Abstract: An optical phonograph cartridge includes an optical vibration sensor that operatively couples to a stylus/cantilever to convert, to optical signals, mechanical vibrations representative of the music encoded in the groove of a vinyl record. The optical vibration sensor includes a photonic integrated circuit includes an input waveguide network for conveying light and an output waveguide network for conveying modulated light, wherein the modulated light is generated by a screen that is attached to the cantilever and is disposed between the input and output waveguide networks.

Abstract: The present invention provides a solid material comprising an immobilized mixture of two or more proteorhodopsins, two or more bacteriorhodopsins, or one or more bacteriorhodopsin and one or more proteorhodopsins. The proteorhodopsins are selected from the group consisting of all-trans-retinal-containing proteorhodopsins and retinal analog-containing proteorhodopsins; all of which have absorption spectra that do not overlap. The bacteriorhodopsins are selected from the group consisting of all-trans-retinal-containing bacteriorhodopsins and retinal analog-containing bacteriorhodopsins; all of which have absorption spectra that do not overlap. The present invention also provides an optical information carrier, such as an optical data storage material and a fraud-proof optical data carrier, comprising the above-described solid material and a substrate selected from the group consisting of glass, paper, metal, fabric material, and plastic material, wherein said solid material is deposited on said substrate.

Abstract: This invention relates to equipment for the optical playback of sound media which includes resources (1) that has engraves grooves, (3, 9) for generating at least one light beam that presents a light spectrum variation according to its incidence angle on an area of the sound media and an image sensor (7) placed so that it recovers the light reflected by said area of the sound media.

Abstract: An electrooptic device having a simple structure that can efficiently increase deflection of a beam is provided. The device includes: an electrooptic crystal (11) having an electrooptic effect; an electrode pair of a positive electrode (12) and a negative electrode (13) for generating an electric field inside the electrooptic crystal; and a power source for applying a voltage between the electrode pair so as to generate a space charge inside the electrooptic crystal. With this arrangement, by using a simple structure, a change in a deflection angle is temporally rapid, and a large deflection angle that can not be obtained by a conventional electrooptic crystal prism can be acquired at a low applied voltage.

Abstract: Optical devices based on internal conical refraction for developing new set-ups, methods and applications based on the specific properties of internal conical diffraction. The devices include several set-ups, methods and applications consisting of biaxial crystal(s)—one or more polarization elements and optical elements. The biaxial crystal is an optical crystal which may belong to the trigonal, orthorhombic or trigonal crystal classes.

Abstract: Audio information stored in the undulations of grooves in a medium such as a phonograph record may be reconstructed, with little or no contact, by measuring the groove shape using precision metrology methods coupled with digital image processing and numerical analysis. The effects of damage, wear, and contamination may be compensated, in many cases, through image processing and analysis methods. The speed and data handling capacity of available computing hardware make this approach practical. Two examples used a general purpose optical metrology system to study a 50 year old 78 r.p.m. phonograph record and a commercial confocal scanning probe to study a 1920's celluloid Edison cylinder. Comparisons are presented with stylus playback of the samples and with a digitally re-mastered version of an original magnetic recording. There is also a more extensive implementation of this approach, with dedicated hardware and software.

Abstract: A flexible flat cable and a disk drive using the same are provided. The flexible flat cable is configured to suppress an electromagnetic interference (EMI) generated by a signal transmitted by it. The flexible flat cable includes a main body and a metal layer. The metal layer is disposed on the main body along the direction the signal is transmitted. The width of the metal layer along the direction, perpendicular to the direction the signal being transmitted, is smaller than the width of the main body.

Abstract: A method for reconstructing the original groove configuration of a phonograph record. The methodology comprises providing an instrument for measuring the entire groove of a phonograph with an instrument in communication with a computer. The computer reconstructs the original groove configuration, using data from the measurements of the record groove. Various instrument embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A method for specifying, executing and analyzing method sequences for the recognition of dispatch labels and form entries. In the specification phase, the method sequences are input in graphical form into a computer system as flowcharts with attributes and function details which define the influence of individual variables on the method sequence. Codes are then automatically generated from the flowcharts as an internal representation which is converted by a compiler into a loadable, executable module which is called for each processing step in the handling phase for recognizing the respective dispatch label or form entry. In the handling phase for recognition, information for describing the particular current sequence and the current values of the attributes is written to an attribute file for each processing step.

