Including Polarization Patents (Class 398/184)
  • Patent number: 7457548
    Abstract: A squeezed light generator comprises an arbitrary optical fiber, a means for temporally separating two linearly polarized components, two Faraday rotators and a high-reflection mirror. Pulse lights that are temporally separated into two orthogonally polarized components at an intensity ratio of 50:50 are reciprocatively propagated in the optical fiber, and the polarized light is rotated by 90° in an outward transmission. Since those two polarized components pass through the optical paths which are accurately equal to each other in the outward and homeward transmissions, those two polarized components interfere with each other accurately at 50:50 after reciprocation through the fiber. The interfered beam is separated by a polarizing beam splitter that is high in an extinction ratio. When the polarized lights before inputting the fiber and after reciprocating coincide with each other, it is unnecessary to maintain the polarization in the fiber propagation, and an arbitrary fiber can be used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2008
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventor: Tatsuya Tomaru
  • Patent number: 7447436
    Abstract: A transmitter subsystem generates an optical signal which contains multiple subbands of information. The subbands have different polarizations. For example, in one approach, two or more optical transmitters generate optical signals which have different polarizations. An optical combiner optically combines the optical signals into a composite optical signal for transmission across an optical fiber. In another aspect, each optical transmitter generates an optical signal containing both a lower optical sideband and an upper optical sideband (i.e., a double sideband optical signal). An optical filter selects the upper optical sideband of one optical signal and the lower optical sideband of another optical signal to produce a composite optical signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignee: Forster Energy LLC
    Inventors: Ting K. Yee, Peter H. Chang, Chin-Sheng Tarng, Gregory M. Cutler, Slava Yazhgur, Ji Li, Laurence J. Newell, James F. Coward, Michael W. Rowan, Norman L. Swenson, Matthew C. Bradshaw
  • Publication number: 20080232816
    Abstract: By using low-frequency signals, an optical transmitting unit modulates one of a wavelength, a transmission timing, and an intensity of light as a carrier wave. A polarization multiplexer synthesizes the output light signals, modulated by the optical transmitting unit, in polarization states orthogonal to each other and generates polarization-multiplexing signals. A polarization splitter splits by extracting two orthogonal polarization components from the polarization-multiplexing signals. The polarization states of the polarization-multiplexing signals are controlled by a polarization controller in an optical receiving unit. A band-pass filter extracts components transmitting through passbands from output signals of the optical receiving unit and outputs an intensity of the components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2008
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Applicant: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventors: Takeshi Hoshida, Jens Rasmussen
  • Publication number: 20080212980
    Abstract: An optical processing method includes: receiving an optical signal from an optical system, wherein the optical signal is distorted by frequency-dependent polarization effects in the optical system; spatially dispersing frequency components of the distorted optical signal on a spatial light modulator (SLM); and independently adjusting the polarization transfer matrix of multiple regions of the SLM to reduce the distortion of the optical signal. A related optical processing method includes: providing a precompensation signal indicative of frequency-dependent polarization effects in a downstream optical system; spatially dispersing frequency components of an optical signal on a spatial light modulator (SLM); and independently adjusting the polarization transfer matrix of multiple regions of the SLM to at least partially precompensate the optical signal for distortions caused by the frequency-dependent polarization effects in the downstream optical system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2008
    Publication date: September 4, 2008
    Applicant: Purdue Research Foundation
    Inventor: Andrew M. Weiner
  • Patent number: 7421210
    Abstract: An optical transmitter splits a linear polarization optical carrier into a TE wave and a TM wave. One of the TE wave and the TM wave is phase-modulated with a transmission data so as to generate a phase-modulated signal. The phase-modulated signal and the other one of the TE wave and the TM wave are coupled with a linear polarization and output into an optical transmission line. An optical receiver splits a light input from the optical transmission line into the TE wave and the TM wave. The TM wave or TE wave is converted into the TE wave or TM wave to interfere with the TE wave or TM wave. The interfered signal light is converted into an electric signal for restoration of the data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2008
