Amplitude Modulation Patents (Class 359/276)
  • Publication number: 20120057866
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present invention relate to systems for reducing the amount of power consumed in temperature tuning resonator-based transmitters and receivers. In one aspect, a system comprises an array of resonators (801-806) disposed adjacent to a waveguide (646) and a heating element (808). The heating element is operated to thermally tune the array of resonators so that each resonator in a subset of the array of resonators is in resonance with a wavelength of light traveling in the waveguide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2009
    Publication date: March 8, 2012
    Inventors: Moray McLaren, Norman Paul Jouppi
  • Patent number: 8107149
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to external, electronically controllable, negative index material-based modulators. In one aspect, an external modulator comprises a negative index material in electronic communication with an electronic signal source. The negative index material receives an electronic signal encoding data from the electronic signal source and an unmodulated carrier wave from an electromagnetic radiation source. Magnitude variations in the electronic signal produce corresponding effective refractive index changes in the negative index material encoding the data in the amplitude and/or phase of the carrier wave to produce an electromagnetic signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Wei Wu, Alexandre M. Bratkovski, Shih-Yuan Wang, Jingjing Li, Qiangfei Xia
  • Publication number: 20120019892
    Abstract: An apparatus to modify an incident free space electromagnetic wave includes a block of an artificially structured material having an adjustable spatial distribution of electromagnetic parameters (e.g., ?, ?, ?, ?, and n). A controller applies control signals to dynamically adjust the spatial distribution of electromagnetic parameters in the material to introduce a time-varying path delay d(t) in the modified electromagnetic wave relative to the incident electromagnetic wave.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2010
    Publication date: January 26, 2012
    Inventors: Jeffrey A. Bowers, Roderick A. Hyde, Jordin T. Kare, Nathan Kundtz, Bruce Marshall McWilliams, John Brian Pendry, David Schurig, David R. Smith, Anthony F. Starr, Clarence T. Tegreene, Lowell L. Wood, JR.
  • Patent number: 8102584
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a reconfigurable spatial light modulator capable of spatially modulating an incident wavefront responsive to an image formed on the modulator. A light source is configured to direct a coherent illumination light beam towards the modulator such that the modulator produces a modulated outgoing light beam therefrom. A filter is configured to spatially filter a light pattern formed by the outgoing light beam on a plane to selectively transmit light from a plurality of diffraction peaks therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: Alcatel Lucent
    Inventors: Cristian A. Bolle, Christopher D. W. Jones, Roland Ryf, Maria E. Simon
  • Publication number: 20110311234
    Abstract: An optical modulation system includes a metamaterial structure configured to receive and process an input optical signal at at least one operational wavelength, where the metamaterial structure changes between a transmissive state and a non-transmissive state with respect to the optical signal(s) at the operational wavelength(s) in response to an external stimulus applied to the metamaterial structure. An external stimulus source is coupled with the metamaterial structure and is configured to change the metamaterial structure between its transmissive and non-transmissive states by applying selected stimulus pulses to the metamaterial structure. The optical modulation system processes the input optical signal to output a modulated optical signal that modulates in correspondence with the selected pulses applied to the metamaterial structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2010
    Publication date: December 22, 2011
    Applicant: ITT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Robert Joseph Almassy, Anthony Bresenhan Kaye, Thomas Matthew Fletcher
  • Patent number: 8054524
    Abstract: A high-speed optical amplifier is considered to be an important optical device because of an increasing demand of routing, which is accompanied by an increase in complexity of networks. It is difficult to satisfy a response performance by related-art techniques, and there has been a problem in achieving a high-speed response performance of 10 microseconds or less. An optical amplifier according to the present invention includes: an input monitor means 500; an optical amplification means 310 including an optical amplification medium 300, and a control means 400 for performing feed-forward control. When the optical amplification means is controlled by the feed-forward control in response to a signal of the input monitor means 500, an overshoot signal is applied as a control signal so that a slow response performance specific to the optical amplification medium has been improved, and thereby high-speed response performance has been achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: Trimatiz Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Nagaeda, Yoichi Oikawa, Noriyasu Shiga, Yoshiaki Horiuchi
  • Patent number: 8014057
