devices to form interference patterns at the image plane; and a Fourier transformation module configured to derive spectral information from the interference patterns.

Abstract: A device for current measurement based on a fiber-optic in-line Sagnac interferometer includes a birefringence phase modulator for non-reciprocal phase modulation of two orthogonal polarization modes of a light beam passing through the interferometer. The phase modulator is a digital phase modulator that is directly digitally drivable to permit simplification of the corresponding signal processing or driving electronics unit.

Abstract: The invention relates to an entangled-photon apparatus capable of measuring particular characteristics of an optical element, device or channel and further capable of correcting for the effects of said characteristics in an optical communications signal propagating through the optical element. Specifically, the apparatus and a method of using said apparatus to measure and compensate polarization mode dispersion in an optical communications fiber is disclosed. The apparatus includes a source of entangled photons, which are injected into the device under test along with the communications signal, and a two branch quantum interference device (QID) for determining the state of entanglement of said photons after they pass through the device. The quantum interference device includes a variable, polarization-specific delay element that is incremented to equalize the twinon correlation in the two branches of the QID, and a second variable delay element to apply the compensation to the communications signal.

Abstract: A displacement pickup is provided which comprising a scale (12) having defined thereon a first area (12a) where positional information is recorded with a predetermined pitch and a second area (12b) where positional information is recorded with a pitch different from that in the first area (12a), a first reader (10) which reads the positional information recorded in the first area (12a), a first phase detector (14) which detects a first phase on the basis of the positional information read by the first reader (10), a second reader (11) which reads the positional information recorded in the second area (12b), a second phase detector (15) which detects a second phase on the basis of the positional information read by the second reader (11), a phase comparator (16) which makes a comparison between the first and second phases, and an origin signal selector (18) which produce a plurality of signals according to the result of comparison and selects an arbitrary one of the plurality of signals on the basis of the pos

Abstract: Process for measuring distances by optical means on a specular or quasi-specular strip (1) of bright metal, characterised by the following steps:

Abstract: A method and system for measuring railroad wheels, where the wheels may be measured while mounted on railcars that are in motion. The method and system may be practiced by using one or more lasers or other light sources to illuminate portions of the surface of the railroad wheels, two or more of which may be substantially mutually orthogonal. By converting images of the illuminated portions to coordinates, wheel center position and diameter can be calculated, and once center position and diameter are calculated, wheel profile parameters such as flange height, flange width, and tread hollow can be calculated. The method and system produces accurate results at speeds up to at least 60 miles per hour.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for assessing surface irregularities comprising directing a line beam at the surface, imaging the line on the surface formed by the line beam, and analysing data of the image to produce an objective indication of the degree of regularity of the surface.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system and method for conserving resources when images are printed. Briefly described, in architecture, one embodiment comprises receiving a communication comprising at least a plurality of images, the images lacking information specifying image attributes, analyzing each image for at least one characteristic corresponding to the image attribute, determining a maximum amount of reduction in size for each one of the images based upon the analyzed characteristic, determining a page layout for selected ones of the plurality of images at the determined reduced-size such that at least two reduced-size images are laid out together onto a single sheet of paper, and communicating the determined page layout to a printing unit so that the sheet of paper is printed having the selected reduced-sized images.

Abstract: The present invention provides a measurement tool for use with an application suited for viewing a digitized drawing. The measurement tool enables the measurement of lengths (of both lines and poly lines) and areas (of both regular and irregular shapes) from a digital drawing in true scale. This is particularly advantageous with original architectural drawings or other drawings that are scanned from paper into a digital format and where measuring or annotating the drawing in true scale is important.

Abstract: To develop a vector image to bitmap data having a designated output size and output the bitmap data, developing unit converts the stored rendering data to a designated output size in accordance with reduction designation of the vector image.

Abstract: A trapping means judges that the gradated region is dark if compared with the uniform region and expands the uniform region to cause colors to overlap when the density average value Da of the gradated region is greater than the density value Du of the uniform region but judges that the gradated region is light if compared with the uniform region and expands the gradated region when the density average value Da of the gradated region is smaller than the density value Du of the uniform region.

Abstract: Variations of image density and gradation reproducibility upon image formation include short-term variations resulting from variations of apparatus environments, and long-term variations resulting from aging of the photosensitive bodies and toners. In order to standardize the density and gradation reproducibility of a copy image and print image, these variations must be corrected together. For this purpose, test print 1 is formed (S101), a correction coefficient ka of the contrast potential for image formation is optimized based on density information obtained in step S102 (S103), and the grid potential and developing bias potential are set to obtain the contrast potential (S104). Test print 2 is formed (S105), the relationship between the laser output and density is calculated from density information obtained in step S106 (S107), and gamma conversion characteristics are set (S108).

