For Optical Fiber Or Waveguide Inspection Patents (Class 356/73.1)
  • Patent number: 10571311
    Abstract: A method of detecting tampering with a conveyance medium may include determining a baseline brightness level detected at opposing ends of an optical fiber segment disposed proximate to the conveyance medium, determining whether a change in brightness above a threshold level occurs, and providing an output indicating that a breach in continuity of a shielding material that shields both the conveyance medium and the optical fiber segment from exposure to ambient light has occurred in response to the change in brightness being above the threshold level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: The Johns Hopkins University
    Inventors: Eric R. Skrabacz, Paul R. Schuster
  • Patent number: 10567076
    Abstract: A method for calibrating an OLTS includes calibrating a first optical power meter of the OLTS using a stabilized light source. The method further includes calibrating a second optical power meter of the OLTS using the stabilized light source. The method further includes setting a power of an internal light source using the calibrated first optical power meter. A calibration cable is connected to a first test port and a second test port during setting of the power level, and a connection of the calibration cord to the second test port is maintained between calibrating of the second optical power meter and setting of the power level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: AFL Telecommunications LLC
    Inventors: Bin Liu, Shawn P. Collins, Scott Prescott, Dale Eddy, Magdy Sadek, Gaurav Girish
  • Patent number: 10567078
    Abstract: An optical transmitter using multiplexed optical signals increases in cost and in size in order to control an optical carrier frequency with high precision, therefore, an optical transmitter according to an exemplary aspect of the invention includes optical signal generating means for adding a first optical component to a first optical carrier and adding a second optical component to a second optical carrier; multiplexing means for multiplexing the first optical carrier and the second optical carrier to generate a multiplexed optical signal; monitoring means for monitoring the multiplexed optical signal to detect a monitor signal having a difference frequency between the first optical component and the second optical component; and controlling means for controlling a carrier frequency of at least one of the first optical carrier and the second optical carrier according to the monitor signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: NEC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Emmanuel Le Taillandier De Gabory
  • Patent number: 10551307
    Abstract: An optical fiber inspecting device is disclosed. The optical fiber inspecting device includes a first light-emitting unit that irradiates an optical fiber with a first light beam, the optical fiber including a glass fiber and a coating resin and moving in an axial direction, and a first light-receiving unit that receives scattered light resulting from the first light beam scattered in the optical fiber, and converts the scattered light to an electrical signal. An optical axis of the first light-receiving unit passes through an irradiation position where the first light beam strikes the optical fiber, and the first light beam and the optical axis of the first light-receiving unit diagonally intersect each other, thereby preventing the first light beam from directly entering the first light-receiving unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kohda, Kumiko Tachibana, Takashi Fujii
  • Patent number: 10547378
    Abstract: An optical fiber status detection method includes: alternately sending, by a first station, an optical time domain reflectometer (OTDR) pulse and optical supervisory channel (OSC) data to a second station on a same channel, where the second station is a neighboring station of the first station; and receiving, by the first station, reflection light returned by the OTDR pulse by using an optical fiber between the first station and the second station, and obtaining an OTDR probe value according to the reflection light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tianhai Chang, Rui He, Hao Liu
  • Patent number: 10533927
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for qualifying the actual effective modal bandwidth of a multimode optical fiber over a predetermined wavelength range, comprising the steps of: carrying out (30) a Dispersion Modal Delay (DMD) measurement of the multimode optical fiber at a single wavelength to obtain an actual DMD plot; generating (32) at least two distinct modified DMD plots from the actual DMD plot, each modified DMD plot being generated by applying to the recorded traces a temporal delay ?t that increases in absolute values with the radial offset value roffset, each modified DMD plot being associated with a predetermined bandwidth threshold (S1; S2); for each modified DMD plot, computing (33) an effective modal bandwidth as a function of said modified DMD plot and comparing (34) the computed effective modal bandwidth (EMBc1; EMBc2) with the bandwidth threshold value to which the modified DMD plot is associated; (35) qualifying the actual effective modal bandwidth as a function of results from the compari
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: Draka Comteq B.V.
