Abstract: A heat recovery device particularly for association downstream of devices suitable to heat water. The device is constituted by a tank provided with an inlet for recovering warm water from domestic drains and an outlet for draining toward the sewer. The tank has a set of tubes for water which arrives from the mains and is thus heated before being fed to devices such as a boiler, water heater, et cetera. The device therefore allows savings in water heating for domestic or industrial uses.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes an imaging device, and an optical system configured to image light from an imaging subject on the imaging device. The optical system includes a group of lenses and an aperture diaphragm. When NP point is defined as a point where an extended linear component in an object space of a principal ray located in a Gauss region and selected from among principal rays passing through a center of the aperture diaphragm of the optical system crosses an optical axis of the optical system, D represents a diameter of a lens at the closest side to the imaging subject, and LN represents a distance from a lens surface of the lens at the closest side to the imaging subject to the NP point, a formula; 0?LN?D (1) is satisfied.

Abstract: An electronic device includes an operation member which is arranged within a range where a particular finger of right hand gripping the electronic device in a vertical orientation reaches and in which assigned functions can be customized, a storage unit adapted to store information on a first function and a second function which are set in the operation member as the assigned functions, an orientation information obtaining unit adapted to obtain information on an orientation related to the electronic device, a function assignment control unit adapted to assign the first function to the operation member when it is determined based on the information on the orientation that the electronic device is in a horizontal orientation and assign the second function to the operation member when it is determined based on the information on the orientation that the electronic device is in the vertical orientation.

Abstract: A motion compensation device comprising, a detector to detect a vibration of an imaging device which takes an image, a controller to control a compensation amount of an influence of said vibration based on an output of said detector, said controller increasing said compensation amount according to lapse of shooting time of said imaging device.

Abstract: A system includes a camera and a monitoring system that are capable of wireless communication. The camera is operable to send a message to the monitoring system via a plurality of wireless communication paths. The message includes information relating to an operational status of the camera. The camera may generate and analyze a video signal and the message may include information relating to the analysis of the video signal. The camera may be one of a plurality of cameras capable of generating video signals. The system may further include an intermediate node capable of wireless communication with the cameras and the monitoring system. The intermediate node may multiplex the video signals from the cameras to the monitoring system.

Abstract: A device operable with a camera is disclosed which includes a display screen, remote from the camera, and a processor for receiving an image signal of the field of view of the camera and for displaying an image of the field of view of the camera on the display screen. The device communicates with and controls certain camera functions to allow a photographic or video image to be framed and taken from a location remote from the camera.

Abstract: A device may establish a distance of a device from a reference object. The device may also determine a difference or change in the distance, obtain a zoom value based on the difference or change, and zoom in or out on a view based on the zoom value.

Abstract: This invention includes accumulation units (102a, 102b) which accumulate signals obtained by sensing units (111a, 111b), an area determination unit (103, 100) which sets the size of an area of a sensing unit to be segmented into a plurality of areas on the basis of the information of a lens to be focus-detected, accumulation control units (104a-104c, 105) which control, for each of the areas, accumulation of signals obtained in a plurality of areas by the accumulation units, and a defocus detection unit (100) which detects defocus states in the respective areas from accumulated signals from a plurality of areas.

Abstract: Unless a release button is pressed halfway to input a command to prepare for capturing a still image, a focus lens is moved at predetermined intervals to focus roughly on a subject. When the release button is pressed halfway, the present position of the focus lens is detected. If the position of the focus lens is closer to a lens terminal on a short shooting distance side, the focus lens is moved from the lens terminal on the short shooting distance side toward a lens terminal on a long shooting distance side. If the position of the focus lens is closer to the lens terminal on the long shooting distance side, the focus lens is moved from the lens terminal on the long shooting distance side toward the opposite lens terminal. When an in-focus position is detected while the focus lens is being moved, the focus lens is immediately set at the in-focus position.

Abstract: A focus detection device comprises: focus detection elements including light-receiving elements that generate a pair of signals corresponding to a pair of light fluxes each passing through an imaging optical system that includes a lens and an aperture stop; and a focus detector including a processor that determines a focus adjustment state of the imaging optical system with an f-number slower than a full-aperture of the imaging optical system when a specific condition is fulfilled.

