Messerschmitt-Bolkow-Blohm Gmbh

Siemens Aktiengesellschaft

Messerschmitt-Boelkow-Blohm Gmbh

Messerschmitt-Boelkow-Blohm Gesellschaft MIT Beschraenkter Haftung

Klaus Dietrich

Walter Kroy

Anton Harasim

Peter Kleinschmidt

Reiner Lichti

Max Guntersdorfer

Gunter Rosenstock

A position-resolving sensor for detecting individual light flashes with a multiplicity of adjacent light-receiving elements and an evaluating circuit which determines the light-receiving element which is struck by a light flash. The sensor comprises light-receiving elements subdivided into a plurality of groups such that each light-receiving element is exclusively adjacent to light-receiving elements belonging to other groups. Each group of light-receiving elements is associated with a row of light detectors and at least one optical connecting element establishes a light-conducting connection between each individual light-receiving element and light detectors which are selected in accordance with a given code from the assigned row of light detectors. A high solid-angle resolution can be achieved with few light detectors. In addition, that order number of the light-receiving element is read out which has registered the light flash, directly in a digital code.

Position-resolving sensor for detecting individual light flashes

A light sensitive detector arrangement contains a plurality of photosensitive detector elements, which in each instance have a multilayer structure of alternating positively and negatively doped photosensitive semiconductor material with a superlattice structure and control electrodes arranged vertically to the semiconductor layers and bordering on them on their front faces. To these a control voltage can be applied in order to control the spectral light sensitivity. An array contains in each case a predetermined number (for example three) of photo detector groups (E.sub.11 to E.sub.mm) of photosensitive detector elements (E.sub.111, E.sub.112, E.sub.113. . . respectively E .sub.mml, E.sub.mm2, E.sub.mm3). The control electrodes of the photo detector elements of each photo detector group are connected to variable voltage regulators (U.sub.1, U.sub.2, U.sub.3). Through the voltage regulators the upper and/or lower limit wavelength (.lambda..sub.o, .lambda..sub.u) of the photo detector elements of the discrete photo detector groups can be set differently and graded with respect to each other. A filter arrangement is provided having high pass or low pass function, the filter edge (.lambda. .sub.F) of which subdivides the spectral range of the discrete photo detector elements of the photo detector groups into an upper or lower effective spectral range (.lambda..sub.F -.lambda..sub.o3, .lambda..sub.F -.lambda..sub.o2, .lambda..sub.F -.lambda..sub.ol). Differential amplifiers can be driven with the signals of the photo detector elements of each photo detector group, the inputs of which can be driven by the spectral signals of the outputs of two adjacent photo detector elements, such that at the outputs of the differential amplifiers differentiable selected spectral signal responses occur.

Light sensitive superlattice detector arrangement with spectral

For producing the first differential of a two-dimensional optical image, an image of electrical charges corresponding to the brightness distribution of the image is produced in a first layer of an optical structural element. The first, electrical charges storing layer includes a plurality of light sensitive detector elements arranged in a mosaic-type pattern (D.sub.i). The electrical charge image representing the brightness distribution is converted into a transmissivity or transparency distribution corresponding to the potential differences across said detector elements in the first layer, by a second layer made of a material (M) that is electro-optically modulatable for changing the transparency or degree of transparency.

Method for producing the first differential of a two-dimensional image

The invention relates to an image recording sensor (1) with a plurality of photodetectors (15) in a matrix arrangement. The photodetectors (15) are here integrated components of cells (2), which through address lines (PX, PY) can be coupled for the definition of cell addresses. Each cell has at least one capacitor (C1, C2), in which the photocharge of the photodetector (15) can be stored. The resulting capacitor voltage (U1) is compared in a comparator (17) with a reference voltage (U.sub.REF, U2). The comparator is succeeded by an output circuit (18) for the output of a signal to the address lines upon the occurrence of a positive comparison result. All cells (2) can be driven via an external control circuit (4) with groups of common control and check signals. With such image recording sensor (1) no intensity values per picture element are output but only the addresses of the picture elements of interest, in which the intensity value has exceeded a given level, i.e., the intensity equivalent of the reference voltage (U.sub.REF, U2).

