Koninklijke Philips Corporation N.v.

U.S. Philips Corporation

Cornelius Antonius Hezemans

Johannes M Hensing

Bernardus Hendrikus Wilhelmus Hendriks

Waltherus Cornelis Jozef Bierhoff

Augustinus Laurentius Braun

Nenad Mihajlovic

Antonius H M Akkermans

Hendrikus Albertus Johanna Looijmans

Johannes Leopoldus Bakx

Jeroen Jan Lambertus Horikx

Bernardus H W Hendriks

Bas Hulsken

Erik Martinus Hubertus Petrus Van Dijk

Adrien Emmanuel Desjardins

Robertus J Verhoeven

Cornelis M Beijersbergen Van Henegouwen

Johannes T Van De Veerdonk

Petrus J Blankers

Joop Van Bijnen

Pieter A Schoneveld

Waltherus C J Bierhoff

Erik M H P Van Dijk

Hilde M Overath

Hendrikus Albertus Looijmans

Henricus R M Verberne

George A L Leenknegt

Franciscus Martinus Antonius Maria Van Gaal

Leo G Metzemaekers

A scanning microscope includes a stage for holding a sample, a scan mechanism, a probing system for probing a region of the sample, a position sensor, and a controller. The scan mechanism is configured to translate the stage between at least two axial positions. The probing system includes an optical element and a photosensor having a readout region, where the readout region extends in a direction which is transverse to an ideal orientation of the stage. The position sensor is configured to measure a transverse position of the stage and/or of an orientation of the stage. The controller is configured to adapt the probing system as a function of the measured transverse position and/or the measured orientation.

Scanning microscope

An optical scanning probe assembly for microscopic guide optic scanning and inspection of tissues includes an outer housing having a spring element for a scanning motor. The spring element is formed as a hollow tube configured to receive an optical guide, where the hollow tube has a mechanical stiffness larger than the optical guide to be received. The assembly further includes a lens system and a deflector configured to deflect the distal end of the hollow tube in directions transverse to the longitudinal extension of the hollow tube, so as to form an optical scan pattern.

Optical scanning probe assembly

An optical probe system having a probe with an optical guide (G) having a distal end. The optical guide (G) is mounted inside a housing (H) so that the distal end is displaceable with respect to the housing (H). A set of actuators (A), e.g. electromagnetic drive coils, can displace the distal end by application of a drive signal (V, V). A control unit (CU) generates the drive signal (V, V) so as to provide a scanning frequency which varies according to an amplitude of the drive signal (V, V). With such probe system it is possible to scan a field of view with a scanning frequency that varies with the scanning radius. Taking into account the maximum allowable drive current, it is possible to increase scanning speed compared to scanning at the mechanical resonance frequency of the optical system, since small radii can be scanned at a high scanning frequency.

Optical probe system with increased scanning speed

An optical probe and an optical imaging system include an optical guide, and an actuator having driving coils and a magnet. By supplying a driving current through the driving a magnetic flux is generated which causes a displacement of the distal end of the optical guide. A position measuring device includes a position measuring coil used for monitoring the position of the optical guide, where displacement of the guide distal end causes change in the relative positions of the measuring and driving coils. A power supply supplies a high frequency AC current through the driving coils which causes, an induced voltage in the position measuring coil and thus generates a magnetic coupling between the measuring and driving coils. This induced voltage change is indicative for the position of the distal end.

Optical probe having a position measuring system

An optical system for detecting light from a 2D area of a sample () comprises a collection lens () for collecting light from a collection region of the sample. A light detector () is positionally fixed with respect to the sample, and a reflector arrangement () directs collected light to the detector. The reflector arrangement comprises movable components and the collection lens () is movable relative to the sample. The collection lens and the movable components are configurable to define different collection regions, and the movement of the components effects a direction of the light from the collection region to a substantially unchanged area of the light detector (). This arrangement avoids the need for a bulky detector in order to detect signals from a 2D sample area formed by scanning across the sample.

Optical illumination apparatus and method having a reflective arrangement with moveable components for adjusting incident light

The present invention relates to an optical probe () suitable for miniature applications. An example application is a fiber-based confocal miniaturized microscope. The optical probe comprises a coil-based actuation system () comprising drive coils () capable of displacing the distal end () of an optical guide () housed () by the optical probe. The probe makes use of a feedback loop which alternate between driving the displacement of the optical guide by driving a current through the drive coils and switching off the current through the drive coils, and while the drive current being switched off, measure the speed of the distal end of the optical guide. The measured speed is compared to the set-point speed, and if a difference is detected, the drive current is adjusted to eliminate, or at least bring down, this difference.

Optical probe with feedback correction

The invention relates to a tray mechanism consisting of sliding means comprising an electrical tray motor, for moving a tray&#x2014;provided for containing a disc (for example an optical disc) on which information is recorded&#x2014;from a projected position, for the placement of the disc or its discharge, to a contained one, for the reproduction of recorded information, or reciprocally, and a drive power source, for supplying an applied voltage to said tray motor. Control means supply different values of the voltage applied to the tray motor according to different mechanical functions controlled by said motor. According to the invention, it is provided, for the tray steering, a motor current feed-forward loop comprising a first direct branch, itself comprising in series a first amplifier of the input voltage applied to the loop, the tray motor and a resistor, and a second branch, itself comprising in series a second amplifier and an adder, which receives on one input the input voltage applied to the loop and on the other one the output of said second amplifier.

