Abstract: Multifunctional optical fiber bundles for image and signal transmission or sensor applications are proposed. The optical fiber bundles exhibit reduced speckle noise resulting from spatial inhomogeneity and asymmetry of radiation of specific fibers of the bundle. This is achieved by ordering of fiber positions in the bundle sensitive probe tips according to some prescribed rule.

Abstract: A projection display (12) employs a fiber optic homogenizer (32) that includes a bundle (60) of optical fibers arranged such that an input end (64) has a substantially round cross-sectional shape that receives nonuniform illumination generated by a projection light source (24,26). The fiber optic homogenizer contains optical fibers that are interwoven and rerouted through the length of the bundle to terminate in an output end (66) having the same shape as a light valve (40) that generates the image projected by the display. The interweaving and rerouting provides a substantially random redistribution of fibers across the shape of the output end to propagate a uniform, rectangular illumination beam onto the light valve with very little light loss.

Abstract: A single mode optical fiber suitable for use in an amplified fiber optic system which includes an inner glass core doped with a rare earth element and an outer transparent glass cladding. The fiber exhibits a plurality of mode coupling sites formed at regular intervals along the length of the fiber which provides for a reduced DOP. The sites are formed by a twist at regular intervals along the fiber length by applying a torque to the fiber. The method of forming the fiber is also disclosed.

Abstract: A record and play-back system in a still video device, in which a picture signal and an audio signal associated therewith are recorded on a first track and a second track of a recording medium, wherein a first code signal and a second code signal are recorded together with the associated picture signal and the associated audio signal to discriminate that the respective picture signal and audio signal are recorded together with the corresponding audio signal or the picture signal. The second track is played-back when the first code signal is recorded on the first track upon play-back of the first track. The audio signal can be be post-recorded on the second track when no signal is recorded on the second track.

Abstract: A lightweight display system (10) includes an output matrix (34) of output terminals (28) of optical conductors (30) supported on a preferably flexible substrate (16) by terminal housings (20). Optical conductors (30) are collated into an input matrix (34) that receives light containing a source image (39) from projector (40). Light propagates through optical conductors (30) and exits output terminals (28) to form an enlarged display image (31) that corresponds to the source image. Preferred embodiments of display screen (12) are collapsible and facilitate transportation and reassembly.

Abstract: A tapered FOB (20) obtained by forming optical absorbers on the outer surfaces of fibers and bundling these fibers is joined to a slant FOB (10) obtained by bundling fibers, and a CCD (60) is arranged at the output end face of the tapered FOB (20). The slant angle (.beta..sub.0) of a detection surface (11) of the slant FOB (10) on which a fingertip is to be placed is set to an angle at which background light incident from air on the slant FOB (10) is not reflected as total internal reflection at the interface between the core and cladding of the slant FOB (10). The slant angle (.beta..sub.1) of the tapered FOB (20) is set such that background light reaching the tapered FOB (20) becomes incident at the interface between the core and the cladding at an angle smaller than the critical angle at which total internal reflection occurs. Unwanted background light and illumination light are eliminated, and the S/N ratio of a fingerprint image to be detected can be increased.

Abstract: An optical transmitter having a higher diffusiveness and a higher transmittivity simultaneously is constructed so that a light from a lamp 2 of light source enters an optical fiber materials A and is transmitted to a reflector tube 1 of which mirror surface of the inner side is formed by vacuum deposition. The diffused light components in the reflector tube 1 are reflected on the mirror surface and directed towards an optical fiber materials B and transferred to an exposure device 3 having a PLZT shutter.

Abstract: An illumination device 1 and methods for producing said device and parts thereof for backlighting a liquid crystal display 3 wherein the illumination device comprises a solid substrate 5 containing at least one groove 11 and an optical fiber 7 comprising an inner core 23 and an outer cladding layer 25 fitted into the groove(s) 11. The outer cladding layer 25 is of reduced thickness on the exposed side of the core 23 such that, light supplied along the optical fiber 7 from a light source 9, is transversely emitted from the optical fiber through the reduced thickness layer 14.