    Inventors: Denis Molin, Pierre Sillard, Marianne Bigot
  • Patent number: 10520473
    Abstract: A distributed sensing fiber acoustic emission fusion sensing system includes a sensing fiber temperature-sensitive compensation device and a sensing fiber acoustic emission demodulation device. A sensing fiber in the sensing fiber temperature-sensitive compensation device after being compensated enters the sensing fiber acoustic emission demodulation device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: HOHAI UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Huaizhi Su, Meng Yang, Chongshi Gu
  • Patent number: 10514496
    Abstract: The invention provides an improved method and apparatus, in general, for a use of a sheaf of unclad waveguide beam-makers to provide for a multi-stage forcedly-conveying waveguide effect of waveguide fibers in combination with the self-focusing waveguide effect of parabolic antennas, on the one hand, to absorb the ambient radiation, and in particular, for sunlight rays energy absorption to detect and transform the energy into either warmth, or electrical power, or mechanical thrust, and, on the other hand, to transmit the wave-energy through a homogeneous poorly-permeable medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Inventor: Yuri Abramov
  • Patent number: 10516477
    Abstract: A submarine optical repeater includes a submarine amplifier module, which further includes a pumping laser module and an optical detector module. The pumping laser module generates optical amplifications within an optical cable, and, in the case of a fault in the optical cable, the optical detector module detects at least one characteristic of an optical signal caused by the fault in the optical cable. This configuration then identifies a particular signal characteristic that indicates a fault within the optical cable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Assignee: Neptune Subsea IP Limited
    Inventors: Stephen Michael Webb, Wayne S Pelouch, Do-Il Chang, John G. Ellison
  • Patent number: 10511382
    Abstract: A monitoring and calibration apparatus for an optical networking device such as ROADM is provided. Reflectors are integrated into the device, for example at the ends of optical interconnect cables. The reflectors reflect light in specific monitoring wavelengths and pass other wavelengths such as those used for communication. A light source emits monitoring light which is reflected by the reflector and measured by a detector to measure the integrity of optical paths. The optical paths can include optical cables and cable connectors. Path integrity between different modules of the device can therefore be monitored. Multiple reflectors, reflecting light in different wavelengths, can be placed in series along the same optical path and used to monitor multiple segments of the path. A wavelength selective switch (WSS) of the device can be used to route monitoring light to different optical paths. The WSS also operates to route communication signals in the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Mohammad Mehdi Mansouri Rad, Hamid Mehrvar, Zhiping Jiang, Eric Bernier
  • Patent number: 10508972
    Abstract: According to examples, a fiber-optic testing source for testing a multi-fiber cable may include a laser source communicatively coupled to a plurality of optical fibers connected to a connector. The fiber-optic testing source may include at least one photodiode communicatively coupled to at least one of the plurality of optical fibers by at least one corresponding splitter to implement a communication channel between the fiber-optic testing source and a fiber-optic testing receiver. The communication channel may be operable independently from a polarity associated with the multi-fiber cable. The fiber-optic testing receiver may include a plurality of photodiodes communicatively coupled to a plurality of optical fibers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: VIAVI SOLUTIONS INC.
    Inventor: Joachim Lönne
  • Patent number: 10495524
    Abstract: A fiber optic distributed sensing system for installation within a wellbore is provided. The system includes a first set of downhole sensors having one or more nuclear sensors with nuclear field sensitivity. The system additionally includes, a second set of downhole sensors having one or more ElectroMagnetic (EM) sensors with electromagnetic field sensitivity. The fiber optic distributed sensing system also includes a processor system configured to receive data measurements from the first and second sets of sensors and configured to conjointly process the data measurements into representations of physical attributes of the wellbore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Burkay Donderici, Aixa Maria Rivera-Rios, Weijun Guo
  • Patent number: 10498439
    Abstract: A method for determining the latency or length of an optical path of a fiber-optic transmission link includes: starting a measurement cycle at a first point in time; stopping the measurement cycle at a second point in time after having received a last measurement bit or bit pattern at the first end; determining, at the first end, the total round-trip delay of the optical path by evaluating a time information available at the first end; and calculating the length of the optical path by using the total round-trip delay and the group velocity characterizing the signal propagation along the optical path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: ADVA Optical Networking SE