    Abstract: In a display system, a color gamut of the displayed images is extended by adding one or more primary colors lying outside a tristimulus color space triangle to a Red, Green, Blue (RGB) system, modulating light emitted by both light sources lying inside the tristimulus color space triangle and light sources lying outside the tristimulus color space triangle, and adding a non-tristimulus vertex to construct an extended-gamut polygon. The display system adds one or more primary colors to the RGB system, which lie outside the tristimulus color space triangle but within a CIE (International Commission on Illumination) color space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventors: Martin G. Selbrede, Daniel K. Van Ostrand, Lynn Essman
  • Patent number: 8014050
    Abstract: A device that provides light beam switching, agile steering of the light beam over a range of angles, and generation of arbitrary wavefront shapes with high spatial and temporal resolution. The agile device can include a volume diffractive structure comprising Bragg planes having one refractive index and the Bragg planes separated by regions containing an active optical medium. Electrodes (which may be the Bragg planes themselves, or may be arrayed adjacent to the active optical medium) are used to control the electric field intensity and direction across the structure, and thereby control the diffraction efficiency of the structure and the local phase delay imposed on a diffracted wavefront. Means are provided for addressing the many thousands of electrodes required for precise and rapid wavefront control. Applications include free-space atmospheric optical communications, near-eye displays, direct-view 3D displays, optical switching, and a host of other applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Vuzix Corporation
    Inventor: Stephen Paul McGrew
  • Patent number: 7994549
    Abstract: Provided is an optical device with improved phase shift and propagation loss of light without decreasing the dynamic characteristics of the optical device. The optical device includes a first semiconductor layer which is doped with a first type of conductive impurities and has a uniform thickness; a gate insulating layer which has a shape and is formed on a portion of the first semiconductor layer and has a thin center portion; and a second semiconductor layer which covers an upper surface of the gate insulating layer and is doped with a second type of conductive impurities opposite to the first type of conductive type impurities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Electronics & Telecomunications Research Institute
    Inventors: Hyun-Soo Kim, Jeong-Woo Park, Bongki Mheen, Gyungock Kim
  • Publication number: 20110149368
    Abstract: Provided are a photomixer module and a method of generating a terahertz wave. The photomixer module includes a semiconductor optical amplifier amplifying incident laser light and a photomixer that is excited by the amplified laser light to generate a continuous terahertz wave. The photomixer is formed as a single module together with the semiconductor optical amplifier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2010
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Applicant: ELECTRONICS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Namje KIM, Kyung Hyun Park, Young Ahn Leem, Sang-Pil Han, Chul-Wook Lee, Eundeok Sim, Jaeheon Shin
  • Patent number: 7940448
    Abstract: A display system is based on a linear array phase modulator and a phase edge discriminator optical system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignee: Alces Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: David M Bloom, Matthew A Leone
  • Patent number: 7940449
    Abstract: A display system is based on a linear array phase modulator and a phase edge discriminator optical system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignee: Alces Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: David M Bloom, Matthew A Leone
  • Patent number: 7929813
    Abstract: An exemplary optical modulator includes an interferometer. The interferometer includes an input optical coupler, an output optical coupler, and two or more controllable optical waveguides. Each controllable optical waveguide connects the input optical coupler to the output optical coupler and has an electro-absorption modulator along a segment thereof. Two of the controllable optical waveguides are connected to transmit to an output of the output optical coupler light of substantially different maximum amplitude.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent USA Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Richard Doerr, Peter J. Winzer
  • Publication number: 20110063710
    Abstract: The designed resonator system comprises a light source generating device for outputting a light source and a resonating cavity device. The resonating cavity device includes: a first waveguide with an input end for receiving the light source; a first resonator disposed adjacent to the first waveguide for receiving the light source coupled from the first waveguide in order to generate a resonating light source; a second waveguide having one end disposed adjacent to the first resonator, an adapting end for receiving the resonating light source coupled from the first resonator, and an output end; and an electro-optic modulator disposed adjacent to the other end of the second waveguide for receiving the resonating light source coupled from the second waveguide and generating an optical modulating signal by an electrical modulating signal, and the optical modulating signal is outputted from the output end of the second waveguide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2010
    Publication date: March 17, 2011
    Applicant: NATIONAL TSING HUA UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Shiuh Chao, Chih-T'sung Shih, Zhi-Wei ZENG
  • Patent number: 7898716