Abstract: A mobile device comprises a network communication system such as a wide area network mobile telephony system, a camera for capturing a digital photograph, and a photograph management application. The photograph management application receives the digital photograph, obtains an information record comprising information related to the digital photograph; and associates at least a portion of the information related to the digital photograph with the digital photograph. The information record may be obtained from local sources such as a contact directory or from a remote directory server.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus has a grip portion, a camera portion, and a monitor portion for displaying an image captured by the camera portion. The camera portion has an imaging optical system and an imaging device for capturing the image of a subject guided by the imaging optical system. The grip portion has a grip casing resembling a flat plate. The casing has a width greater than its thickness and a length greater than the width. The camera portion is connected to a longitudinal end of the grip casing rotatably about a first axis extending along the width. The monitor portion is connected to the camera portion so as to be rotatable together with the camera portion about the first axis and is connected rotatably about a second axis perpendicular to the first axis. The imaging optical system of the camera portion has an optical axis located on the first axis.

Abstract: A driving mechanism includes a driven member partially having a spherical surface, piezoelectric units that support the driven member between them and drive the driven member, and a base that holds the piezoelectric units. Each of the piezoelectric units includes a driving portion having a flat surface in contact with the spherical surface of the driven member, a first piezoelectric element that moves the driving portion along a first axis parallel to the flat surface, a second piezoelectric element that moves the driving portion along a second axis that is parallel to the flat surface and intersects the first axis, and a support member that supports the driving portion through the first and second piezoelectric elements.

Abstract: A camera bracket is disclosed which facilitates movement of a camera and its field from the horizontal to the vertical position and maintains the center of the camera lens in exactly the same in relationship to all objects, such as the sun, as long as the photographer does not change position and which maintains the center of the camera lens in the exact same position with respect to any flash that is being used even if the photographer does change position.

Abstract: An actuator includes a rotor, a stator containing the rotor, and a bearing to support the rotor to be rotatable with respect to the stator about the central axis of the rotor and an axis perpendicular to the central axis. The rotor includes rotor central magnetic poles, a rotor upper magnetic pole, and a rotor lower magnetic pole. The stator includes stator central magnetic poles larger in number than the rotor central magnetic poles, stator upper magnetic poles, stator lower magnetic poles, central coils to appropriately magnetize the stator central magnetic poles, upper coils to appropriately magnetize the stator upper magnetic poles, and lower coils to appropriately magnetize the stator lower magnetic poles. The length of each stator central magnetic pole along a central axis of the stator is larger than a length of each rotor central magnetic pole along the central axis of the rotor.

Abstract: An actuator includes: a coil for excitation; a stator excited with different magnetic poles by energization of the coil; a rotor magnetized with different magnetic poles in a circumferential direction, and rotated by magnetic force generating between the rotor and the stator; and an outputting member rotated in conjunction with the rotor and outputting rotational movement of the rotor to a member. The outputting member fits onto the rotor, and the rotor has at least one of a recess portion and a projection portion at a fitting surface of the rotor. The outputting member is jointed with the rotor so as to have a shape corresponding to the at least one of the recess portion and the projection portion by welding.

Abstract: A focal-plane shutter has a first plate having a first opening, a second plate having a second opening, a shutter blade disposed between the first plate and the second plate, for opening and closing the first opening and the second opening, and a thin plate disposed at a side of the first plate facing the shutter blade and extending in such a direction that the shutter blade travel. A distance between an edge of the first opening and a center of the first opening is greater than that between an edge of the thin plate and the center of the first opening.

Abstract: An interchangeable lens mountable/detachable on/from a camera body is provided with a receiving unit that receives information on photography surroundings and a transmission unit that transmits data for correction of aberration based on the information received by the receiving unit, to the camera body.

Abstract: The optical communication system of the present invention is constructed with a data plane and a control plane, and includes a first monitor for monitoring a path alarm on the data plane, a second monitor for monitoring a path alarm on the control plane, and an alarm comparator for comparing alarm statuses of the optical paths that the first monitor and the second monitor preserve, wherein an optical communication apparatus, of which the first monitor and the second monitor both are in a status of having detected the alarm, operate so as to start an operation of avoiding a fault. Such a configuration makes it possible to make a detour only around an appropriate section including a fault location without performing an erroneous operation when a fault has occurred in an optical path, in which a plurality of detour sections, in an all-optical communication system.