Abstract: The present invention provides a laser heterodyne interferometer based system for audibly producing sounds recorded on a cylinder recording, such as an Edison type wax cylinder, or a 33, 45 or 78 RPM LP (long play) record. The system generally comprises an optical system mounted on an optical platform, and an audio recording medium mounted on a platform operatively positioned relative to the optics platform. The optical system comprises an interferometer type structure that uses laser generated light propagated either through free space or through fiber, a platform on which the optical system is mounted, and a platform on which the recording media (e.g., cylinder or record) is mounted.

Abstract: The present invention provides a control method of a rotary storage medium having an electronic circuit that controls connection between an electronic circuit block and an external apparatus to enhance the performance of the entire system, and a system thereof. The system is an intelligent disk system including an intelligent disk having double-surface structure that stores information and is detachable from a drive unit, wherein an electronic circuit is mounted on at least one surface or between both surfaces of the intelligent disk and the electronic circuit is provided with a CPU, and wherein the system controls the intelligent disk so that contents of the disk surfaces of the intelligent disk may be transferred to or loaded in an external apparatus at the time of the intelligent disk rotating or mechanically operating (S36-S37) and the CPU may control the external apparatus when the intelligent disk is not operating.

Abstract: A method for reconstruction the original groove configuration of a phonograph record. The methodology comprises providing an instrument for making measurements of the geometry of a groove of a phonograph record with the instrument in communication with a computer and the computer executing a reconstructive analysis code thereby reconstruct the groove geometry of the phonograph record using data obtained from the measurements of the geometry of the groove.

Abstract: A multi-layer optical information storage system comprising several layers of generally flat waveguide, arranged one on top of the other in a stack. The reading energy is projected through the layers perpendicularly, and is focussed onto the layer to be read. A detector disposed at the side of the layers detects the energy scattered or reflected from information or data points within the layer. The points within the layers may be in the form of defects of a type that can carry the information assigned to each point, generally by means of the presence or absence of the defect. The energy scattered or reflected from the defects in any specific layer is preferably contained within that layer because of waveguiding properties imparted to the layers by means of a graded or stepped index structure.

Abstract: A turntable stylus device 2 comprises recording medium motion detection means 8 operable to detect motion of the recording medium 10, and audio/visual output means operable to produce audio/visual effects in addition to, or instead of, those from the recording medium 10, said audio/visual effects being produced in response to an output of the recording medium motion detection means 8.

Abstract: The present invention provides a laser heterodyne interferometer based system for audibly producing sounds recorded on a cylinder recording, such as an Edison type wax cylinder, or a 33, 45 or 78 RPM LP (long play) record. The system generally comprises an optical system mounted on an optical platform, and an audio recording medium mounted on a platform operatively positioned relative to the optics platform. The optical system comprises an interferometer type structure that uses laser generated light propagated either through free space or through fiber, a platform on which the optical system is mounted, and a platform on which the recording media (e.g., cylinder or record) is mounted.

Abstract: In a multimedia system for a vehicle, a plurality of multimedia units are connected to one another by an optical bus laid as a ring line. An interface unit, situated at an arbitrary point in the ring line or integrated into one of the multimedia units establishes a radio connection between the multimedia system and an external unit, which for example transmits traffic information to the multimedia system.

Abstract: A light-transmitting member is previously formed, and then integrally molded during a process of molding a structure member. A solid-state imaging apparatus has: the structure member configured by an insulating resin and having a through-opening portion; a wiring portion which is formed on the surface of the structure member; a solid-state image pickup element connected to the wiring portion and attached to the through-opening portion; and a light-transmitting member which is placed to cover the through-opening portion with being separated from the solid-state imaging element by a predetermined distance The light-transmitting member is configured by a plate-like member made of a material which is smaller in coefficient of linear expansion than the insulating resin, and integrally molded with the structure member to be embedded at a peripheral portion into the structure member.

