Reflective-type Switch Patents (Class 385/18)
  • Patent number: 10429591
    Abstract: Integrated optical component combine the functions of a Variable Optical Attenuator (VOA), a tap coupler, and a photo-detector, reducing the size, cost, and complexity of these functions. In other embodiments, the integrated optical component combines the functions of an optical switch, a tap coupler, and a photo-detector. A rotatable mirror is used to adjust the coupling of light from an input port or ports to one or more output ports. A pin hole with a surrounding reflective surface is used at the core end face of one or more output fibers, such that a portion of the output optical signal is reflected to a photodiode chip. The photo-detector provides an indication of the optical power that is being coupled to the output fiber. With appropriate electronic control circuitry, the integrated optical component can be used to set the output optical power at a desired or required level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: DICON FIBEROPTICS, INC.
    Inventors: Ho-Shang Lee, Brian Chiang
  • Patent number: 10394032
    Abstract: An optical system for transmitting a source image is provided. Light having a field angle spectrum emanates from the source image. The optical system includes an optical waveguide arrangement, in which light can propagate by total internal reflection. The optical system also includes a diffractive optical input coupling arrangement for coupling the light emanating from the source image into the optical waveguide arrangement. The optical system further includes a diffractive optical output coupling arrangement for coupling the light that has propagated in the optical waveguide arrangement out from the optical waveguide arrangement. The disclosure also provides related methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss AG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Singer, Bernd Kleemann, Artur Degen
  • Patent number: 10330922
    Abstract: In a biaxial optical deflector, multiple mirror units are arranged in an array. Each of the mirror units includes one mirror and one mirror driver coupled to said mirror for rocking the mirror.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: STANLEY ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yoshiaki Yasuda
  • Patent number: 10313643
    Abstract: An imaging system having four image sensors comprises a first dichroic filter, a second dichroic filter, and a third dichroic filter. The first dichroic filter reflects light having a first wavelength band and a second wavelength band toward a second dichroic filter, and transmits light having a third wavelength band and a fourth wavelength band toward the third dichroic filter. The second dichroic filter reflects light having the first wavelength band toward the first image sensor, and transmits light having the second wavelength band toward the second image sensor. The third dichroic filter reflects light having the third wavelength band toward the third image sensor, and transmits light having the fourth wavelength band toward the fourth image sensor. The first dichroic filter, the second dichroic filter, and the third dichroic filter are included in an integrated part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: OmniVision Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Chun-Sheng Fan
  • Patent number: 10313047
    Abstract: A method in an optical Wavelength Selective Switch, WSS, for multidirectional switching of optical signals. The optical WSS comprises a reflective element, a first tributary port and a second tributary port. The optical WSS switches (304) an optical signal between the first tributary port and the second tributary port with the reflective element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ)
    Inventors: Ahmad Rostami, Björn Skubic
  • Patent number: 10302862
    Abstract: A waveguide corner structure includes a plate on which mirrors are formed; and a waveguide member including waveguide cores and holes, each of the holes being drilled in a portion replacing an angular bent portion of corresponding waveguide cores. The plate is mounted on the waveguide member so that each of the mirrors is inserted in corresponding one of the holes for a change of a direction of a light beam at the portion of corresponding waveguide cores.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jean Benoit Heroux, Hsiang Han Hsu
  • Patent number: 10297044
    Abstract: A method for calibrating an optical scanner device implemented by a calibration management apparatus, includes providing instructions to the optical scanner device to scan a calibration surface in a scan pattern based on one or more scan parameters, wherein the one or more scan parameters vary over the scan pattern. The scanning angle for each of the plurality of points in the scan pattern is computed based on an obtained image of a light source emitted from the optical scanner device at a scanning angle for a plurality of points in the scan pattern. A calibration relationship between the computed scanning angles and the corresponding scan parameters is determined for each of the plurality of points in the scan pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: Adcole Corporation