    Assignee: National Institute of Information and Communications Technology Incorporated Administrative Agency
    Inventor: Tetsuya Miyazaki
  • Patent number: 7421209
    Abstract: An optical wavelength multiplexing frequency shift keying modulation system. The system includes an optical wavelength multiplexing signal acquisition unit for outputting an optical wavelength multiplexing signal. A n optical frequency shift keying modulation unit acquires an optical frequency shift keying signal, including an upper side band signal and a lower side band signal, by performing frequency modulation to the optical wavelength multiplexing signal output from the optical wavelength multiplexing signal acquisition unit. An optical frequency shift keying signal separation unit separates the optical frequency shift keying signal output from the optical frequency shift keying modulation unit into an upper side band signal and a lower side band signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2008
    Assignee: National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, Incorporated Administrative Agency
    Inventors: Tetsuya Kawanishi, Masayuki Izutsu
  • Patent number: 7415212
    Abstract: A transmitter formed of two or more light-emitting sections such as LEDs, which are physically arranged in a predetermined manner, is disposed in the real world object, and each light-emitting section transmits data by flashing at a flashing pattern representing the transmission data of a predetermined bit length. A receiver, on the other hand, includes a photoreceiving section formed from a two-dimensional photoreceiving surface, decodes the transmission data on the basis of the photoreceived flashing pattern, and recognizes the spatial information of an object on the basis of the flashing position on the two-dimensional photoreceiving surface. Therefore, information, such as an ID, can be obtained from the object in the real world, and also, the spatial position of the object can be recognized at the same time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2008
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Matsushita, Junichi Rekimoto, Shigeru Tajima, Yuji Ayatsuka, Michimune Kohno
  • Patent number: 7398022
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for transmitting at least a digital optical signal with return-to-zero phase-shift keying, employing a single optical modulator with dual-drive design, the encoded optical signal having improved spectral efficiency and performances and being generated by transmitters with simplified scheme; an optical communication system comprising the transmitting apparatus, a transmission line and an apparatus to receive the optical signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2008
    Inventor: Mario Zitelli
  • Patent number: 7398023
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling bias and alignment in an optical signal transmitter for providing intensity modulation and DPSK modulation to an optical signal, e.g. in an RZ-DPSK modulation format. Output power in dither signals applied to the bias signals may be detected by a low speed photodetector. One or more of the bias signals may be adjusted in a low speed control loop in response to an error signal obtained by mixing the detected signal with the low frequency dither signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2008
    Assignee: Tyco Telecommunications (US) Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew V. Mazurczyk, Sameh Sabet
  • Patent number: 7391978
    Abstract: The invention provides an optical signal transmitter low in noise and in distortion and provides an optical signal transmission system using this optical signal transmitter. The optical signal transmitter includes a plurality of frequency modulation means for distributing an electric signal into a plurality of electric signals and applying frequency modulation to the distributed electric signals to output and a multiplexing mean for multiplexing a plurality of signals output from the plurality of frequency modulation means and outputting a multiplexed signal. The plurality of frequency modulation means are set to be substantially equal to each other in frequency deviation and in intermediate frequency and to be substantially identical to each other in the phase of each output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation
    Inventor: Koji Kikushima
  • Publication number: 20080131142
    Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided that yields improved performance of both single channel and WDM long-distance optical transmission systems by synchronously modulating of the transmitted signal's amplitude. An amplitude modulator receives an optical signal onto which data has been modulated at a predetermined frequency. The modulator re-modulates the amplitude of the optical signal in a continues fashion with a waveform that is periodic, whose fundamental frequency is equal to the same predetermined frequency at which the data is modulated onto the optical signal. The resulting signal (which is neither a pure NRZ or RZ signal) is more tolerant to the distortions usually found in lightwave transmission systems, thus giving superior transmission performance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2007
    Publication date: June 5, 2008
    Applicant: TYCO TELECOMMUNICATIONS (US) INC.