    Abstract: According to particular embodiments, a system comprises one or mores light sources, a Digital Micromirror Device (DMD) system, and a controller. A light source is configured to generate light, and the DMD system comprises DMD regions configured to modulate the light. The controller is configured to repeat the following for a number of iterations: instruct each light source to scroll the light across the DMD system at a current amplitude level; instruct one or more DMD regions to operate as one or more active regions that modulate a first portion of the light to generate an image; and instruct the remaining DMD regions to operate as an amplitude modulation region that receives a second portion of the light, the second portion of the light transitioning from a previous amplitude level to the current amplitude level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: Texas Instuments Incorporated
    Inventor: Philip Scott King
  • Patent number: 7891818
    Abstract: A projection system that includes a singe light modulation device and a plurality of light sources of different wavelengths. Each wavelength of light is incident on the light modulation device at a spatially distinct location and a temporally distinct time. The use of a scanning mirror allows the projection system to sequentially form, in full-color, each of the columns or rows of an image. The projection system is characterized by the reduction of color separation or the rainbow effect due to the rendering of each column or row in full color.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: Evans & Sutherland Computer Corporation
    Inventors: Robert R. Christensen, Bret D. Winkler, Dennis Elkins, Allen H. Tanner
  • Publication number: 20110002029
    Abstract: An optical clock for generating a series of optical clock pulses, comprises a laser source for generating output having a plurality of spectral components ?1, ?2, . . . ?N, an amplitude-modulator arranged to cooperate with the laser source to produce a series of intermediate optical pulses each having the plurality of spectral components, and optical fibre arranged to provide dispersion of each intermediate optical pulse to form a plurality of component pulses each corresponding to a spectral component and to compress each component pulse, the spectral width of each spectral component being sufficient to inhibit stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) of the component pulses within the optical fibre. The optical clock may be used for analogue-to-digital conversion of an electrical signal, in which application pulses of respective spectral components are demultiplexed and subsequently detected and digitised in parallel, providing for faster conversion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2009
    Publication date: January 6, 2011
    Applicant: QINETIQ LIMITED
    Inventor: Gregor John McDonald
  • Patent number: 7839558
    Abstract: An electrowetting display comprises a first substrate and a second substrate. A plurality of first conductive electrodes is formed over the first substrate. A second conductive layer is formed over the second substrate and spaced apart from the plurality of the first conductive electrodes. A plurality of cells is formed over the first conductive electrodes. Each cell is formed between one of the first conductive electrodes and the second conductive layer. Each two adjacent cells being separated by a partition. At least two cells include a first material and a second material over the first material. The at least two cells have two different colors. A shape of the first material is capable of being changed upon a change of an electrical field between the first conductive electrode and the second conductive layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Technology
    Inventors: Chao-Kai Cheng, Wan-Wen Chiu, Chung-Wei Wang, Wei-Yuan Cheng, Kuo-Lung Lo
  • Patent number: 7831155
    Abstract: The present invention provides an optical transmission device 100 capable of solving the problem of an unnecessary residual sideband components to thereby obtain a high-quality optical intensity-modulated signal in a case where an SSB optical modulation section 20 has wavelength dependence and a manufacturing error. In the optical transmission device 100, where the SSB optical modulation section 20 cannot evenly branch the intensity of the optical carrier into two routes of optical waveguide, the amplitude adjusting section 62 adjusts the amplitude of an electric signal that changes the refractive index of the SSB optical modulation section 20 so that the unnecessary sideband component of the optical intensity-modulated signal outputted from the SSB optical modulation section 20 disappears.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Kouichi Masuda, Tomoaki Ohira
  • Publication number: 20100277790
    Abstract: An electrically controlled optical oscillator for a single subcarrier optical phase-locked loop, which includes: an electrically controlled electrical oscillator having an input, which receives an electrical driving input signal, and an output, which supplies an electrical driving output signal that has a frequency that is a function of the electrical driving input signal; a continuous-wave laser source, which supplies an optical carrier; and an optical modulator, which has an optical input connected to the laser source and receives the optical carrier, an electrical input, which is connected to the output of the electrically controlled electrical oscillator and receives the electrical driving output signal, and an optical output that modulates the optical carrier with the electrical driving output signal and generates an optical modulated signal. The optical modulator generates an optical modulated signal with single optical subcarrier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2008