    Inventors: James F. Munro, Xianping Zhang
  • Patent number: 10222548
    Abstract: A photonic neural component including optical transmitters, optical receivers, inter-node waveguides formed on a board, multiplexers configured to multiplex input optical signals onto the inter-node waveguides, transmitting waveguides configured to receive optical signals emitted from the optical transmitters and transmit the received optical signals to the inter-node waveguides via the multiplexers, mirrors to partially reflect optical signals propagating on the inter-node waveguides, receiving waveguides configured to receive reflected optical signals produced by the mirrors and transmit the reflected optical signals to the optical receivers, and filters configured to apply weights to the reflected optical signals. The transmitting waveguides and receiving waveguides are formed on the board such that one of the transmitting waveguides and one of the receiving waveguides crosses one of the inter-node waveguides with a core of one of the crossing waveguides passing through a core or clad of the other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jean Benoit Heroux, Seiji Takeda, Toshiyuki Yamane
  • Patent number: 10107959
    Abstract: A photonic neural component includes optical transmitters, optical receivers, inter-node waveguides formed on a board, transmitting waveguides configured to receive optical signals emitted from the optical transmitters and transmit the received optical signals to the inter-node waveguides, mirrors to partially reflect optical signals propagating on the inter-node waveguides, receiving waveguides configured to receive reflected optical signals produced by the mirrors and transmit the reflected optical signals to the optical receivers, and filters configured to apply weights to the reflected optical signals. The transmitting waveguides and receiving waveguides are formed on the board such that one of the transmitting waveguides and one of the receiving waveguides crosses one of the inter-node waveguides with a core of one of the crossing waveguides passing through a core or clad of the other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jean Benoit Heroux, Seiji Takeda, Toshiyuki Yamane
  • Patent number: 10088672
    Abstract: A mirror device includes a mirror, an actuator tilting the mirror, a first hinge coupling the mirror to the actuator, a base, a second hinge coupling the mirror to the base, a movable comb electrode coupled to the mirror, and a fixed comb electrode fixed to the base. The actuator is controlled based on a capacitance between the movable comb electrode and the fixed comb electrode. The movable comb electrode is disposed on a portion of the mirror closer to the second hinge than to the first hinge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: SUMITOMO PRECISION PRODUCTS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Osamu Torayashiki, Ryohei Uchino, Tokiko Misaki
  • Patent number: 10075220
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a pre-5th-generation (5G) or 5G communication system to be provided for supporting higher data rates beyond 4th-generation (4G) communication system such as long term evolution (LTE). The present disclosure relates to channel information feedback in a wireless communication system, and an operation method of a receiving node includes: determining compressed channel information based on an eigenvalue decomposition of a covariance matrix regarding a channel, and transmitting, to a transmitting node, a direction index and a magnitude index representing the compressed channel information. Herein, a dimension of the compressed channel information is lower than a dimension of channel information associated with the transmitting node. Also, the disclosure includes other embodiments, different from the above described embodiment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignees: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD., SEOUL NATIONAL UNIVERSITY R&DB FOUNDATION
    Inventors: Keonkook Lee, Lua Ngo, Byonghyo Shim, Byungju Lee, Taeyoung Kim, Jiyun Seol
  • Patent number: 10068733
    Abstract: A switching system includes a MEMS switching circuit having a MEMS switch and a driver circuit, and an auxiliary circuit coupled in parallel with the MEMS switching circuit that comprises solid state switching circuitry. A control circuit in communication with the MEMS switching circuit and the auxiliary circuit performs selective switching of a load current towards the MEMS switching circuitry and the auxiliary circuit, with the control circuit programmed to transmit a control signal to the driver circuit to cause the MEMS switch to actuate to an open or closed position across a switching interval, activate the auxiliary circuit during the switching interval when the MEMS switch is switching between the open and closed positions, and deactivate the auxiliary circuit upon reaching the open or closed position after completion of the switching interval, such that the load current selectively flows through the MEMS switch and the solid state switching circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Yanfei Liu, Glenn Scott Claydon, Christopher Fred Keimel, Christian Michael Giovanniello, Jr.