    Inventors: Pawel Brzozowski, Andreas Färbert, Maciej Lipski
  • Patent number: 10466116
    Abstract: A distributed sensing device for determining a physical quantity, the device comprising a measuring unit configured for measuring at least two signals correlated to the physical quantity by distributed sensing, and a determining unit configured for bringing the at least two signals into a first relation used to determine the physical quantity, performing a correction based on a second relation between the at least two signals, and determining the physical quantity based on the first relation under consideration of the correction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: AIQ Dienstleistungen UG (Haftungsbeschrankt)
    Inventor: Gregor Cedilnik
  • Patent number: 10444114
    Abstract: Methods and assemblies for determining a property or environment of an optical fiber, including: measuring a frequency dependent electrostrictive response of an optical fiber; and based on the measured frequency dependent electrostrictive response, determining a property of the optical fiber. The property or environment of the optical fiber includes one or more of optical fiber type, optical fiber material type, optical fiber material property, optical fiber area, optical fiber geometry, optical fiber condition, optical fiber stress and strain, optical fiber environment, optical fiber temperature, optical fiber routing, optical fiber spooling, and optical fiber radiation exposure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: Ciena Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew D. Shiner, Michael Andrew Reimer, Maurice O'Sullivan
  • Patent number: 10444065
    Abstract: A variable-frequency light source is configured to emit a light beam and modulate a frequency of the light beam. A fiber optic cable is attached to the variable frequency light source. The fiber optic cable is configured to receive the light beam at an inlet and pass the light beam to an exit. Multiple optical detectors are attached to the fiber optic cable. Each of the optical detectors is configured to detect a specified frequency of light that is backscattered through the fiber optic cable. An actuation mechanism is attached to the fiber optic cable. The actuation mechanism is configured to deform the fiber optic cable in response to a stimulus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Howard K. Schmidt, Jesus Manuel Felix Servin, Frode Hveding, Daniele Colombo
  • Patent number: 10437045
    Abstract: An optical switch, including an input collimator array, an input micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) chip, an output MEMS chip, and an output collimator array. An included angle (?) exists between a surface of a micromirror array on the output MEMS chip and a surface of a lens array of the output collimator array, micromirrors of the micromirror array on the output MEMS chip are arranged at an equal spacing (L) both in a direction parallel to a first direction and in a direction perpendicular to the first direction, where the first direction is a direction of an intersection line of planes to which the surface of the lens array of the output collimator array and the surface of the micromirror array on the output MEMS chip belong, and lenses of the lens array of the output collimator array are arranged with the same arrangement of micromirrors of the output MEMS chip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Xing Zhao, Chendi Jiang
  • Patent number: 10420609
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a medical device. More particularly, aspects of the disclosure relate to a medical device including an energy source configured to emit energy into a first end of an optical fiber and a monitoring device configured to receive energy from a second end of the optical fiber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
    Inventor: Yushen Tang
  • Patent number: 10419112
    Abstract: A monitoring system using an optical line is disclosed. The monitoring system using an optical line according to the present invention comprises: a laser diode for generating an input optical signal; an optical element for receiving the input optical signal through a first port and outputting same through a second port, and for receiving a reflected optical signal through the second port and outputting same through a third port; an optical switch unit for receiving the input optical signal through an input port connected to the second port of the optical element, and for distributing same through at least two output ports; at least one optical monitoring line connected to the output ports of the optical switch unit; a photodiode connected to the third port of the optical element, for detecting the reflected optical signal; and a signal processing unit for processing the signal detected by the photodiode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Inventor: Jae Hee Byun
  • Patent number: 10408758