Abstract: An optical couplers and optical coupling system for coupling a source of non-coherent light to a light distribution harness, wherein the couplers are polygonal in cross section to increase light mixing, and the coupler has inlet and outlet arms, and an intermediate bend region configured to achieve compactness and minimal light loss through the bend region. In one embodiment, the bend region is an integral part of the coupler, with the inlet arm having a different cross-sectional dimension from the outlet art in such manner that substantially all light directed from the inlet portion to the bend portion reaches the outlet arm portion, and light rays parallel to the inlet axis are reflected in the bend portion to be directed substantially parallel to the outlet axis. In a second embodiment, the bend region comprises a prism having a pair of parallel spaced surfaces, and inlet, outlet, and third surfaces that are non-parallel to the spaced surfaces.

Abstract: In a modular laser system, a plurality of laser modules are interchangeably mounted on a support rack with each laser module transmitting an output beam to a respective optical pump fiber, and the plurality of pump fibers are optically coupled to a laser rod for generating a combined output beam. A laser diode array is mounted within a sealed chamber of each module, and an output wave-guide of each module is coupled through a plurality of optical fibers to the diode array to receive the laser emissions. The other end of each output wave-guide has a first connector, and each pump fiber has a corresponding second connector permitting the output wave-guides to be interchangeably connected to the pump fibers. A control circuit of each laser module monitors the status of its laser diodes, the voltage and current supplied thereto, and the temperature conditions, and generates signals indicative of these parameters for detecting and replacing failed or defective laser modules.

Abstract: An optical beam regenerator includes a plurality of optical fibers into which an input beam is directed. The optical fibers are positioned to rearrange portions of the input beam to generate an output beam having a uniform or other prescribed distribution of irradiance. To further smooth the irradiance distribution of the output beam, the beam can be directed through a Kohler illumination system.

Abstract: An optical fiber comprises a core line, which includes a core and a cladding, and a cover. The core line is twisted 90.degree. clockwise and counterclockwise alternately at predetermined intervals (for example, every 30 meters). The twisted portion in the core line is equal to or shorter than 1 m, and is more preferably only several centimeters long. Since the optical fiber has residual birefringence, there exist two principal axes of birefringence, that is, a fast axis f and a slow axis s in the core line. Since the core line is 90.degree. twisted at the twisted portion, the two principal axes of the consequent portion exchange their direction compared with the two principal axes of the antecedent portion. Thus, twisting the core line effectively shortens the sustaining distance of the birefringence of the optical fiber, and exchanging the directions of the two principal axes successfully suppresses the polarized wave dispersion.

Abstract: A fiber optic diffuse light reflectance sensor is disclosed. The sensor employs illumination optical fibers to carry light emitted from a high-intensity, narrow bandwidth LED to a baffle in a readhead where the optical fibers reflect the light off of a reagent test strip. The illumination optical fibers are randomly oriented to create a more uniform light source. The light is reflected off of a pad on a reagent test strip to detect the presence of non-hemolyzed trace and hemolyzed occult blood. The reflected light must pass through another baffle to a bi-convex lens where it is focused onto a detection bundle of optical fibers. The detection bundle is optically coupled with a CCD, where the optical signal is converted to an electrical one for processing and analysis.

Abstract: When a fiber optical plate is applied to a touch sensor, a flat touch surface can be formed, and the overall device using the fiber optical plate can be formed into a low-profile structure. The numerical aperture of the input end face of one slant FOP is set to be larger than that of the output end face of another slant FOP to cause light incident from the latter slant FOP to be efficiently incident on the former slant FOP. The detection surface and the output end face are located to be orthogonal to each other. With this structure, the detection surface can be formed evenly with the touch surface. In addition, detection elements such as a CCD can be disposed at the output end face along the lower surface of the touch surface.