    Inventor: Neal S. Bergano
  • Patent number: 7376358
    Abstract: An optical spike is generated at an arbitrarily selected location within an arbitrary optical link. The optical spike is generated by deriving a spike signal having a plurality of components, and launching the spike signal into the a transmitter end of the optical link. An initial phase relationship between the components is selected such that the involved signal components will be phase aligned at the selected location. In order to achieve this operation, the initial phase relationship between the components may be selected to offset dispersion induced phase changes between the transmitter end of the link and the selected location. One or more optical spikes can be generated at respective arbitrarily selected locations within the link, and may be used for performance monitoring, system control, or other purposes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited
    Inventors: Kim Roberts, Maurice O'Sullivan
  • Patent number: 7369773
    Abstract: An optical processing method includes: receiving an optical signal from an optical system, wherein the optical signal is distorted by frequency-dependent polarization effects in the optical system; spatially dispersing frequency components of the distorted optical signal on a spatial light modulator (SLM); and independently adjusting the polarization transfer matrix of multiple regions of the SLM to reduce the distortion of the optical signal. A related optical processing method includes: providing a precompensation signal indicative of frequency-dependent polarization effects in a downstream optical system; spatially dispersing frequency components of an optical signal on a spatial light modulator (SLM); and independently adjusting the polarization transfer matrix of multiple regions of the SLM to at least partially precompensate the optical signal for distortions caused by the frequency-dependent polarization effects in the downstream optical system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2008
    Assignee: Purdue Research Foundation
    Inventor: Andrew M. Weiner
  • Patent number: 7343100
    Abstract: This application describes techniques for optical multiplexing and demultiplexing in optical communication systems based on polarization multiplexing of different signal channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2008
    Assignee: General Photonics Corporation
    Inventor: X. Steve Yao
  • Patent number: 7317877
    Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods for producing and utilizing orthogonal optical data signals, which can be produced by modulating electrical data signals onto orthogonal polarization components of an optical carrier traveling in opposite directions in a common modulator. The modulator can include one or more traveling wave electrodes having first and second ends with a first electrical data input connected to the first end and a second electrical data input connected to the second end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2008
    Assignee: Broadwing Corporation
    Inventor: Alistair J. Price
  • Patent number: 7317845
    Abstract: An optical modulator is overdriven to increase its nonlinearity and therefore improve its response as it pertains to differential phase shift keyed (DPSK) transmission and a method of operating the same. In one embodiment, the MZM includes an MZM drive circuit coupled to the electrodes and configured to deliver to the electrode a DPSK drive signal bearing digital data and having a voltage that exceeds a normal drive voltage of the MZM by at least about 20%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2008
    Assignee: Lucent Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas M. Gill, Xiang Liu
  • Patent number: 7308204
    Abstract: In the invention, an input light including a signal light and a noise light within a signal wavelength band of the signal light is divided into a first component with a polarization parallel to a polarization direction of the signal light and a second component with a polarization orthogonal to the polarization direction of the first component. The first component is supplied into a first arm and the second component into a second arm. The optical phase of the second component in the second arm is shifted so that the optical phase of the second component in the second arm relatively differs by ? from the optical phase of the first component in the first arm. The first component output from the first arm and the second component output from the second arm are combined to make the noise lights included in the first and second components interfere with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2007
    Assignee: KDDI Corporation
    Inventors: Michiaki Hayashi, Hideaki Tanaka
  • Patent number: 7292793
    Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided that yields improved performance of both single channel and WDM long-distance optical transmission systems by synchronously modulating of the transmitted signal's amplitude. An amplitude modulator receives an optical signal onto which data has been modulated at a predetermined frequency. The modulator re-modulates the amplitude of the optical signal in a continuous fashion with a waveform that is periodic, whose fundamental frequency is equal to the same predetermined frequency at which the data is modulated onto the optical signal. The resulting signal (which is neither a pure NRZ or RZ signal) is more tolerant to the distortions usually found in lightwave transmission systems, thus giving superior transmission performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2007
    Assignee: Tyco Telecommunications (US) Inc.