Abstract: A method for printing a halftone digital image using the same binary digital data to make a printing plate and a color proof.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a printing unit which prints an image on paper, an exit path which connects an exit of the printing unit to an exit member which pushes the paper outside of the printing unit, a plurality of guide members which are arranged widthwise of the paper, each guide member having a first guide side which guides the paper coming out of the printing unit along the exit path, wherein each guide member is installed to be movable such that the first guide side rotates when the first guide side contacts the paper which comes out of the printing unit, and returns to its original position after the paper completely passes through the printing unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an image reading section having a plurality of sensors with their different features, an image processing section which applies a processing to image data according to the sensors with different features acquired at the image reading section, at least one of an operation section which accepts a mode specification and a determination section which determines an original type, and a control section which selects a processing of the image processing section based on the specification of the operation section or the determination of the determination section.

Abstract: A printer includes a local non-volatile memory for storing at least one print job; and a control system, including at least one processor and an encryption algorithm. When a print job is sent to the printer and designated for printing at a later time, the print job is assigned a key identification number (KEY) and then encrypted by the processor based on the encryption algorithm and the KEY. The encrypted print job is then stored in the local non-volatile memory as a secured print job, while the KEY associated with the encrypted print job is erased from the printer.

Abstract: A print controller, method and program product in which print stream data is received, parsed into local and global portions, packaged for further raster image processing, and then processed in parallel by a plurality of raster image processors.

Abstract: A method of providing device-dependent print data to a printer by a computer system is disclosed. The computer system has an upper layer for controlling a graphical device interface. A printer manager is provided to decode input encoded data into the printer data without utilizing the upper layer. The printer manager has a decoder for decoding the encoded data to generate raw data and a converter for converting the raw data into the print data.

Abstract: A proprietary printing system communicates over a communications network in a standard data format, such as SNMP. The proprietary printing system includes a database, such as a SQL database, that represents the MIB tables for the SNMP interface. The database translates information from a proprietary data format into the standard data format and places the information in the MIB tables.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method and apparatus for saving power in a printing system, by prioritizing printer jobs. Using a graphical user interface an end-user assigns a print time to a first job. The print time designation is attached to the first job and the first job is transmitted from the end-user station to a printer. Based on whether the printer is in ready state or in power save mode the first job is printed immediately or stored in memory. When the first job is stored in memory, computations are made to determine a printing time to initiate printing of the first job. The first job is then printed at the printing time or at an earlier printing time if a second job with an earlier printing time is stored in the memory.

Abstract: The invention provides an image processing system which is suitable to carry out image processing in excellent accuracy while removing influence due to characteristics depending on the type difference and which facilitates wide and flexible adaptation over image capturing devices. A digital camera includes an image pick-up sensor unit which receives images as data, a URL memory unit which stores a URL to indicate an acquisition site of image processing data, and a URL adding unit which adds the URL in the URL memory unit to the image data. The printer includes an RAW data read unit which reads out the image data, a URL acquisition unit which acquires the URL added to the image data, an image processing data acquisition unit which acquires the image processing data from the image processing data storage server based on the acquired URL, and an image data processing unit to process the image data based on the acquired image processing data.

Abstract: An image processing device separates and extracts, when it receives a designation input of a compression processing mode, a character region, a graphic region and a photograph region from input image data. Then, to perform the compression process for the individual region data, if a speed preference mode is set, one of a plurality of compression methods designated for each of the region data which exhibits the highest processing speed is used, if a picture quality preference mode is set, one of a plurality of compression methods designated for each of the region data which exhibits the least picture quality deterioration is used, and if a size preference mode is set, one of a plurality of compression methods designated for each of the region data which exhibits the highest compression ratio is used. Further, for each of character region data from among the extracted region data, the image size is calculated.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming an image, in which hardware resources for use in the forming of images are provided, and one or more processes run based on programs in respect of the forming of images. The apparatus includes an off-line unit which puts the one or more processes in a off-line state in which restriction is placed on the running of the one or more processes, a memory area releasing unit which releases one or more memory areas used by the one or more processes that are put in the off-line state, and a data laying-out unit which lays out data in the one or more memory areas released by the memory area releasing unit.