Patents Examined by Daniel Dobson
  • Patent number: 9813156
    Abstract: A hybrid service terminal for use in a passive fiber optic network comprises a plurality of optical fiber connectors, each coupled to a respective optical fiber for receiving downstream optical frames from an Optical Line Terminal (OLT); a plurality of hybrid fiber/copper connectors, each of the hybrid fiber/copper connectors coupled to a respective one of the plurality of optical fiber connectors; and a plurality of electrical connectors configured to receive electrical signals from a multi-line converter module over a respective one of a plurality of electrical conductors. One of the plurality of hybrid fiber/copper connectors is configured to provide the downstream optical frames to the multi-line converter module for conversion to the electrical signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignees: CommScope Connectivity UK Limited, CommScope Technologies LLC, CommScope Connectivity Belgium BVBA
    Inventors: David Brown, David Mather, Robert Neil Shaddock, William Atley Weeks, Joris Franckx, Jan Jozef Julia Maria Erreygers
  • Patent number: 9813165
    Abstract: A method and a system for generating terahertz signals, the system comprising a pump source, a two-wire waveguide; and at least one terahertz source, wherein the terahertz source is embedded within the two-wire waveguide and the pump source is configured to illuminate the terahertz source, the terahertz source generating terahertz signals directly within the two-wire waveguide. A terahertz source, embedded within a two-wire waveguide, said source being configured to be illuminated within the two-wire waveguide with a pump source for generating terahertz signals directly inside the two-wire waveguide. A two-wire waveguide system is thus provided, comprising a two-wire waveguide and a terahertz source embedded between the wires of the two-wire waveguide and configured to be illuminated within the two-wire waveguide with a pump source for generating terahertz signals directly inside the two-wire waveguide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: INSTITUT NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE
    Inventors: Matteo Clerici, Anna Mazhorova, Manoj Mridha, Yoann Jestin, Roberto Morandotti
  • Patent number: 9814115
    Abstract: An illumination light communication apparatus includes: a light source which emits illumination light; a power supply circuit for supplying constant current to the light source; a switch which is connected in series to the light source, and intermittently interrupts current which flows through the light source; a signal generating circuit which generates a binary communication signal which controls on and off of the switch to modulate the illumination light; and a current limiting circuit which is connected in series to the light source and the switch, and limits the current which flows through the light source to prevent the current from exceeding a current set value which is variable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shojiro Kido, Teruhito Takeda, Hiromichi Goto, Kazuo Itoh, Hiroyuki Nishino, Shigeaki Yamasaki
  • Patent number: 9813155
    Abstract: Systems and methods for optical communication are disclosed that include communicating data using one or more transceiver pairs coupled to a spatial-multiplexer (S-MUX); performing bi-directional transmissions over an elliptical core optical fiber to a spatial-demultiplexer (S-DEMUX) using spatial modes to communicate data in either direction between two transceiver pairs with low crosstalk and without optical circulators or wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM); and communicating data from the S-DEMUX with g one or more transceiver pairs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Giovanni Milione, Philip Nan Ji, Ezra Ip, Shaoliang Zhang, Yue-Kai Huang, Ting Wang
  • Patent number: 9806815
    Abstract: There is provided an optical source. The optical source comprises a reflective optical amplifier configured to generate an optical signal, the optical signal comprising an amplified spontaneous light emission having a plurality of light modes each having a respective wavelength. The optical source further comprises a reflective mirror, spaced from the reflective optical amplifier, and arranged to receive the optical signal and to rotate a polarization of each light mode in the received optical signal, to form a further optical signal. The optical source further comprises an optical power splitter arranged to receive the further optical signal and to split the further optical signal into a first optical signal which is directed to the reflective optical amplifier for amplification thereby, and a second optical signal. The optical source further comprises an output arranged to output the second optical signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)
    Inventors: Luca Giorgi, Antonio D'Errico, Gianfranco Sfameni, Francesco Testa
  • Patent number: 9806920
    Abstract: Methods and systems for split voltage domain receiver circuits are disclosed and may include amplifying complementary received signals in a plurality of partial voltage domains. The signals may be combined into a single differential signal in a single voltage domain. Each of the partial voltage domains may be offset by a DC voltage from the other partial voltage domains. The sum of the partial domains may be equal to a supply voltage of the integrated circuit. The complementary signals may be received from a photodiode. The amplified received signals may be amplified via stacked common source amplifiers, common emitter amplifiers, or stacked inverters. The amplified received signals may be DC coupled prior to combining. The complementary received signals may be amplified and combined via cascode amplifiers. The voltage domains may be stacked, and may be controlled via feedback loops. The photodetector may be integrated in the integrated circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: Luxtera, Inc.
