Patents Examined by Jai Lee
  • Patent number: 9455779
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for performing path protection for rate-adaptive optics is provided. As part of the method, an aggregate input bit stream is received. The aggregate input bit stream is then transmitted using a rate-adaptive optical transceiver when transmitting on a first optical path. When the first optical path has a fault, the aggregate input bit stream is then transmitted on a second optical path using the rate-adaptive optical transceiver and a fixed-rate optical transceiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Inventors: Mark E. Boduch, Kimon Papakos
  • Patent number: 9438337
    Abstract: Free space optics (FSO) is a wireless technology that utilizes optical frequencies. Previously available FSO transceivers are restricted to point-to-point links because of the high directivity of laser light used to transmit data. By contrast, various implementations disclosed herein include a multi-beam FSO apparatus that is less reliant on point-to-point links, and includes a lens assembly and a planar array of optical communication devices. The lens assembly includes at least one surface shaped to direct ingress light received substantially within a first angular range towards a focal plane, and to direct egress light away from the focal plane into the first angular range. The planar array includes a plurality of optical communication devices arranged in association with the focal plane of the lens assembly, wherein each of the plurality of optical communication devices characterizes at least one of a plurality of optical communication link endpoints.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Charles Calvin Byers
  • Patent number: 9438376
    Abstract: There are various drawbacks by using existing OTN (Optical Transport Network) frames for communication between OTN cards. Such drawbacks might for example include high latency, low robustness, and/or high coding rate. According to embodiments of the present disclosure, systems and methods are provided for modifying an OTN frame (or creating a new frame with data from the OTN frame) prior to transmission by an OTL (Optical channel Transport Lane) in order to address some or all of the foregoing drawbacks. Note that this embodiment can make use of existing hardware (e.g. hardware used for generating the OTN frame, and the OTL used for transmission).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: Cortina Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Juan-Carlos Calderon, Jean-Michel Caia, Arash Farhoodfar, Arun Zarabi
  • Patent number: 9432751
    Abstract: A transparent clock converter is interposed between a non-precision time protocol (non-PTP) enabled network node and other portions of the network. The transparent clock converter effectively converts the non-PTP node into a transparent clock node. In some embodiments the transparent clock converter includes physical layer devices, but not media access controllers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: Microsemi Communications, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas Joergensen
  • Patent number: 9432118
    Abstract: A polarization mode dispersion (PMD) generating apparatus includes a polarization plane controller; a unit function block including a first differential group delay (DGD) generator, a first mode mixer, and a second DGD generator, a second mode mixer and a reflective mirror, which are arranged in this order from the input side of input light free from PMD. Part of the first and second DGD generators is disposed on a driven stage to modify the optical path length. The input light has polarization converted by the polarization plane controller and is inputted to the first DGD generator to propagate back and forth on an optical path from the unit function block through the second mode mixer to the reflective mirror. In the PMD-generating apparatus, the driven stage adjusts a DGD amount between orthogonal eigen-polarization modes generated in the first and second DGD generators on the basis of an applicable wavelength band.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshihiro Kanda
  • Patent number: 9432119
    Abstract: A contactless connector module includes first and second fiber optic connector assemblies. The first fiber optic connector assembly includes a first fiber optic cable and a first connector provided at an end of the first fiber optic cable. The first connector includes a first converter converting between optical and electrical signals and a first communication chip electrically connected to the first converter. The first communication chip is configured to transmit wireless RF signals. The second fiber optic connector assembly includes a second fiber optic cable and a second connector provided at an end of the second fiber optic cable. The second connector includes a second converter converting between optical and electrical signals and a second communication chip electrically connected to the second converter. The second communication chip is configured to receive the wireless RF signals from the first communication chip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: Tyco Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Charles Dudley Copper, Sean Patrick McCarthy, Terry Patrick Bowen
  • Patent number: 9407365