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for fluorescence imaging using radiofrequency multiplexed excitation. One apparatus splits an excitation laser beam into two arms of a Mach-Zehnder interferometer. The light in the first beam is frequency shifted by an acousto-optic deflector, which is driven by a phase-engineered radiofrequency comb designed to minimize peak-to-average power ratio. This RF comb generates multiple deflected optical beams possessing a range of output angles and frequency shifts. The second beam is shifted in frequency using an acousto-optic frequency shifter. After combining at a second beam splitter, the two beams are focused to a line on the sample using a conventional laser scanning microscope lens system. The acousto-optic deflectors frequency-encode the simultaneous excitation of an entire row of pixels, which enables detection and de-multiplexing of fluorescence images using a single photomultiplier tube and digital phase-coherent signal recovery techniques.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
    Inventors: Eric D. Diebold, Bahram Jalali, Brandon Buckley
  • Patent number: 10404397
    Abstract: A wavelength division multiplexed telecommunication system with automatic compensation of chromatic dispersion in a predetermined wavelength band, said WDM telecommunication system comprising a probe signal detection unit at a receiver side adapted to detect amplitude modulated probe signals generated by a probe signal generation unit at a transmitter side with a predetermined relative phase difference and transmitted through an optical link to said receiver side; and a chromatic dispersion compensation unit adapted to compensate the chromatic dispersion in response to a relative phase difference of the amplitude modulated probe signals detected by said probe signal detection unit at the receiver side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: ADVA OPTICAL NETWORKING SE
    Inventors: Mohammad Alfiad, Fuerst Cornelius, Sorin Tibuleac, Christophe Meyer
  • Patent number: 10393650
    Abstract: It is provided a system for determining characteristics of an object or a sample comprising at least a first and a second transmitter unit, wherein the first transmitter unit is configured for transmitting first electromagnetic waves towards the object and the second transmitter unit is configured for transmitting second electromagnetic waves towards the object; at least one receiver unit) for receiving electromagnetic waves from the object, the receiver unit generating a receiver signal upon receipt of the electromagnetic waves from the object. The first and the second transmitter unit is configured in such a way that the first and the second electromagnetic waves are modulated differently in such a way that by demodulating the receiver signal, a portion of the receiver signal evoked by the first electromagnetic waves can be separated from a portion of the receiver signal evoked by the second electromagnetic waves. The system comprises an evaluating unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: FRAUNHOFER-GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FÖRDERUNG DER ANGEWANDTEN FORSCHUNG E.V.
    Inventors: Thorsten Göbel, Roman Dietz
  • Patent number: 10382124
    Abstract: A method for selecting wide-band multimode optical fibers from a single wavelength, the method comprising the following steps of, for each multimode optical fiber obtaining a first DMD plot using a measurement of DMD carried out at a first single wavelength, obtaining from the first DMD plot, a first multimode fiber specification parameter; and for each fiber: obtaining from the first DMD plot, a curve representative of a radial offset delay, called ROD curve, as a function of the radial offset value; applying a linear fit on the ROD curve for at least two radial offset value ranges; obtaining from the linear fit and for each radial offset value range, an average radial offset delay slope, called ROD slope; selecting the multimode optical fibers meeting a first predetermined specification criterion for the first multimode fiber performance parameter, and for which the at least two computed ROD slopes meet a predetermined slope criterion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: DRAKA COMTEQ B.V.
    Inventors: Denis Molin, Koen De Jongh, Marianne Bigot, Pierre Sillard
  • Patent number: 10382151
    Abstract: A method of concurrently testing a plurality of transmission mediums, using a testing device incorporating at least one processor and a single test program that allows a user to view multiple instruments as a single instrument with multiple input and output ports, includes setting up a plurality of instrument functions to perform tests on the plurality of transmission mediums using the single test program, and concurrently performing tests on the plurality of transmission mediums using the plurality of instrument functions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: AFL Telecommunications LLC
    Inventors: Sean Adam, D. Dane Krampitz, Joseph Fitzgerald
  • Patent number: 10371596
    Abstract: There is provided a method and a system for identifying or verifying the fiber arrangement and/or the cable type of multi-fiber array cables (such as MPO cables) which employs an OTDR acquisition device at the near end of the MPO cable, a loopback device at the far end and an array of signatures detectable by the OTDR, either at the far or the near end. The loopback device allows performing bidirectional OTDR measurements with a single OTDR acquisition device (without moving it from one end to the other) and the signature array provides fiber arrangement/cable type identification or verification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: EXFO Inc.