  • Patent number: 10031287
    Abstract: A photonic neural component including optical transmitters, optical receivers, inter-node waveguides formed on a board, multiplexers configured to multiplex input optical signals onto the inter-node waveguides, transmitting waveguides configured to receive optical signals emitted from the optical transmitters and transmit the received optical signals to the inter-node waveguides via the multiplexers, mirrors to partially reflect optical signals propagating on the inter-node waveguides, receiving waveguides configured to receive reflected optical signals produced by the mirrors and transmit the reflected optical signals to the optical receivers, and filters configured to apply weights to the reflected optical signals. The transmitting waveguides and receiving waveguides are formed on the board such that one of the transmitting waveguides and one of the receiving waveguides crosses one of the inter-node waveguides with a core of one of the crossing waveguides passing through a core or clad of the other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jean Benoit Heroux, Seiji Takeda, Toshiyuki Yamane
  • Patent number: 9977190
    Abstract: A wavelength selective switch (WSS) includes a liquid crystal on silicon (LCOS) panel and a fiber array with multiple ports. The two outermost ports of the multiple ports are a first port and a second port. An included angle between an intersecting line of the LCOS panel and a first plane in which the incident light entering the LCOS panel and emergent light exiting the LCOS panel are located, and incident light entering the LCOS panel is (90??) degrees, where a wavelength of the incident light is same as a wavelength of the emergent light, ? is less than 15 degrees, the first port and the included angle of (90??) degrees are located on a same side of the incident light, and the second port and the included angle of (90??) degrees are separately located on two sides of the incident light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Liangjia Zong, Han Zhao
  • Patent number: 9941955
    Abstract: A method may include receiving, by a switching engine, an optical signal that includes a channel. The method may include applying, by the switching engine, a first beam steering grating to direct a first portion of the channel to a first output port. The method may include applying, by the switching engine, one or more second beam steering gratings to direct at least one of a second portion of the channel to a second output port, or a third portion of the channel to a photodetector. The third portion may be approximately less, in power, than 10 percent of the channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: Lumentum Operations LLC
    Inventors: Ian Breukelaar, Yi Liang, Shane H. Woodside, Barrie Keyworth, Wayne Bonnet, Peter David Roorda, Brandon C. Collings, Brian Smith
  • Patent number: 9885837
    Abstract: An optical device is equipped with an input/output module having at least one optical fiber, a movable mirror which deflects, toward the input/output module, light that is received from the input/output module, and a lens which couples the input/output module and the deflection unit to each other optically and has a focal length that is greater than or equal to 2.0 mm and shorter than 3.5 mm. A dispersion index ? of the optical device that is given by an equation: ?={n(1.45)?1}/{n(1.2)?n(1.7)} where n(1.45), n(1.2), and n(1.7) are refractive indices of a glass material of the lens at wavelengths 1.45 ?m, 1.2 ?m, and 1.7 ?m, respectively, is larger than or equal to 100. The wavelength dependence of an optical characteristic of this optical device is weaker than that of conventional optical devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidehisa Tazawa, Kenichiro Takahashi
  • Patent number: 9869609
    Abstract: A vibration damping system comprises a vibration applying device mounted on a frame and a control device that controls the vibration applying device, the control device comprising a voltage command producing part that produces a driving voltage command to drive the vibration applying device and a vibration failure diagnosis part that diagnoses whether there is failure based on a vibration detection signal output by a vibration detecting device, wherein the voltage command producing part produces the driving voltage command corresponding to a diagnosis frequency that is previously set at a frequency identical to a resonance frequency of the frame or the vibration applying device or at a predetermined frequency close to the resonance frequency and makes the vibration applying device generate the vibration applying force according to the driving voltage command, and the vibration failure diagnosis part diagnoses whether there is failure based on the vibration detection signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: SINFONIA TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hideaki Moriya, Takenori Motoori, Tomohiro Okazaki
  • Patent number: 9865985
    Abstract: A system and method for tuning and infrared source laser in the Mid-IR wavelength range. The system and method comprising, at least, a plurality of individually tunable emitters, each emitter emitting a beam having a unique wavelength, a grating, a mirror positioned after the grating to receive at least one refracted order of light of at least one beam and to redirect the beam back towards the grating, and a micro-electro-mechanical systems device containing a plurality of adjustable micro-mirrors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: TERADIODE, INC.
    Inventors: Bien Chann, Robin Huang, Parviz Tayebati
  • Patent number: 9816860
    Abstract: A spectrometer includes a light source that emits a beam into a sample volume comprising an absorbing medium. Thereafter, at least one detector detects at least a portion of the beam emitted by the light source. It is later determined, based on the detected at least a portion of the beam and by a controller, that a position and/or an angle of the beam should be changed. The beam emitted by the light source is then actively steered by an actuation element under control of the controller. In addition, a concentration of the absorbing media can be quantified or otherwise calculated (using the controller or optionally a different processor that can be local or remote). The actuation element(s) can be coupled to one or more of the light source, a detector or detectors, and a reflector or reflectors intermediate the light source and the detector(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: SpectraSensors, Inc.