Abstract: The present invention eliminates the relay lens systems found in conventional helmet mounted displays (HMDs) by removing field distortions and aberrations with a contoured fiber optic faceplate placed in close proximity to a liquid crystal display (LCD) or cathode ray tube. The optical system typically consists of a spherical dielectric or holographically made collimator-combiner, a dielectric or holographically made fold mirror, and a contoured fiber optic faceplate. The fold mirror is flat, and the collimator-combiner is made by coating a spherical eye glass blank. The system is configured as a folded and tilted catadioptric projector with the novel feature being the contoured faceplate. There are no dispersive elements in the imaging assembly which means it can be completely polychromatic (full color) without the need for additional color correction optics as found in all refractive color systems.

Abstract: An illumination optical apparatus of this invention is small in size as a whole and capable of illuminating a plurality of illumination areas on a mask. The illumination optical apparatus illuminates a plurality of areas on a mask to be projected/exposed. This apparatus includes at least two light sources, a focusing optical system for focusing light beams from the respective light sources to form light source images, a light guide having incident ends equal in number to the light sources and exit ends equal in number to the illumination areas and serving to guide light beams from the respective light source images incident on the incident ends to the exit ends, and an illumination optical system for irradiating the light beams from the respective light source images emerging from the exit ends of the light guide onto the corresponding areas on the mask.

Abstract: A fiber optic light line unit provides a uniform linear beam of illumination onto a target, such as a traveling web. A number of fiber optic bundles have distal ends that are butted together end to end to create a long, seamless line of uniform strip lighting. The unit has a housing in which distal portions of the fiber optic bundles fan out so that the termini of the fibers are arrayed in a single continuous fiber row at a distal face plate of the housing. The ends of the row of each bundle abut the ends of the adjacent row from another bundle. In one embodiment the housing has first and second halves that sandwich the fiber termini, and there are respective sawtooth or similar recesses that each hold a respective fiber end or terminus. A cylindrical lens can be disposed with its axis across the linear beam of light. The fibers are held with their termini at a predetermined slant angle, e.g., thirty degrees, so that the light emanating from the unit impinges on a target at an angle.

Abstract: An imaging arrangement has a first lens array with a focal surface and a tapered optical fiber bundle arranged with one end face coincident with the focal surface of the lens array. Another end of the bundle is coincident an optical device. The optical device may be a second lens array, an image capture device, a photographic plate, or an electronic image capture device such as a CCD array. The fiber bundle may comprise a single graded index fiber connecting the first and second lens arrays. An integral transmission screen may be provided to project a spatially inverted integral image onto the first lens array.

Abstract: Three-layer light guide transports light from a source of low aspect ratio (e.g. nearly circular or nearly square) to one of high aspect ratio (e.g. narrow slit) to produce an output beam of low output divergence angles at high transfer efficiency. The design principle eliminates tapers or bends in the guide surfaces. Thereby, light from a conventional round lamp may be redirected with high optical efficiency to an aperture constrained to a long, narrow area, as in a slit headlight, a nacelle-rim light, a radome-edge light, or a landing light embedded in a wing having a sharp leading edge. The resulting far field intensity pattern is similar to that of a conventional sealed beam lamp.

Abstract: A portable scatterometer and/or an angular radiated light measurement instrument that uses a measurement head which includes a double tapered fiber optic bundle with a concave front face to simultaneously collect partial or full hemispherically scattered light reflected from a point on a surface illuminated by a depolarized, telescopically focused, laser diode source, the light rays being received by each fiber normal to its face. The image of the collected light beams is minifled and coupled by the fiber optic bundle into an anti-blooming CID camera with an x-y scanning area array which converts the light beams to electrical signals. In a unique real time, 486-computer-controlled, data acquisition and reconstruction process, a frame grabber and a unique algorithm are used to collect over 200,000 points of light, reconstruct the data into a 2D or 3D scatter profile, and display the results, all within one second.

Abstract: A reading magnifier formed by a bundle of juxtaposed longitudinally tapered optical fibers having a viewing end and a flat base end. The flat base end is cut at a bias across the bundle of optical fibers such that a line normal to the flat base end forms an acute angle with the direction of orientation of the optical fibers. The viewing end of the bundle may also be cut at an angle relative to the optical fibers. The reading magnifier provides a cone of light admittance that is skewed at an angle relative to a cylinder normal to the flat base end. The tilted admittance cone may also be achieved by bending the bottom portion of a bundle of tapered continuous optical fibers.