Abstract: Embodiments of optical network evaluation systems and methods are disclosed. One system embodiment, among others, comprises a processor configured with logic to provide a cross layer model of disturbance propagation in an optical network based on a combination of a physical layer model and a network layer model, the physical layer mode based on the disturbance propagation having a threshold effect only on nodes along a route followed by the disturbance.

Abstract: Systems and methods for monitoring a data transmission link, especially an optical, bidirectional data transmission link, in which a digital transmit signal is transmitted on a first transmission path from a local end of the data transmission link toward a remote end of the data transmission link. A portion of the power of the transmit signal sent at the local end is transmitted, delayed by a non-zero delay time on a second transmission path as a control signal toward the remote end of the data transmission link. Both signals are received at the remote end and are tested for the presence of events of a predetermined type. A conclusion can be reached on the quality of the transmission link as a function of a time correlation and frequency of the appearance of events in the received transmit signal and in the received control signal.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for automatic restoration detection and automatic restoration of optical communication system are disclosed. In the methods, a first station sends an automatic restoration detection message to a second station at the opposite side of a failed link; in response to receiving an automatic restoration request message, determines that the link has been repaired in two directions, and sends an automatic restoration confirmation message to the second station; or in response to receiving the automatic restoration detection message, determines that the link from the second station to the first station has been repaired, and sends the automatic restoration request message to the second station; in response to receiving the automatic restoration confirmation message, determines that the link has been repaired in two directions; and switching to normal working states. The safety problem that the laser leakage occurs in the failed link is solved.

Abstract: To shorten the service downtime as a communication system and to provide improved performance in communication by only checking if a device, in which the continuation of communication has become impossible, has recovered, a station terminating device includes: a connection management unit for maintaining without stopping a bandwidth allocation to a connected subscriber terminating device even when receiving a communication inability message from the subscriber terminating device; and a signal existence detection unit for detecting existence of a signal from the subscriber terminating device after receiving the communication inability message from the subscriber terminating device.

Abstract: An optical fiber alignment unit for the easy precise alignment of optical fibers in and array. In a preferred embodiment the positioning array is incorporated twice in an all optical cross connect switch utilizing MEMS mirrors for cross connecting optical fibers in a first set of optical fibers to optical fibers in a second set of optical fibers. The optical fibers are preferably arranged in rectangular arrays. These arrays include array sizes such as 4×8, 16×16 and 8×16. A preferred embodiment built and tested by Applicants is a modular optical switch in which an input 8×16 array of optical fibers from sixteen eight-fiber ribbons are cross-connected into an output 8×16 array of optical fibers also from sixteen eight-fiber ribbons.

Abstract: A beam direction sensor for determining the direction of each beam in an array of light beams. The invention basically consists of a screen positioned to intersect the array of beams and a video camera to record the position of the images of the intersections. The screen can be any of a wide variety of screens that produce an image of the beams when illuminated with the beam. These include frosted glass and various diffusers. A preferred screen is a holographic diffusers.

Abstract: Efficient absorption of radio wave emission can be ensured from a high frequency signal processing circuit in an optical transmitter/receiver module. The optical transmitter/receiver module pluggable to a communication device includes a housing having openings on an anterior and a posterior ends; an optical connector disposed at the anterior opening; a photoelectric converting unit that converts a wavelength-division multiplexed optical signal, that is input from an optical transmission line connected to the optical connector, into an electric signal; and a high frequency circuit board that performs high frequency signal processing of an electric signal converted by the photoelectric converting unit, whereinat the posterior opening, a connecting terminal of the high frequency circuit board is formed so that it is pluggable to a mother board of a communication device, and wherein radio wave absorbers are arranged in spaces between the top/bottom surfaces of the high frequency circuit board and the housing.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention are directed to a free-space communications system, a signal transmission platform for a free-space communications system, and a method for free-space communications, that advantageously provide or have the potential to provide measurable improvements in free-space communications over a turbulent atmospheric transmission path. A principal feature of all of the embodiments disclosed herein is the generation of a pseudo-non-diffracting communications signal transmission beam, referred to herein as a ‘non-diffracting signal transmission beam’. A realizable embodiment of such a non-diffracting signal transmission beam known in the art is a Bessel beam. A free-space communications system includes a communications signal transmitter platform that ultimately can generate a particularly specified transmission signal waveform, which is a non-diffracting signal transmission beam.