    Inventors: Alfred Feitisch, Xiang Liu, Keith Benjamin Helbley, Douglas Beyer
  • Patent number: 9764943
    Abstract: A MEMS structure includes a planar substrate, a support body coupled to the planar substrate, a fixed electrode coupled to the planar substrate and a moveable portion. The movable portion is spaced from and faces the fixed electrode. The movable electrode includes a movable weight and an intermediate frame surrounding an outer edge of the movable weight. A plurality of elastic supports connect the movable weight to the intermediate frame. The elastic supports are elastically deformable in a first direction extending parallel to the plane of the substrate such that the movable weight can move in the first direction. At least one torsion bar pivotally connects one end of the intermediate frame to the support body so as to allow the intermediate frame, and with it the movable weight, to pivot around an axis which extends parallel to the plane of the substrate and perpendicular to the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Okami, Takashi Mizota, Yuki Ueya, Junya Matsuoka, Nobuaki Tsuji
  • Patent number: 9762325
    Abstract: An optical signal transmission apparatus (1) for a rotating antenna comprising a plurality of optical modulators (6) arranged for receiving a respective plurality of analog RF signals (5) and for modulating a respective plurality of optical signals therewith to produce a plurality of modulated analog optical signals (8). A plurality of opto-electrical converters (14) each converts a respective modulated analog optical signal (13) into an analog electrical signal. The plurality of optical modulators (6) are rotationally coupled in optical communication with the plurality of opto-electrical converters (14) via an optical rotary joint (10) including a reversion prism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: BAE SYSTEMS plc
    Inventors: David John Aitken, Simon Charles Giles, Robert John Mark Longstone, Mohammed Nawaz, Andrew James Smith, Michael Andrew Scott
  • Patent number: 9739956
    Abstract: Provided is a variable optical attenuator, including a pigtail, a spacer, a lens and a cap. The pigtail has a first waveguide and a second waveguide. The first waveguide transmits incident light, and the second waveguide receives the returned light. The pigtail is attached to one side of the space, and the lens is attached to another side of the space. Moreover, the cap includes a hollow portion, a first connecting portion and a second connecting portion. The lens is placed inside the hollow portion, and the space is connected to the first connecting portion of the cap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: BROWAVE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jung-Tsung Chou, Kuo-Hsuan Hung, Yu-Wen Hwang
  • Patent number: 9690178
    Abstract: In a light emitting device, a second electrode is provided over a ridge portion having a constant width in a plan view, a second cladding layer includes an electrical connection region electrically connected to the second electrode, the active layer constitutes a light waveguide through which light is guided in a region overlapping the ridge portion in the plan view, the light waveguide is provided with a first light emission surface and a second light emission surface from which the light is emitted, and, in the plan view, a width of the electrical connection region at a central position equidistant from the first light emission surface and the second light emission surface is smaller than a width of an end of the electrical connection region in an extending direction of the light waveguide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroki Nishioka
  • Patent number: 9664896
    Abstract: A micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) mirror array can include pre-tilted mirrors. In some implementations, a MEMS mirror array includes a set of first MEMS mirrors supported by a mounting surface of one or more first substrates, and a set of exterior MEMS mirrors supported by a mounting surface of one or more exterior substrates. The one or more exterior substrates can be disposed along at least one edge of an exterior perimeter of at least one of the first substrates. The mounting surface of the one or more exterior substrates can be arranged to cause a plane of each exterior MEMS mirror to be at a non-zero angle with respect to each first MEMS mirror. The one or more first substrates and the one or more exterior substrates can be supported by a common substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventor: Kevin Yasumura
  • Patent number: 9627847
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a wavelength-tunable laser, which can tune an oscillating laser wavelength and can be manufactured in a small size, comprising: a laser diode chip (100) for emitting a laser beam; a partial reflection mirror (500) for optical feedback, which partially reflects the beam emitted from the laser diode chip (100) so as to enable the reflected beam to be fed back to the laser diode chip (100); a collimation lens (200) provided on an optical path between the laser diode chip (100) and the partial reflection mirror (500) for optical feedback so as to collimate the beam emitted from the laser diode chip (100); a wavelength-tunable selective filter (300) for converting the wavelength transmitted according to the temperature; a phase compensator (350) of which a refractive index is changed according to the temperature and which offsets a change in the refractive index according to the temperature of the semiconductor laser diode chip (100) or the wavelength-tunable selective filter (300)
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: PHOVEL.CO.LTD.
