OPTICAL SYSTEM FOR THE READING OUT STORED INFORMATION

• US 3,637,307 A
• Filed: 06/18/1969
• Issued: 01/25/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/1968
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Erich Spitz
• Original Assignee: Erich Spitz
• Inventors: Spitz, Erich
• Primary Examiner(s): Matthews, Samuel S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wintercorn, Richard A.
• Application Number:
  US04/834,406
• Time in Patent Office: 951 Days
• Field of Search: 355/40 95/4.5 350/167,3.5
• US Class Current: 355/40
• CPC Class Codes: B41B 17/08 with a fixed carrier
• CPC Class Codes: B41B 21/16 Optical systems shutters B41B21/02; light sources B41B21/08
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/32 Holograms used as optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 13/04 using optical elements ; using other beam accessed elements, e.g. electron or ion beam
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 13/042 using information stored in the form of interference pattern
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/00 Transmission systems employing electromagnetic waves other than radio-waves, e.g. infrared, visible or ultraviolet light, or employing corpuscular radiation, e.g. quantum communication

Abstract

The invention relates to optical systems for reading out stored information items carried on a variable transparency support. The information items are juxtaposed on the support and are selectively projected within an aperture by means of holographic imaging means arranged in front of the items; each item can be illuminated by means of a monochromatic beam supplied by a source of light positioned behind said item. The projected images can be either received by photoelectric means or by a photographic film on which they are printed.

Claims

1. An optical system for the reading-out of N stored information items comprising:

a support carrying on one face a non-uniform transpArency layer representative of said N information items, holographic imaging means positioned for receiving luminous energy emerging from said support and for selectively projecting an enlarged image of any one of said information items upon illumination thereof by a source of monochromatic light;

said imaging means comprising N holograms resulting from the interference of coherent point sources of light respectively positioned in the plane of said face and in the plane of said image.

2. An optical system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said image is a virtual image.

3. An optical system is claimed in claim 1, wherein said image is a real image.

4. An optical system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising monochromatic illuminating means associated with said support for selectively illuminating any one of said N information items.

5. An optical system for the reading-out of N stored information items comprising:

a support carrying on one face a non uniform transparency layer representative of said N informations items, holographic imaging means positioned for receiving luminous energy emerging from said support and for selectively projecting an enlarged image of any one of said information items upon illumination thereof by a source of monochromatic light, and monochromatic illuminating means associated with said support for selectively illuminating any one of said N information items;

said imaging means comprising N holograms resulting from the interference of coherent point sources of light respectively positioned in the plane of said face and in the plane of said image;

said illuminating means comprising at least one electroluminescent diode and means for displacing said diode along said support.

6. An optical system for the reading-out of N stored information items comprising:

a support carrying on one face a non uniform transparency layer representative of said N information items, holographic imaging means positioned for receiving luminous energy emerging from said support and for selectively projecting an enlarged image of any one of said information items upon illumination thereof by a source of monochromatic light, and monochromatic illuminating means associated with said support for selectively illuminating any one of said N information items;

said imaging means comprising N holograms resulting from the interference of coherent point sources of light respectively positioned in the plane of said face and in the plane of said image;

said illuminating means comprising a plurality of electroluminescent diodes arranged in rows and columns and switching means electrically coupled to said diodes for energizing any one of said diodes.

7. An optical system as claimed in claim 6, further comprising photoelectric means positioned for receiving said enlarged image from said imaging means.

8. An optical system as claimed in claim 7, wherein said photoelectric means comprise a plurality of photodiodes arranged in rows and columns and further switching means electrically coupled to said diodes for delivering an electrical signal supplied by any one of said photodiodes.

9. An optical system as claimed in claim 6, wherein said information items comprise a plurality of characters arranged in rows and columns.

10. An optical system as claimed in claim 9, further comprising optical recording means positioned for receiving juxtaposed enlarged images of those characters respectively contained in said columns.

11. An optical system as claimed in claim 10, wherein said optical recording means comprise an exposure slit positioned for receiving said juxtaposed images, a photographic emulsion positioned behind said slit and transport means for displacing said emulsion transversely of said slit.

12. An optical system as claimed in claim 11, further comprising an image converter tube positioned between said imaging means and said photographic emulsion;

said image converter tube having an input face positioned for receiving sAid juxtaposed images and an output face optically coupled to said photographic emulsion through lens means.