Abstract: Apparatus for producing data signals relating to light reflected by an illuminated object may include a fiber optic bundle having a plurality of optic fibers, each of the optic fibers having a light input end and a light output end. The light input ends of the optic fibers are substantially coplanar and are arranged adjacent one another in a generally linear configuration so that they define a line. The light output ends of the optic fibers are also substantially coplanar, but are arranged adjacent one another in a generally rectangular configuration so that they define a rectangle. Detector apparatus operatively connected to the light output ends of the optic fibers produces data signals that correspond to light received from the light output ends of the optic fibers.

Abstract: A modular fiber optic light line unit provides a uniform linear beam of illumination. A number of these modular units can be butted together end to end to create a long, seamless line of uniform strip lighting. The unit has a housing in which a distal portion of the fiber optic bundle fans out so that the termini of the fibers are arrayed in a single continuous fiber row at a distal face plate of the housing. The ends of the row are flush with end edges of the distal face plate. In one embodiment the housing has first and second halves that sandwich the fiber termini, and there are respective sawtooth or similar recesses that each hold a respective fiber end or terminus. The housing can be anodized aluminum, and the optical fibers can be polymer fibers, for example with a diameter of 0.030 inches.

Abstract: A light-emitting unit is disclosed for optical fiber lightguides. The unit is especially useful for a signal display device for the display of traffic signals. The unit exhibits light fed by way of lightguides to a raster dot in the display area, a light entrance end for connection with the feeding end of the associated lightguide, and a light exit end forming, in the display area, the light exit surface of the raster dot. The unit includes a light-guiding central zone between the light entrance and light exit ends. This zone flares toward the light exit end substantially in a conical or pyramidal fashion. The light-emitting unit according to this invention is distinguished in that a tapering extension section is provided for obtaining a wider emission angle with a uniform, high light intensity over the entire angular range at the light exit end.

Abstract: An optical panel 10 includes a plurality of waveguides 12 stacked together, with each waveguide 12 having a first end 12a and an opposite second end 12b. The first ends 12a collectively define a first face 16, and the second ends 12b collectively define a second face 18 of the panel 10. The second face 18 is disposed at an acute face angle relative to the waveguides 12 to provide a panel 10 which is relatively thin compared to the height of the second face. In an exemplary embodiment for use in a projection TV, the first face 16 is substantially smaller in height than the second face 18 and receives a TV image, with the second face 18 defining a screen for viewing the image enlarged.

Abstract: A method of making an optical scanner is disclosed that includes light transmitting and receiving optical fibers to illuminate and scan an image to be copied, transmitted or stored.

Abstract: An optical coupler using round optical fibers whose ends have been formed into a predefined shape to allow greater physical packing densities in order to achieve greater uniform illumination efficiency. The interstitial space between optical fibers is greatly reduced by thermoforming the ends of round optical fibers in a mold that makes a gradual transition from a circular shape to the predefined shape to avoid optical loss. Since the change in shape is gradual, the total cross-sectional area of the fibers remains constant; and optical loss is minimal because there is no reduction in mode volume. The predefined shape may be substantially square or rectangular. The core and cladding materials of the optical fiber are carefully chosen with respect to the glass transition state temperatures of both materials because the temperature at which the materials are formed by a mold are slightly above the glass transition state of the core or cladding, whichever is higher.

Abstract: A plurality of linear arrays of lasers are configured into an area array by optical coupling to a linear-to-area array by optical coupling to a linear-to-area fiber optic bundle. The linear face of the bundle is coupled to the linear array of lasers. By activating all the lasers simultaneously or selectively, a single high power output or high intensity signals at discrete addresses in the area face of the bundle are achieved respectively. Applications for high power, two dimensional laser devices, high definition display, solid state laser pumping and others are achieved.

Abstract: A fiber-optic array includes a plurality of optical fibers, each encased by a cladding material that significantly absorbs light. The refractive indices of the fiber core and its cladding are selected such that the acceptance angle of each fiber includes all rays incident upon the face of the fiber. Thus no unguided light enters one fiber and exits another fiber, and flare is controlled. By further having the cladding preferentially absorb totally internally reflected off-axis rays, the "effective" acceptance angle is limited to a value that provides increased depth of field in applications, e.g., involving film scanning.