Abstract: A method of establishing a system delay time and a frame length in a Time Division Duplexing (TDD) system includes adjusting time lengths of an uplink (UL) frame, a downlink (DL) frame, a Transmit/receive Transition Gap (TTG), and a Receive/transmit Transition Gap (RTG); a Base Station (BS) transmitting a DL frame and receiving a UL frame; and a Mobile Station (MS) receiving the DL frame and transmitting the UL frame.

Abstract: An upstream signal timing control method which controls a timing of an upstream optical signal, from a terminal device to a center device, to a timing that the center device intends. Optical clock pulses synchronized with the timing that the center device intends are sent from the center device to the terminal device. The terminal device delay-controls the optical clock pulses and retransmits them to the center device. The center device detects an offset between the timing and a timing of the returned optical clock pulses, and applies timing offset information to the transmitted optical clock pulses. The terminal device performs the delay control in accordance with the timing offset information applied to the received optical clock pulses. When the offset between the timing and the returned optical clock pulse timing is at or below a threshold, the center device verifies completion of timing control of the upstream optical signal.

Abstract: An exemplary aspect of the present invention is an optical receiver which is used in an optical transmission system, and which receives an optical signal and converts the optical signal into an electrical signal, the optical receiver comprising a controller, and a delay interferometer, wherein the controller sends, to the delay interferometer, delay information corresponding to a modulation scheme with which the optical signal is modulated, the modulation scheme being any one of an intensity modulation scheme and a phase modulation scheme and the delay interferometer separates the optical signal and causes a delay in one of the separated signals by use of the delay information, thereafter causes an interference between the separated signals, and thereby outputs two optical signals including different interference levels.

Abstract: A transmission device that includes: a radio signal transmission processing section that transmits a radio carrier wave overlaid with transmitting information after being modulated by pulse position modulation; an optical signal transmission processing section that transmits an optical carrier wave overlaid with the transmitting information after being modulated by the pulse position modulation; and a baseband processing section that modulates the transmitting information in accordance with the pulse position modulation of shared use with the radio signal transmission processing section and the optical signal transmission processing section.

Abstract: The present invention provides systems and methods for chirp control of a dual arm Z-modulator to minimize dispersion in the fiber plant. The chirp control is based upon a real-time control loop based upon performance monitoring data between a transmitter and a receiver. Advantageously, the present invention enables improved performance in high-speed optical systems, and in some cases can eliminate or minimize the need for external dispersion compensation fiber (DCF).

Abstract: Embodiments include methods, apparatus, and systems for cable monitoring. One embodiment includes a method that receives data from an optical transceiver coupled to a cable and a RFID (radio frequency identification) device mounted to the cable. The data from the optical transceiver and RFID device is used to determine an operational status of the cable.

Abstract: A small, low cost, low power-consumption optical receiver transmits signals at a high bit rate of approximately 10 Gbps over a long distance of 100 km or longer without chromatic dispersion compensation. An optical filter with a variable filtering wavelength is provided in the optical waveguide. A frequency-modulated signal light is inputted into the waveguide and transferred to the through port and the drop port thereof. The filter limits the frequency-modulated signal light to a predetermined frequency band and converts the said light to an intensity-modulated signal. The first and second converters provided at the through and drop ports to convert the first and second components of the intensity-modulated signal to electric signals, respectively. The filtering wavelength of the filter is controlled using the electric signals from the first and second converters. The input signal is regenerated from the electric signal of the second converter.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a method and apparatus for producing a phase coded non-return-to-zero (PC-NRZ) optical signal. The method includes providing an input optical signal; providing first and second drive signals, the first drive signal having a first data pattern of first and second signal levels, the second drive signal having a second data pattern, the second data pattern having third and fourth signal levels that toggle at least when the first drive signal changes from the first signal level to the second signal level; and modulating amplitude of the input optical signal with the first drive signal and modulating phase of the input optical signal with the second drive signal to produce the PC-NRZ optical signal. A PC-NRZ optical transmitter and an optical transmission system applying the PC-NRZ optical transmitter are also provided.