    Inventors: Mario L'Heureux, Stephane Perron, Michel Leclerc
  • Patent number: 10370957
    Abstract: This disclosure describes a method of combining DAS and DTS data to accurately estimate borehole temperature. The described method takes advantage of the thermal sensitivity of DAS signal in the low-frequency band, and combines with the absolute temperature measurement from DTS, to produce a distributed temperature estimation that is up to 10000 more accurate than the current commercial solution. The DAS and DTS data should be record simultaneously at the same well. The DAS data are first low-pass filtered and then converted into temperature variation measurement. Then an accurate temperature estimation is obtained by fitting both DTS and DAS data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: CONOCOPHILLIPS COMPANY
    Inventors: Ge Jin, Herbert W. Swan, Baishali Roy, Kyle R. Krueger
  • Patent number: 10352763
    Abstract: A system for moving object (402) detection is provided, the system comprising a fiber optic interrogator (106) adapted to provide distributed acoustic sensing on a optic fiber (104), for example arranged along a border. The measurement signals from each of a plurality of sensing portions (404, 406, 408, 410, 412) of said fiber are analyzed to determined a characteristic of a Doppler shift. The characteristic of a Doppler shift may be a generally continuous decrease in detected frequency. By detecting the time at which the rate of change of frequency is at a maximum for each of the sensing portions the time of closest approach (ti, t2, t3, t4, t5) of the object to those sensing portions can be determined with the sensing portion the object approaches closest to showing the greatest value of maximum rate of change of frequency. The distance of closest approach and velocity can be determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: OPTASENSE HOLDINGS LIMITED
    Inventors: Magnus McEwen-King, David John Hill, Alastair Godfrey
  • Patent number: 10348311
    Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) includes communication circuitry, a body bias generator, and a controller. The communication circuitry includes a physical medium attachment (PMA) and a physical coding sublayer (PCS). The body bias generator provides body bias signals to the PMA and PCS. The controller controls the body bias generator such that the body bias signals are controlled to improve a power consumption of the communication circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: Altera Corporation
    Inventors: Curt Wortman, Keith Duwel, Michael Menghui Zheng
  • Patent number: 10337316
    Abstract: Systems and methods for distributed acoustic sensing based on coherent Rayleigh scattering are disclosed herein. A system comprises a pulse generator, an interferometer, a photo detector assembly, and an information handling system. The interferometer comprises a first and second optical switch each comprising a plurality of ports. The information handling system activates one port on each of the first and second optical switches so as to vary the optical path length of the interferometer. A method comprises splitting backscattered light from an optical pulse into a first portion and a second portion, activating one port of a first optical switch and one port of a second optical switch, sending the first portion into a first arm of an interferometer, sending the second portion into a second arm of the interferometer, combining the first and second portions to form an interferometric signal, and receiving the interferometric signal at a photodetector assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Mikko Jaaskelainen, Kwang Il Suh, Ira Jeffrey Bush
  • Patent number: 10324043
    Abstract: A fiber optic connector inspection display system including: a input unit which receives fiber end-face images; a display mode election unit which allows a user to select at least one of an image capture mode or an image review mode; a capturing unit which captures the fiber end-face images; a storing unit which stores the captured images as a first still image and a second still image; a display unit which displays the received fiber end-face images from the input unit or the stored first and second still images, and a control unit which stores each of the first and second still images with a user defined identification label, and the control unit may further label the each of the first and second still images with a preset image pair mode label if the user selects a preset image pair mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: AFL Telecommunications LLC
    Inventor: William Henry Thompson
  • Patent number: 10310184
    Abstract: A method for splicing optical fibers includes aligning the cores of a first optical fiber and second optical fiber to be spliced together such that the cores are both generally concentric along a longitudinal axis. The method further includes heating the end portions of the first and second optical fibers, and moving at least one of the first or second optical fiber towards the other of the first or second optical fiber along the longitudinal axis such that the end portion of the second optical fiber protrudes into the end portion of the first optical fiber. The method further includes discontinuing heating of the end portions of the first and second optical fibers, and continuing moving the at least one of the first or second optical fiber towards the other of the first or second optical fiber after discontinuing heating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: AFL Telecommunications LLC
    Inventors: Wenxin Zheng, Robin Carbonnier
  • Patent number: 10305586