Abstract: An anamorphic, tapered fused fiber optic bundle is provided having a longitudinal axis Z and two ends each having surfaces in a plane (X axis/Y axis) perpendicular to said Z axis, a first end having cross-sectional dimensions X and Y and a second end having dimensions X' and Y', at least X' being smaller than X, and the ratio X'/X being different from the ratio Y'/Y, wherein the X axis dimension of said fiber continuously varies along said Z axis from the value X in said first end to the value X' in said second end.

Abstract: An image transfer system includes a display (10), which has associated therewith a plurality of pixels formed by optical fiber ends (12) which provide the terminating end of a plurality of optical fibers disposed in a fiber optic bundle (14). The opposite end of the optical fibers in the fiber optic bundle (14) are disposed on a display module (16), which is operable to generate a transferred image through the fiber optic bundle (14). Each of the optical fibers associated with the display module (16) have associated therewith a light emitting diode (LED) (20). Each of the LEDs (20) are operable to directly drive each of the associated optical fibers. The LEDs (20) are arranged in a display array (30) and are controlled to generate information associated with a given pixel. The optical fiber ends (12) are fabricated with a tapered configuration such that the end of each of the associated optical fibers tapers from a narrow dimension to a wider diameter, this being a linear taper on the end thereof.

Abstract: In an optical coupling system for a fiber laser, a cylindrical lens extends parallel to a number of aligned light sources and a series of aligned input ends of optical fibers facing the light sources. Output ends of the fibers pass light to a solid state medium in a laser cavity. A block with precision grooves holds the fibers to align them with the lens and the images of the light sources. The cylindrical lens is biaspheric with a longitudinal axis and two refractive surfaces whose axially transverse cross-sections follow paths other than the paths of a conic section.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display apparatus which includes display devices each having screens, an optical fiber bundle connected to the respective screens so as to transmit an image therethrough, wherein the optical fiber bundle includes optical fibers arranged side by side, fastened to each other, and bent so as to have a straight portion and branch portions, the straight portion being perpendicularly connected to an output end face, and the branch portions being connected to an input end face, and spacers interposed between adjacent optical fibers in a portion of the bundle at least toward the output end face of the display apparatus.

Abstract: An improved means and method for routing and managing ribbon type fiber optic cables used in the telecommunications industry. The means includes a split housing defining an entry channel formed by a shank adapted to be clamped beneath an outer sheath enclosing a plurality of ribbon cables whereby an included plurality of such ribbon cables enter the hollow shank and are conducted to a recess from which they are individually introduced into one of a plurality of parallel planar channels from which they are guided to separate locations for separation of the individual fibers comprising the ribbon cables to be further separated and terminated at final locations. The housings may be manufactured in a variety of sizes depending upon the number of ribbon cables to be routed, and may be used singly, or in serially associated fashion.

Abstract: A bundle of optical fibers having a linear first face and an area second face includes a frame for constraining the linear face to a geometry which compensates for any potential misalignment of pixels due to the movement of an electrostatic drum juxtaposed with the linear end. The fiber optic bundle is made of ribbons of optical fibers. The frame includes an elongated opening of a shallow sawtooth geometry where each "tooth" has a width to accept a ribbon and an offset at one end to raise the respective edge of the ribbon in a direction opposite to that in which the drum is moving.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a process for manufacturing an optical fiber coupler of the invention utilizes a rotating drum that has a sloted portion or stacking slot for receiving multiple lengths of fiber in a stack. A support for the input ends of the fibers is in the form of a block which is secured to the surface of the drum in spaced relation with the slot. The block has a plurality of shallow, parallel spaced apart grooves in parallel alignment with the stacking slot. An end of the fiber is initially threaded preferably into the stacking slot and then sequentially located alternately in vacant grooves in the support. As the drum is rotated, a positioner operates to move the fiber transversely in the direction parallel to the drum axis so as to align the fiber in each respective one of the grooves and the slot for each rotation of the drum. The process continues until all the grooves are all occupied and the stacking slot is filled with a corresponding number of fiber lengths.

