Pointsource Technologies, LLC

The Todd-ao Corporation

Clay Davis

Donald C Mead

Gregory M Quist

Alex Aguirre

A method and apparatus are provided for testing a photodetector () that has a narrow field of view (A) and an alignment surface (), to determine whether the field of view and the axis () of the field of view are precisely what is expected or deviates therefrom. While the photodetector views a region or zone (), a narrow spot of light () is moved into and out of the zone and across the zone, while the output of the photodetector is monitored. The narrow spot of light is generated by focusing a small spot of light onto a surface. The small spot of light can be a spot of light on an oscilloscope monitor () which scans the spot back and forth in a raster pattern. To create a very small spot, the image on the oscilloscope monitor is focused to a greatly reduced size spot image () onto the surface that the photodetector views.

Optical sensor module tester

An improvement in a system that identifies unknown microscopic particles in a fluid such as water, by detecting scattering of a laser beam ( ) in multiple directions as a particle passes through a detect zone ( ) to generate an event vector, and by comparing the eventvector to those of particles of known species. When the eventvectors produce a cluster ( ) of particles in a multi-dimensional projection of the eventvectors, the computer signals that a possible new species has been found in the fluid. A background signature is generated for particles in the fluid when the fluid is safe. When new water is later passed through the apparatus, clusters of particles are searched for that are present in a much greater density than exists for the background signature for a safe fluid, to generate a signal indicating that the fluid may be unsafe.

Detection of new species of particles

An apparatus for identifying microscopic particles in a fluid, includes a laser beam ( ) that passes though a narrow detect zone ( ), and photodetectors ( ) that detect light scattered by microscopic particles that pass through the detect zone. The laser beam has a horizontal width (W) that is a plurality of times as great as its average vertical thickness (T), to increase the number of particles passing through the zone while minimizing the time of each particle in the zone. A quadrant detector ( ) that is used to detect deviation of the laser beam from a predetermined path, is oriented about 45&deg; from the usual direction. The laser beam is generated by a diode laser ( ) whose output passes through two appropriately-positioned cylindrical lenses ( ) to produce the desired the ratio of width (W) to thickness (T).

Particle detection beam

A system is provided for treating sound represented by the varying width of a motion picture film soundtrack, which provides a 'flat' frequency response up to 12.5 kHz with maximum phase coherence, even though the film speed is only 62% to 78% of the present speed of 90 feet per minute. The projector photocell which detects a slit-shaped area of light passing through the soundtrack, produces an output that is amplified so the amplification is progressively greater at higher frequencies, with the gain at 12.5 kHz being at least 6 dB greater than at 1 kHz. A photocell is selected whose output at 12.5 kHz is within 1 dB of its output at 1 kHz for light of a wavelength of substantially 1000 nanometers.

Growing community of inventors

Redondo Beach, CA, United States of America

Clay Davis