    Abstract: An optical time-domain reflectometer (OTDR) is provided. The OTDR emits a first optical signal that is an impulse optical signal having a non-zero power during a first period of time, where the first period of time is shorter than a period of time necessary for the first optical signal to traverse a length of an optical fiber under test. The OTDR emits a second optical signal that is an impulse optical signal having a non-zero power during a second period of time longer than a period of time necessary for the second optical signal to traverse the length of the optical fiber. The OTDR receives data representative of a third and fourth optical signals that are reflections of the first and second optical signals, respectively, by the optical fiber and generates an optical time-domain reflectometry signal based at least in part on the third and fourth optical signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: Fluke Corporation
    Inventors: Harlan L. Kassler, Seymour Goldstein, Jackson L. Salling
  • Patent number: 10282948
    Abstract: A device for indicating a rack among a plurality of racks, the rack being configured to receive a plurality of pieces of computer equipment is disclosed. In one aspect, the device comprises a communication unit configured to receive at least one signal from at least one piece of equipment of the pieces of equipment. The signal comprises information enabling a state of the piece of equipment to be determined. The device further comprises a control unit configured to determine a state of the rack based at least in part on the signal. The device further comprises a display unit for displaying a representation of the state determined by the control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: BULL SAS
    Inventors: Philippe Couvee, Jean-Olivier Gerphagnon, Virginie Megy
  • Patent number: 10274398
    Abstract: An optical line testing device for measuring at least a cutting position of an optical line according to the present invention includes: a first wavelength tunable laser source configured to generate a first optical signal in which a plurality of wavelengths appear alternately and periodically; a second wavelength tunable laser source configured to generate a second optical signal which is identical to the first optical signal but has an adjustable delay time; and an interferometer configured to cause interference between a reflected optical signal, corresponding to the first optical signal, which is returning after having been emitted to the optical line, and the second optical signal to output an interference signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: SOLiD, INC.
    Inventor: Keewoon Na
  • Patent number: 10260989
    Abstract: A system includes a plurality of different types of fiber optic connectors each having at least one stub optical fiber configured to be spliced to at least one cable optical fiber. The system also includes a tool configured to: a) receive and detect the different types of fiber optic connectors; and b) set a threshold value for an acceptable indication of continuity for at least one splice between the at least one stub optical fiber and the at least one cable optical fiber based on which type of the fiber optic connector is received and detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: Corning Optical Communications LLC
    Inventors: Bradley Evan Hallett, Daniel Leyva, Jr.
  • Patent number: 10254487
    Abstract: A fiber optic connector endface inspection probe includes a microscope system, a camera module, and an image processing system. While the objective lens of the microscope system is being moved towards and past the focused position for the endface of a mated connector, either by manually turning a focusing knob in one direction or via an automatic transmission mechanism, the camera module continuously takes and sends endface images to the image processing system, wherein a microprocessor continuously monitors the sharpness of the endface images to acquire a focused image and analyze it to make an endface inspection pass/fail judgment, without using an external display to monitor the endface images. The microprocessor further comprises an embedded web server for converting endface images and inspection report into web pages to be transmitted by a wireless transmitter of the image processing system to external devices for optional monitoring or manual inspection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: LIGHTEL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Shangyuan Huang, Ge Zhou, Jyejong Wang, Ray Chen, Peifeng Zeng
  • Patent number: 10254196
    Abstract: A connector inspector includes a microscope assembly, a supporting tray, a main frame, and a fitting tip. The microscope assembly is placed within the supporting tray with a bottom cylindrical protrusion inserted into a base plate of the supporting tray, and the supporting tray is coupled with the main frame with a pair of pivoting joints. The microscope assembly is horizontally biased by a spring and an adjusting knob, set between the main frame and the microscope assembly. The microscope assembly is vertically biased by a spring and an adjusting knob, set between the main frame and the microscope assembly. Thus, the microscope assembly may be swung to shift the imaging axis in two dimensions. The design of enables the inspector to be used with just one hand. See-through windows are formed on the sides of the fitting tip for monitoring the shifting of the imaging axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: LIGHTEL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Ge Zhou, Shangyuan Huang
  • Patent number: 10250323
    Abstract: A method for monitoring an optical fiber link comprises generating a monitoring signal used for monitoring the optical fiber link, combining the generated monitoring signal with a data signal to be transmitted over the optical fiber link, detecting backscattering of the monitoring signal from the optical fiber link, detecting a change in characteristic of the detected backscattered monitoring signal, and determining, from the detected change in characteristic, at least one location along the optical fiber link where the monitoring signal is modified, and signal loss at this location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET L M ERICSSON (PUBL)
