Patents Examined by Chad Smith
  • Patent number: 9835317
    Abstract: According to one aspect, an optical waveguide comprises a plurality of coupling cavities for directing light into a waveguide body spaced from a particular point. Further, each of the coupling cavities comprises a dimension that varies with distance from the particular point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: Zongjie Yuan, Corey J. Goldstein, Kurt S. Wilcox
  • Patent number: 9829667
    Abstract: A fixture (44/244) is for forming a fiber optic array (10/110/210) that defines a plurality of discrete fibers (12) extending from a spaced-apart arrangement to a consolidated arrangement wherein the fibers (12) are layered next to each other for a further ribbonizing process. The fixture (44/244) includes a pair of contact blades (54/254) that are configured to slide along a direction transverse to the longitudinal axes of the fibers (12) for consolidating the fibers (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: CommScope Connectivity UK Limited
    Inventors: Gordon John White, Christopher Charles Taylor, David Patrick Murray
  • Patent number: 9823496
    Abstract: An optical isolator for suppressing back reflections from a downstream optical system is described. The optical isolator includes a plurality of optical paths between a splitter and a combiner. One or more of the optical paths include two phase modulators that are driven by oscillating signals having predefined phase relationships. At least one bypass optical path does not include two phase modulators driven by oscillating signals. Amplitude and phase of an optical signal traversing the bypass optical path may be tuned to further suppress residual reflections from a downstream optical system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: Acacia Communications, Inc.
    Inventor: Christopher Doerr
  • Patent number: 9823429
    Abstract: A pluggable connector with anti-electromagnetic interference capability is disclosed in this invention, which includes a socket housing, multiple terminal assemblies and a shielding case. The socket housing includes an insulating base, a first anti-EMI block independently mounted on the insulating base and a second anti-EMI block independently mounted on the insulating base. The first anti-EMI block and an upper bracket can be combined together to form an upper circuit board slot, and the second anti-EMI block and a lower bracket can be combined together to form a lower circuit board slot. The pluggable connector of the present invention has a good anti-electromagnetic interference capability by the first and second anti-EMI blocks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: Oupiin Electronic (Kunshan) Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hsin chih Chen
  • Patent number: 9823420
    Abstract: An apparatus for converting fiber mode to waveguide mode. The apparatus includes a silicon substrate member and a dielectric member having an elongated body. Part of the elongated body from a back end overlies the silicon substrate member and remaining part of the elongated body up to a front end is separated from the silicon substrate member by a second dielectric material at an under region. The apparatus also includes a waveguide including a segment from the back end to a tail end formed on the dielectric member at least partially overlying the remaining part of the elongated body. The segment is buried in a cladding overlying entirely the dielectric member. The cladding has a refractive index that is less than the waveguide but includes an index-graded section with decreasing index that is formed at least over the segment from the tail end toward the back end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: INPHI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masaki Kato, Radhakrishnan L. Nagarajan
  • Patent number: 9798085
    Abstract: An optical fiber cable includes a first cable segment; a second cable segment; and a splice enclosure. The first cable segment can have a different configuration than the second cable segment. The splice enclosure is coupled to the strength member and strength component of the first cable segment and the second cable segment. One example splice enclosure includes a first enclosure body having a first threaded connection region and a second enclosure body having a second threaded connection region. Another example splice enclosure includes a tubular enclosure with two end caps. Cable retention members are positioned within the splice enclosure at fixed axial positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: COMMSCOPE TECHNOLOGIES LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Marcouiller, Paula Rudenick
  • Patent number: 9791627
    Abstract: A tunable optical filter integrates the functions of wavelength tuning and power isolation of back reflection. The optical signal enters a Faraday rotator twice, and isolation is provided by two birefringent crystals, having their optical axes oriented at 45 degrees with respect to each other. The two birefringent crystals are on the same side of the Faraday rotator. The integration of an optical tunable filter and an isolator function into a single packaged component helps to reduce the size and complexity of optical amplifier systems, such as EDFAs and PDFAs, operating in the 1550 nm and 1310 nm transmission bands, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: DICON FIBEROPTICS, INC.
