Patents Examined by Juliana Kang
  • Patent number: 7062124
    Abstract: An optical filter (100) comprises a multimode waveguide (126) and first (122) and second (124) coupling waveguides which communicate with lateral sides of the multimode waveguide. The filter operates by reproducing an optical field distribution input to the multimode waveguide via one of the coupling waveguides at the position in the multimode waveguide where the other coupling waveguide communicates with the multimode waveguide. This occurs for radiation of a wavelength to be filtered but not for radiation of other wavelengths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2006
    Assignee: Qinetiq Limited
    Inventor: Richard Michael Jenkins
  • Patent number: 7054513
    Abstract: Holey optical fibers (e.g. photonic fibers, random-hole fibers) are fabricated with quantum dots disposed in the holes. The quantum dots can provide light amplification and sensing functions, for example. When used for sensing, the dots will experience altered optical properties (e.g. altered fluorescence or absorption wavelength) in response to certain chemicals, biological elements, radiation, high energy particles, electrical or magnetic fields, or thermal/mechanical deformations. Since the dots are disposed in the holes, the dots interact with the evanescent field of core-confined light. Quantum dots can be damaged by high heat, and so typically cannot be embedded within conventional silica optical fibers. In the present invention, dots can be carried into the holes by a solvent at room temperature. The present invention also includes solid glass fibers made of low melting point materials (e.g. phosphate glass, lead oxide glass) with embedded quantum dots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2006
    Assignees: Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc., Lambda Instruments, Inc.
    Inventors: Erik Herz, Carvel Holton, Kenith Meissner, Corey Paye
  • Patent number: 7050669
    Abstract: An optical cross connect switch. In this switch any optical fiber in an input set of optical fibers, each carrying a communication beam, can be cross connected to any optical fiber in an output set of optical fibers. An alignment beam is added to and aligned co-axially with the communication beam carried by each fiber in the input set of optical fibers to define a communication-alignment beam for each fiber. Each communication-alignment beam is directed within a confined optical pathway to a specific exit aperture in an input array structure. The exit apertures for all of the communication-alignment beams are arranged in a pattern defining an input array so that each communication-alignment beam can be identified by the location of its exit aperture in the input array structure. Each communication-alignment beam is formed into a cross-connection beam by a micro-lens in a first lens micro-lens array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Assignee: Trex Enterprises Corp.
    Inventors: Todd Barrett, Chris Sexton, Donald Bruns, Dave Sandler, Hus Tigli
  • Patent number: 7050680
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical transmittance device including an optical fiber having a tilted incident plane and a silicon optical bench (SiOB) with a mirror plane. In accordance with the present invention, there provided an optical device, including: a substrate having a groove with a tilted surface, wherein the groove has a mirror plane on the tilted surface; a light emitting means aligned to the substrate; and an optical fiber including a tilted incident plane, wherein a reflected light from the mirror plane is incident to the tilted incident plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Assignees: Fionix Inc., Institute of Information Assessment
    Inventors: Sung-Hwan Hwang, Yeon-Duck Ryu, Sang-Hwan Lee, Myeong-Hyun Kim, Hyun-Jin Choi, Woo-Chang Choi
  • Patent number: 7050660
    Abstract: A microfluidic detection device provides reduced dispersion of axial concentration gradients in a flowing sample. The microfluidic detection device includes a cell body and a flow path through the cell body. The flow path has an inlet segment, an outlet segment, and a central segment, which forms a detection cell. The central segment is located between and at an angle with both the inlet segment and the outlet segment. The central segment has a first junction with the inlet segment and a second junction with the outlet segment. The cell body contains two arms that can transmit light to and from the detection cell. At least a portion of a first arm is located in the first junction and at least a portion of a second arm is located in the second junction. The portions of the arms located in the junctions are situated so that fluid entering or exiting the central segment of the flow path flows around the outer surface of one of the portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Assignee: Eksigent Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Douglas R. Cyr, Roger L. Farrow, Don W. Arnold
  • Patent number: 7046885
    Abstract: An optical fiber, which is employed as a transmission line of an optical communication system, has a cable-cutoff wavelength of not longer than 1430 nanometers at the wavelength of 1450 nanometers, a mode-field diameter of not less than 7 micrometers and not more than 9 micrometers, a transmission loss of not more than 0.285 dB/km, and a dispersion of 0.1 to 4 ps/nm/km.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2006
    Assignee: The Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryuichi Sugizaki, Takeshi Yagi
  • Patent number: 7043113