    Inventors: Jean Pierre Von Der Weid, Gustavo Castro Do Amaral, Diego Rodrigo Villafani Caballero
  • Patent number: 10215663
    Abstract: The present invention addresses the problem of the inability to sufficiently reduce manufacturing cost for specifying a faulty section of an optical fiber. The device according to the present invention is a device connected to an optical fiber into which light reflection elements that reflect a fixed amount of light are inserted, said device being provided with a transmission means for transmitting light to the optical fiber and stopping the transmission, a measurement means for measuring the intensity of the reflection light reflected by the light reflection elements, a time measurement means for measuring the time from the stopping of the transmission of the light by the transmission means to the reduction of the intensity of the reflection light measured by the measurement means to a prescribed value or less, a distance measurement means for calculating a distance corresponding to the time measured by the time measurement means, and an output means for outputting a signal indicating the distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: NEC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masahiko Nakahama
  • Patent number: 10211971
    Abstract: A system or a network may include an optoelectronic module that includes an optical transmitter optically coupled with an optical fiber, and a controller communicatively coupled to the optical transmitter. The controller may be configured to operate the optical transmitter to transmit data signals through the optical fiber. The optoelectronic module may be configured to transmit time synchronization signals through the optical fiber along with the data signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: FINISAR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Puhui Miao, Huade Shu, Leo Yu-yu Lin
  • Patent number: 10203453
    Abstract: Techniques for forming a facet optical coupler to couple light at an edge of silicon substrate are described. The facet optical coupler includes a silicon substrate, a layer of second material disposed on the silicon substrate and in direct contact with the edge of the silicon substrate, and an undercut region disposed between a portion of the silicon substrate and the layer of second material. The undercut region is offset from the edge to provide mechanical integrity of the facet optical coupler to improve production of photonic integrated circuits having the facet optical coupler from a wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: Acacia Communications, Inc.
    Inventor: Long Chen
  • Patent number: 10200118
    Abstract: A multimode launch system to be connected to an Optical Time-Domain Reflectometer (OTDR) for use in performing at least one OTDR measurement on a multi-fiber array Device Under Test (DUT), the multimode launch system comprising: an optical switch being connectable to the OTDR during use; a launch array device having an end being connectable to the optical switch and another end being connectable to the multi-fiber array DUT during use, the launch array device having a plurality of multimode launch optical fibers each having at least one first guidance parameter being smaller than a corresponding one of at least one second guidance parameter of at least one multimode optical fiber of the optical switch; and a multi-fiber mode conditioner along the launch array device for inducing a preferential attenuation of higher-order optical modes of test light propagated into the multi-fiber array DUT during use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: EXFO Inc.
    Inventor: Bernard Ruchet
  • Patent number: 10190940
    Abstract: A system (20) for fiber-optic reflectometry includes an optical source (28, 40), a beat detection module (52, 56) and a processor (36). The optical source is configured to generate an optical interrogation signal that is transmitted into an optical fiber (24). The beat detection module is configured to receive from the optical fiber an optical backscattering signal in response to the optical interrogation signal, and to mix the optical backscattering signal with a reference replica of the optical interrogation signal using In-phase/Quadrature (I/Q) mixing, so as to produce a complex beat signal having In-phase (I) and Quadrature (Q) components. The processor is configured to sense one or more events affecting the optical fiber by analyzing the I and Q components of the complex beat signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignees: DSIT Solutions Ltd., Ramot at Tel-Aviv University Ltd.
    Inventors: Avishay Eyal, Haniel Gabai, Yakov Botsev, Meir Hahami
  • Patent number: 10190862
    Abstract: The systems include a transmitter, a receiver, a signal sampler and a cable length calculation unit. The transmitter is configured to transmit a plurality of data symbols at a first data rate via a wired data communication link, and the receiver is configured to receive a reflection signal. The signal sampler is configured to sample the received reflection signal using a phase shift number of shifting sampling phases to generate reflection samples, and combine the reflection samples with different sampling phases to generate a series of reflection samples corresponding to a second data rate higher than the first data rate. The cable length calculation unit is configured to determine a delay parameter from the series of reflection samples, and generate an estimate of a length of the data communication link.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: Marvell World Trade Ltd.