Disk tray mechanism for reproducing apparatus

The present invention relates to a method of recovering energy from the turntable motor () in an optical disc drive comprising a power supply and a circuitry () that is capable of selectively feeding a current from the power supply into the motor in a first state and from the motor into the power supply in a second state, the method comprising the steps of: decelerating the motor, during decelerating the motor, repeatedly calculating a ratio between a duration of the first state and a duration of the second state in dependence on an angular velocity of the motor, such that a current integrated over the whole decelerating process is fed from the motor into the power supply, and after calculating the ratio, selecting the duration of the first state and the duration of the second state in accordance with the calculated ratio. The present invention further relates to an optical device.

Method of recovering energy from the turntable motor in an optical disc drive and optical device

An optical disc drive apparatus () comprises: rotating means () for rotating an optical disc (); a sledge () radially displaceable with respect to an apparatus frame (); a platform () radially displaceable with respect to said sledge (); an optical system () for scanning a disc, the optical system () defining an optical path () which is substantially fixed with respect to the sledge () and comprising an optical element () which is fixed with respect to the platform (); an optical detector () fixed to said sledge (); vibration detection means for detecting vibrations caused by the rotating disc; said vibration detection means comprising radial displacement detection means for detecting a radial displacement of said platform () with respect to said sledge ().

Disc drive apparatus

Apparatus for reading and/or writing onto an information carrier includes the positioning system. The positioning system includes a drive member for moving a second part with respect to a first part and a fine-positioning member for moving a third part with respect to the second part. The positioning member also includes control means for continuously controlling the drive member in response to the orientation signal. The control means include control signal generating means for generating a control signal from the orientation signal. The control means further include a sensor for generating an auxiliary signal which is an indication for a current consumed by the drive member, and signal combination means for generating a drive voltage for the drive member in response to the control signal and the auxiliary signal.

Positioning system and apparatus including the positioning system

A control system in accordance with the invention comprises error signal generating means for generating an error signal in response to a reference signal and a first and a second position signal. The reference signal is a measure of the desired value of a position of a first part of a drive system with respect to a second part of the drive system. The position signals are a measure of the actual value of said position. The error signal is a measure of the difference between the desired value and the actual value of the position. The control system further comprises energizing means for energizing a motor which is to be controlled by the control system in dependence on the error signal. The control system of the invention is characterized in that the error signal generating means are adapted to generate weighting factors from the reference signal, for weighting the position signals with the weighting factors and determining a sum of the weighted position signals. The control system can be used in a recording/playback device for positioning a read/write head.

Control system, driving system and control method, apparatus including the driving system

An apparatus having a frame (1) carrying a turntable (3) for supporting the information carrier, which turntable is rotatable about an axis of rotation (3A), a slide (9), which is movable between two end positions, with a scanning unit, guide spindles (5, 7) and a linear motor unit (17, 19) for the slide, and an electrically energizable clamping unit (21). In the non-energized condition the clamping unit clamps the slide in any arbitrary stationary position of the slide along its path and in the energized condition it does not clamp the slide. During operation of the device a control unit at least substantially simultaneously turns on a first energizing current to the motor drive unit and a second energizing current to the clamping unit at the beginning of a displacement of the slide and at least substantially simultaneously turns off the first energizing current and the second energizing current at the end of the displacement.

Looking slide drive for a disc scanner

A device for inscribing and/or reading a magneto-optical disc (7), including a frame (1) carrying a turntable (5) which is rotatable about an axis of rotation (11), a slide (17) carrying an optical unit (19) a rectilinear guide (15) for the slide arranged on the frame, and a slide-drive unit (25). A sub-frame (3) is secured to the frame so as to be movable, and a further slide (57) to which, viewed along the axis of rotation, a magnetic unit (59) is secured at a location opposite to and spaced from the optical unit. The sub-frame carries a further rectilinear guide (55) for the further slide, which further rectilinear guide extends parallel to the rectilinear guide for the first-mentioned slide at least during operation.

Drive arrangement for the writing/reading heads of a magneto-optical

A device for inscribing and or reading a magneto-optical disc includes a turntable mounted for rotation about an axis of rotation, and an optical unit and a magnetic unit movably mounted opposite to and spaced from each other in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation. The optical unit and magnetic unit are mounted each to be movable in a plane transverse to the rotation axis. The magnetic unit includes a coil on a support which in turn is movably mounted on a displacement body which is radially moveable with respect to the axis. During operation a measurement and control system determines the radial position of the optical unit and the magnetic unit relative to each other in the radial direction, for controlling at least the radial position of the coil of the magnetic unit relative to an objective of the optical units.

Positioning system for the heads of a magneto-optical data recorder

A device for inscribing and/or reading a magneto-optical disc (7), comprising a frame carrying a turntable which is rotatable about an axis of rotation (11), an optical unit (19) which comprises an objective (21) and an actuator for moving the objective in a direction parallel to such axis of rotation, and, viewed along such axis, a magnetic unit (59) arranged opposite to and spaced from the optical unit. The optical unit and the magnetic unit are movable in a plane which is oriented transversely of said axis of rotation. The magnetic unit comprises a coil (131) arranged on a coil former (129) and a further actuator (24) for moving the coil in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation of the turntable. The device further comprises a measurement and control system for detecting, during operation of the device, the distance between a reference plane (R) of the magnetic unit and the magneto-optical disc and for controlling the position of the coil.

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Eindhoven, Netherlands

Cornelius Antonius Hezemans