Abstract: A system and method for reading data to and writing data from multi-level (M-ary) partial response channels uses a trellis coder to encode an input bit stream sequence into a stream of multi-level data symbols. The data symbols are written to the partial response channel using any of a number of techniques. Preferably, the trellis coder anticipates the modulation transfer function of the partial response channel in encoding the data. Because the partial response channel has its own transfer function, the relationship between the data read from the channel and the actual input data bits is a function not only of the data encoder but also of the partial response channel. Therefore, a decoder specification used to implement the decoder takes into account the effect of the trellis encoder as well as the effect of the partial response channel.

Abstract: The invention relates to an objective system (39) which is suitable for use in an optical scanning device (15). The lens system (39) comprises a first lens, or objective lens (45), and a second lens, or auxiliary lens (47), which are mounted in fixed positions in a lens holder (61). The objective lens comprises more than one half of a first spherical lens body (67) having a first diameter (D1) and the auxiliary lens comprises more than one half of a second spherical lens body (69) having a second diameter (D2) which is smaller than the first diameter. The objective lens and the auxiliary lens are surrounded by a first circular-cylindrical inner wall (83) and a second circular-cylindrical inner wall (85), respectively, of the lens holder, having a diameter which is substantially equal to the first and the second diameter, respectively. Said inner walls can be provided in the lens holder in very accurate coaxial positions by means of conventional tools.

Abstract: A code pattern of an information recording medium contains processing information necessary for editing data according to a restoration processing procedure for restoring multimedia information. The restoration processing procedure has a hierarchical structure of layers 1 to 5. The layer 5 has a file management function. The layer 4 has a function of collecting subset elements to create a subset and converting the same to create a data transfer unit or sector which the layer 5 deals with. The layer 3 or lower layer has a function of reading the code pattern from the information recording medium, subjecting the code pattern to a preset restoration process and outputting the subset elements.

Abstract: In a typical storage medium, such as a magnetic hard disk, there is a file allocation table (FAT) stored thereon which is referenced each time the medium is accessed. Many data processing mechanisms rely on the existence of this FAT for accessing the medium. However, some storage media, such as CD-ROM's, do not have FAT's stored thereon. In order to properly interface FAT reliant data processing mechanisms with storage media having no FAT, file storage information is first obtained from the storage medium. Then, using this file storage information, a FAT having a format compatible with the data processing mechanisms is generated. Information from the FAT is provided to the mechanisms and, using this FAT information, the mechanisms can access information on the storage medium. Thus, even though the storage medium has no FAT, it is still accessible by FAT reliant data processing mechanisms.

Abstract: An optical disc playback and display apparatus comprising a playback block for reproducing the optical disc recorded with large quantities of character information or image information, a display block, rectangular in shape, for displaying reproduced character information or image information, and a touch panel input block superimposed on the rectangular display block. The novel constitution eliminates use of a conventionally practiced hardware keyboard, making the apparatus far thinner and therefore more portable as well as enhancing ease of search data input.

Abstract: An optical disc player which is comprised of a reproducing unit for reproducing an information recorded on an optical disc, a display unit for displaying information associated with the information reproduced from the optical disc, a first memory for storing therein playback position information of the optical disc at timing point in which the reproducing operation of the reproducing unit is interrupted, a second memory for storing therein information displayed on the display unit, a holding circuit for holding the display information stored in the second memory when the reproducing operation is interrupted, and a control circuit for reading the reproducing position information of the optical disc from the first memory when the reproducing operation is resumed by the reproducing unit and controlling the reproducing operation of the disc on the basis of the playback position information of the optical disc.

Abstract: A magneto-optic reading apparatus includes a laser light source for generating a linearly polarized light beam and a quarter-wave plate which converts the linearly polarized light beam into a circularly polarized light beam. A beam splitter separates the circularly polarized light beam into a first beam which passes therethrough and a second beam which is reflected. An objective lens converges the first beam so as to scan one of the data tracks of a magneto-optic recording element. The information written along the scanned data track causes the polarization of the first beam to be modulated as the first beam is reflected by the recording element toward the first beam splitter. The first beam splitter further separates the first beam into a third beam which passes therethrough and a fourth beam which is reflected.