Abstract: The tunable dispersion compensator 10 of the present invention comprises: the Mach-Zehnder interferometers (MZIs) 21 to 25 cascaded on a planar lightwave circuit; and the tunable couplers 31 to 34 connected to between each corresponding pair of the MZIs respectively. The Y-branch waveguide 15 and 16 are used for connecting to between the MZIs 21, 25 as both end sides and the input/output optical waveguides 13, 14 respectively. The waveguide loop mirror 40 is connected to the final stage MZI 25 among the MZIs 21 to 25 which an incident light is propagated last therethrough. The half-wave plate 50 is inserted to the loop waveguide 41 of the waveguide loop mirror 40. And it becomes able to enhance (double) the amount of tunable dispersion because an input light signal is passed twice through the similar path by the waveguide loop mirror 40.

Abstract: An electrical return to zero (RZ) encoder converts non-return to zero (NRZ) data, into of RZ data patterns with a flexibility for duty cycle adjustment so that any RZ data pattern may be provided for a specific application's need. A duty cycle of>50% or<50% may be achieved by selecting between a clock signal or its complement and adjusting its delay.

Abstract: A data transmission system comprising a transmitter and a receiver. The transmitter comprises a phase encoder for partitioning consecutive bit data to be input in data in units of X bits; and converting a 2x value indicated by the data of X bits in unique association with an (N/2-1)Y value of a Y symbol, and for confining use of signal points, from among the signal points of N-ary phase, only to a signal point P1 (at a phase angle 0) and N/2-2 signal points P(2n+2) (where 1?n<N/2-2). The receiver comprises a phase decoder for notifying an error detection when a signal point other than a signal point that are permitted to be used is received, and performing an error correction by changing the signal point to a signal point which has a smaller hamming distance.

Abstract: A network may include fiber optic lines and fiber distribution panels connected by the one or more fiber optic lines. At least one of the fiber distribution panels may include an optical fiber connector designated as a connector that is for emergency use. The network may further include a plurality of optical network terminals located at premises of subscribers to the network.

Abstract: On the upstream side of a quantum dot optical amplifier, a polarization beam splitter with one input and two outputs is provided. Two optical fibers connected to output sections of the polarization beam splitter are connected to input sections of the quantum dot optical amplifier in a state that both of the optical fibers have an electric field whose direction being adjusted to maximize its gain, and one optical fiber is twisted by 90.degree. to the other optical fiber. On the downstream side of the quantum dot optical amplifier, a polarization beam splitter with two inputs and one output is provided. Between two optical fibers connected to the polarization beam splitter, one is twisted by 90.degree. to the other. This twisting direction is reverse to the twisting direction of the two optical fibers connected to the input sections of the quantum dot optical amplifier.

Abstract: An optical communication module includes a driving unit, an optical transmitting unit, a control unit and a signal transform control unit. The driving unit outputs a bias signal and a modulation signal in accordance with a bias control signal and a modulation control signal. The optical transmitting unit is electrically connected to the driving unit, outputs an optical signal in accordance with the bias signal and the modulation signal, and generates a feedback signal. The signal transform control unit is electrically connected to the driving unit and generates the bias control signal and the modulation control signal to be inputted to the driving unit. The control unit is electrically connected to the optical transmitting unit and the signal transform control unit, and controls the signal transform control unit in accordance with the feedback signal. A control method of the optical communication module is also disclosed.

Abstract: An optical transmitter is disclosed including an optical signal source generating a frequency modulated signal encoding data. An optical spectrum reshaper is positioned to receive the frequency modulated signal and converts the frequency modulated signal into a reshaped signal having increased amplitude modulation relative to the frequency modulated signal. A third-order dispersive element is positioned to receive the reshaped signal and is adapted to impose third-order dispersion on the reshaped signal to generate a compensated signal having third-order dispersion effective to compensate for second-order dispersion caused by an optical fiber positioned between the optical transmitter and a receiver.