    Inventor: Jeong Soo Kim
  • Patent number: 9621281
    Abstract: Some novel features pertain to a device that includes a first integrated device package and a second integrated device package. The first integrated device package includes a first package substrate, a first integrated device, and a first configurable optical transmitter. The first configurable optical transmitter is configured to be in communication with the first integrated device. The first configurable optical transmitter is configured to transmit an optical beam at a configurable angle. The first configurable optical transmitter includes an optical beam source, an optical beam splitter, and a set of phase shifters coupled to the optical beam splitter. The set of phase shifters is configured to enable the angle at which the optical beam is transmitted. The second integrated device package includes a second package substrate, a second integrated device, and a first optical receiver configured to receive the optical beam from the first configurable optical transmitter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventor: Kyu-Pyung Hwang
  • Patent number: 9588297
    Abstract: A wavelength selective switch is configured to demultiplex WDM light input from an input side for each wavelength, to supply the demultiplexed signal lights to deflectors corresponding to the demultiplexed wavelength, and to control the deflector to selectively output the demultiplexed signal lights to an output side, in which monitor light having at least a wavelength included in the WDM light is input to the wavelength selective switch from the output side of the wavelength selective switch, and the monitor light input from the output side of the wavelength selective switch is monitored, the monitor light being propagated in a direction opposite to a propagation direction of the signal lights each having the demultiplexed wavelength in the wavelength selective switch and being output to the input side of the wavelength selective switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventors: Yuji Kamura, Ichiro Nakajima
  • Patent number: 9548810
    Abstract: The present invention provides an optical path processing method and apparatus. The apparatus includes an FA, an LA, an aspheric lens, a filter, and a reflector, where the FA includes a test optical channel, where the test optical channel is configured to receive test light, and enable the test light to be incident through the LA and the aspheric lens to a surface of the filter; the filter is located between the aspheric lens and the reflector, and is configured to perform transmission on the test light; and the reflector is at a distance of less than or equal to a first preset value away from a focus of light transmitted through the aspheric lens, and is configured to reflect, at a preset angle, the test light transmitted through the filter to a specular surface of the reflector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD
    Inventors: Xishe Liu, Shijun Wang, Heyuan Liu, Zhiyong Xiao
  • Patent number: 9523825
    Abstract: An optical transmission module in which optical axis adjustment is possible in a wide range and with a high accuracy, and a method of manufacturing the optical transmission module are provided. An optical transmission module includes a light source that outputs light, a mirror that reflects the light output by the light source, a lever on which the mirror is arranged and that has a fulcrum, a lens that converges the light reflected by the mirror, and a waveguide that transfers the light converged by the lens, with a core having a section width smaller than a wavelength in vacuum of the light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: OCLARO JAPAN, INC.