    Publication date: November 4, 2010
    Applicant: ISTITUTO SUPERIORE MARIO BOELLA SULLE TECHNOLOGIE DELL'INFORMAZIONE E DELLT TELECOMUNICA
    Inventors: Valter Ferrero, Stefano Camatel
  • Publication number: 20100277789
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to external, electronically controllable, negative index material-based modulators. In one aspect, an external modulator comprises a negative index material in electronic communication with an electronic signal source. The negative index material receives an electronic signal encoding data from the electronic signal source and an unmodulated carrier wave from an electromagnetic radiation source. Magnitude variations in the electronic signal produce corresponding effective refractive index changes in the negative index material encoding the data in the amplitude and/or phase of the carrier wave to produce an electromagnetic signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2009
    Publication date: November 4, 2010
    Inventors: Wei Wu, Alexandre M. Bratkovski, Shih-Yuan Wang, Jingjing Li, Qiangfei Xia
  • Patent number: 7821699
    Abstract: The invention provides an electrowetting display and a method for fabricating the same. The electrowetting display comprises a first electrode formed on a first substrate. A dielectric layer is formed on the first electrode. A plurality of ribs are formed on the dielectric layer. A hydrophobic layer is formed on the dielectric layer and between the ribs. A second substrate is disposed oppositely to the first substrate. A second electrode is formed on the second substrate. A plurality of supporting members are formed on the second electrode and aligned to the ribs to form an enclosed space. A polar solution and a non-polar solution are disposed in the enclosed space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Kuo-Lung Lo, Wei-Yuan Cheng, Hsin-Hung Lee, Yu-Hsiang Tsai, Shu-Wei Kuo
  • Patent number: 7764415
    Abstract: A photoelastic modulator excited by a plurality of piezoelectric transducers affixed to the surface of a photoelastic bar for generating elastic waves in a plurality of cells each bounded by piezoelectric node drivers between which an antinode driver is disposed, is described. The standing elastic wave in each cell can be made independent of those in the neighboring cells by controlling the phase and amplitude of the drivers. The resulting elastic waves generate birefringence along the optical axis of the bar such that a linearly polarized optical wave propagating along the axis and having an initial phase, experiences a retardation of the phase as it passes through each cell. The cells may be controlled such that the phase of each standing wave does not change between cells and the phase retardation of the optical wave increases monotonically as the optical wave propagates through the bar, thereby, in theory, permitting an arbitrarily large retardation to be generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2010
    Inventor: Tudor N. Buican
  • Publication number: 20100156679
    Abstract: A modulator device for converting digital data into modulation of an optical signal includes an electronic input for receiving an input data word of N bits and an electrically controllable modulator for modulating the intensity of an optical signal, the modulator including M actuating electrodes where M?N. An electrode actuating device, most preferably a digital-to-digital converter, operates actuating electrodes so that at least one electrode is actuated as a function of values of more than one bit of the input data word. According to an alternative, or supplementary, aspect of the invention, the set of electrodes includes at least one electrode having an effective area which is not interrelated to others of the set by factors of two. In one preferred implementation, a Mach-Zehnder modulator also provides phase modulation to give QAM functionality. Another implementation employs a semiconductor laser.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2009
    Publication date: June 24, 2010
    Applicant: RAMOT AT TEL AVIV UNIVERSITY LTD.
    Inventors: Yossef EHRLICHMAN, Ofer Amrani, Shlomo Ruschin
  • Publication number: 20100142017
    Abstract: The present invention contemplates a variety of methods and techniques for fabricating a carbon nanotube (CNT) signal modulator for reducing, eliminating, or enhancing the resonance interaction between photonic elements, and a photonic transmission device that may incorporate the signal modulator. The CNT signal modulator comprises a gate CNT on a substrate in a position for receiving an input photonic signal and an input modulation signal; and transmitting an output photonic signal that is reduced, eliminated, or enhanced through the selection of the input modulation signal; and an input modulation signal sender for sending the input modulation signal to the gate CNT and creating the modulated output photonic signal from the gate CNT. The photonic transmission device can contain a plurality of CNTs, each having functional antenna forms that are capable of a resonance interaction of photons between adjacent CNTs when formed as an array on a substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2007
    Publication date: June 10, 2010
    Inventor: Ramsey M. Stevens
  • Publication number: 20100134862