    Inventors: Shaoan Dai, Kok-Wui Cheong, Zhenzhong Gu
  • Patent number: 10184852
    Abstract: A sensor network having a series arrangement of fiber-coupled, reflective sensors is disclosed. In operation, a first light signal having multiple wavelength bands is launched in an upstream direction on a fiber bus. Each sensor includes a wavelength filter and an FP sensor that is sensitive to a parameter. Each wavelength filter (1) selectively passes a different one of the wavelength bands to its FP sensor and (2) reflects the remaining wavelength bands back into the fiber bus to continue upstream. The FP sensor imprints a signal based on the parameter onto its received light and reflects it as a second light signal. The collimator, wavelength filter, and FP sensor of each sensor are arranged such that each second light signal is returned to the fiber bus, which conveys them in a downstream direction to a processor that measures them and estimates the parameter at each sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: LUNA INNOVATIONS INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Dustin Wade Carr
  • Patent number: 10180373
    Abstract: An optical testing circuit on a wafer includes an optical input configured to receive an optical test signal and photodetectors configured to generate corresponding electrical signals in response to optical processing of the optical test signal through the optical testing circuit. The electrical signals are simultaneously sensed by a probe circuit and then processed. In one process, test data from the electrical signals is simultaneously generated at each step of a sweep in wavelength of the optical test signal and output in response to a step change. In another process, the electrical signals are sequentially selected and the sweep in wavelength of the optical test signal is performed for each selected electrical signal to generate the test data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics (Crolles 2) SAS
    Inventors: Philippe Grosse, Patrick Le Maitre, Jean-Francois Carpentier
  • Patent number: 10175142
    Abstract: An inspection system for inspecting a multiple-fiber connector is provided. The inspection system includes a microscope probe and a probe tip configured to provide an optical path between the microscope probe and the multiple-fiber connector. The probe tip and microscope probe are configured so that the field of view of the microscope probe is sufficiently large to cover a portion of the connector surface encompassing a plurality of the optical fiber endfaces. The system further includes a shifting mechanism operable to shift the field of view of the microscope probe between at least two discrete positions over the connector surface. Each discrete position encompasses a different subset of the multiple optical fiber endfaces and optionally at least one positioning reference. A probe tip and a method of inspection are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: EXFO Inc.
    Inventors: Denis Lafrance, Bernard Ruchet, Robert Baribault
  • Patent number: 10168246
    Abstract: Methods of selecting, from a set of like optical fibers, a subset of optical fibers that can meet both short-wavelength and target-wavelength bandwidth requirements are disclosed. The method includes obtaining short-wavelength bandwidth data from DMD measurements, and determining a peak wavelength for each optical fiber. A target-wavelength bandwidth is then calculated using the determined peak wavelengths. The calculated target bandwidth is then compared to the short-wavelength and target-wavelength bandwidth requirements to identify which of the optical fibers satisfy these requirements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Scott Robertson Bickham, Dana Craig Bookbinder, Xin Chen, Steven Craig Garner, Jr., Ming-Jun Li, Dale Robert Powers
  • Patent number: 10161829
    Abstract: A system for certifying physical parameters of fiber optic cabling may include a test device coupled to an end of a fiber optic cable. The test device injects light into the fiber optic cable and conducts a certification test of physical parameters of the fiber optic cable. Based on observation of interaction of the injected light with the fiber optic cable, the test device tests one or more physical parameters of the cable and certifies whether the tested parameters satisfy corresponding parameters specified by a predetermined standard. A separate device may communicate a control signal (e.g., wirelessly) to the test device for controlling an operation of the certification test. The separate device is further operable to receive a result of the certification test from the test device. The separate device may further communicate with a remote computing device updates a database element with information regarding the certification test.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: Fluke Corporation
    Inventors: Theodore J. Brillhart, J. David Schell
  • Patent number: 10161830
    Abstract: An intermediate signal is separated into a first sub-signal and a second sub-signal according to a separation coefficient having a known real value. The first sub-signal is delivered to a first photonic circuit containing at least one photonic device to be characterized and a first photonic part. The second sub-signal is delivered to a second photonic circuit containing a second photonic part having a same transfer function as the first photonic part but lacking the at least one photonic device. Optical output signals from the first and second photonic circuits are converted into first and second electrical signals. Losses of the at least one photonic device are determined from processing the electrical signals and from the known real value of the separation coefficient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics (Crolles 2) SAS
    Inventors: Patrick Le Maitre, Jean-Francois Carpentier