1. A pool cue system including at least one pool cue shaft having a length, an exterior surface, a tip end, a distal end, and a ferrule-receiving portion of the pool cue shaft proximate the tip end, said pool cue system comprising:
at least one icon appearing on the exterior surface of the pool cue shaft observable within a user’s peripheral vision when the pool cue shaft is in use,
wherein said at least one icon is located at least one predetermined distance axially along the pool cue shaft from the ferrule-receiving portion of said pool cue shaft; and
said at least one predetermined distance has a relationship to at least one game parameter.
2. The pool cue system of claim 1, wherein said at least one predetermined distance further relates to at least one pool cue shaft property.
3. The pool cue system of claim 1, wherein said at least one predetermined distance further relates to at least one external factor.
4. The pool cue system of claim 1, wherein said at least one icon comprises two icons and said at least one predetermined distance comprises two distinct predetermined distances providing a distance between at least part of each icon of said two icons.
5. The pool cue system of claim 1, wherein said at least one icon comprises at least one icon disposed circumferentially about said pool cue shaft.
6. The pool cue system of claim 1, wherein said at least one icon comprises at least one feature of at least one larger iconic design.
7.
8. The pool cue system of claim 1, wherein said at least one icon comprises at least one trademark logo.
9. The pool cue system of claim 1, wherein said at least one game parameter is related to at least one stroke parameter.
10. The pool cue system of claim 1, wherein the pool cue shaft is integral to a pool cue stick.
11. A pool cue system including at least one method of using at least one pool cue stick having at least one icon appearing on the surface of a pool cue shaft of the at least one pool cue stick, wherein the at least one icon is located at least one pool cue stick and wherein the atleast one predetermined distance is related to at least one game parameter, the method of use comprising the steps of:
a) establishing a line of sight from a cue ball to an object ball;
b) aiming a pool shot, and
c) observing with peripheral vision the at least one icon having a predetermined distance related to a game parameter while stroking the pool cue shot.
12. The pool cue system according to claim 11, further comprising the step of observing the at least one icon with peripheral vision while making preparatory motions with the at least one pool cue stick.
13. The pool cue system according to claim 12, wherein the at least one icon comprises at least two icons and the step of observing the at least one icon comprises the step of observing motion of the at least two icons relative to the established line of sight to the object ball.
14. The pool cue system according to claim 11, wherein the step of observing the at least one icon comprises the step of observing at least one pool cue stick motion.
15. A pool cue system including at least one method of doing buisiness with at least one pool cue stick having at least one icon appearing on the surface of a pool cue shaft of said at least one pool cue stick, wherein the at least one icon is located at least one predetermined distance from a ferrule-receiving portion of the at least one pool cue stick and wherein the at least one predetermined distance is related to at least one game parameter, the method of doing business comprising the steps of:
using at least one trademark logo for the at least one icon having a predetrmined distance related to a game parameter; and
displaying said at least one trademark logo during a game of pool.
16. The pool cue system according to claim 14, wherein the step of displaying said at least one trademark during a game of pool comprises displaying said trademark logo to a television camera.
17. A pool cue system including a method of forming at least one pool cue stick having at least one icon appearing on an exterior surface of a pool cue shaft of said at least one pool cue stick, wherein the at least one icon is located at least one predetermined distance from a ferrule-receiving portion of the at least one pool cue stick and wherein the at least one predetrmined distance is related to at least one game parameter, the method of forming comprising the steps of:
providing a pool cue shaft;
providing at least one icon;
causing said at least one icon to appear on the surface of the pool cue shaft at an axial location related to at least one game parameter.
18. The pool cue system according to claim 17, wherein the step of causing said at least one icon to appear on the surface of the pool cue craft comprises the steps of:
providing at least one material adapted to form an icon to the at least one pool cue shaft.
19. The pool cue system according to claim 18, wherein the step of fixing comprises the step of building in said material during construction of the pool cue shaft.
20. The pool cue system according to claim 17, wherein the step of causing said at least one icon to appear on the surface of the pool cue shaft comprises the steps of:
a) providing at least one image projection apparatus adapted to project at least one image of at least one icon; and
b) projecting the at least one image of te at least one icon to the surfacce of the at least one pool cue shaft.
21. The pool cue system of claim 1, further comprising at least one ferrule, wherein at least one portion of said at least one icon appears on the surface of said at least one ferrule.
22. A pool cue system including at least one pool cue shaft having a length, an exterior surface, a tip end, a distal end, and a ferrule-receiving portion of the pool cue shaft proximate the tip end, said pool cue system comprising:
at least one icon appearing on the exterior surface of the pool cue shaft observable within a user’s peripheral vision when the pool cue shaft is in use,
wherein said at least one icon is located at least one predetermined distance axially along the pool cue shaft from the ferrule-receiving portion of said pool cue shaft; and
said at least one predetermined distance is predetermined to have a relationship to at least one of stroke length, stroke speed, and bridge hand location.
23. The pool cue system of claim 22, wherein said at least one icon comprises at least one feature of at least one larger iconic design.
24. The pool cue system of claim 22, wherein said at least one icon comprises at least one icon disposed circumferentially about said pool cue shaft.
25. The pool cue system of claim 22, wherein said at least one predetermined distance further relates to at least one pool cue shaft property.
26. The pool cue system of claim 22, wherein said at least one icon comprises at least one trademark logo.
27. A pool cue system including at least one pool cue shaft having a length, an exterior surface, a tip end, a distal end, and a ferrule-receiving portion of the pool cue shaft proximate the tip end, said pool cue system comprising:
at least one icon inlaid in the exterior surface of the pool cue shaft observable within a user’s peripheral vision when the pool cue shaft is in use,
wherein said at least one icon is located at least one predetermined distance axially along the pool cue shaft from the ferrule-receiving portion of said pool cue shaft; and
said at least one predetermined distance is predetermined in relationship to at least one of stroke length, stroke speed, and bridge hand location prior to inlaying said at least one icon.
28. The pool cue system of claim 27, wherein said at least one icon comprises at least one feature of at least one larger iconic design.
29. The pool cue system of claim 27, wherein said at least one icon comprises at least one icon disposed circumferentially about said pool cue shaft.
30. The pool cue system of claim 27, wherein said at least one predetermined distance further relates to at least one pool cue shaft property.
31. The pool cue system of claim 27, wherein said at least one icon comprises at least one trademark logo.
32. The pool cue system of claim 1, wherein said at least one predetermined distance comprises one predetermined distance of ten inches and further wherein said one predetermined distance further defines a bridge hand location.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. An optical circuit element comprising:
a substrate,
a main waveguide and at least one auxiliary waveguide, disposed in said substrate;
wherein said at least one auxiliary waveguide is for branching a portion of the light that is propagated in said main waveguide,
wherein said at least one auxiliary waveguide has a receiving end for receiving light from said main waveguide and a terminated end,
wherein a cavity is disposed at the terminated end of said auxiliary waveguide, and a mirror is disposed in said cavity for reflecting light propagated in said auxiliary waveguide and transmitted into said cavity.
2. An optical circuit element according to claim 1, further including at least one photodetecting element for receiving light that is reflected by said mirror.
3. An optical circuit element according to claim 2, wherein said photodetecting element is disposed above said cavity.
4. An optical circuit element according to claim 2, wherein a space in said cavity in which an optical path between said terminated portion of said auxiliary waveguide and said photodetecting element is established is filled with a light-transmissive substance having a refractive index that is substantially similar to an effective refractive index of said auxiliary waveguide.
5. An optical circuit element according to claim 1, wherein said mirror is a concave surface.
6. An optical circuit element according to claim 2, wherein said photodetecting element monitors light intensity.
7. An optical circuit element according to claim 2, wherein said photodetecting element monitors the wavelength of light.
8. An optical circuit element according to claim 2, wherein said photodetecting element monitors an optical signal.
9. An optical circuit element according to claims 2, having two or more auxiliary waveguides for one main waveguide, each auxiliary waveguide serving to monitor the intensity of light, the wavelength of light or an optical signal.
10. An optical circuit element according to claim 1, wherein said branching means is a directional coupler or a Y-branching waveguide.
11. Arrayed optical circuit elements having a plurality of optical circuit elements each having a main waveguide on a substrate, wherein at least one optical circuit element is an optical circuit element according to claim 1.
12. Arrayed optical circuit elements according to claim 11, wherein the spacing of said main waveguides is wider at least at the positions at which cavities of auxiliary waveguides are provided than at other positions.
13. Arrayed optical circuit elements according to claim 11, wherein light from a plurality of adjacent auxiliary waveguides is transmitted into a single cavity, said light being reflected by at least one mirror that is provided in said cavity.
14. Arrayed optical circuit elements according to claim 13, wherein said at least one mirror provided in said cavity is a single mirror that reflects a plurality of light beams.
15. An optical circuit device including:
at least one of an optical signal demultiplexing element and an optical signal multiplexing element; and
said arrayed optical circuit elements according to claim 11.
16. An optical circuit device comprised: arrayed optical circuit elements having a plurality of optical circuit elements each having a main waveguide on a substrate, wherein at least one optical circuit element is an optical circuit element according to claims 6; and
an optical processing element provided with a means for controlling the light intensity of an optical signal depending on the light intensity monitored by said at least one optical circuit element.
17. An optical circuit device according to claim 16, wherein said optical processing element has a means for attenuating or amplifying each optical signal.
18. An optical circuit element fabrication method for fabricating an optical circuit element comprising: a substrate, a main waveguide, at least one auxiliary waveguide for branching a portion of light that is propagated in said main waveguide, a cavity disposed at the terminated portion of said auxiliary waveguide, and a mirror installed in said cavity for reflecting light that is propagated in said auxiliary waveguide and transmitted into said cavity; said fabrication method comprising steps of:
stacking a clad layer material and a core layer material on a substrate, patterning said core layer material, and then forming an upper clad layer to provide said main waveguide and said auxiliary waveguide;
forming said cavity at the terminated portion of said at least one auxiliary waveguide by etching; and
forming a mirror in said cavity;
wherein said step of forming said mirror comprises steps of:
providing mirror mounting material on the bottom surface of said cavity;
inserting a mirror forming material on said mirror mounting material; and
forming said mirror forming material through the use of a mold.