    Abstract: Disclosed is an optical multi/demultiplexer, which comprises a graded index type light transmission section whose refractive index is continuously reduced in the direction from the center to the periphery thereof, a wavelength-multiplexed-light connecting section disposed at one of the axial ends of the light transmission section, and at least one monochromatic light connecting section disposed at the other axial end of the light transmission section. The wavelength-multiplexed-light connecting section and the monochromatic light connecting section are disposed relative to the light transmission section in such a positional relationship that a monochromatic light included in a wavelength multiplexed light entered from the wavelength-multiplexed-light connecting section into the one end of the light transmission section is emitted from the other end of the light transmission section at a position where the monochromatic light connecting section is disposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2006
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Rayon Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshiaki Hattori, Norifumi Hirota, Yoshihiro Uozu
  • Patent number: 7043116
    Abstract: A dual-port broadband light source with independently controllable output powers includes a broadband light source having a first gain medium pumped by an input pump light in order to output a first amplified spontaneous emission through both ends thereof. A second gain medium pumped by another input pump light in order to output a second amplified spontaneous emission through both ends thereof. A reflector disposed between the opposite ends of the first and second gain mediums to reflect the input first and second amplified spontaneous emissions. The first and second amplified spontaneous emissions output from the first and second gain mediums are then output to the outside through first and second output terminals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2006
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seong-Taek Hwang, Yun-Je Oh, Kwan-Soo Lee
  • Patent number: 7036996
    Abstract: An optical fiber coupling assembly is provided, which is an integration of connectors and coupler. A connector is installed to an end of a fiber cable. The connector is then inserted into a sleeve of a coupler. A latch is used to force the end surface of the fiber cable's core to be tightly joined to that of an opposite fiber cable also coupled to the coupling assembly, reducing the power loss of the light signal transmission over the two fiber cables. The coupling assembly is structurally simple, has a smaller form factor, and is able to increase operation efficiency and reduce production cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2006
    Inventor: Chong-Nien Wang
  • Patent number: 7035490
    Abstract: When a voltage is applied to plural spot electrodes selected from the spot electrodes arranged in the matrix form and the light incident on the two-dimensional plane waveguide is reflected by at least two parallel lines, the refractive index of the optical waveguide is partly changed so that the wavelength of the light, the angle of the two lines to the incident light and the distance between the lines satisfy the Bragg reflection condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2006
    Assignee: Yokogawa Electric Corp.
    Inventors: Shun-ichi Miyazaki, Akira Miura, Shinji Kobayashi, Morio Wada, Tsuyoshi Yakihara, Sadaharu Oka, Shinji Iio, Tadashige Fujita, Chie Sato
  • Patent number: 7031578
    Abstract: Given a component comprising at least one active area formed on a substrate and designed to be coupled to a light guide, a support is used, at least one hole is formed in the support starting from one face of this support, this hole being designed to receive one end of the guide, the substrate is fixed to the other face of the support by forming the hole facing the active area if the active area has already been formed, and otherwise it is formed on the substrate facing the hole and the end of the guide is placed in the hole. The optical system is obtained by optically coupling two devices thus obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Assignee: Commissariate a l'Energie Atomique
    Inventors: François Marion, Eric Jalaguier, Jean-Charles Souriau
  • Patent number: 7029182
    Abstract: An optical connector adapter mount for mounting optical connectors to a panel. The mount comprises a frame with a mounting section for attaching the mount to the panel. The frame has a housing section with an aperture adapted for connecting at least one multi-fiber optical connector with at least a row of multiple optical fibers to the housing section. The aperture in the housing has an axis of symmetry which is slanted relative to the mounting section. The axis of symmetry of the aperture is angled relative to a normal axis of panel when the mounting section is mounted to the panel. The connector connected to the housing section is oriented with the row of multiple optical fibers aligned generally vertically.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Assignee: FCI Americas Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Hung Viet Ngo
  • Patent number: 7027680
    Abstract: A Switch/Variable Optical Attenuator (SVOA) includes a die including at least one 2×2 optical switch and a respective integral variable optical attenuator for each of the at least one 2×2 optical switch. Each of the at least one 2×2 optical switches includes an INPUT optical port, an OUTPUT optical port, an ADD optical port, and a DROP optical port. The INPUT optical port is connected to the OUTPUT optical port in one state of the switch, and the ADD optical port is connected to the OUTPUT optical port in a second state of the switch. A single air gap exists between the ports. The VOA is mounted on the die and is associated with the switch for selectively attenuating optical signals transiting the air gap from one port to another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2006
    Assignee: Moog Components Group Inc.