    Inventor: Ho-Shang Lee
  • Patent number: 9778542
    Abstract: Novel methods and systems for waveguide fabrication and design are disclosed. Designs are described for fabricating ridge, buried and hybrid waveguides by a femtosecond pulsed laser. A laser system may combine a diode bar, a wavelength combiner and a waveguide. The waveguide may convert the electromagnetic radiation of an infrared laser into that the visible-wavelength range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Gregory David Miller, Gennady Imeshev
  • Patent number: 9778430
    Abstract: Disclosed are structures and methods for active optic cable (AOC) assembly having improved thermal characteristics. In one embodiment, an AOC assembly includes a fiber optic cable having a first end attached to a connector with a thermal insert attached to the housing for dissipating heat from the connector. The AOC assembly can dissipate a suitable heat transfer rate from the active components of the connector such as dissipating a heat transfer rate of 0.75 Watts or greater from the connector. In one embodiment, the thermal insert is at least partially disposed under the boot of the connector. In another embodiment, at least one component of the connector has a plurality of fins. Other AOC assemblies may include a connector having a pull tab for dissipating heat from the assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: Corning Optical Communications, LLC
    Inventors: Jeffery Alan DeMeritt, Allen Michael Miller, Martin Eugene Norris, Thomas Theuerkorn
  • Patent number: 9778427
    Abstract: A cable attach structure for attaching a fiber-optic cable to a rear end and a connector to a front end is disclosed. In one embodiment, the cable attach structure is a portion of a fiber optic cable assembly having a fiber optic cable with at least one optical fiber and a connector attached to the optical fiber. The fiber optic cable is attached to the cable attach structure at a rear end and circuit board is attached to the cable attach structure at the front end. The cable attach structure also routes the at least one optical fiber away from the centerline of the connector for off-axis fiber routing. In other embodiments, the optical fiber can enter the connector from a first direction and attach to the connector in a second direction if desired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: Corning Optical Communications LLC
    Inventors: Micah Colen Isenhour, Dennis Michael Knecht, Xin Liu, James Phillip Luther
  • Patent number: 9778494
    Abstract: The optical device includes a waveguide positioned on a base and a modulator positioned on the base. The modulator includes a ridge of an electro-absorption medium having a top side and a lateral side. The lateral side is between the top side and the base and the top side has a width. The waveguide is configured to guide a light signal through the modulator such that the light signal is guided through the ridge of electro-absorption medium. A heater is positioned over the lateral side of the electro-absorption medium without being positioned over the entire width of the ridge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: Mellanox Technologies Silicon Photonics Inc.
    Inventors: Dazeng Feng, Cheng-Chih Kung, Jacob Levy, Wei Qian, Wei Liu, Mehdi Asghari
  • Patent number: 9766418
    Abstract: Optical connector systems are disclosed. In one embodiment, an optical port includes a substrate, a laser silicon chip, an interposer, and a receptacle housing. The laser silicon chip includes an optical source, a laser beam emitting surface, and a grating at the laser beam emitting surface. The laser silicon chip is coupled to the substrate such that the laser beam emitting surface is transverse to the mounting surface of the substrate. The interposer includes an interposer fiber support bore, and is coupled to the laser beam emitting surface of the laser silicon chip such that the interposer fiber support bore is substantially aligned with the grating of the laser silicon chip. The receptacle housing includes a receptacle mating surface and defines an enclosure operable to receive a fiber optic connector. The receptacle mating surface includes a receptacle fiber support bore aligned with the interposer fiber support bore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: Corning Optical Communications LLC
    Inventors: Christopher Paul Lewallen, James Phillip Luther
  • Patent number: 9749039
    Abstract: A portable device is brought into a data center for testing connectivity between a customer and a service provider. A user of the device uses the device to requests ticket and customer information from a service provider in order to obtain more information about a particular task. The user plugs a cable into the device and performs a series of diagnostic tests on the connection. The device is configured to display the results of the diagnostic tests and any associated errors. The user of the device performs one or more actions based on the results of the diagnostic tests.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Po-Chun Chen, David Brian Lennon, Patrick Brigham Cullen, Daniel Thomas Robinson, Jawash Mohamed, Alexander Justin Penney, Kevin Christopher Miller, Marwan Salah Oweis
  • Patent number: 9739948
    Abstract: The ferrule has a rear end and a front end, an opening that is formed in the rear end and communicates with fiber holding holes holding the optical fibers formed from the rear end toward the front end, and first connection parts which are formed at the front end and to which the lens array is connected. The lens array has a rear face and a surface including an outgoing plane, lenses receiving the light from the optical fibers, and second connection parts connected to the first connection parts, the lenses and the second connection parts being formed on the rear face, and a flat face from which the light from the optical fibers is emitted, and third connection parts connected to an opposite connector, the flat face and the second connection parts being formed on the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Takuro Watanabe, Masaki Ohmura