Image recording sensor

An electric transducer for measuring mechanical quantities comprises a movable tongue which is acted upon by the mechanical quantity to be measured and the deflection of which is converted into an electrical signal. The tip of the tongue may be designed as the gate and an electric conduction channel disposed opposite the tip at a small distance therefrom may comprise the source-drain path of a field effect transistor, or vice versa.

Electric transducer for measuring mechanical quantities

A liquid crystal light modulator is constructed for the transmission of sch signals modulated onto a light carrier passing through gaseous, liquid, and solid media such as air, water, or glass. A large surface area modulation of the light is accomplished in the visible and infrared range over narrow, however adjustable, wave length ranges or widths. Several circuit arrangements for such modulators are disclosed and their function described.

Liquid crystal modulator for the transmission of information, including

A method of optical data processing employs a modulable source of light which illuminates an optical assembly. A storage location selector is employed to apply a second modulating signal to an address selected storage location of a charge storage register. A charge storage register provides a selected storage cell with a potential of the modulating signal. After storing the predetermined potential variation in the charge storage register the potential of each cell is applied through an optical modulator to the photocell of a photodetector arrangement. The optical properties of each modular element is controlled through the potential of the associated cell of the charge storage resistor in a manner such that the intensity of the light falling on the photocell is a function of the total intensity incident on the optical assembly and also a function of the voltage applied in the respective modular element. The charges produced by the photocells of the photodetector arrangement are delivered by means of a disconnectable photocharge transfer gate to the charge storage locations of a CCD shift register where they are integrated. The apparatus comprises a modulable source of light in an optical assembly for carrying out the method. The optical assembly includes a storage location selector, a charge storage register including n cells for receiving the modulating signals of the storage location selector. Also included is a modulator arrangement including n modulator elements, a photodetector arrangement including n photocells and each photocell is associated with the modulator element in a manner such that the modulator element covers the entire service area of the photocell. The photocharge transfer gate includes an input for a control signal and an analog CCD shift register. It has an input for a timing signal. It also has an input for an analog signal and an output for an analog signal.

Method and apparatus for optical data processing

An image readout device is constructed to read out a partial image from a total image stored in photo detectors arranged in at least one row or two-dimensionally in rows and columns. The partial image may be of interest for a particular purpose, for example for the identification of a target, which does not require the processing of all the data representing the total image. The readout is accomplished by a series of switches arranged in a row and controlled by two shift registers in response to shift clock pulses. A logical 'high (1)' state is loaded into a first shift register position (A) corresponding to the first detector position to be read out. All other shift register positions are loaded with the logical 'low (0)' state. These logical states are then shifted in parallel into another second shift register which addresses the row of switches in a serial manner. A predetermined number of shift clock pulses determines the shift of the logical 'high (1)' state from the first position (A) to a second position (B). These positions (A, B) determine the beginning and the end of the partial image readout of a row of photocells for example. The output signal at the output of the row of switches is provided only for those positions or locations which are determined by the shifting logical 'high (1) ' state. No output signal is provided for positions in the logical 'low (0)' state. Thus the data flow and correspondingly the software and hardware have been substantially reduced.

Image readout method and device

A circuit for operating recording nozzles in ink mosaic recorders, each nozzle having an associated ink channel cylindrically surrounded by a piezoelectric transducer having a diameter which expands upon the application of a voltage thereto having a polarity which is opposite to the direction of polarization of the transducer and contracts upon the application of a voltage having a polarity in the direction of the transducer polarization, has a charging circuit which connects the transducers in a rest state to a common voltage source having a polarity in the direction of polarization of the transducers so that the transducers assume a state of contracted diameter. The circuit further includes a discharging circuit operated by a control input for each transducer operable for discharging an ink droplet from the nozzles after ink is drawn into the channels by operation of the charging circuit. The charging circuit contains a switching arrangement so that the charging circuit can be interrupted independently of the operation of the discharging circuit.

Circuit for operating recording nozzles

A piezoelectric drive element which surrounds an ink channel in a writing jet in a mosaic printing device is a winding formed by plies of thin synthetic foil having piezoelectric properties. The plies of the foil contact adjacent plies over large areas of adjacent plies and form a compression chamber in the interior of the winding which surrounds the ink chamber. Application of a voltage of a first polarity to the winding expands the winding and application of a voltage having an opposite polarity then contracts the winding forcing ink out of the chamber for printing. The winding and chamber may be surrounded by a covering of silicon rubber.

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Gauting, Germany

Klaus Dietrich