A protection system and operating method thereof promotes the longevity of components of a control subsystem. The protection apparatus may include a first connector for connecting to the control system and a second connector for connecting to a target system. The protection apparatus detects states of a component of the control subsystem over time and causes a state transition of a switching circuit of the protection apparatus based on the detected states of the control subsystem. The state transition of the switching circuit of the protection system may be initiated after a defined period of time has elapsed after detecting states of the control subsystem component. The state transition of the switching circuit may be a transition between an open state in which power is not provided to a node of the second connector and a closed state in which power is provided to the node of the second connector.

Methods and systems for controlling tintable windows based on cloud detection.

A sensor device has a metal sensor housing with a housing base coupled to a frame base of a metal optical frame. A device mounting plate is orthogonal to the frame base. A securing device secures an optical communication device to the device mounting plate. A barrel mounting channel has first and second sidewalls, each extending obliquely to the frame base and defining a linear translation pathway along the frame base for a metal lens barrel. A fastener secures the metal lens barrel to the first and second sidewalls. A glass lens is in contact with three protrusions extending outward from an inner annular surface of the lens barrel. The optical communication device is configured to be in optical communication with the lens and is secured in a particular position in a translation plane mutually defined by the device mounting plate and the optical communication device.

A tilt and direction detecting apparatus and an antenna assembly using the same are disclosed. An embodiment of the present disclosure provides a tilt and direction detecting apparatus comprising: a dome structure including a spherical surface; a plurality of optical sensors configured to measure the intensity of sunlight; and a flexible circuit printed board configured to enclose at least a portion of the spherical surface, wherein, the flexible circuit board is disposed on the spherical surface such that the plurality of optical sensors are oriented in different directions from each other.

A mail screening apparatus is provided to perform the inspection of mail or similar objects. Terahertz inspection is used to localize potential suspicious areas by imaging the contents inside the envelope or small parcel. The mail screening apparatus includes a primary and a secondary inspection zone, preferably allowing inspection of the mail in a normal and a zoomed mode, respectively. The same light source, image capture device and intervening optical components are used in both normal and zoomed modes. Metal detection may optionally be used to enhance awareness in the presence of metallic content. In one implementation, metal detection zones are provided in an orthogonal configuration with respect to the primary inspection zone used for terahertz imaging to accommodate for both manual and automatic inspection of mail.

A sensor and a portable terminal comprising the same, according to an embodiment, comprise: a substrate; a light-emitting unit and a light-receiving unit, which are arranged on the substrate at a distance from each other; a cover unit arranged on the light-emitting unit and the light-receiving unit so as to face the substrate; a first optical guide lens unit arranged between the cover unit and the light-emitting unit so as to refract light, which has been emitted from the light-emitting unit and to transfer the same to the outside of the cover unit; and a second optical guide lens unit arranged between the cover unit and the light-receiving unit so as to transfer light from the outside of the cover unit to the light-receiving unit. In connection with a proximity/illuminance sensor, the sensing range related to a spaced object is expanded, thereby improving the sensing performance.

A far infrared sensor package includes a package body and a plurality of far infrared sensor array integrated circuits. The plurality of far infrared sensor array integrated circuits are disposed on a same plane and inside the package body. Each of the far infrared sensor array integrated circuits includes a far infrared sensing element array of a same size.

A transducer modulus, comprising: a substrate; a cap on the substrate, defining a chamber; and a sensor modulus in the chamber, integrating a first MEMS transducer facing the chamber, and a second MEMS transducer facing the supporting substrate. The cap has a first opening that forms a path for access of the first environmental quantity exclusively towards a sensitive element of the first transducer, and the supporting substrate has a second opening that forms a path for access of the second environmental quantity exclusively towards a sensitive element of the second transducer.

Imaging systems may include tunable polarization filters. A tunable polarization filter may be integrated directly into an image sensor package. For example, the tunable polarization filter may serve as cover glass for the image sensor package. Tunable polarization package glass may be incorporated into image sensor packages that have air gaps between the image sensor and the cover glass or that have transparent adhesive between the image sensor and the cover glass. The tunable polarization layer may be controlled at a global level, at a sub-array level, or at a pixel level. In some cases, the tunable polarization layer may be a tunable polarization filter. In this example, the direction of the polarization filter is tuned. In other cases, the tunable polarization layer may be a tunable polarization rotator. In this example, the tunable polarization layer selectively rotates the polarization of light that passes through the tunable polarization layer.

A meniscus lens has a dome shape and has a first surface facing a lens array and a second surface facing an infrared sensing element. The meniscus lens has a central portion and a peripheral portion. The central portion includes a top point that is an intersection between the optical axis of the meniscus lens and the first surface. The peripheral portion includes an end of the first surface of the meniscus lens. With respect to the central portion of the meniscus lens, an aplanatic point of the first surface is located at the focus of the lens array. With respect to the peripheral portion of the meniscus lens, an aplanatic point of the second surface is located at the focus of the lens array.