    Abstract: A high-speed optical amplifier is considered to be an important optical device because of an increasing demand of routing, which is accompanied by an increase in complexity of networks. It is difficult to satisfy a response performance by related-art techniques, and there has been a problem in achieving a high-speed response performance of 10 microseconds or less. An optical amplifier according to the present invention includes: an input monitor means 500; an optical amplification means 310 including an optical amplification medium 300, and a control means 400 for performing feed-forward control. When the optical amplification means is controlled by the feed-forward control in response to a signal of the input monitor means 500, an overshoot signal is applied as a control signal so that a slow response performance specific to the optical amplification medium has been improved, and thereby high-speed response performance has been achieved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2008
    Publication date: June 3, 2010
    Applicant: TRIMATIZ LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Nagaeda, Yoichi Oikawa, Noriyasu Shiga, Yoshiaki Horiuchi
  • Patent number: 7697191
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and a system for synthesizing a prescribed three-dimensional electromagnetic field based on generalized phase contrast imaging. Such a method and apparatus may be utilized in advanced optical micro and nano-manipulation, such as by provision of a multiple-beam optical tweezer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: Danmarks Tekniske Universitet
    Inventor: Jesper Gluckstad
  • Publication number: 20100039693
    Abstract: An optical modulator that utilizes Bloch surface plasmon (BSP) effects is disclosed. The BSP optical (BSPO) modulator (10) includes a permittivity-modulated (P-M) grating (20) that can be one-dimensional or two-dimensional. Electro-optic (EO) substrates (30) sandwich the P-M grating. The EO substrates have electrodes (64) arranged thereon, and a voltage source (60) connected to the electrodes is used to provide an applied voltage (V30) via a modulation voltage signals (SM) that switches the modulator. Index-matching layers (40) may be used to mitigate adverse reflection effects. The BSPO modulator allows for normally incident input light (100I) to be modulated directly without having to generate oblique angles of incidence for the input light in order to excite the surface plasmon.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2009
    Publication date: February 18, 2010
    Inventors: Andrey Kobyakov, Kevin Bryan Sparks, Aramais Zakharian
  • Patent number: 7660030
    Abstract: In order to provide a reciprocating optical modulation system capable of obtaining a broad bandwidth, a reciprocating optical modulation system (1) of the present invention is basically provided with an optical modulator (2) modulating an output light by controlling one of an intensity, a phase and a frequency of an input light; a first fiber grating (3) transmitting a light of a predetermined frequency domain among lights inputted to and outputted from the optical modulator while reflecting lights of other frequencies; a second fiber grating (4) transmitting a light of a predetermined frequency domain among lights inputted to and outputted from the optical modulator while reflecting lights of other frequencies; and a signal source (5) generating a modulating signal to be inputted to the optical modulator (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2010
    Assignee: National Institute of Information and Communications Technology
    Inventors: Tetsuya Kawanishi, Masayuki Izutsu, Takahide Sakamoto, Masahiro Tsuchiya
  • Publication number: 20100021156
    Abstract: A shutter includes a first light-pervious electrode, a second light-pervious electrode, a light-shielding layer sandwiched between the first and second light-pervious electrodes and a voltage supplying system. The light-shielding layer is comprised of an electrostrictive material. The light-shielding layer has a fixed end positioned adjacent to one edge of the first light-pervious electrode, and a free end facing toward the opposite edge. the free end is extendable towards the opposite edge of the first light-pervious electrode to block light from in response to a voltage applied to the light-shielding layer. The voltage supplying system is electrically connected with the first and second light-pervious electrodes for supplying a voltage between the first and second light-pervious electrodes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2009
    Publication date: January 28, 2010
    Applicant: HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: TSUNG-YU LIN
  • Publication number: 20100007938
    Abstract: Disclosed is a digital type anti-glare device capable of conveniently performing input, operation and adjustment, and a method of controlling the same. The digital type anti-glare device includes a touch sensor input unit recognizing a shade degree and a grind mode level by direct selective operation or adjustment of a user as a digital contact signal and inputting the shade degree and the grind model level to the control unit, and an encoder switch input unit recognizing a sensitivity level and an opening delay level by the selective operation or adjustment of the user and inputting the sensitivity level and the opening delay level to the control unit. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent operation failure due to switch contact, dust or humidity or the like by a touch sensor and encoder input and to facilitate input, operation and adjustment even in a state in which an operator wears gloves.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2009
    Publication date: January 14, 2010
    Applicant: Otos Tech Co., LTD.