    Abstract: There is provided a method and corresponding lighting device (100), and a receiver, which employs code modulation which provides a compatibility of code modulation in a dimmable lighting system. The lighting device comprises means for dimming the output light (102), which employs multiple dimming modes, each representing dimming the light output from lighting device by means of a respective dimming method, and means for embedding a code in the light output (103). The means for embedding a code in the light output employs code modulation which is based on controlling the instantaneous dimmed light output from the lighting device such that the integrated value of the dimmed light output during a time period T is modulated to embed the code. The code may then subsequently be extracted from the modulated light by means of an integrate-and-dump process at a receiver, without knowledge of the dimming method and/or dimming level of the lighting device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Hongming Yang, Tim Corneel Wilhelmus Schenk
  • Patent number: 9407363
    Abstract: There have been problems that a capturing device requires an optical source having a large power output, and a scanning operation and a capturing operation must be alternately performed by the respective devices. A capturing device is provided with an optical receiver which receives a beam from outside as a reception beam, a reception beam capturing unit which performs a capturing operation by which the reception beam is introduced to the optical receiver, an optical transmitter which generates a transmission beam transmitted to the outside, a transmission beam scanning unit which performs a scanning operation of the transmission beams, and an optical circulator wherein the incidence of the reception beam and the exit of the transmission beam are performed at the same terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: NEC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kazuhiko Aoki
  • Patent number: 9396650
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a method of describing infrared signal, and infrared signal has a continuous infrared wave type, the method comprises: a step (a) separating the continuous infrared wave into at least one frame; a step (b) separating the at least one frame into at least one signal sequence and at least one data sequence; a step (c) separating the at least one signal sequence into a signal with a level and a duration; a step (d) separating the at least one data sequence into at least one logic signal set, wherein the at least one logic signal set is separated into at least one signal with a level and a duration; and (e) unifying description for the plurality of infrared signals having the same control function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: BOMEANS INDUSTRIAL INC.
    Inventors: Chun Chieh Hsueh, Zhong Yi Dai
  • Patent number: 9398354
    Abstract: An integrated assembly for switching optical signals. The integrated assembly includes two subassemblies. For instance, the subassemblies might be a shelf assembly and the integrated assembly might be a rack assembly in which the shelf assemblies are connected. Each of the subassemblies includes optical interfaces configured to support communication of optical channels to and from the integrated assembly using the corresponding subassembly. Each subassembly might also include multiple switch fabric assemblies each including a switching mechanism. An inter-subassembly communication interface is provided between each subassembly. An optical signal may be switched from one of the subassemblies (e.g., one of the shelves) to another even though there is no intervening switching circuitry in between the different subassemblies. Instead, the switching operation is distributed between the subassemblies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: XTERA COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
    Inventor: James A. Hess
  • Patent number: 9391698
    Abstract: Systems and methods for achieving eye safety of an optical transceiver are provided. An optical module can be configured to output a first optical signal. A first photodetector can be configured to output a signal indicative of a presence or absence of a second optical signal. A controller can be coupled to the optical module and the first photodetector and can be configured to control the output of the optical module. In response to a determination that an output of the first photodetector indicates the second optical signal is absent, the controller can control the optical module to output the first signal at a decreased average optical power. In response to a determination that an output of the first photodetector indicates the second optical signal is present, the controller can control the optical module to output the first signal at an increased average optical power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Ryohei Urata, Nathan Folkner, Zuowei Shen
  • Patent number: 9369321
    Abstract: An apparatus is configured to receive and demodulate a homodyne carrier signal, where the homodyne carrier signal comprises sensor data of at least two sensors. A method includes receiving sensed signals from at least two sensors; and modulating the sensed signals on a single homodyne carrier signal. A demodulator is configured to receive and demodulate a homodyne carrier signal carrying sensor data of at least two sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation
    Inventor: Ronald Scrofano
  • Patent number: 9344191
    Abstract: A method, a controller, and an optical section include performing an analysis to determine an amount of power offset on any in-service channels in an optical section due to a capacity change with a channel; defining a step size to ensure the capacity change does not exceed an offset limit based on the analysis; performing the capacity change in one or more iterations using the step size to limit the capacity change; and performing an optimization between each of the one or more iterations to adjust amplifier gains in the optical section to compensate for offsets on the in-service channels caused by a previous iteration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: Ciena Corporation
    Inventors: Choudhury A. Al Sayeed, Mohammad Mehdi Mansouri Rad, Dave C. Bownass, Loren S. Berg
  • Patent number: 9337936
    Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide an optical transmission apparatus capable of reducing the influence of nonlinear effect of an optical fiber, suppressing a band requested to a device from being widened, easily bias controlling a modulator, and flexibly switching plural modulation methods. An optical transmission apparatus 301 according to the invention includes a modulator 101 and a controller 102. The modulator 101 is a modulator capable of quadrapture phase-shift keying the light from a light source and outputting the light. The controller 102 controls the input signal to the modulator 101 and causes the modulator 101 to carry out a quadrapture phase-shift keying operation or a ?/2 shift binary phase-shift keying operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: NEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kumi Ito, Kouichi Suzuki
  • Patent number: 9337923
    Abstract: A method includes evaluating an optical signal spectrum for estimated filtering parameters of an optical spectral filtering device for shaping optical signal spectrum, determining a feedback for fine tuning the optical spectral filtering device for nonlinearity tolerance enhancement in the optical transmission system, responsive to received optical signal quality in the optical signal spectrum; and using the feedback to adjust said optical spectral filtering device for predetermined shaping and predetermined fiber nonlinearity tolerance in the optical transmission system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Lei Xu, Shaoliang Zhang, Fatih Yaman, Ting Wang, Yoshihisa Inada, Takaaki Ogata, Yasuhiro Aoki
  • Patent number: 9337921
    Abstract: The length of the optical fiber section under tension expands by a certain amount that is proportional to the level of tension applied to it. Monitoring the variations in the phase of the arriving signal allows to discover a fiber that is subject to a certain level of mechanical tension. With the method and apparatus according to the present invention it is possible to protect optical communication channels against failures in an optical transmission fiber that are caused by any kind of mechanical disturbances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: ADVA Optical Networking SE
    Inventors: Mohammad Alfiad, Mark Filer, Ted Rabenko, Sorin Tibuleac
  • Patent number: 9331810
    Abstract: An approach for providing dedicated service in a passive optical network (PON) is described. A dedicated service generates a multi-wavelength optical signal comprising a plurality of sub-signals corresponding to carrier wavelengths, modulate the plurality of sub-signals simultaneously with a content signal and transmit the plurality of sub-signals to one or more respective subscribers over an optical distribution network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
    Inventor: David Z. Chen
  • Patent number: 9325446
    Abstract: A method of configuring an optical path, comprising: selecting a path from a first to a second node in an optical communications network; identifying each wavelength that may be used continuously across the path and selecting a transmission wavelength for the optical path one of the identified wavelengths for which: a fixed wavelength direction-bound add/drop transponder add operable at said wavelength is available at each node; if that first requirement is not met, a fixed wavelength direction-bound add/drop transponder or a fixed wavelength directionless add/drop transponder operable at said wavelength is available at each node; and if that second requirement is not met, a tunable wavelength direction-bound add/drop transponder or a tunable wavelength directionless add/drop transponder operable at said wavelength is available at each node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget L M Ericsson (publ)
    Inventors: Nicola Sambo, Giulio Bottari, Piero Castoldi, Filippo Cugini, Paola Iovanna
  • Patent number: 9319140
    Abstract: A method comprising receiving a coaxial network unit (CNU) registration request from a CNU via a coaxial portion of a network, wherein the registration request is addressed to an optical line terminal (OLT), and forwarding the CNU registration request to the OLT via an optical portion of the network. Included is an OLT comprising a processor configured to receive a registration request including a logical node identifier (LNID) assigned to a coaxial line terminal (CLT) in a payload of the registration request, wherein the CLT intermediates between the OLT via an optical portion of a unified optical-coaxial network and a CNU via an electrical network portion of the unified optical-coaxial network, assign a logical link identifier (LLID) to the CNU, and send the LLID to the CNU via the CLT.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: Futurewei Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jim Chen, Fanglin Sun, Li Zhang
  • Patent number: 9319139
    Abstract: An optical line terminal (OLT) comprising a receiver configured to couple to a mode coupler via a multi-mode optical fiber that supports more than one optical communication mode, and couple to a plurality of optical network units (ONUs) via the mode coupler, a processor coupled to the receiver and configured to schedule upstream multi-mode transmissions from the ONUs via the multi-mode fiber and the mode coupler by employing time division multiplexing (TDM), and a transmitter coupled to the processor and configured to transmit schedule data to the ONUs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: Futurewei Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Frank Effenberger, Ning Cheng