    Inventor: Heath Kouns
  • Patent number: 7027693
    Abstract: When an optical member which have a plurality of luminous flux converters formed in a line on a surface of an optical substrate is mounted on a support substrate having at least one groove, at least two parts of the side surfaces of the optical member are brought into contact with the groove to perform positioning, and an adhesive agent is filled between at least one part of a portion which opposes the groove on the plane of the optical member and which is not in contact with the groove and the support substrate to cause the optical member and the support substrate to adhere to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2006
    Assignee: Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshinori Maeno
  • Patent number: 7021840
    Abstract: An optical receiver comprises a PD for receiving an incident light from an optical fiber, a preamplifier IC for amplifying an electrical signal from the PD, a submount on which the PD and the preamplifier IC are mounted on the same plane, and a package on which the submount is mounted. The PD and the preamplifier IC are directly connected to each other by a wire, and these components are both mounted on the same submount. Therefore, the distance between the PD and the preamplifier IC can be reduced, and parasitic inductance, parasitic capacitance, etc. can be greatly reduced. As a result, an optical receiver is provided which has reduced parasitic inductance and parasitic capacitance, and which is optimum for high speed response.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshiki Kuhara, Hiromi Nakanishi, Mitsuaki Nishie
  • Patent number: 7024062
    Abstract: An optical switch is presented. In a first state, a trench is filled with index matching fluid so that light from a first waveguide passes through the trench to a second waveguide. In a second state, a bubble is formed within the index matching fluid so that light from the first waveguide is reflected at the trench to a third waveguide. The bubble is formed by heat so that volume of the bubble is substantially less than total volume of the trench, resulting in pressure within the bubble not being substantially increased by pressure exerted by sidewalls of the trench.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Inventors: John Julian Uebbing, Dale Schroeder
  • Patent number: 7024060
    Abstract: An apparatus and method are herein disclosed which utilize a ratio based on a varied angle of incidence of light on an optical fiber analysis system. By calculating the ration of light incident on the sample element, variations in the system parameters which can provide deleterious effects are obviated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Assignee: University of South Florida
    Inventors: Andres M. Cardenas-Valencia, Eric Toby Steimle, Robert H. Byrne, Melynda Calves
  • Patent number: 7018108
    Abstract: A fiber optic connector assembly includes an outer connector housing defining an optic axis in a through passage. A first key is disposed in the passage at a given position angularly about the axis. An inner optical fiber plug terminates an optical fiber and is disposed in the passage and includes a second key movably positionable about the periphery of the plug to different selected positions of rotational adjustment for the plug. The second key is fixable at any selected position on the plug and is lockable with the first key on the housing to fix the angular position of the plug relative to the housing and, thereby, fix the rotational position of the optical fiber angularly of the optic axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2006
    Assignee: Molex Incorporated
    Inventors: Ilya Makhlin, Aleksander Yazvin, Vyacheslav Malevanets, Malcolm R. Phifer, Barbara Grzegorzewska, Igor Grois
  • Patent number: 7020375
    Abstract: Composition wavelengths of materials of cladding layers and optical guide layers are 0.92 ?m and 1.2 ?m respectively. When the thickness of optical guide layers, corresponding to an extreme value in which inclination of a sensitivity curve to 1.3 ?m-wavelength light and to 1.55 ?m-wavelength light with respect to a change in the thickness of each of both optical guide layers changes from positive to negative, are defined as d1 and d2, respectively, the thickness, dg, of optical guide layers of a light detecting element satisfies 0.75d1?dg?1.25d2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2006
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masaharu Nakaji, Eitaro Ishimura
  • Patent number: 7016565
    Abstract: A micro-optic fiber device is provided with independent counter-bore tubes and coupling tubes serving as couplers for coupling the optical processing elements, micro lenses and the fiber pigtails. The micro-optic fiber device can be built using direct coupling manner, wherein the optical processing element is firstly inserted and fixed in the step groove of the counter-bore tube by applying bonding agent between the outer periphery of the optical processing element and the inner surface of the step groove, and then the counter-bore tube is coupled with the coupling tubes, thus eliminating the need of using bonding agent between the optical processing element and the micro lenses and preventing the bonding agent from diffusing and spreading over the optical path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: Lightel Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Chung-Ho Hsia, Pai-Sheng Shen