    Inventor: Neal S. Bergano
  • Patent number: 7280764
    Abstract: An optical signal multiplexer/demultiplexer using an orthogonal pseudorandom (PRN) coding scheme for optical mode modulation to produce a plurality of independent optical signals that may be combined into one multiplex signal for transmission over an optical fiber to the receiving end, where the multiplex signal may be demultiplexed by relying on the orthogonal properties of the PRN code to isolate each independent optical signal from the transmitted multiplex signal. In channels subject to mode modulation distortion, one of the signal components may be used as a pilot signal to obtain a correction for channel mode modulation distortion. The PRN optical signal multiplexer/demultiplexer is particularly useful with polarization mode modulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2007
    Assignee: Avago Technologies Fiber IP (Singapore) Pte Ltd
    Inventors: Ken A. Nishimura, Jonathan Simon
  • Patent number: 7277646
    Abstract: An optical transmitter for generating an optical signal includes: a precoder for coding an electrical signal of binary data; a continuous-wave (CW) light source for generating a continuous wave light; an optical phase modulator for modulating the phase of an optical signal outputted from the CW light source according to an electrical signal outputted from the precoder; a birefrigent material for bi-refracting a signal outputted from the optical phase modulator and for outputting the bi-refracted signal; and a polarizer for permitting only optical signals of a specific polarization direction to transmit therethrough when optical signals outputted from the birefrigent material are applied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2007
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hoon Kim, Seong-Taek Hwang
  • Patent number: 7257332
    Abstract: An optical transmitter comprises an amplitude modulation unit performing amplitude modulation of only a one-side amplitude of a main signal with a low-frequency signal having a predetermined frequency. An optical modulator receives an input signal generated after the one-side amplitude modulation, and modulates an incoming light in response to the received signal in accordance with a predetermined modulation-characteristic curve to output an optical output signal. An operating point control unit applies a predetermined bias voltage to the optical modulator to control a level of the input signal substantially applied to the modulation-characteristic curve so that the one-side amplitude of the main signal is applied to a minimum portion of the modulation-characteristic curve of the optical modulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Shihori Imai, legal representative, Toru Yamazaki, Kakuji Inoue, Setsuo Misaizu, Yasunori Nagakubo, Keisuke Imai, deceased
  • Patent number: 7206466
    Abstract: A system and method for reducing polarization dependent loss in optical circuits is disclosed. The system includes a first optical device having an output, and a polarization controller optically coupled to the first optical device for adjusting a polarization state of the output of the first optical device. The system further includes a second optical device optically coupled to the polarization controller. Adjusting the polarization state of the output of the first optical device alters a total polarization-dependent loss for the cascaded device system. A series of fiber optic loops can be used to adjust the output of the first optical device. A PDL measuring device can be inserted after the second optical device to provide feedback to the polarization controller, so that the controller may be tuned to adjust the polarization to a desired state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2007
    Assignee: Finisar Corporation
    Inventors: Jian He, Ping Xie, Chester Chien
  • Patent number: 7200344
    Abstract: A method and system for transmitting information in a wavelength division multiplex (WDM) or other suitable multichannel optical communication system includes receiving a multichannel signal having a symbol rate and comprising a plurality of non-intensity modulated optical information signals. The non-intensity modulated optical information signals have a minimum channel spacing comprising a multiple of the symbol rate within 0.4 to 0.6 of an integer. The non-intensity modulated optical information signals are separated from the multichannel signal and each converted into an intensity modulated optical information signal using an asymmetric interferometer. A data signal is recovered from the intensity modulated optical information signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2007
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventor: Takeshi Hoshida
  • Patent number: 7194211
    Abstract: Optical transmitter/receivers for use in a DWDM systems are provided. Transmission of data signals in a quadrature-return-to-zero (QRZ) format achieves a data transmission rate equal to eight times a base data rate, i.e., 80 Gbps over a 100 GHz channel if the base data rate is 10 Gbps, with high non-linear performance by setting the polarization state of the data bands such that non-linear effects induced by PMD are reduced. Additionally, a transmitter achieves a transmission data rate equal to 16 times the base data rate by sharpening the QRZ pulses and interleaving pulse-sharpened QRZ data signals in the time domain, further doubling the data rate. Using counterpropagation in the transmitter, carrier signals and data signals traverse the same length of fiber, reducing fringing effects in the transmitter. Related techniques enhance reception and detection of data at high data rates. A local pulse-sharpened carrier is mixed with a QRZ data signal at a detector reducing amplification noise by a factor of two.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2007
    Assignee: Teradvance Communications LLC
    Inventors: Marcel F. C. Schemmann, Zoran Maricevic, Bogdan Hoanca
  • Patent number: 7167651
    Abstract: A system for optical communication forms a family of orthogonal optical codes modulated by a data stream. The orthogonal codes are formed by creating a stream of evenly spaced-apart pulses using a pulse spreader circuit and modulating the pulses in amplitude and/or phase to form a family of orthogonal optical code words, each representing a symbol. A spreader calibration circuit is used to ensure accurate timing and modulation. Each code word is further modulated by a predetermined number of data bits. The data modulation scheme splits a code word into H and V components, and further processes the components prior to modulation with data, followed by recombining with a polarization beam combiner. The data-modulated code word is then sent, along with others to receiver. The received signal is detected and demodulated with the help of a symbol synchronization unit which establishes the beginning and end of the code words.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2007
    Assignee: CeLight, Inc.