    Inventor: Tadashi Okumura
  • Patent number: 9500929
    Abstract: An electro-optically coupled switch includes first and second waveguides which are aligned in parallel to each other, with a thin, flat layer of cross-coupling material sandwiched therebetween. A voltage source is provided to establish a strong uniform electric field that is oriented perpendicular across the entire layer of cross-coupling material between the waveguides. Incorporated with the voltage source is a switch for changing the electric field, to thereby alter the refractive index of the cross-coupling material for transferring the transmission of an optical signal from one waveguide to the other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Inventor: Chen-Kuo Sun
  • Patent number: 9483981
    Abstract: Devices such as electronic book readers, televisions, and so forth use displays to present information to users. Described herein are devices and methods for dynamically adjusting illumination, waveforms used to generate the image, presentation of the information, or a combination thereof based on one or more of ambient light level, display illumination level, and so forth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Hervé Jacques Clément Letourneur, David J. Foster, Laurent E. Sellier
  • Patent number: 9470503
    Abstract: Mechanical apparatus includes a base, a moving element, and a hinge, having a first end attached to the moving element. A supporting structure is attached to the base and to the second end of the hinge and has at least a component perpendicular to the hinge so as to translate rotation of the moving element about the hinge into elongation of the component, whereby the moving element rotates about the hinge relative to the base while the supporting structure is deformed as a result of the rotation of the moving element about the hinge. A strain-based rotation sensor is associated with the supporting structure and is configured to provide a signal indicative of the rotation of the moving element responsively to a strain induced due to deformation of the supporting structure as the result of the rotation of the moving element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventor: Yuval Gerson
  • Patent number: 9454002
    Abstract: A wavelength selection switch (1) equipped with: an input/output unit (10) having multiple input/output ports that input/output signal light; a light-collecting mirror (14) arranged in the light path of the signal light from the input/output unit; a dispersion element (13) having a dispersion part and a non-dispersion part that does not have a dispersion effect; and multiple deflection elements (16) arranged in the direction in which the signal light is dispersed. The light-collecting mirror (14) causes the signal light from the input/output unit (10) to enter the dispersion part of the dispersion element (13), and the light that is dispersed by the dispersion element (13) is collected in the deflection elements (16) through the non-dispersion part of the dispersion element (13). Furthermore, the deflection elements (16) deflect the collected light such that the light is emitted from a prescribed input/output port of the multiple input/output ports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: Lumentum Operations LLC
    Inventors: Koji Matsumoto, Satoshi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 9429712
    Abstract: An optical switch is configured in a “dual-ganged” switch geometry to provide for the simultaneous switching of a selected transmit/receive pair of optical signal paths between a specific optical communication device and an optical communication network. A biaxially-symmetric signal redirection component may be used to direct the signals between the selected channel and the optical communication device. A specific waveguide (e.g., fiber) array topology within the dual-ganged switch (DGS) breaks the symmetry between the network transmit/receive arrays and a pair of transmit and receive signal paths associated with the communication device to improve isolation and minimize the possibility of cross-talk between non-selected waveguides in the transmit and receive arrays. The possibility of “hits” during switching between channels can be eliminated, and is controlled by dictating the process or switching steps used to rotate the biaxially-symmetric signal redirection element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: II-VI INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Massimo Martinelli, Mark H. Garrett, Aravanan Gurusami, Brian Daniel
  • Patent number: 9399573
    Abstract: The invention relates to an MEMS structure with a stack made of different layers and a spring-and-mass system varying in its thickness which is formed of the stack, and wherein, starting from a back side of the stack and the substrate, at laterally different positions, the substrate while leaving the first semiconductor layer, or the substrate, the first etch-stop layer and the first semiconductor layer are removed, and to a method for manufacturing such a structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.
    Inventors: Shanshan Gu-Stoppel, Hans Joachim Quenzer, Ulrich Hofmann
  • Patent number: 9383577
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a micro electro mechanical systems (MEMS) scanner, and more particularly, to an MEMS scanner for implementing stable driving while increasing a driving angle between a fixed electrode and a driving electrode using an MEMS process. The MEMs scanner comprises a lower frame, a pair of upper frames, a pair of levers, a pair of fixed electrode portions, and a driving electrode portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: KOREA OPTRON CORP.
