Patents Examined by Eric Wong
  • Patent number: 10267999
    Abstract: An optical connector system for reversible optical connection between two optical fibers (102, 104) with their end parts inside respective ferrules. A receptacle arrangement has a receiving body (105) for receiving at least one of the ferrules (103). An optical element (106) of the receptacle arrangement serves to provide optical connection between the two optical fibers in a connected state of the optical connector system, and at the same time, the optical element (106) serves as a sterility barrier between the two optical fibers. The optical element (106) can be an optical waveguide, e.g. a piece of optical fiber similar to the two optical fibers (102, 104), and arranged within the receiving body (105). Alternatively, the optical element may be a thin flexible membrane (207, 307) which is optically transparent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
    Inventors: Martinus Bernardus Van Der Mark, Eibert Gerjan Van Putten, Hendrina Helena Aleida Evenaar-Geven, Godefridus Johannes Verhoeckx, Adrianus Wilhelmus Dionisius Maria Van Den Bijgaart
  • Patent number: 10261329
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a plurality of input fibers including one or more signal fibers and one or more beam dump fibers, a signal combiner having an input end coupled to the plurality of input fibers so as to couple portions of one or more signal beams respectively propagating in one or more of the signal fibers to form a combiner beam, an output fiber coupled to an output end of the signal combiner so as to receive the combiner beam, and a beam dump coupled to at least one of the one or more beam dump fibers so as to receive a light beam propagating from the output fiber that is associated with the combiner beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: nLIGHT, Inc.
    Inventors: Chris A. Rivera, Dahv A. V. Kliner, Joseph Emery
  • Patent number: 10261388
    Abstract: A device includes a waveguide grating out-coupler, and a tunable uniform phase shifter communicating with the waveguide grating out-coupler. The tunable uniform phase shifter steers a Hat phase front along a first angle in a first plane. Optionally, the waveguide grating out-coupler includes a modulated refractive index and a physical grating period. The tunable uniform phase shifter controls the refractive index, thereby controlling an effective grating period. The grating period relates to die modulated refractive index, and the physical grating period. Optionally, the tunable uniform phase shifter includes a first thermo-optic phase shifter, a first electro-optic phase shifter, or a first micro-electro-mechanical system index perturbation phase shifter. Optionally, the tunable linear gradient phase shifter communicates with the waveguide grating out-coupler and steers a beam along the flat phase front along a second angle in a second plane, which is perpendicular to the first plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: The United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Marcel W. Pruessner, William S. Rabinovich, Rita Mahon, Peter G. Goetz
  • Patent number: 10254623
    Abstract: A Mach-Zehnder ring modulator includes a first optical path having a first diode and a optical path having a second diode. Each of the first and second diodes operates responsive to a voltage signal by modifying a phase of a light signal. A first optical coupler provides first and second light signals to the first and second optical paths, respectively. A second optical coupler couples outputs from the first and second optical paths. A feedback path is coupled between an output of the second optical coupler and an input of the first optical coupler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics SA
    Inventors: Valerie Danelon, Denis Pache, Christophe Arricastres
  • Patent number: 10247888
    Abstract: A fiber optic connector and cable assembly includes a cable and a fiber optic connector. The connector has a main connector body, a ferrule, a spring for biasing the ferrule, and a spring push for retaining the spring within the main connector body. A crimp band is provided for securing the fiber optic cable to the fiber optic connector. The crimp band includes a first portion securing a cable strength member. The crimp band also includes a second portion crimped down on a jacket of the cable. The crimp band further includes an inner surface having gripping structures for gripping the strength member and/or the jacket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: CommScope Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Steven C. Zimmel, Yu Lu, Patrick J. Nault, Scott C. Kowalczyk, Scott Droege, Brent Campbell, Christopher Stroth
  • Patent number: 10241278
    Abstract: A connector sub-assembly comprising: (a) an insert housing defining two or more insert ferrule openings and at least two insert alignment pin openings, and having a mating surface; (b) a retainer attached to the insert and defining two or more retainer ferrule openings and at least two retainer alignment pin openings; (c) at least two alignment pins, each of the alignment pins disposed in one the insert alignment pin openings and in one of the retainer alignment pin openings, thereby aligning the insert ferrule openings and the retainer ferrule openings, the at least two alignment pins extending from the mating surface; and (d) only one fastener securing the insert and the retainer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: TE CONNECTIVITY CORPORATION
    Inventors: David James Fabian, James Patrick Mosier
  • Patent number: 10241264
    Abstract: A semiconductor device package includes a substrate and an optical device. The optical device includes a first portion extending into the substrate and not extending beyond a first surface of the substrate. The optical device further includes a second portion extending along the first surface of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: ADVANCED SEMICONDUCTOR ENGINEERING, INC.