Abstract: An optical transmitting circuit (2) modulates multimode oscillation light using an information signal, subjects at least one oscillation-mode light beam of the multimode oscillation light to a predetermined operation, and outputting the result to an optical transmission channel. An optical receiving circuit (8) receives an optical signal transmitted through the optical transmission channel, subjects the received optical signal to an operation reverse to the predetermined operation to recover an optical signal as it was before being subjected to the predetermined operation, and converting the recovered optical signal into an electrical signal, thereby reproducing the information signal.

Abstract: The invention relates to a symmetrical optical receiver comprising a photodiode (Ph) and a symmetrical transimpedance amplifier (TIA). The cathode (K) or respectively the anode (A) of the photodiode (Ph) is connected via a first capacitor (C1) or respectively second capacitor (C2), to the first input or respectively second input, of the symmetrical transimpedance amplifier (TIA). By means of first means (1) or respectively second means (2), a current corresponding to the low-pass-filtered cathode voltage or respectively anode voltage, is conducted into the cathode (K) or respectively conducted away from the anode (A). With the symmetrical optical receiver according to the invention, a low level lower cut-off frequency is able to be achieved with comparatively small coupling capacitors (C1, C2) and with a small circuitry outlay. Moreover, a relatively high voltage drop across the photodiode can be created even with small supply voltages.

Abstract: An optical device includes an interferometer for a received optical differential phase shift keying DPSK signal, and an equalizer integrated with the interferometer in a manner for reducing from optical filtering effects an interference by signal bits of the DPSK signal with signal bits of a contiguous DPSK signal. The interferometer is a Michelson delay interferometer type, but can also be a Mach-Zehnder delay interferometer type on fiber, waveguide or other optical structure. The equalizer is a Fabry-Perot type equalizer, but can be a ring resonator type or a fiber based equalizer.

Abstract: An optical receiver converting an optical signal modulated by differential phase shift keying to electrical first and second data signals; generating a clock signal from the first data signal; demultiplexing the first data signal into two signals; latching the two signals using the clock signal; delaying the clock signal by a certain amount; latching the two signals using the delayed clock signal; demultiplexing the second data signal into two additional signals; generating an inverted clock signal by inverting the clock signal; latching the two additional signals using the inverted clock signal or the clock signal; and further latching the two additional signals using the delayed clock signal.

Abstract: An optical receiver including a demodulator to convert an in-phase signal of a received differential phase modulated optical signal into a first electrical signal, and to convert a quadrature signal of the received differential phase modulated optical signal into a second electrical signal; a decision member deciding logic states of the first and second electrical signals; a logic controller using the decision result of the decision member to control logic states of the first and second electrical signals; and a memory storing information relating to the decision result. The logic controller controls the logic state using the information relating to the decision result stored in the memory.

Abstract: The present invention provides a precisely controlled terminator circuit of a differential amplifier, in particular, for a differential amplifier of an optical receiver. The differential circuit, which receives a differential signal by a first input for the normal phase signal and a second input for an anti-phase signal, provides a terminator circuit comprises two resistors connected in serial between two inputs and two resistive connections each including a transistor and a resistor serially connected to the transistor and connected between respective inputs and the power supply line Vcc. The control unit, by receiving a medium potential of two resistors, provides a bias to two transistors so as to equalize the medium potential with the reference potential.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus is provided that performs image processing based on data received over a prescribed network and includes a number generator generating a number according to a prescribed rule, an apparatus identifier generator using the number generated by the number generator to generate an apparatus identifier distinguishing the image processing apparatus, a communication controller transmitting the apparatus identifier generated by the apparatus identifier generator and receiving address information of a prescribed communication protocol together with the apparatus identifier via the network, and a communication configuration memory storing the address information received by the communication controller, wherein the communication controller uses the address information stored in the communication configuration memory to communicate data with another apparatus on the network.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus according to the invention includes a cooling fan as a cooling device, an image formation processing unit, a changeover unit, a main control unit, a secondary control unit, and a power supply unit. The main control unit and the secondary control unit make an appropriate action in association with each other in the event of the occurrence of an abnormality in the cooling device. The changeover unit is configured to connect the image formation processing unit to the main image formation control unit in the main control unit in a case where power is supplied to the main control unit, and to connect the image formation processing unit to the secondary image formation control unit in the secondary control unit in a case where power supply to the main control unit is stopped by the power supply control unit in the secondary control unit.