Abstract: A disc-shaped recording medium is used in a recording/reproducing apparatus in which a light beam is arranged to scan along a groove formed as a concentrical or spiral recording track, to record or reproduce data. Additional data which has preeviously been recorded on the disc-shaped recording medium in the shape of irregularities, such as address data indicating each recording track, is previously recorded within the groove in the shape of substantially sinusoidal irregularities of an amplitude which is smaller than the depth of the groove. Thus, if new data is recorded over the additional data, it is possible to easily separate the additional data and the newly-recorded data from each other during reproduction, so that the recording density can be improved.

Abstract: Disclosed is an optical turntable system for optically playing phonograph records having a recorded signal in a groove formed by a wall having a position modulated by the recorded signal. An optical unit includes an optical source providing a first light beam incident onto the wall to provide a reflected beam from the wall forming a reflected spot at a reflected position proportional to the recorded signal and also includes an optical sensor for sensing the reflected position of the reflected spot to provide an output data signal proportional to the recorded signal. The optical unit also includes a tracking assembly which functions to position the optical unit over the section of the groove of interest as the record turns.

Abstract: Disclosed is an optical turntable system for optically playing phonograph records having a recorded signal in a groove formed by a wall having a position modulated by the recorded signal. An optical unit includes an optical source providing a first light beam incident onto the wall to provide a reflected beam from the wall forming a reflected spot at a reflected position proportional to the recorded signal and also includes an optical sensor for sensing the reflected postion of the reflected spot to provide an output data signal proportional to the recorded signal. The optical unit also includes a tracking assembly which functions to position the optical unit over the section of the groove of interest as the record turns.

Abstract: A process and an apparatus are specified for recording a digital signal onto a recording carrier (4), in particular a signal for recording in compact disc data format, in which an engraving or cutting stylus (2) is pressed substantially by dead weight alone against the recording carrier (4) and, in operating mode, describes a path which lies beneath the undeformed surface of the recording carrier (4) during an indentation to be engraved and on or above the undistorted surface of the recording carrier (4) between two indentations, the common center of gravity position of the engraving stylus (2) and positioning element (1) connected rigidly to it remaining substantially stable in position.

Abstract: An air cushion-optical data read head that includes an optical pick-up system for reading data stored on the walls of an engraved V-groove disc or record, air means for causing the read head to hover above the surface of the record, and air jet means for guiding the head about the V-groove of the record.

Abstract: In an optical signal reproducing apparatus for a conventional disc phonograph record, the groove of said record is irradiated with the light beam from a direction that varies cyclically at a constant frequency in a plane. Said plane includes both the tangential velocity vector of the groove and a normal line to the surface of the groove. At the moment that the light beam irradiates the surface of the groove from a perpendicular direction, the reflected light beam traces back the same path as that of the irradiating light beam. When a photo-detector is limited by a slit to detect only the reflected light beam tracing back the same path as the irradiating light beam, the photo-detector detects light pulses which are pulse-phase-modulated by the slope angle of the surface of the groove. The recorded signal can be reproduced by demodulating said pulse-phase-modulated pulses.

Abstract: A method and apparatus employing optical type techniques are provided for use in reliably sensing the juxtapositional relationship between successively relevant portions of an object and a sensing unit that are relatively movable, in accurately maintaining a predetermined juxtapositional relationship between such portions of the object and the sensing unit during relative movement therebetween, and, when appropriate to the application, in also faithfully sensing other information carried by such portions of the object. The method and apparatus are characterized by eliminating any need for mechanical engagement between the sensing unit and the portions of the object to which the sensing unit responds and by utilizing only optical type coupling between such portions of the object and the sensing unit for the transfer of all information to be acquired by the sensing unit from the object.

Abstract: Apparatus provides an incident light beam which illuminates the surface of a grooved disc, having signal elements recorded therein in the form of a succession of spaced apart depressions, with a light spot that spans a plurality of convolutions of the groove. The structure of the groove convolutions and signal elements forms a two-dimensional diffraction grating which reflects light into a plurality of diffraction order beams. Photodetectors, respectively positioned to intercept several of the reflected beams provide outputs corresponding to the light power in the respective reflected beams. Estimations of signal element depth in the region illuminated by the light spot may be made from the measured light powers.

Abstract: A laser beam is directed at the groove of a conventional disc phonograph record as it rotates, creating a reflected interference/diffraction pattern of the groove walls. The magnitude and rate of displacement of the interference/diffraction pattern is sensed and converted into an audio reproduction signal of the original phonograph recording.