Patent US3698001A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3727062A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Acousto-optic information translation system with reference beam for control purposes
Assignee: Zenith Electronics LLC
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Filing: 1972-03-10
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Granted: 1973-04-10
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Expires: 1992-03-10
Abstract
Abstract An acousto-optic image-forming system utilizing a spatially coherent light beam includes a Bragg cell modulator and means for generating in the cell a plurality of sound wave patterns effective to diffract the light beam into a like plurality of writing (or display) beams. Each writing beam is modulated with image information independently of all others such that a plurality of lines (or line elements) of information, here disclosed as a line of alphanumeric characters, can be written or displayed with a single scan of the beams. A novel feedback automatic gain control (AGC) system causes the intensity of each beam to be independent of variations in intensity in the remaining beams. The AGC system includes means for producing a reference sound wave pattern which diffracts a separately detectable reference light beam. A photo detector senses variations in the reference light beam and generates a control signal which is fed back to a driver for the Bragg cell modulator to effect the AGC.
Inventors
- 👤 L Foster
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 20:16
CPC Classifications
G; G11; G11B; G11B7/00; G11B7/12; G11B7/125; G11B7/128; G02; G02F; G02F1/00; G02F1/01; G02F1/11; G02F1/113; G06; G06K; G06K15/00; G06K15/02; G06K15/12; G06K15/1238; G06K15/1257; G06K15/1271; G09; G09G; G09G3/00; G09G3/001; H; H04; H04B; H04B10/00; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S73/00; Y10S73/90
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
182 words
An acousto-optic information-translation system utilizing a spatially coherent input light beam, comprising: means for generating a plurality of frequency-spaced electrical information carrier signals and a reference carrier signal at a frequency different from the frequency of any of said information carrier signals; signal processing means for independently modulating said plurality of carrier signals in accordance with respective information signals and for combining said signals to produce a composite signal; beam control means including a Bragg light-sound interaction cell interposed in the path of said light beam and including transducer means for receiving said composite signal to produce acoustic wave patterns in said cell corresponding to said information and reference carrier signals effective to cause at least part of said light beam to be diffracted into a corresponding plurality of angularly discrete informationbearing light beams and a reference beam; electro-optic control means coupled to said beam control means including photoresponsive means disposed to intercept and detect a characteristic of said reference light beam for controlling one or more of said information-bearing beams as a function of said detected characteristic of said reference beam.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
182 words
An acousto-optic information-translation system utilizing a spatially coherent input light beam, comprising: means for generating a plurality of frequency-spaced electrical information carrier signals and a reference carrier signal at a frequency different from the frequency of any of said information carrier signals; signal processing means for independently modulating said plurality of carrier signals in accordance with respective information signals and for combining said signals to produce a composite signal; beam control means including a Bragg light-sound interaction cell interposed in the path of said light beam and including transducer means for receiving said composite signal to produce acoustic wave patterns in said cell corresponding to said information and reference carrier signals effective to cause at least part of said light beam to be diffracted into a corresponding plurality of angularly discrete informationbearing light beams and a reference beam; electro-optic control means coupled to said beam control means including photoresponsive means disposed to intercept and detect a characteristic of said reference light beam for controlling one or more of said information-bearing beams as a function of said detected characteristic of said reference beam.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
180 words
An acousto-optic information-translation system utilizing a spatially coherent input light beam, comprising: means for producing a plurality of frequency-spaced electrical information carrier signals; a corresponding plurality of signal modulating means for modulating respectively said plurality of carrier signals in accordance with discrete information signals; means for producing a reference carrier signal at a frequency different from the frequency of any of said information carrier signals; signal combining means for combining said information and reference carrier signals to produce a composite signal; a Bragg light-sound interaction cell interposed in the path of said light beam and including transducer means for receiving said composite signal to produce acoustic wave patterns in said cell corresponding to said information carrier signals, at Least part of said light beam being diffracted into a corresponding plurality of angularly discrete information-bearing light beams and a reference beam; automatic gain control means including photoresponsive means disposed to intercept and detect said reference light beam for controlling the intensity of each of said information-bearing beams as a function of variations in the cumulative intensity of the remaining information-bearing beams.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
180 words
An acousto-optic information-translation system utilizing a spatially coherent input light beam, comprising: means for producing a plurality of frequency-spaced electrical information carrier signals; a corresponding plurality of signal modulating means for modulating respectively said plurality of carrier signals in accordance with discrete information signals; means for producing a reference carrier signal at a frequency different from the frequency of any of said information carrier signals; signal combining means for combining said information and reference carrier signals to produce a composite signal; a Bragg light-sound interaction cell interposed in the path of said light beam and including transducer means for receiving said composite signal to produce acoustic wave patterns in said cell corresponding to said information carrier signals, at Least part of said light beam being diffracted into a corresponding plurality of angularly discrete information-bearing light beams and a reference beam; automatic gain control means including photoresponsive means disposed to intercept and detect said reference light beam for controlling the intensity of each of said information-bearing beams as a function of variations in the cumulative intensity of the remaining information-bearing beams.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
39 words
A system as in claim 2, in which said automatic gain control means comprises means for adjusting the intensity of each of said output beams in a sense corresponding to changes in the total intensity of the remaining beams.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
35 words
A system as in claim 3, in which said automatic gain control means comprises means for attenuating each of said output beams in response to a diminution in the total intensity of the remaining beams.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
158 words
A method of imparting information from a plurality of independently varying electrical information signals to a like plurality of output light beams derived from a spatially coherent input light beam, comprising: generating a plurality of frequency-separated carrier signals corresponding in number to said plurality of information signals and a reference carrier signal having a frequency different from said information carrier signals; modulating each of said information carrier signals in accordance with a respective one of said information signals; Bragg-diffracting at least part of said input beam into a corresponding plurality of angularly-discrete output light beams, each modulated in accordance with a respective one of said information signals, and a reference beam angularly separate from said modulated output light beams; photodetecting said reference beam to generate a control signal; and utilizing said control signal to maintain the nominal signal intensity of each of said information-bearing output light beams substantially independent of variations in the intensity of the remaining beams.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
158 words
A method of imparting information from a plurality of independently varying electrical information signals to a like plurality of output light beams derived from a spatially coherent input light beam, comprising: generating a plurality of frequency-separated carrier signals corresponding in number to said plurality of information signals and a reference carrier signal having a frequency different from said information carrier signals; modulating each of said information carrier signals in accordance with a respective one of said information signals; Bragg-diffracting at least part of said input beam into a corresponding plurality of angularly-discrete output light beams, each modulated in accordance with a respective one of said information signals, and a reference beam angularly separate from said modulated output light beams; photodetecting said reference beam to generate a control signal; and utilizing said control signal to maintain the nominal signal intensity of each of said information-bearing output light beams substantially independent of variations in the intensity of the remaining beams.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3485557A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-04-09 | 1976-10-09 | 1977-04-10 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-04-09 | 1980-10-09 | 1981-04-10 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-04-09 | 1984-10-09 | 1985-04-10 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |