1. Optical apparatus, comprising:
an oscillator for generating a sequence of optical pulses;
a pulse stretcher for temporally stretching the optical pulses, the pulse-stretcher including a first diffraction grating, the pulses being incident on the diffraction grating at a first incidence angle;
an optical amplifier arranged to amplify the temporally stretched optical pulses; and
a pulse compressor for temporally compressing the amplified temporally stretched pulses, the pulse compressor including a second diffraction grating, the amplified temporally stretched pulses being incident on the second diffraction grating at a second incidence angle; and
a detector for periodically measuring a carrier envelope phase (CEP) of the temporally compressed amplified pulses and with the output from the detector being used to adjust one of the first and second incidence angles cooperative with the CEP measurement such that the CEP of the temporally compressed amplified pulses remain about constant.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second incidence angle is adjusted.
3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the pulses are incident on the second diffraction grating in an incidence plane and the second incidence angle is adjusted by tilting the second diffraction grating in the incidence plane.
4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first incidence angle is adjusted.
5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the pulses are incident on the first diffraction grating in an incidence plane and the first incidence angle is adjusted by tilting the first diffraction grating in the incidence plane.
6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first diffraction grating is cooperative with an optical arrangement for imaging the first grating back onto itself to provide an effect similar to a grating-pair pulse-stretcher.
7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second diffraction grating is cooperative with an optical arrangement for imaging the second grating back onto itself to provide an effect of a grating-pair pulse compressor.
8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the carrier envelope phase measurement arrangement includes an f-2f interferometer.
9. Optical apparatus, comprising:
an oscillator for generating a sequence of optical pulses having a wavelength \u03bb;
a pulse stretcher for temporally stretching the optical pulses;
an optical amplifier arranged to amplify the temporally stretched optical pulses; and
a pulse compressor for temporally compressing the amplified temporally stretched pulses, the pulse compressor including a diffraction grating having a groove density d and being cooperative with optical elements which cause that each of the temporally stretched pulses to be incident repeatedly on the diffraction grating at a predetermined nominal incidence angle \u03b1 in an incidence plane, following a path having a length G between the repeated incidences; and
a detector for periodically measuring a carrier envelope phase (CEP) of the temporally compressed amplified pulses and with the output from the detector being used to adjust the nominal incidence angle of the pulses on the diffraction grating cooperative with the CEP measurement such that the CEP of the temporally compressed amplified pulses is about constant.
10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the nominal incidence angle is adjusted by tilting the diffraction grating in the incidence plane.
11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein adjustment of the CEP as a function of the adjustment of the incidence angle is approximated by an equation
\u03b4\u03c6
=
2
*
4
\u2062
\u03c0
\u2062
\u2062
d
\u2062
\u2062
G
\u2062
\u2062
cos
\u2062
\u2062
\u03b1
1
–
(
d
\u2062
\u2062
\u03bb
–
sin
\u2062
\u2062
\u03b1
)
2
\u2062
\u03b4\u03b1
where \u03b4\u03b1 is the incidence angle adjustment and \u03b4\u03c6 is about the resulting CEP adjustment.
12. A method of controlling the carrier envelope phase (CEP) of laser pulses, said pulses being generated by an oscillator and supplied to an amplifier for amplifying the pulses, and wherein prior to entering the amplifier, the pulses are passed through a pulse stretcher for stretching the pulses and after leaving the amplifier, the pulses are passed through pulse compressor for compressing the pulses and wherein at least one of the stretcher and the compressor include a diffraction grating, said method comprising the steps of:
monitoring the CEP of the pulses after they have been compressed;
generating a feedback signal indicative of the CEP; and
varying the angle of the incidence of the pulses on said grating in response to the feedback signal in order to adjust the CEP to a desired value.
13. A method as recited in claim 12, wherein said grating is supported on an angularly adjustable mount and wherein said step of varying the angle of the incidence of the pulses on said grating is performed by adjusting the angle of the mount.
14. A method as recited in claim 12, wherein angle of incidence of the pulses on said grating is adjusted in order to drive the CEP towards a constant value during the generation of a plurality of pulses in a train.
15. A method as recited in claim 12, wherein said grating is in the compressor.
16. A method as recited in claim 12, wherein the diffraction grating is cooperative with an optical arrangement for imaging the grating back onto itself to provide an effect similar to a grating-pair pulse-stretcher.
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. A method of enabling operation of a gaming machine comprising:
providing a gaming device comprising a housing, a controller located in said housing configured to generate game information and to control one or more associated game components;
associating said gaming device with a gaming terminal including gaming machine components;
initiating said gaming device;
verifying said gaming machine components associated with said gaming device;
transmitting identification information from said gaming device to an authority;
receiving authorization information from said authority at said gaming device;
activating said gaming device for operation in accordance with local rules and regulations of a jurisdiction where said gaming device is located; and
presenting one or more games.
2. The method in accordance with claim 1 including the step of generating location information and transmitting said location information from said gaming device to said authority.
3. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said authorization information comprises an authorization code.
4. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said authorization information comprises computer executable program code for execution by said gaming device.
5. The method in accordance with claim 1 further including the steps of periodically confirming the authorization of said gaming device with said authority and, if said authorization is not confirmed, disabling said gaming device from presenting further games.
6. A method of configuring a gaming machine for operation comprising:
providing a gaming device comprising a gaming machine controller mounted in a housing;
associating said gaming device with a gaming machine platform to create a gaming machine, said gaming machine platform comprising a gaming machine housing and one or more gaming machine components, said gaming machine components, when controlled by said controller, being configured to present one or more games to a player of said gaming machine;
activating said gaming device;
verifying said components of said gaming machine with said controller and, if verified, activating said components;
transmitting identification information from said gaming device to a remote local authority and, if verified, receiving authorization from said remote local authority at said controller; and
activating said gaming machine for presentation of one or more games.
7. The method in accordance with claim 6 wherein said one or more components are selected from the group consisting of: a bill acceptor, a coin acceptor, a ticket printer, a display, and a push-button.
8. The method in accordance with claim 6 including the step of configuring said controller to operate said gaming machine in a particular configuration in accordance with said authorization.
9. The method in accordance with claim 8 including the step of receiving a configuration code from said remote local authority.
10. The method in accordance with claim 6 wherein said step of verifying comprises determining if said controller is authorized to control said components.
11. The method in accordance with claim 6 including the step of assembling said gaming machine platform from modular components.