Elliott Brothers (london) Limited

Bae Systems, Inc.

Gec-marconi Limited

Edward L Lewis

Robin D Beasley

Trevor A Morgon

Roger Martin Langdon

Jeremy Lynn Hinton

Jan R Syska

A method and system are disclosed for enhancing the visibility of features of an image. The method comprises the steps of acquiring image data corresponding to at least one image feature using sensing means; processing the image data to identify changes in adjacent data points corresponding to a boundary of the at least one image feature; and, generating modified image data corresponding to the processed image data.

Image enhancement

In a laser radar system, in which pulses from a laser are focused by a telescope onto a target, the back-scattered radiation being deflected by polarizing beam splitter onto a detector in conjunction with a reference beam, the reference beam being produced from pulses derived from the pulse laser by the beam splitter, the pulses making repeated journeys around a cavity and a proportion of the pulse being emitted each time so that each input pulse produces a multiplicity of output pulses to form the reference beam, thereby avoiding the need for a separate laser for the reference beam.

Laser radar with reference beam storage

A fibre optic terminal (1) for use with a bi-directional optic fibre (6) including an optical receiver (2) positioned in the path of light (8) emitted from an end (5) of the optical fibre to receive the light, and an optical emitter (4) arranged to emit light (7) from a position adjacent the optical receiver onto the end of the optical fibre, the position being in the path of light emitted from the end of the optical fibre so that substantially all of the light emitted from the optical emitter is incident on the end of the optical fibre, and the area from which the optical emitter emits light being small relative to the light receiving area of the optical receiver so that substantially all of the light emitted from the end of the optical fibre is received by the optical receiver.

Fibre optic terminals for use with bidirectional optical fibres

A self-testing terminal for use in a fibre optic communication system comprising an optical emitter (10) which emits a predetermined amount of light and a comparator (17) which determines whether the amount of such emitted light reflected back from interfaces in the terminal or the system to an optical receiver (11) is greater than a reference value (V.sub.R).

Fibre-optic communication systems

A method of terminating an optical fibre cable wherein an annular deformable member is compressed inwardly onto a cable threaded through it by causing an encircing cincture exhibiting `memory` properties to try to return to a remembered shape and size. The annular member includes a plurality of portions which are held apart by spacer material to define a passageway through which the cable is threaded, the spacer material being subsequently caused to deform e.g. by heating, so that under the force exerted by the cincture said portions are urged inwardly and grip the cable.

Methods of terminating optical fibre cables

A modification of the hot crimp technique described in U.S. application Ser. No. 701,240 filed 30th June 1976. In that case a bundle of fibres was inserted into a glass sleeve and the sleeve and fibres were thrust into a hot conical bore to compress the sleeve and fibres to remove interstitial dead space. In an incidental feature of that technique, the compressed bundle is maintained concentric with the outer sleeve surface, and in fact, with the outer surface of a metal sleeve which may provide the conical bore. This feature is adapted for the present invention in which a single fibre is inserted into a close fitting glass sleeve through a tapered lead-in ferrule, the sleeve and ferrule are thrust through an outer metal sleeve having a conical end so that the glass sleeve and fibre are compressed concentrically. The assembly then provides an accurately concentric single fibre termination pin.

Optical fibre terminations

A method of terminating an optical fiber cable wherein an annular deformable member (1) is compressed inwardly onto a cable (7) threaded through it by causing an encircling cincture (3) exhibiting `memory` properties to try to return to a remembered shape and size.

Terminating optical fiber cables

An improved fibre-optic cable termination which substantially reduces light losses and also facilitates cable termination in the field as opposed to the factory. According to this method the fibres are compressed by pushing the bundle, preferably sheathed in a thin glass ferrule, into a heated tool having a tapered hole. A protective metal coupling may be incorporated by heating a metal sheath with a tapered bore and pushing the glass sheathed bundle into the metal sheath. The metal sheath may then constitute a pin of a pin and socket optical coupling. In all cases the temperature and pressure are adjusted so that the individual fibres are squeezed into approximately hexagonal form so as to eliminate the interstices to a substantial extent. The temperature and pressure are, however, limited to prevent any substantial fusion and coalescing of fibres and consequent loss of the optical barrier between them.

Growing community of inventors

Maidstone, United Kingdom

Edward L Lewis