    Inventor: Brian Welch
  • Patent number: 9806841
    Abstract: An optical switch, comprising: a first optical waveguide, a first optical add path, a second optical add path and a micro-ring resonator. The micro-ring resonator is operable to add a first optical signal at a preselected wavelength received from the first optical add path to the first optical waveguide to travel in a first direction through the first optical waveguide. The micro-ring resonator is further operable to add a second optical signal at the preselected wavelength received from the second optical add path to the first optical waveguide to travel in a second direction through the first optical waveguide opposite to the first direction. There is also provided an optical drop switch, an optical switching apparatus, an optical communications network node and an optical communications network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ)
    Inventors: Francesco Testa, Alberto Bianchi
  • Patent number: 9807722
    Abstract: Components, systems, and methods for determining propagation delay of communications in distributed antenna systems are disclosed. The propagation delay of communications signals distributed in the distributed antenna systems is determined. If desired, the propagation delay(s) can be determined on a per remote antenna unit basis for the distributed antenna systems. The propagation delay(s) can provided by the distributed antenna systems to a network or other system to be taken into consideration for communications services or operations that are based on communications signal delay. As another non-limiting example, propagation delay can be determined and controlled for each remote antenna unit to uniquely distinguish the remote antenna units. In this manner, the location of a client device communicating with a remote antenna unit can be determined within the communication range of the remote antenna unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: Corning Optical Communications LLC
    Inventors: Igor Berlin, Dragan Pikula, Michael Sauer, Gerald B. Schmidt
  • Patent number: 9800630
    Abstract: An apparatus is provided that includes n communication channels, and m communication media interfaces, and v virtual lanes. V is a positive integer multiple of the least common multiple of m and n. An information stream is transferred into data and alignment blocks striped across all of the v virtual lanes, the blocks being communicated from the virtual lanes onto the communication channels. The blocks are received on the communication channels. Each of the communication channels transmits a different portion of the blocks striped across all of the v virtual lanes. In more particular embodiments, v>=n>=m. The communication media interfaces can be electrical and optical. Each of the communication channels can include a SerDes interface operating at least 5 Gigabits per second. Furthermore, each of the m communication media interfaces is configured to transmit a different stream of information over a single optical fiber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark A. Gustlin, Oded Trainin, Luca Della Chiesa
  • Patent number: 9800337
    Abstract: An optical transmitter including an optical connector port, a first light emitter, and a second light emitter. The optical connector port is configured to connect to a connector of an optical cable in a first orientation or a second orientation. The first light emitter is configured to transmit a first optical signal for transmission through the optical cable. The first optical signal transmitted by the first light emitter is reflected by a region of the connector when the connector is attached in the first orientation. The second light emitter is configured to transmit a second optical signal for transmission through the optical cable. The second optical signal transmitted by the second light emitter is reflected by the region when the connector is connected in the second orientation different from the first orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masanari Yamamoto, Kazuaki Toba, Kazuyoshi Suzuki, Kazumoto Kondo, Satoshi Miyazaki, Yasuhisa Nakajima
  • Patent number: 9800325
    Abstract: A method, implemented in a node in a network, for a preemptible established backup path for a mesh restorable service includes, responsive to a new service request for the mesh restorable service with the preemptible established backup path, establishing a primary path designated as a current path for the mesh restorable service at a designated priority; establishing a backup path for the mesh restorable service at a lower priority than the designated priority, subject to bandwidth availability in the network; and responsive to a fault affecting the primary path, switching to the backup path and raising a priority of the backup path to the designated priority.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: Ciena Corporation
    Inventors: Darek Skalecki, Gerard L. Swinkels
  • Patent number: 9794489
    Abstract: An information communication method is provided for obtaining information from a subject using a terminal device that includes an image sensor having a plurality of exposure lines. The method includes setting an exposure time of the image sensor so that, in an image obtained by capturing the subject by the image sensor, a bright line corresponding to each of the plurality of exposure lines included in the image sensor appears according to a change in luminance of the subject. The method also includes obtaining a bright line image including a plurality of bright lines, and obtaining identification information of the subject by demodulating data specified by a pattern of the plurality of bright lines. The method further includes sending (i) the identification information and (ii) language identification information to a server, obtaining a content identified by the identification information from the server, and displaying the translated content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION OF AMERICA
    Inventors: Mitsuaki Oshima, Koji Nakanishi, Hideki Aoyama, Ikuo Fuchigami, Tsutomu Mukai, Hidehiko Shin, Yosuke Matsushita, Shigehiro Iida, Kazunori Yamada
  • Patent number: 9793990
    Abstract: A worker management device that manages a worker wearing workwear includes: a main body; a light receiver that is provided on a part of the main body that is exposed when the main body is attached to the workwear, and receives light including predetermined identification information; a controller connected to the light receiver; and a communication unit connected to the controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shigeaki Yamasaki, Yoshihiko Matsukawa, Masaaki Ikehara
