Helionetics Unit Might Go Into Bankruptcy : Finances: The parent company could reorganize Definicon or sell off its assets. The operation has about a dozen workers, none in this state.

Helionetics Inc. is considering bankruptcy proceedings for its long-troubled Definicon International Corp. operation, the company said Friday.

Definicon has about a dozen employees in Hawaii, Virginia and the District of Columbia, a Helionetics spokesman said. It has none in Irvine, where the parent company is based. Helionetics has yet to determine whether Definicon would be reorganized or if its assets would be sold off, the spokesman said.

Definicon had revenue of about $1 million for both 1991 and 1992, said Sheldon Traube,an industry analyst with the brokerage Dickinson & Co. in Des Moines, Iowa. The business ran into severe financial trouble in 1989 when it shipped products to a large customer but was unable to collect $2.4 million.

Helionetics acquired Definicon, which markets computer equipment, in a 1990 stock-swap deal. Definicon’s business began to slide in 1991, and in 1992 industry analysts were predicting that Helionetics would soon shut down Definicon.

In a related development on Friday, Helionetics also said it has signed a letter of intent to acquire Sentinel Systems Inc. in Horsham, Pa., for $750,000 in working capital and as many as 1.4 million shares of Helionetics common stock. Sentinel has developed a fault-tolerant computer system.