    Inventor: Moon Young HUH
  • Publication number: 20090323163
    Abstract: An method and system for laser beam tracking and pointing is based on a conventional position sensing detector (PSD) or quadrant cell but with the use of amplitude-modulated light. A combination of logarithmic automatic gain control, filtering, and synchronous detection offers high angular precision with exceptional dynamic range and sensitivity, while maintaining wide bandwidth. Use of modulated light enables the tracking of multiple beams simultaneously through the use of different modulation frequencies. It also makes the system resistant to interfering light sources such as ambient light. Beam pointing is accomplished by feeding back errors in the measured beam position to a beam steering element, such as a steering mirror. Closed-loop tracking performance is superior to existing methods, especially under conditions of atmospheric scintillation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2008
    Publication date: December 31, 2009
    Inventors: Robert F. Steinkraus, JR., Gary W. Johnson, Anthony J. Ruggiero
  • Patent number: 7639910
    Abstract: An optical module is configured with a combination of a single-mode oscillating light source and an optical filter. In this optical module, the single-mode oscillating light source outputs a single-mode, frequency-modulated signal. Further, the optical filter converts the frequency modulation to an amplitude modulation. And, the single-mode oscillating light source and the optical filter are packaged without active alignment on the same substrate. Accordingly, it is possible to realize an optical module in a simple and low-cost configuration by packaging the single-mode oscillating light source and the optical filter by passive alignment, without active alignment, on the same substrate, and by using a simple optical filter such as a waveguide ring resonator, which converts a frequency modulation to an amplitude modulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Yamazaki, Takaaki Hatanaka
  • Patent number: 7626750
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an electro-optical device including: a plurality of electro-optical elements of which the intensity of emitted light is controlled according to drive signals; a plurality of unit circuits which output the drive signals; and a plurality of signal generation circuits which generate control signals according to correction data, wherein the plurality of unit circuits include a plurality of independent unit circuits which generate the drive signals according to the control signal generated by any of the plurality of signal generation circuits and gray scale levels of the electro-optical elements, and a dependent unit circuit which generates the drive signal according to a control signal supplied to a first independent unit circuit and a control signal supplied to a second independent unit circuit among the plurality of independent unit circuits and the gray scale levels of the electro-optical elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2009
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Toshiyuki Kasai
  • Publication number: 20090268272
    Abstract: The present invention relates to optical communication, and discloses an optical modulation system and an optical modulation method. The system includes: a light emitting apparatus, a wavelength sensor, a signal processor, a controller, a pulse modulation driver, an amplitude modulation driver, and an amplitude modulator. The method includes: receiving a second optical signal among optical signals generated by a light emitting apparatus, and outputting intermittent optical signals of stable wavelengths under modulation of an amplitude drive signal, where: the optical signals are generated by the light emitting apparatus under control of a wavelength control signal and have stable wavelengths, and the wavelength control signal is generated by calculating a first optical signal emitted by the light emitting apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2009
    Publication date: October 29, 2009
    Applicant: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Guozhong Wang
  • Publication number: 20090245798
    Abstract: An optical circuit that converts a phase-modulated optical signal into intensity-modulated signal light in accordance with a phase, the optical circuit including a square mode distribution forming portion that forms a plurality of interfering signals each assuming a square mode shape, the interfering signals having respective phases shifted from each other by a certain angle, a light interference portion that creates a signal having a certain mode distribution, from the interfering signal, and that applies a Fourier transform to the signal having the certain mode distribution, and an output portion that has a plurality of waveguides each provided in correspondence with the phase and that outputs an optical signal that has been output from the light interference portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2009
    Publication date: October 1, 2009
    Applicant: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventor: Koji TERADA
  • Publication number: 20090237770
    Abstract: Provided is an optical device with improved phase shift and propagation loss of light without decreasing the dynamic characteristics of the optical device. The optical device includes a first semiconductor layer which is doped with a first type of conductive impurities and has a uniform thickness; a gate insulating layer which has a ? shape and is formed on a portion of the first semiconductor layer and has a thin center portion; and a second semiconductor layer which covers an upper surface of the gate insulating layer and is doped with a second type of conductive impurities opposite to the first type of conductive type impurities.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2007
    Publication date: September 24, 2009
    Inventors: Hyun-Soo Kim, Jeong-Woo Park, Bongki Mheen, Gyungock Kim