19. An optical circuit element fabrication method according to claim 18, wherein said step of inserting a mirror forming material in said cavity and said step of forming said mirror forming material through the use of a mold are performed at the same time.
20. An optical circuit element fabrication method according to claim 19, wherein said mold has a hole for charging the inside of the mold with mirror forming material.
21. An optical circuit element fabrication method for fabricating an optical circuit element comprising; a substrate, a main waveguide, at least one auxiliary waveguide for branching a portion of light that is propagated in said main waveguide, a cavity formed at the terminated portion of said auxiliary waveguide, and a mirror disposed in said cavity for reflecting light that is propagated in said auxiliary waveguide and directed into said cavity; said fabrication method comprising steps of:
stacking a clad layer material and a core layer material on a substrate, patterning said core layer materials, and then forming an upper clad layer to provide said main waveguide and said auxiliary waveguide;
forming said cavity at the terminated portion of said at least one auxiliary waveguide by etching; and
forming said mirror in said cavity;
wherein said step of forming said mirror comprises steps of:
providing a mirror mounting material on the bottom surface of said cavity; and
charging the inside of a mold with mirror forming material, and
transferring said mirror forming material onto said mirror mounting material.
22. An optical circuit element fabrication method according to claim 21, wherein said mirror mounting material is a metal pad.
23. An optical circuit element fabrication method according to claim 22, further including a step of securing said metal pad and mirror forming material using at least one of the means of thermocompression bonding, ultrasonic bonding, solder bonding, and chemical bonding of said metal pad material and said mirror forming material.
24. An optical circuit element fabrication method according to claim 23, wherein said mold has surfaces created by anisotropic etching of a silicon crystal.
25. An optical circuit element fabrication method according to claim 24, wherein mirrors are formed simultaneously in a plurality of cavities using a plurality of molds.
26. An optical circuit element fabrication method according to claim 25, wherein said mirror forming material is a metal that contains at least 90% gold.
27. An optical circuit element fabrication method for fabricating an optical circuit element comprising: a substrate, a main waveguide, at least one auxiliary waveguide for branching a portion of light that is propagated in said main waveguide, a cavity formed at the terminated portion of said auxiliary waveguide, and a mirror disposed in said cavity for reflecting light that is propagated in said auxiliary waveguide and transmitted into said cavity; said fabrication method comprising steps of:
stacking a clad layer material and a core layer material on a substrate,
patterning said core layer materials, and
forming an upper clad layer to provide said main waveguide and said auxiliary waveguide;
forming said cavity at the terminated portion of said at least one auxiliary waveguide by etching; and
forming said mirror in said cavity;
wherein said step of forming a mirror includes a step of:
arranging said mirror that has been mounted on a submount substrate.
28. An optical circuit element fabrication method according to claim 27, wherein said step of forming a mirror further includes a step of:
providing a mirror mounting material on the bottom surface of said cavity before said step of arranging a mirror that has been mounted on a submount substrate.
29. An optical circuit element fabrication method according to claim 27, wherein said submount substrate is composed of a metal, or has a substrate provided with a metal thin-film on its lower surface.
30. A mirror fabrication method for fabricating a mirror having a concave surface, wherein a mold is used that has a convex surface for forming a mirror according to claim 27.
31. A mirror fabrication method for fabricating a mirror having a concave surface, including a step of deforming the shape of a mirror that has been formed by a fabrication method according to claim 27 using a shaping tool having a convex surface to form the reflecting surface to a concave surface.
32. The optical circuit element according to claim 1, wherein said mirror has a mirror plane.
33. The optical circuit element according to claim 1, where said mirror has is formed of a predetermined forming material through the use of a forming mold having a prescribed shape.
34. The optical circuit element according to claim 1, wherein said mirror has a hemispherical surface.
35. The optical circuit element according to claim 1, wherein said mirror has an elliptical shape.
36. The optical circuit element according to claim 1, wherein said light-transmissive substance comprises a silicon gel synthesized by ring-opening polymerization of dimethylcyclohexane.
37. An optical circuit device comprising:
a plurality of optical elements according to claim 6; and
an optical processing element, comprising:
a wave guide monitoring circuit for controlling a variable attenuator and a channel amplifier for adjusting the intensity of said light intensity detected in each optical circuit element.
38. An optical circuit element fabrication method according to claim 27, wherein the steps of forming a mirror that has been mounted on a submount substrate comprises:
preparing a glass mold having a mold volume with a lubricating film on the surfaces of said mold volume;
providing a mold material in said mold volume having the same volume as said mold volume;
providing an organic substrate;
providing a solder film on a surface of said organic substrate;
heating said organic substrate to a temperature within a range of temperature endurance of said organic substrate;
pressing said mold containing said mold material on said solder film whereby said mold material is soldered to said organic substrate.
39. The optical circuit element fabrication method according to claim 38, wherein said mold material comprises gold and said solder film comprises an Au\u2014Sn material.
40. The optical circuit element fabrication method according to claim 38, wherein said lubricating film comprises a diamondlike substance.