    Inventors: Kyungsu Kim, Junil Kim, Jonghyun Lee, Seunghwan Moon
  • Patent number: 9383578
    Abstract: An optical scanner apparatus includes first and second torsion beams which support a mirror support portion supporting a mirror from both sides in an axial direction; first and second horizontal driving beams configured to include first and second horizontal driving sources, respectively, a connecting beam; a first piezo-electric sensor; first and second sensor interconnects connected to one of and the other of an upper electrode and a lower electrode of the first piezo-electric sensor, respectively, the first sensor interconnect and the second sensor interconnect being formed to extend toward the first horizontal driving beam and the second horizontal driving beam, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: MITSUMI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toyoki Tanaka, Somei Takahashi, Hisamichi Sekine, Hisanori Aga, Riichiro Hibiya
  • Patent number: 9348135
    Abstract: A micro movable device includes: a micro movable substrate including a micro movable unit, the micro movable unit including a frame section, a movable section, and a coupling section which couples the frame section and the movable section to each other; a support base; a first spacer and a second spacer which are provided between the frame section of the micro movable substrate and the base, the first and second spacers joining the frame section and the base to each other; and a fixation member provided between the frame section of the micro movable substrate and the base, the fixation member including a spacer portion which joins the frame section and the base to each other and an adhesive portion which covers the spacer portion and joins the frame section and the base to each other, the fixation member being provided between the first and second spacers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: DRNC Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Matsumoto, Norinao Kouma, Osamu Tsuboi
  • Patent number: 9310535
    Abstract: An optical diffraction grating includes a substantially transparent grating substrate which has substantially flat first and second surfaces, and a set of grating lines on the first surface characterized by a grating spacing ?. The grating substrate has a temperature-dependent refractive index nsub and is immersed in a medium having a temperature-dependent refractive index nmed. The first and second substrate surfaces are non-parallel and form a dihedral angle ?. The gratings lines are substantially perpendicular to a plane of incidence defined by surface-normal vectors of the first and second surfaces. Variation of a diffraction angle ?d? with temperature, exhibited by the optical diffraction grating at a design wavelength ? and at a design incidence angle ?in in the plane of incidence, is less than that variation exhibited by a reference diffraction grating that has parallel first and second substrate surfaces but is otherwise identical to the optical diffraction grating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: LightSmyth Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Christoph M. Greiner, Thomas W. Mossberg, Dmitri Iazikov
  • Patent number: 9307068
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus including a first communication interface for individually communicating with a plurality of communication terminals without involvement of a public network and a second communication interface for communicating with involvement of a public network, wherein the apparatus provides services, via the first communication interface or via the first communication interface and the second communication interface, to a plurality of communication terminals that perform communication via the first communication interface, manages information regarding a communication interface used by each service and information regarding the service provided, and controls communication performed with the first and the second communication interfaces based on the managed information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Ryosuke Sato
  • Patent number: 9295375
    Abstract: An endoscopic illumination system for illuminating a subject for stereoscopic image capture, the illumination system includes a light source which outputs multi-spectral light; first and second light paths configured to transmit the multi-spectral light; and a digital mirror array (DMA) which receives the multi-spectral light and directs the multi-spectral light to a selected one of the first and second light paths. A controller controls the DMA to direct the multi-spectral light to the selected light path in accordance with a time-multiplexing scheme; and/or first and second complementary multiband bandpass filters (CMBF). The first CMBF may be situated in the first light path and the second CMBF may be situated in the second light path, where the first and second CMBFs filter the multi-spectral light incident thereupon to output filtered light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Inventors: Hrayr Karnig Shahinian, Michael J. Shearn, Youngsam Bae, Ronald J. Korniski, Eric W. Fritz, Allen Ream
  • Patent number: 9285668
    Abstract: A MEMS micro-mirror device includes, a single package; a first mirror and second mirror, wherein at least one of the mirrors is configured to oscillate along an oscillation axis; wherein both mirrors are located within the single package and are arranged such that as the at least one mirror oscillates, the light incident on the first micro-mirror can be deflected to the second mirror.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: INTEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nicolas Abele, Faouzi Khechana, Lucio Kilcher
  • Patent number: 9274284
    Abstract: A wavelength selective switch includes an input port and an output port, a wavelength demultiplexer that demultiplexes wavelength-multiplexed signal light into wavelengths in different optical paths, an optical-path controller that controls an array that has a plurality of switch elements, the plurality of switch elements switching all or a part of the wavelengths to be coupled from the input port to the output port, and an actuator driver that shifts the plurality of switch elements, based on a deviation of a center wavelength of a pass band from a reference wavelength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventor: Shinji Komiya
  • Patent number: 9261556
