The invention relates to a display matrix having light-conveying fibers that are maskable by disks each having a plurality of sectors and rotated by non-reversible motors each having two stable positions and under the control of a display control device. Each disk is provided with a detector device for detecting at least one angular position of said disk and connected to a device for monitoring matching, which device is itself connected to the display control device and acts on an activation device for the motor of said disk. The detection device advantageously includes a photoelectric sensor and a reflecting element disposed on a light-blocking sector of the disk.
A color adjustable light conducting apparatus is disclosed for use in combination with a standard fiberoptic illuminator having a light output port. The apparatus includes an elongate, light transmitting fiberoptic cable or other type of conductor. A fitting and a color adjuster is carried by a distal end of the cable. The color adjuster may include a filter wheel that is rotated to position a selected color filter in the cable. A fitting and a second color adjuster may be attached to a first end of the cable for interengaging the fiberoptic illuminator.
A remote lighting apparatus 10 having a light "collector" or reflector 12 which collects light rays or waves 14 that are generated by a light generating source 16. Apparatus 10 includes an optical conductor, conduit and/or guide 18 which operatively and selectively receives, communicates, and emits the "collected" light rays 14, a movable assembly 20 which is operatively connected to guide 18, and a pair of lenses or lens elements 22, 24. Apparatus 10 provides separate and/or multiple lighting functions or patterns by use of a single source 16 and a single optical guide 18.
A linked list memory (8) having an address generator (19) used during initial processing and a method for assigning addresses to lists corresponding to devices using a common memory (10). When the address generator (19) has assigned each address location once, a free list is used to track available addresses. The free list is not used until all addresses have been assigned once. In one embodiment, a counter (22) is incremented each time an address is assigned, where the value of counter (22) provides the address for a write operation. The counter (22) is not effected by requests to read from memory. The free list is not used until the counter (22) has been used to assign all addresses in the memory (10).