  • Publication number: 20090213576
    Abstract: An optical member according to one or more embodiments includes an optical plate and an optical film. In an embodiment, the optical plate includes an incident part receiving light provided from the exterior and an emitting part emitting the light. The optical film is attached to the incident part and includes a first conductive layer, a second conductive layer facing the first conductive layer and polarized particles disposed between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer. Thus, light sources of a backlight assembly may be individually driven regardless of the type of light source and the disposition of the light sources, and image display quality may be improved by improving a contrast ratio by realizing various gradation voltages.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2009
    Publication date: August 27, 2009
    Inventors: Moon-Hwan CHANG, Taek-Sun Shin, Byung-Seo Yoon, Gi-Cherl Kim
  • Publication number: 20090207472
    Abstract: Provided is an optical device having an edge effect with improved phase shift and propagation loss of light without decreasing the dynamic characteristics of the optical device. The optical device includes a first semiconductor layer which is doped with a first type of conductive impurities, and has a recessed groove in an upper portion thereof; a gate insulating layer covering the groove and a portion of the first semiconductor layer; and a second semiconductor layer which covers an upper surface of the gate insulating layer and is doped with a second type of conductive impurities opposite to the first type of conductive impurities.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2007
    Publication date: August 20, 2009
    Applicant: ELECTRONICS AND TELECOMMUNICAATIONS RESEARCH INSTI
    Inventors: Hyun-Soo Kim, Jeong-Woo Park, Bongki Mheen, Young-Ahn Leem, Gyungock Kim
  • Publication number: 20090153940
    Abstract: A method for point-to-point communication over an optical channel is provided. An optical beam is received at a first corner cube modulated retro-reflector. Simultaneously, the optical beam is received at a second corner cube modulated retro-reflector. The first and second corner cube modulated retro-reflectors are adjacent to each other, are co-boresighted, and have an aggregate diameter that is smaller than the far-field Instantaneous Field of View of a receiver. The optical beam is modified by the first corner cube modulated retro-reflector by adding a first modulation to the optical beam, forming a first modulated optical beam. Simultaneously, the optical beam is modified by the second corner cube modulated retro- reflector by adding a second modulation to the optical beam, forming a second modulated optical beam. The first modulated optical beam and the second modulated optical beam combine to form a modified optical wavefront, which is reflected to a sender.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2007
    Publication date: June 18, 2009
    Inventor: Jonathan M. Saint Clair
  • Patent number: 7548363
    Abstract: An optical element used, e.g., in an electrowetting display device having a number of pixels, is arranged in an array. Each optical element includes a cell filled with a polar conductive fluid, such as a water solution, and a non-polar fluid, such as an oil. The cell further includes first and second planar electrodes covered with first and second hydrophobic layers. By applying a voltage between the first fluid and alternately the first or second electrodes, the oil is forced to migrate between the first and second hydrophobic layers. Thus a bi-stable, energy efficient optical element is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2009
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Robert Andrew Hayes, Romaric Mathieu Massard, Bokke Johannes Feenstra
  • Publication number: 20090141332
    Abstract: An electrooptical apparatus includes a display unit that emits display light, a light emission stopping unit that stops emission of the display light in the display unit, a light receiving unit that receives outside light around the display unit while emission of the display light is stopped, an accumulating unit that accumulates the amount of outside light received by the light receiving unit, and a calculating unit that calculates the light intensity of outside light on the basis of the time taken for the accumulated amount of outside light received to exceed a predetermined threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2008
    Publication date: June 4, 2009
    Applicant: EPSON IMAGING DEVICES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masatoshi FUTATSUYA, Kenichi TAJIRI, Yutaka OZAWA
  • Publication number: 20090103163
    Abstract: In order to provide a reciprocating optical modulation system capable of obtaining a broad bandwidth, a reciprocating optical modulation system (1) of the present invention is basically provided with an optical modulator (2) modulating an output light by controlling one of an intensity, a phase and a frequency of an input light; a first fiber grating (3) transmitting a light of a predetermined frequency domain among lights inputted to and outputted from the optical modulator while reflecting lights of other frequencies; a second fiber grating (4) transmitting a light of a predetermined frequency domain among lights inputted to and outputted from the optical modulator while reflecting lights of other frequencies; and a signal source (5) generating a modulating signal to be inputted to the optical modulator (2).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2006
    Publication date: April 23, 2009
    Applicant: National Institute of Information and Communivations Technology
    Inventors: Tetsuya Kawanishi, Masayuki Izutsu, Takahide Sakamoto, Masahiro Tsuchiya
  • Patent number: 7502157