Abstract: An electronic scanner or printer using a fiber optic bundle and employing an initialization procedure is rendered more reliable, less expensive and provides a relatively easy path to gray scale and high resolution performance by using a unique fiber optic bundle. The bundle comprises ribbons of square fibers where the ribbons are set side by side at one end of the bundle and stacked at the other. Each square fiber of each ribbon comprises multiple rows and columns of (core) fibers each with a cladding to ensure total internal reflection of light. Gray scale is achieved by varying the exposure time and consequently the energy per pixel on a treated media or by statistically changing the amount of toner on an OPC drum creating limited apparent shades of black spots on a developed page.

Abstract: An optical fiber assembly is used to conduct incident light from, e.g., a light-diffusing plate to a photodetecting apparatus such as an automatic white balance sensor equipped with an RGB filter. The light-admitting ends of the fibers are distributed substantially uniformly across the light-admitting end of the fiber assembly, and the light-issuing ends of the fibers are arranged in a predetermined pattern, e.g., they are grouped in accordance with the arrangement of the RGB filter.

Abstract: A light detector consists of a plate-like light-absorbing body and at least one optical waveguide connected thereto. Both parts of the light detector contain a fluorescent dye, whereby the irradiated light is converted into a fluorescence radiation. This radiation is guided by total reflection to a light-sensitive semiconductor element and is measured there. The light detector is suitable as light barrier, fiber-optic revolution counter or UV detector.

Abstract: An optical fiber bundle for use in a device for scanning documents comprises optical fibers (10) which are substantially arranged along a line at the document side and which fill a plane at the side of an optical detector. To manufacture this bundle, the fibers (10) are first juxtaposed, subsequently slid together to the desired cross-section by means of one or two sliding members (21, 22) at the area where the second end is to be formed, after which the fibers are fixed and severed. The two end faces are subsequently provided with elements (52, 71) for coupling in and complying out radiation. These elements are preferably secured by means of an adhesive having a refractive index that is substantially the same as the refractive index of the core material of the fibers.

Abstract: An optical fiber photoconductor, comprising at least two multi-filament plastic optical fiber units arranged in parallel and having a substantially rectangular peripheral shape and at least one end fixed in a cap, each optical fiber unit having 50 to 10000 core-sheath light-transmitting islands having a diameter of 5 to 200.mu., which are densely arranged in a sea portion, wherein in each of the multi-filament plastic optical fiber units having a rectangular sectional shape, the end face fixed in the cap is expanded so that the length of one side of the end face is at least 1.01 times the original length of one side of the rectangular peripheral shape of the multi-filament plastic optical fiber unit, whereby a bonding interface between the multi-filament plastic optical fiber units substantially disappears.

Abstract: An apparatus for interfacing holographic and electronic data comprises an input/output port for the interfacing of a holographic wavefront interference pattern and an electronic array capable of producing digital electronic information from a holographic wavefront input and for converting electronic information into holographic information using optical fibers, sensors, and optical switches. In one embodiment a plurality of optical fibers having a small end and a large tapered end are operably combined with a plurality of optical sensors wherein each of said optical sensors provide a digital signal of 1 if lit and a digital signal of 0 if unlit.

Abstract: A fiber optic coupler for use with a diode array spectrophotometer system that optimizes the optical interface between a first fiber optic waveguide employed to couple light from a sample under analysis and a diode array spectrograph. The coupler comprises a fiber optic waveguide connector that secures the first optical fiber waveguide that couples light from the sample under investigation. A slit block is provided that has a relatively thin, rectangular exit aperture having dimensions compatible with the spectrograph. A single waveguide (or plurality of fiber optic waveguides) is coupled between the connector and the exit aperture and is arranged to have a generally round cross section adjacent the connector and a linear cross section adjacent the spectrograph. Improved light throughput is achieved at the fiber optic waveguide-spectrophotometer interface, when compared with conventional fiber optic spectrophotometer designs.