OPTICAL MEMORY APPARATUS

• US 3,676,864 A
• Filed: 06/29/1970
• Issued: 07/11/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Barry Glenn Broome, Douglas Raymond Maure
• Original Assignee: Barry Glenn Broome, Douglas Raymond Maure
• Inventors: Maure, Douglas Raymond, Broome, Barry Glenn
• Primary Examiner(s): Urynowicz, Jr., Stanley M.
• Application Number:
  US05/050,367
• Time in Patent Office: 743 Days
• Field of Search: 340/173LM 350/160,16RP 250/219F,22MX,219Q,219D,22M 235/61.115 353/25,27
• US Class Current: 365/127
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 13/04 using optical elements ; using other beam accessed elements, e.g. electron or ion beam

Abstract

An optical apparatus is disclosed having a lens system positioned between an array of light emitters and an array of light sensors for ensuring optimum energy transfer therebetween. In the apparatus, optical masks are positioned between the arrays of light emitters and light sensors with each mask having a bit location defined where each light transmission path between an emitter and a sensor intersects the mask. The lens system comprises an array of condenser lenses for concentrating the light energy from the emitters and projecting it through each mask to either a segmented primary lens or an image relay lenscombining lens combination, either of which functions to superimpose the images of all the masks onto a common image plane. The light sensors are positioned at the respective superimposed bit locations on the image plane for receiving the light energy projected thereon.

Claims

1. In an optical memory apparatus the combination which comprises:

an optical storage mask divided into m portions, each m portion defining n discrete areas with each area being substantially opaque or transparent to represent a binary bit value;

n spaced independent light sensors, each sensor corresponding to a separate area in each of the m portions of the mask and being arranged to produce an output signal when illuminated with light so that the output signal from one or more sensors may be simultaneously detected where m and n are each greater than one;

means for illuminating each of the m portions of the mask, with only one portion being illuminated at a time;

focusing means for projecting and focusing the light passing through each transparent area onto the corresponding sensors, so that the light passing through the corresponding transparent area of each m portion is focused at a common point on the respective sensor; and

means responsive to the output signals of one or more selected sensors to determine the binary value represented at selected areas to the mask.

2. The combination as defined in claim 1 wherein the illuminating means includes m spaced light emitters and at least one collimating lens disposed between the emitters and the storage mask for projecting collimated light beams on a selected m portion of the mask in response to energization of the corresponding emitter.

3. The combination as defined in claim 1 wherein the focusing means includes at least one combining lens disposed between the mask and the sensors for concentrating the light beams passing through the transparent areas of the mask and focusing said beams on the respective sensors.

4. The combination as defined in claim 2 wherein the focusing means includes at least one combining lens for receiving the collimating light beams passing through the transparent areas of the mask and superimposing the images of each transparent area corresponding to a given sensor on said sensor.

5. The combination as defined in claim 4 wherein the combining lens comprises a segmented primary lens with each segment optically communicating with one of the light emitters.

6. In an optical memory apparatus, the combination which comprises:

a plurality of spaced light emitters for emitting light when energized;

a plurality of spaced independent light sensors for providing output signals when illuminated with light so that the output signals from one or more sensors may be simultaneously detected;

an optical mask defining a plurality of discrete areas with each area uniquely associated with one emitter and one sensor and being either substantially opaque or transparent to represent a binary bit value;

means for transmitting a beam of light to every one of the sensors from each of the emitters, when energized during successive intervals such beams of light being directed from each energized emitter to the areas of the mask associated with the energized emitter;

focusing means responsive to the light beams passing through the transparent mask areas for forming real images of such areas on a designated one of the associated sensors irrespective of which emitter is energized with the imAges of the mask areas associated with each sensor being superimposed on said designated sensor at successive intervals in response to the energization of selected emitters;

means for selectively energizing the emitters; and

means responsive to the output signals of one or more selected sensors to determine the binary bit value represented by selected mask areas.

7. The combination as defined in claim 6 wherein the mask is divided into m portions with each portion defining n discrete areas where m is equal to the number of emitters and n is equal to the number of sensors.

8. The combination as defined in claim 7 including at least one condensing lens positioned between the emitters and the mask.

9. The combination as defined in claim 8 wherein the focusing means including at least one primary lens disposed between the mask and the sensors for focusing the light beams passing through the transparent mask areas on the respective sensors.

10. The combination as defined in claim 9 including one condensing lens positioned between each of the emitters and each of the m portions of the mask and a segmented primary lens disposed between the mask and the sensors with each segment thereof optically communicating with one of the light emitters.

11. In an optical memory apparatus the combination which comprises:

an optical storage mask divided into m portions, each portion defining n discrete areas with each area being substantially opaque or transparent to represent a binary bit value;

n spaced independent light sensors arranged on a common plane, each sensor corresponding to a separate area in each of the m portions of the mask and being arranged to produce an output signal when illuminated with light so that the output signal from one or more sensors may be simultaneously detected where m and n are each greater than one;

an array of relay means disposed a focal length distance from the light emitters for receiving light energy therefrom and projecting collimated light beams onto a selected m portion of the mask; and

combining lens means disposed between the mask and the sensors for receiving the collimated light beams transmitted through the transparent areas of the mask and for forming real images of said transparent areas only on the plane of the sensors, with the transparent areas which correspond to any particular sensor being superimposed thereon when the emitters are energized one at a time.

12. The combination as defined in claim 11 wherein the array of relay lenses comprises a condensing lens positioned between each light emitter and its respective m portion of the mask.

13. The combination as defined in claim 11 wherein the combining lens means comprises a segmented primary lens with each segment optically communicating with an m portion of the mask:

14. The combination as defined in claim 11 wherein the combining lens means comprises a single primary lens and m relay lenses positioned between the sensor and the mask with each of the m relay lenses positioned between the primary lens and a respective m portion of the mask.

15. In an optical memory apparatus the combination which comprises:

an optical storage mask divided into m portions, each portion defining n discrete areas with each area being substantially opaque or transparent to represent binary digits;

n spaced independent light sensors, each sensor corresponding to a separate area in each of the m portions of the mask and being arranged to produce an output signal when illuminated with light so that the output signals from one or more sensors may be simultaneously detected where m and n are each greater than 1;

means for illuminating each of the m portions of the mask with collimated beams of light with only one portion being illuminated at a time;

lens means for projecting substantially alL of the light passing through corresponding transparent areas of the m portions of the mask to the same point on a respective sensor; and

means responsive to the output signals of one or more selected sensors to determine the binary value represented by selected areas of the mask.

16. The combination as defined in claim 15 wherein the means for illuminating each of the m portions of the mask comprises m spaced independent light emitters and a separate condensing lens positioned between each light emitter and the respective m portion of the mask.

17. The combination as defined in claim 16 wherein the lens means comprises at least one primary lens positioned between the mask and the sensors for superimposing the images of the mask areas associated with each sensor on said sensor.

18. The combination as defined in claim 17 wherein the lens means comprises a segmented primary lens with each segment thereof optically communicating with a respective m portion of the mask.