    Abstract: One embodiment relates to a method of independently controlling amplitude and phase modulation by a spatial light modulator. Light is illuminated onto upper layer deflectable planar areas and lower layer deflectable planar areas over a substrate of the spatial light modulator. First active circuitry on the substrate is used to provide amplitude modulation by controlling a relative displacement between upper layer deflectable planar areas and adjacent lower layer deflectable planar areas. Second active circuitry on the substrate is used to provide phase modulation by controlling a displacement between the (upper and lower layer) deflectable planar areas and the substrate. Other embodiments and features are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2009
    Assignee: Silicon Light Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Michael J. Dueweke
  • Patent number: 7495816
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method including: (i) dispersing frequency components of an input EM waveform along a first direction with each frequency component spatially extended along a second direction different from the first direction; (ii) setting an amplitude for an output portion of each of the spatially extended frequency components; and (iii) combining the output portions from the different frequency components to produce a temporally shaped output EM waveform, wherein setting the amplitude of each output portion comprises diffracting a corresponding input portion for the spatially extended frequency component along the second direction into different diffraction orders, wherein the combined output portions correspond to a common diffraction order. A system for performing the method is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2009
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Joshua Vaughan, Thomas Hornung, Thomas Feurer, Keith A. Nelson
  • Publication number: 20090034049
    Abstract: A quantum well modulator configured to absorb or transmit light depending on an applied voltage is provided according to various embodiments. The quantum well modulator may include a substrate, a p-type and n-type semiconductor layers as well as a quantum well layer, each of which are deposited above the substrate. The substrate may be configured to filter light incident thereon, wherein the substrate does not include a reflective surface. The flip-chip quantum well modulator may be configured to substantially absorb light received through the substrate when a first voltage is applied. The flip-chip quantum well modulator may be configured to substantially transmit light received through the substrate when a second voltage is applied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2008
    Publication date: February 5, 2009
    Applicant: Cubic Corporation
    Inventors: Mahyar Dadkhah, Tony Maryfield, Thomas Davidson
  • Patent number: 7468828
    Abstract: An optical system having a spatial light modulator (SLM), in which each pixel has an optical cavity and is adapted to: (i) change the intensity of a reflected beam by changing the size of the cavity and (ii) change the phase of the reflected beam by changing the position of the cavity with respect to a reference plane. In one embodiment, the optical system has optics configured to image the apertures of an optical input mask onto the pixels of the SLM and to form an optical spot array by imaging the light reflected by the pixels onto a plane orthogonal to the plane of the mask. Each aperture can be configured to have a transmission pattern to spatially modulate the light imaged onto the corresponding pixel, thereby enabling control of the spatial mode at the corresponding spot in the optical spot array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2008
    Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent USA Inc.
    Inventors: Dennis S. Greywall, Dan M. Marom
  • Publication number: 20080298741
    Abstract: An electronic device and method are presented for creating at least one predetermined stimulus at the device output. The device comprises an electrically non-conductive holey structure (110) carrying at least two active electrically conductive cores (C1, C2) electrically insulated from one another along their lengths, for supplying a potential difference (V1, V2) between them, and at least one stimulus creator (S1) configured to be affected by said potential difference to provide a predetermined output of the device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2006
    Publication date: December 4, 2008
    Applicant: BAR ILAN UNIVERSITY
    Inventor: Zeev Zalevsky
  • Publication number: 20080285001
    Abstract: Lithography aperture lenses, illumination systems, and methods are disclosed. In a preferred embodiment, a lens includes a substantially transparent material and an electro-optical material disposed proximate the substantially transparent material, wherein the lens is a lens for an illuminator of a lithography system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2007
    Publication date: November 20, 2008
    Inventors: Jens Schneider, Vlad Temchenko
  • Patent number: 7453475
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments of the invention provide an optical display device that modulates light from a light source in two stages through an optical modulator and a luminance adjusting element to expand the luminance dynamic range and the number of the gradation levels of a display image, that allows the picture quality to be enhanced, and that is suitably applied to display an image according to the resolution of the luminance adjusting element having a higher resolution than the optical modulator. Exemplary embodiments provide a projection type display device that converts RGB pixel values in HDR display data into YCbCr pixel values, selects the maximum Ymax from corresponding YCbCr values on a pixel-basis in a color modulation light valve, and calculates average values Cbave and Crave.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2008
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Nitta, Junichi Nakamura, Shoichi Uchiyama, Tsunemori Asahi