Abstract: Disclosed is a system and method for aligning a free-space optical signal in an optical system having a light modulator having an array of pixels. In this system and method, certain pixels of the light modulator array are initially assigned for the modulation of the free-space optical signal. An alignment optical signal is generated and monitored, to determine whether the optical system components are properly aligned. The alignment optical signal is generated and propagated along a path that is substantially aligned with the path of the free-space optical signal. Detector elements are used to monitor the position (and shifts in the position) of the free-space optical signal. By reassigning the pixels of the array of the light modulator at the direction of a control system, it is possible for the light modulator to compensate for shifts in the alignment of the optical components within the system.

Abstract: In an optical disc apparatus reading and writing data with respect to an optical disc, a motor controller uses widest pattern signals outputted from an optical pickup for judging size of an optical disc mounted on a turn table and stop of rotation of the optical disc. Since an inverse number of the widest pattern signal has correlation with a frequency sensed by a conventional frequency generator, the motor controller calculates a difference between inverse numbers of the widest pattern signals before and after putting braking force to the turn table, and judges the size of the optical disc with reference to variation of rotation speed before and after the braking. The motor controller further calculates a prediction time when the rotation of the optical disc will be stopped with using the variation of the inverse number of the widest pattern signal, stops to put the braking force to the turn table at the prediction time, and judges the rotation of the optical disc has been stopped.

Abstract: There is disclosed an information storage apparatus with a low current consumption in a spindle motor or the like. A spindle motor driver 38 and spindle motor 40 serve as both a driver for driving a disk-like information storage medium in a predetermined direction and a brake for forcibly stopping rotation of the information storage medium, and by appropriately inputting, to the spindle motor driver 38, a spindle-on signal SPDLON for operating the spindle motor driver 38 and spindle motor 40 as the driver and a brake signal BRAKE for operation as the brake, MPU selectively uses a forced stop operation for stopping driving the information storage medium to forcibly stop the information storage medium, and a natural stop operation in which the spindle motor 40 simply stops driving the information storage medium.

Abstract: A brake system for a motor vehicle, comprising a pedal unit including a plurality of sensors generating sensor signals upon actuation of a brake pedal of a motor vehicle and further sensors generating additional brake signals. At least one electronic control unit including at least three arithmetic units are programmed to evaluate the sensor signals generated by the plurality of sensors, calculate desired values for a brake actuation force, compare the calculated desired values with each other, determine if at least two calculated desired values agree with each other within a predetermined tolerance, and upon this determination, output a wheel braking demand signal dependent upon the two agreed values. At least two of the arithmetic units are programmed to compare the additional brake signals generated by the further sensors, and if the additional brake signals agree within a predetermined tolerance, to output a corrected wheel braking demand signal.

Abstract: An electrical short circuit protection device for an electric trailer brake controller includes a fuse connected between the controller and the trailer brakes and an acoustic piezoelectric transducer connected across the fuse. Upon a short circuit fault developing in the trailer brakes, the fuse opens and the transducer generates an audio warning signal.

Abstract: A record player is provided with a turntable brake for instantly stopping the turntable of the record player in playback when desired and a pair of balance wheels for permitting slant of the turntable within a predetermined range when manually operating the turntable. The turntable hereof has a peripheral drum portion extending downwardly from its bottom and a rubber shoe is mounted on one end of a pivoted lever arm. The lever arm is adapted to be actuated to press the rubber shoe against the drum portion of the turntable for stopping rotating movement of the turntable by means of friction.