    Inventors: Isaac Shpantzer, Michael Tseytlin, Yaakov Achiam, Aviv Salamon, Israel Smilanski, Olga Ritterbush, Pak Shing Cho, Li Guoliang, Jacob Khurgin, Yehouda Meiman, Alper Demir, Peter Feldman, Peter Kinget, Nagendra Krishnapura, Jaijeet Roychowdhury, Joseph Schwarzwalder, Charles Sciabarra
  • Patent number: 7155127
    Abstract: Cost-reduction in an optical communication unit is achieved by using spectrum-sliced modulated broadband light for transmitting upstream signals, instead of using laser light. An optical communication system includes at least one pair of optical communication units that each has a bi-directional network interface in which physical bit rates of transmission signals and reception signals are identical, an optical transmitter, and an optical receiver, and that performs bi-directional transmissions via at least one optical fiber. One optical communication unit includes a physical bit rate down-converter that lowers the physical bit rate of transmission signals from the bi-directional network interface and outputs to the optical transmitter, and the other optical communication unit includes a physical bit rate up-converter that raises the physical bit rate of signals received by the optical receiver and outputs to the bi-directional network interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2006
    Assignee: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation
    Inventors: Koji Akimoto, Jun-ichi Kani, Mitsuhiro Teshima, Katsumi Iwatsuki, Masaki Fukui
  • Patent number: 7146103
    Abstract: A transmitter subsystem generates an optical signal which contains multiple subbands of information. The subbands have different polarization. For example, in one approach, two or more optical transmitters generate optical signals which have different polarization. An optical combiner optically combines the optical signals into a composite optical signal for transmission across an optical fiber. In another aspect, each optical transmitter generates an optical signal containing both a lower optical sideband and an upper optical sideband (i.e., a double sideband optical signal). An optical filter selects the upper optical sideband of one optical signal and the lower optical sideband of another optical signal to produce a composite optical signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2006
    Assignee: Forster Energy LLC
    Inventors: Ting K Yee, Peter H Chang, Shin-Sheng Tarng, Gregory M Cutler, Slava Yazhgur, Ji Li, Laurence J Newell, James F Coward, Michael W Rowan, Norman L Swenson, Matthew C Bashaw
  • Patent number: 7142788
    Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods for producing and utilizing orthogonal optical data signals, which can be produced by modulating electrical data signals onto orthogonal polarization components of an optical carrier traveling in opposite directions in a common modulator. The modulator can include one or more traveling wave electrodes having first and second ends with a first electrical data input connected to the first end and a second electrical data input connected to the second end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2006
    Assignee: Corvis Corporation
    Inventor: Alistair J. Price
  • Patent number: 7076169
    Abstract: A system for optical communication send optical signals over a plurality of wavelength channels. Each wavelength channel comprises a number of orthogonal subchannel frequencies which are spaced apart from one another by a predetermined amount. Each of the subchannel frequencies is modulated with data from a data stream. The data modulation scheme splits a subchannel frequency code into H and V components, and further processes the components prior to modulation with data. The various data-modulated subchannels are then combined into a single channel for transmission. The received signals are detected and demodulated with the help of a symbol timing recovery module which establishes the beginning and end of each symbol. A polarization mode distortion compensation module at the receiver is used to mitigate the effects to polarization more distortion in the fiber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2006
    Assignee: CeLight, Inc.
    Inventors: Isaac Shpantzer, Yehouda Meiman, Michael Tseytlin, Olga Ritterbush, Aviv Salamon, Peter Feldman, Alper Demir, Peter Kinget, Nagendra Krishnapura, Jaijeet Roychowdhury
  • Patent number: 7068948
    Abstract: An optical return-to-zero (RZ) signal generator and related methods are described in which a phase modulator causes a phase change in an optical signal responsive to a transition in a driving signal, and in which an interferometer receives the optical signal from the phase modulator and generates an optical pulse responsive to that phase change. Preferably, the interferometer introduces a fixed, unmodulated time delay between its two signal paths, the fixed time delay being selected such that destructive interference occurs at an output of the interferometer when the phase of the optical signal received from the phase modulator remains constant. However, when a rising or falling edge of the driving signal causes phases changes in the optical signal, the destructive interference at the output of the interferometer is disturbed, and an optical pulse is generated. The driving signal is a differentially encoded version of an input information signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2006
    Assignee: Gazillion Bits, Inc.