    Abstract: An optical die probe wafer testing circuit arrangement and associated testing methodology are described for mounting a production test die (157) and surrounding scribe grid (156) to a test head (155) which is positioned over a wafer (160) in alignment with a die under test (163) and surrounding scribe grid (161, 165), such that one or more optical deflection mirrors (152, 154) in the test head scribe grid (156) are aligned with one or more optical deflection mirrors (162, 164) in the scribe grid (161, 165) for the die under test (163) to enable optical die probe testing on the die under test (163) by directing a first optical test signal (158) from the production test die (157), through the first and second optical deflection mirrors (e.g., 152, 162) and to the first die.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael B. McShane, Perry H. Pelley, Tab A. Stephens
  • Patent number: 9225458
    Abstract: A configurable wavelength-selective cross-connect (WSXC) device having an array of optical ports in which at least some of the ports are configurable to operate as common ports or as plural ports. The configurable WSXC device includes a MEMS mirror array whose mirrors are tiltable in a manner that enables, e.g., reconfigurations of the configurable WSXC device that result in a change of the number of common ports therein. In one possible configuration, the configurable WSXC device can operate as 1×M1 wavelength-selective switch, where M1+1?P, and P is the total number of optical ports in the array of optical ports. In another possible configuration, the configurable WSXC device can operate as a bank of n 1×M2 wavelength-selective switches, where n is a positive integer greater than one, and n(M2+1)?P.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: Alcatel Lucent
    Inventors: Mike J. Darling, Lu Cheng, Jeffrey E. Ehrlich
  • Patent number: 9223086
    Abstract: Wavefront synthesizers and optical switches implemented with wavefront synthesizers are disclosed. In one aspect, a wavefront synthesizer includes a waveguide tree composed a root waveguide that branches into at least two terminus waveguides. The root waveguide is integrated with a source to inject light into the waveguide tree via the root waveguide. The synthesizer includes output couplers located at the ends of the terminus waveguides. Each output coupler outputs a wavefront associated with a portion of the light injected with at least two of the wavefronts overlapping to form at least one beam of light via constructive interference. The synthesizer also includes microring resonators disposed adjacent to the terminus waveguides. Each microring is independently tunable to apply a phase shift in the wavefront output from one of the output couplers to steer the direction of the beam and the at least two wavefronts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP
    Inventors: David A. Fattal, Marco Fiorentino, Raymond G. Beausoleil
  • Patent number: 9213154
    Abstract: An optoelectronic packaging assembly having an optical interposer and a method of same. The assembly includes a photonic and/or optoelectronic device; a planar optical interposer coupled to the photonic and/or optoelectronic device on a first side of the optical interposer and including an optical transmission element on a second side opposite to the first side; a deflecting element; and at least one optical waveguide on the first side, in-plane with the optical interposer. The waveguide is coupled at one end to the photonic and/or optoelectronic device and at another end to the deflecting element. The deflecting element is configured to enable optical transmission between the waveguide and the optical transmission element through the optical interposer. The optical interposer includes a material allowing for optical transmission between the deflecting element and the optical transmission element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Bert Jan Offrein, Ibrahim Murat Soganci
  • Patent number: 9213143
    Abstract: An optical circuit switch and method. A first mirror element rotates about orthogonal axes in response to first and second voltages applied respectively to first and second electrodes. A second mirror element rotates about orthogonal axes in response to third and fourth voltages applied respectively to the third and fourth electrodes. A controller may apply first through fourth voltages respectively to the first through fourth electrodes to make a connection between first and second ports. When an initial insertion loss of the connection does not exceed a predetermined threshold, the controller may conduct independent single-dimension searches to determine values for the first through fourth voltages that minimize the insertion loss. When the initial insertion loss exceeds the predetermined threshold, the controller may conduct a four-dimensional search to determine values for the first through fourth voltages that reduce the insertion loss to not exceed the predetermined threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: CALIENT Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jitender Miglani, Mchael Deacon, Vijayan Thattai, Sushma Sagaram, Shifu Yuan
  • Patent number: 9176312
    Abstract: A fast modular port switching device is described. The device can be used with an optical microscope to facilitate using multiple devices with the microscope. The port switching is done with a galvanometer for switching very fast. The device is modular so it can be combined with any number of similar devices for building a complex, multi-modal imaging system. Also described is the combination of a port switcher with automated spherical aberration correction. Even further described is a similar device where the outputs are recombined, thus making the device a fast filter switcher.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: INTELLIGENT IMAGING INNOVATIONS, INC.
    Inventor: Glen Ivan Redford
  • Patent number: 9166727
    Abstract: An optical communication system includes a plurality of wavelength selective switches arranged on an optical network; and an optical network management apparatus configured to manage and control the optical network. In response to a path establishing request, the optical network management apparatus determines power consumption of each path that satisfies the path establishing request in the optical network based upon a wavelength being used at a connection port of each of the wavelength selective switches, selects a route based upon the determined power consumption of each of the path, and sets the selected route in the optical network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventor: Shinji Yamashita