  • Patent number: 9787409
    Abstract: A multi-channel free-space optical wavelength division multiplexing system for optical quantum communication includes a transmitter configured to encode an input signal into a weak optical signal carrying quantum information, and to transmit the weak optical signal over a plurality of frequency channels in free space, each of the plurality of frequency channels corresponding to a plurality of photons of the weak optical signal, and a receiver configured to receive and decode the weak optical signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: HRL Laboratories, LLC
    Inventor: Thaddeus D. Ladd
  • Patent number: 9762322
    Abstract: A fully connectorized optic fiber tap assembly is described that includes a first upstream connector interface configured to receive a downstream connector of a first upstream optic fiber line, and a first downstream connector interface configured to receive an upstream connector of a first downstream optic fiber line. The tap assembly further includes a set of service drop line connector interfaces. Moreover, an optic fiber tap of the assembly is configured to: receive an optical signal from the upstream connector interface, extract a portion of the optical signal, direct the extracted portion of the optical signal to the set of service drop line connector interfaces, and pass a remaining portion of the optical signal to the downstream connector interface. The fully connectorized optic fiber tap assembly is configured to be connected to the first upstream optic fiber line and the first downstream optic fiber line without splicing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Telephone and Data Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: John Carl Amundson
  • Patent number: 9756406
    Abstract: Systems, apparatus, and methods for a configurable gearbox with a variable number of input lanes and output lanes and a multiplexer for each output lane that can be configured to dynamically select any of the input lanes during each clock cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: Infinera Corporation
    Inventor: Vinod Narippatta
  • Patent number: 9755740
    Abstract: Systems and methods for optical narrowcasting are provided for transmitting various types of content. Optical narrowcasting content indicative of the presence of additional information along with identifying information may be transmitted. The additional information (which may include meaningful amounts of advertising information, media, or any other content) may also be transmitted as optical narrowcasting content. Elements of an optical narrowcasting system may include optical transmitters and optical receivers which can be configured to be operative at distances ranging from, e.g., 400 meters to 1200 meters. Moreover, the elements can be implemented on a miniaturized scale in conjunction with small, user devices such as smartphones, thereby also realizing optical ad-hoc networking, as well as interoperability with other types of data networks. Optically narrowcast content can be used to augment a real-world experience, enhance and/or spawn new forms of social-media and media content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: SureFire LLC
    Inventors: Narkis E. Shatz, John C. Bortz
  • Patent number: 9756255
    Abstract: A method is provided for obtaining information from a transmission device using an image sensor that includes a plurality of exposure lines. The method includes obtaining image data by starting exposure sequentially for the plurality of exposure lines each at a different time, starting exposure of a next exposure line before exposure of one exposure line ends, and imaging for a predetermined exposure time. The method also includes obtaining the information by demodulating data specified by a pattern of bright lines that appear in the image data, the bright lines corresponding to the plurality of exposure lines. The method further includes setting the predetermined exposure time so that a relation of tE>tHT is satisfied, where the predetermined exposure time is tE ?s, and a period of high frequency noise of a light source included in the transmission device is tHT ?s.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION OF AMERICA
    Inventors: Mitsuaki Oshima, Koji Nakanishi, Hideki Aoyama, Ikuo Fuchigami, Hidehiko Shin, Tsutomu Mukai, Yosuke Matsushita, Shigehiro Iida, Kazunori Yamada
  • Patent number: 9749077
    Abstract: A method (10) of controlling optical signal power levelling in an optical communication network node configured to apply an optical attenuation, ?, to a pass-through optical signal. The method comprises: a. performing the following steps i. to iii. until an attenuation variation value, ??, is greater than a preselected attenuation variation threshold value (18), ??TH: i. measuring (12) an optical signal power of an optical signal; ii. calculating (14) a difference, ?P, between the measured optical signal power and a target optical signal power; iii. calculating (16) a value for the attenuation variation, ??, to be applied to the optical attenuation taking account of ?P; b. obtaining (20) a current value of the optical attenuation, ?n, and obtaining (22) a new optical attenuation value, ?n+1, in dependence on the current value of the optical attenuation, a current value of the attenuation variation, ??n, and at least an earlier value of the attenuation variation, ??n?1; and c.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ)
    Inventor: Matteo Costantini
  • Patent number: 9735889
    Abstract: Described are, among other things, a method and a receiver for receiving a management data signal in an optical transmission system where a traffic data signal is transmitted as a NRZ modulated signal. The traffic data signal has a management data signal superimposed thereon as a pulse width modulation of the symbols of the NRZ modulated signal. The NRZ modulated signal is received with the data signal superimposed thereon and the traffic data signal is recovered. The recovered traffic data signal in anti-phase is added to the received signal. The management data signal is detected from the added signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: TRANSMODE SYSTEMS AB
    Inventor: Gunnar Forsberg