    Inventors: Haiqing Wei, Aly F. Elrefaie, Xin Xue, Shih-Yuan Wang
  • Patent number: 7031614
    Abstract: To generate light with the degree of polarization zeroed and the spread of an optical spectrum suppressed even with temporal overlapping between optical pulses each of which is polarized orthogonally to the succeeding pulse, a polarization scrambler includes an optical pulse generator that generates optical pulses with an intensity waveform repetition T/2 and an electrical field repetition period T in which the same intensity waveform is repeated every repetition period T/2 and in which phase is inverted every repetition period T/2, and an orthogonal polarization delay unit which receives each of the optical pulses, separates the optical pulse into two optical pulses with orthogonal states of polarization, and relatively shifts the temporal position of one of the two optical pulses from that of the other optical pulse by (2n?1)T/4 (n is a natural number) to generate light in which each pulse is polarized orthogonally to a succeeding pulse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Assignee: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation
    Inventors: Masamichi Fujiwara, Mitsuhiro Teshima, Noboru Takachio, Katsumi Iwatsuki
  • Patent number: 7024123
    Abstract: An optical data transmitting apparatus and method allows data transmission over a distance that surpasses a limit, which has been imposed due to group velocity dispersion (GVD) and self phase modulation (SPM) effect within optical fiber. This has been accomplished by allocating trinal duobinary symbols to optical 1, P, ?1 symbols. These optical symbols have the same intensity, +1 and ?1 symbols have inverted optical phases each other, and orthogonally polarized each other between ±1 and P symbols. At the receiver, conventional polarization shift keying receiver can be used to restore original binary data stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Yutaka Yano
  • Patent number: 6972842
    Abstract: Timing alignment between a pulse carver (i.e., intensity modulator) and a phase modulator, e.g., in a return-to-zero (RZ) differential phase-shift keying (DPSK) optical transmitter, is monitored by filtering a signal from the transmitter and measuring the power of the filtered signal. In certain embodiments, the filter has a birefringent device (such as a polarization-maintaining fiber) and a polarizer. The polarizer may be a rotating polarizer with a rotating quarter-wave plate in front of it. In other embodiments, the filter is a periodic filter such as a Mach-Zehnder interferometer or an etalon filter. Regardless, the measured power may be used to generate control signals used to variably delay the signals that drive the phase modulator and/or the pulse carver to compensate for detected misalignment. The measured power may also be used to monitor the bit-error-rate degradation caused by timing misalignment between the pulse carver and the phase modulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2005
    Assignee: Lucent Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher R. Doerr, Hoon Kim
  • Patent number: 6931165
    Abstract: An optical device includes a small and low-cost variable polarization plane rotator that can control a rotation angle of the polarization plane easily. A variable polarization plane rotator is provided with a ?/4 phase plate having an optical axis in the same direction as, or at a 90 degree angle relative to, a polarization direction of an input light beam. A phase difference variable element has an optical axis at a ±45 degree angle relative to the optical axis of the ?/4 phase plate, to apply a variable phase difference between the polarization components parallel to and perpendicular to the optical axis thereof. A phase difference adjustment section adjusts the variable phase difference of the phase difference variable element, wherein the input light beam after being transmitted through the phase difference variable element to form elliptically polarized light or circularly polarized light, is transmitted through the ?/4 phase plate to form linearly polarized light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2005
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Hiroshi Nagaeda, Nobuaki Mitamura, Kazuaki Akimoto
  • Patent number: 6915077
    Abstract: A system and method for increasing channel capacity in fiber-optical communication networks utilizing space and time modulation. The system utilizes a three-dimensional spatial field of time division multiplexing, polarization modulation, and wavelength division multiplexing to increase channel capacity. A plurality of transmitter data processors receive a plurality of channel inputs for transmission over the optical network. The transmitter data processor produces time division multiplexing of a plurality of data channel inputs into a plurality of temporal and spatial data streams. A plurality of optical sources receive and directly modulated by the plurality of temporal data streams which are then polarization modulated before being delivered to a wavelength division multiplexer for transmission over an fiber-optics cable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2005
    Inventor: Victor Yeeman Lo
  • Patent number: 6915082
    Abstract: An optical data transmitting apparatus and method allows data transmission over a distance that surpasses a limit, which has been imposed due to group velocity dispersion (GVD) and self phase modulation (SPM) effect within optical fiber. This has been accomplished by allocating trinal duobinary symbols to optical 1, P, ?1 symbols. These optical symbols have the same intensity, +1 and ?1 symbols have inverted optical phases each other, and orthogonally polarized each other between ±1 and P symbols. At the receiver, conventional polarization shift keying receiver can be used to restore original binary data stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2005
