The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 12, 2000
Filed:
Jun. 30, 1999
Richard A Fields, Redondo Beach, CA (US);
Juan C Carillo, Jr, Torrance, CA (US);
Mark Kintis, Manhattan Beach, CA (US);
Elizabeth T Kunkee, Manhattan Beach, CA (US);
Lawrence J Lembo, Torrance, CA (US);
Stephen R Perkins, Redondo Beach, CA (US);
David L Rollins, Hawthorne, CA (US);
Eric L Upton, Redondo Beach, CA (US);
Bruce A Ferguson, Redondo Beach, CA (US);
TRW Inc., Redondo Beach, CA (US);
Abstract
An optical quantizer (10) that employs a chain of optical thresholding devices (16) positioned in the propagation path of an optical input beam (12) to be quantized. Each optical thresholding device (16) saturates and turns transparent if the intensity of the optical beam (12) that impinges it is above a predetermined threshold level designed into the device (16). If the input beam (12) saturates the optical thresholding device (16), the device (16) outputs an indicator signal (22) identifying the saturation. The input beam (12) propagates through the optical thresholding device (16) with some attenuation caused by the saturation, and impinges subsequent optical thresholding devices (16) in the chain. Eventually, the attenuation of the input beam (12) caused by the multiple saturations will decrease the beam intensity below the threshold level of the next optical thresholding device (16). The number of indicator signals (22) gives an indication of the intensity of the input beam (12). The optical thresholding devices (16) can provide optical or electrical indicator signals (22) depending on the type of thresholding device (16) used.