    Inventors: Yi-Min Chin, Yung-Shun Chang, Mei-Ju Lu, Jia-Hao Zhang, Wen-Chi Hung
  • Patent number: 10234638
    Abstract: A ferrule includes a ferrule body having a first opening formed in a side face thereof, and having a second opening formed in a top face thereof, wherein the first opening is configured to receive an optical waveguide inserted into the ferrule body at the side face, and wherein the second opening is formed over and in communication with the first opening, such that the second opening connects an inner space of the first opening to an outside of the ferrule body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: FUJITSU COMPONENT LIMITED
    Inventors: Hongfei Zhang, Osamu Daikuhara, Shinichiro Akieda
  • Patent number: 10228523
    Abstract: An optical module includes a first optical block and a second optical block. The first optical block includes a base part, two extending parts which extend in a first direction, locking parts, and a first reference surface. The second optical block includes a holding part, two arm parts, spring pieces which extend in the first direction, locked parts which are formed on the spring pieces, and a second reference surface. In a state that the first optical block and the second optical block are assembled with each other, the locking parts are hooked on the locked parts, the second reference surface is pressed against the first reference surface by a spring force of the spring pieces so as to realize positioning in the assembling direction, and an optical path between the base part and the holding part is parallel to the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignee: JAPAN AVIATION ELECTRONICS INDUSTRY, LIMITED
    Inventor: Osamu Hashiguchi
  • Patent number: 10215946
    Abstract: A cable supporting device includes a channel member. The channel member has a curved section bounding an interior. A top flange, a bottom flange, and an outer wall define a channel. The channel has an opening facing the interior.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: Hubbell Incorporated
    Inventors: Kyle Bradford Gilbreath, Joseph Forrester, Joshua Charles Wilson
  • Patent number: 10192857
    Abstract: According to an example of the present disclosure a direct bandgap (DBG) semiconductor structure is bonded to an assembly comprising a silicon photonics (SiP) wafer and a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) wafer. The SiP wafer includes photonics circuitry and the CMOS wafer includes electronic circuitry. The direct bandgap (DBG) semiconductor structure is optically coupled to the photonics circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP
    Inventors: Marco Fiorentino, Di Liang, Geza Kurczveil, Raymond G Beausoleil
  • Patent number: 10191225
    Abstract: A cover part of an optical fiber is sandwiched and pressed between a pressure welding blade and a bottom surface part. As a result of this, in a case where an external force which pulls out the optical fiber from a housing, movement of the optical fiber is suppressed by a pressing force, which makes it difficult for a ferrule to go away from a mating optical fiber. Thus, efficiency in communication with the mating optical connector can be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventors: Takamichi Kudo, Hiroshi Miyazaki, Akinori Tashiro, Masafumi Noguchi, Shoichi Watai
  • Patent number: 10185202
    Abstract: A fast optical switch can be fabricated/constructed, when a vanadium dioxide (VO2) and a two-dimensional (2-D) material is activated by either an electrical pulse (a voltage pulse or a current pulse) or a light pulse just to induce an insulator-to-metal phase transition (IMT) in vanadium dioxide. The applications of such a fast optical switch for an on-demand optical add-drop subsystem, integrating with (a) a light slowing/light stopping component (based on metamaterials and/or nanoplasmonic structures) and (b) with or without a wavelength converter are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Inventors: Mohammad A. Mazed, Rex Wiig, Angel Martinez
  • Patent number: 10185087
    Abstract: A compact, low-loss and wavelength insensitive Y-junction for submicron silicon waveguides. The design was performed using FDTD and particle swarm optimization (PSO). The device was fabricated in a 248 nm CMOS line. Measured average insertion loss is 0.28±0.02 dB across an 8-inch wafer. The device footprint is less than 1.2 ?m×2 ?m, orders of magnitude smaller than MMI and directional couplers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: Elenion Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Yang Liu, Yangjin Ma, Ruizhi Shi, Michael J. Hochberg, Yi Zhang, Shuyu Yang, Thomas Wetteland Baehr-Jones
  • Patent number: 10180539
    Abstract: Field-installable mechanical splice connectors for making optical and/or electrical connections in the field are disclosed. One embodiment is a hybrid mechanical splice connector having an electrical portion and an optical portion that includes at least one electrical contact, a shell, and at least one body for receiving at least one field optical fiber and securing the electrical contact. The connector includes a mechanical retention component for securing at least one optical field fiber to the at least one body. Another embodiment is directed to a mechanical splice connector having at least one body for receiving at least one field optical fiber, a mechanical retention component for securing at least one optical field fiber to the at least one body, and at least one lens attached to the at least one body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: Corning Optical Communications LLC
    Inventors: Micah Colen Isenhour, Dennis Michael Knecht, James Phillip Luther
  • Patent number: 10168472
    Abstract: An optical receptacle includes an optical component assembly, a tubular sleeve, and a tubular shell. The optical component assembly includes a light guide member, a tubular member, which retains the light guide member in the through hole, and projections, which extends outward of an outer peripheral surface of the tubular member at one end. The sleeve is fitted to the outer periphery of the light guide member at a rear end portion. The inside diameter of a front portion of the sleeve differs from that of the rear end portion. The shell covers the outer peripheral surface of the sleeve and includes a groove in a rear end portion. The groove extends in an axial direction and turns and extends in a circumferential direction. The groove is engaged with the projections of the tubular member to secure the shell. The shell and the sleeve are attachable and detachable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: KYOCERA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tomoyoshi Akashi
  • Patent number: 10168503
    Abstract: Enhanced traceability of cables is provided using illumination. An embodiment comprises introducing a chemiluminescent (alternatively, fluorescent) solution into a chamber coupled to at least a portion of an insulating jacket that surrounds a transmission medium, the chamber being initially hollow and, in at least a portion thereof, comprised of a substance through which light is viewable, such that upon introduction of the solution through a port, light emitted by the solution is viewable through at least a portion of the chamber. In another embodiment, a first and second compartment contain a first and second substance, respectively, and are physically separated. When an opening is caused in the physical separation, the substances are allowed to mix, the substances being chosen as providing a chemiluminescent reaction upon the mixing, such that light emitted by the chemiluminescent reaction is viewable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORTAION
    Inventors: Eric J. Campbell, Sarah K. Czaplewski, Lee N. Helgeson, Jonathan L. Kaus, Pamela L. Lembke
  • Patent number: 10168488
    Abstract: Ferrule retainer for retaining a ferrule and a spring in a connector body, said connector body defining at least one cavity and at least one first latch element adjacent said cavity, said ferrule retainer comprising a retainer body configured for insertion into said cavity; a resilient member attached to said retainer body, said resilient member having a relaxed state, and comprising at least one second latch element configured for releasibly engaging said at least one first latch element; and an actuator slidably mounted for forward and backward movement on said retainer body, said actuator having an actuated and an unactuated state, in said actuated state, said actuator bends said resilient member, thereby causing said at least one second latch element to move laterally relative to its position when said resilient member is in its relaxed state, and, in said unactuated state, said actuator does not significantly bend/flex said resilient member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: TE CONNECTIVITY CORPORATION
    Inventor: David James Fabian
  • Patent number: 10156691
    Abstract: This document discloses novel conduits for telecommunications lines, such as optical fibers. In an aspect, a conduit might have a body defining one or more channels into which optical fibers can be inserted. In another aspect, the body might have a first face that is substantially planar and a second face opposing the first face. The second face might a low-rise arc profile and/or might be configured to be installed into a depression in a material. Also disclosed are methods and tools for installing, using, and/or removing such conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC
    Inventors: Michael L. Elford, Robert J. Morrill, Michael Paul Winterrowd, Thomas Charles Barnett, Jr.
  • Patent number: 10156681
    Abstract: An optical waveguide display comprises: a waveguide; a source of light modulated with temporally-varying angularly-distributed information; a fold grating providing a first beam expansion; an input coupler for directing light into total internal reflection paths in a first propagation direction; and an output grating for providing a second beam expansion and extracting light from the waveguide. The input light undergoes at least two diffractions within the fold grating, each diffraction directing light into a unique total internal reflection angular range along a second propagation direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignees: DigiLens Inc., Rockwell Collins Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan David Waldern, Alastair John Grant, Milan Momcilo Popovich, James H. Stanley, Robert D. Brown