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Yutaka Yano
  • Patent number: 6884990
    Abstract: A method is provided for changing the polarization of at least one of the photons emitted from a photon pair source into various partial ray paths using an electro-optical modulator (EOM), which is positioned in the particular partial ray path being traversed by the photon to be influenced and which, in the activated state, is able to alter the polarization of a photon, the modulator being activated as a function of time such that the probability that the photon is found in the region of the electro-optical modulator in the activated state is at a maximum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2005
    Assignee: Deutsche Telekom AG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Dultz, Heidrun Schmitzer, Kay Michael Schmid, Helmar A. Becker
  • Patent number: 6871023
    Abstract: A spread polarization transmitter for transmitting at least one light signal comprises a spread-spectrum communication apparatus and a polarization modulator. The spread-spectrum communication apparatus modulates the at least one light signal according to a spread-spectrum modulation technique. The polarization modulator comprises a polarizer and a magnetic bubble waveguide. The polarizer is capable of polarizing the at least one spread-spectrum modulated light signal in a polarized direction. And the magnetic bubble waveguide, which is configured in accordance with a pseudo-random polarization code sequence such that the plurality of magnetic bubble domains assume a time varying position representative of the pseudo-random polarization code sequence, is capable of receiving at least one polarized, spread-spectrum modulated light signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2005
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Robert J. Atmur, Jeffrey H. Hunt
  • Patent number: 6865348
    Abstract: A system which improves wavelength tolerance, compensates dispersion in a simple way, reduces limitation of the fiber input power is disclosed. The operation includes receiving a clock signal from a system clock source; modulating a single mode optical signal based on the clock signal and generating an optical pulse signal having two longitudinal modes, the frequency interval thereof being n×B, n being a natural number and B being a transmission speed; generating a partial response signal by converting a binary NRZ signal from a digital signal source in synchronism with the system clock source; and modulating the optical pulse signal based on the partial response signal, and outputting a binary RZ modulated signal. The binary RZ modulated signal is input into a receiver, where two partial response components in the optical spectra of the input signal are divided, and one or both of the components are received.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2005
    Assignee: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation
    Inventors: Yutaka Miyamoto, Akira Hirano, Kazushige Yonenaga, Kenji Sato, Hiromu Toba, Akihiko Matsuura
  • Patent number: 6859568
    Abstract: A polarization transformer/PMD compensator chip contains a differential TE-TM phase modulator at its input. The modulator generates a TE-TM phase modulation. The mode converter voltages are driven with driving signals that are free of DC components. DC drift is thereby safely avoided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2005
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Reinhold Noe, David Sandel
  • Patent number: 6826318
    Abstract: An optical device includes a small and low-cost variable polarization plane rotator that can control a rotation angle of the polarization plane easily. A variable polarization plane rotator is provided with a &lgr;/4 phase plate having an optical axis in the same direction as, or at a 90 degree angle relative to, a polarization direction of an input light beam. A phase difference variable element has an optical axis at a ±45 degree angle relative to the optical axis of the &lgr;/4 phase plate, to apply a variable phase difference between the polarization components parallel to and perpendicular to the optical axis thereof. A phase difference adjustment section adjusts the variable phase difference of the phase difference variable element, wherein the input light beam after being transmitted through the phase difference variable element to form elliptically polarized light or circularly polarized light, is transmitted through the &lgr;/4 phase plate to form linearly polarized light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2004
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Hiroshi Nagaeda, Nobuaki Mitamura, Kazuaki Akimoto
  • Patent number: 6823142
    Abstract: A signal light from an optical transmission line propagates on a first optical fiber and enters a polarization converter. The polarization converter converts the input light with the given polarization into a linear polarization with a desired angle using two Faraday rotators and a quarter wave plate between them. The output light of the polarization converter propagates on a second optical fiber and enters a polarization beam splitter. The polarization beam splitter splits the light from the second optical fiber into two mutually orthogonal polarization components (e.g. TE and TM components) and outputs either of them (e.g. the TE component) toward a third optical fiber. A portion of the light propagating on the third optical fiber is split by an optical coupler and enters a photodetector. A bandpass filter (BPF) extracts a clock component of the signal from an output of the photodetector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2004
    Assignee: KDDI Corporation
    Inventors: Hideaki Tanaka, Masashi Usami, Shinsuke Tanaka
  • Patent number: 6819872