  • Patent number: 9733439
    Abstract: This optical receptacle comprises the following: an optical-receptacle body that is formed via injection molding; a first optical surface; a second optical surface on a first side; a first concavity that has an angled surface whereby light that has entered via the first optical surface is reflected towards the second optical surface; a gate section on a third side; a first through-hole and a second through-hole that extend in the direction of the axis of light traveling between the second optical surface and a light-transporting body; and a second concavity located between the first concavity and the third side. The part of the second concavity closest to a second side is closer to the abovementioned first side than the part of the gate section closest to the first side is. The first through-hole also opens to a first-side surface and a second-side surface of the second concavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: Enplas Corporation
    Inventor: Kazutaka Shibuya
  • Patent number: 9709758
    Abstract: An optical assembly having x, y and z axes and comprising: (a) a first substrate having a planar surface, a first wall adjacent and substantially perpendicular to the planar surface, a first register surface adjacent the first wall, at least one foundation to receive an optical element having a first optical axis at least partially along the z axis; (b) an opto-electrical device (OED) having a top surface, an active area on the top surface having a second optical axis normal to the top surface, and a first alignment element defined on the top surface, the OED mounted to the first wall such that the first alignment element contacts the first register surface to position the OED on the first substrate along at least one of the x or y axes with the second optical axis parallel to the planar surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: TE Connectivity Nederland B.V.
    Inventors: Alexander Dorrestein, Jeroen Duis, Jacobus Tuin
  • Patent number: 9709765
    Abstract: A bladed chassis system facilitates installation of the bladed chassis system and replacement of the blades at the chassis. For example, a front panel of the blade can be opened either upwardly or downwardly at the discretion of the user. Blades can be inserted and removed from the front and/or the rear of the bladed chassis system at the discretion of the user. Cables can be routed to the rear of the chassis system from either of two sides at the discretion of the user. The blades carried by the chassis have fiber management trays that can be rotationally oriented in any desired rotational position at the discretion of the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: COMMSCOPE TECHNOLOGIES LLC
    Inventors: Dennis Ray Wells, Rodney C. Schoenfelder, Cyle D. Petersen, Kamlesh G. Patel, Jonathan R. Kaml, Matthew Holmberg, James J. Solheid, Dennis Krampotich
  • Patent number: 9709766
    Abstract: A two layer splitter tray (18) has a cover (32) which mounts to a base (34). The base (34) and the cover (32) define openings for one or more splitters (88). The base (34) and cover (32) include cable management devices (42, 64) for managing the cable and fiber inputs and outputs, and the splices. Further splice trays (16) can be used with the splitter tray (18) for splicing to the splitter outputs. Other trays (100, 200) include a partial cover (140, 240) and openings for optical components and for adhesive attachment of parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignees: CommScope Connectivity Belgium BVBA, ADC CZECH REPUBLIC S.R.O., CommScope Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Bart Mattie Claessens, Dirk Kempeneers, Wouter Foulon, Eric Lydia Paul Peeters, Koen Huybrechts, Stepan Sejbal, Thomas Lehnert
  • Patent number: 9703060
    Abstract: An automated, robotic patch-panel system in a highly compact form factor implementing Knots and Braids switching algorithms is disclosed. This system incorporates stacked layers of connector ports, each row of connector ports defining an arc with a radius of curvature, wherein the radius of curvature is substantially larger than the total height of the stacked layers. A synchronized gripper pair on a three axis actuation system is used to disconnect, weave and connect fibers arbitrarily across an array of dense connector ports on a curvilinear surface. Each row of connector ports is independently translatable by slight rotation to generate the proper relationship between surrounding fibers and the individual fiber undergoing the multi-step reconfiguration process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: TELESCENT INC.
    Inventor: Anthony Stephen Kewitsch
  • Patent number: 9696567
    Abstract: An optical modulator comprises a silicon substrate, a buried oxide (BOX) layer disposed on top of the silicon substrate, and a ridge waveguide disposed on top of the BOX layer and comprising a first n-type silicon (n-Si) slab, a first gate oxide layer coupled to the first n-Si slab, a first p-type silicon (p-Si) slab coupled to the first gate oxide layer, and a light propagation path that travels sequentially through the first n-Si slab, the first gate oxide layer, and the first p-Si slab.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Futurewei Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Dawei Zheng, Hongbing Lei, Qianfan Xu, Xiao Shen, Yusheng Bai