    Abstract: A micro-optical delay element for a time-division multiplexing scheme is disclosed wherein two light beams are provided to a beam splitter/combiner (BS/C) in the absence of optical fibre. At least one beam exiting a modulator is collimated and reaches the (BS/C) unguided as a substantially collimated beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2004
    Assignee: JDS Uniphase Corporation
    Inventors: Mark Farries, Yihao Cheng, Timothy C. Munks, Paul E. Dunn, Andrew Finch
  • Patent number: 6819877
    Abstract: An optical link is operative for transmitting a microwave signal in modulated optical form over an optical fiber. The optical link has a transmitter and a receiver. The transmitter splits and converts the microwave signal into two separate optical signals, each of which represents either the positive varying part of the microwave signal or the negative varying part of the microwave signal. The receiver combines the two separate optical signals and converts them back into the microwave signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2004
    Assignee: Bookham Technology PLC
    Inventors: Andrew C Carter, Colin Edge
  • Patent number: 6744992
    Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided that yields improved performance of both single channel and WDM long-distance optical transmission systems by synchronously modulating of the transmitted signal's amplitude. An amplitude modulator receives an optical signal onto which data has been modulated at a predetermined frequency. The modulator re-modulates the amplitude of the optical signal in a continues fashion with a waveform that is periodic, whose fundamental frequency is equal to the same predetermined frequency at which the data is modulated onto the optical signal. The resulting signal (which is neither a pure NRZ or RZ signal) is more tolerant to the distortions usually found in lightwave transmission systems, thus giving superior transmission performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2004
    Assignee: Tyco Telecommunications (US) Inc.
    Inventor: Neal S. Bergano
  • Patent number: 6735350
    Abstract: A polarized input optical beam enters a polarization beam splitter/combiner (PBC), where a first polarization component of the polarized input optical beam continues to propagate substantially entirely along a first optical path, whereas at least a portion of a second orthogonally polarized component switches onto a second optical path. A loop back optical fiber incorporated in at least one of the first and second optical paths, adds propagation delay length greater than the coherence length of the polarized input optical beam, giving rise to delayed and undelayed optical beam components, which are then incoherently recombined into a depolarized output optical beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2004
    Assignee: nLight Photonics Corporation
    Inventor: Brian C. Gauthier
  • Patent number: 6714742
    Abstract: Methods and systems for implementing polarization division multiplexing to allow recovery of data in different multiplexed channels at a receiving end without recovering multiplexed polarizations used in the transmitting stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2004
    Assignee: University of Southern California
    Inventors: M. Imran Hayee, Mustafa C. Cardakli, Alan E. Willner
  • Patent number: 6690889
    Abstract: The present invention is a device to increase the bit rate and distance at which data can be transmitted by optical fiber. The device compensates the polarization dispersion of the line by processing a received optical signal with the use of a polarization controller, the generation of a differential group delay between two orthogonal polarization modes and a control unit for the polarization controller. The data that is sent is redundant to enable detection of errors affecting the data received and the control unit is adapted to minimize the error rate calculated in real time by using the redundant data. The application of the device is to long-haul optical transmission, in particular over stranded fibers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2004
    Assignee: Alcatel
    Inventors: Bertrand Desthieux, François-Xavier Ollivier, Denis Penninckx
  • Publication number: 20040018021
    Abstract: A quantum switch teleportation system contains one pair of two-mode squeezed light source devices that generate a pair of two-mode squeezed lights, and two receiving devices. The user can switch or select the receiving device to which information will be provided based on a difference in entanglement conditions of the pair of two-mode squeezed lights.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2003
    Publication date: January 29, 2004
    Applicant: Communications Research Laboratory, Independent Administrative Institution
    Inventors: Yun Zhang, Katsuyuki Kasai
  • Patent number: 6650846
    Abstract: An optical transmitter configurating an optical transmission system according to this invention comprises a light source, an intensity modulator for modulating the intensity of light output from the light source according to NRZ data that is transmission data, and a polarization modulator for modulating the polarization of an output from the intensity modulator according to an alternating signal. Instead of the NRZ data, an RZ signal maybe used for modulation, and instead of the alternating signal, a signal may be used that inverts a logic for those bits having a value for the larger intensity of the modulated light. A phase modulator using a bit rate frequency sine wave as a modulation input may be inserted between the intensity modulator and the polarization modulator. In this case, the intensity and phase modulators may be connected in the reverse order. In addition, at least one optical amplifier may be inserted between any adjacent modulators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2003
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Toshiharu Ito