Patents Examined by Michael Mooney
  • Patent number: 10274679
    Abstract: An optical communication cable and related systems and methods are provided. A method for field terminating an optical fiber of a fiber optic distribution cable includes accessing at least one of a plurality of optical fibers of the distribution cable by creating an access location in the distribution cable, inserting a cutting tool through the access location such that the cutting tool extends longitudinally past the access location a predetermined distance, terminating the at least one of the plurality of optical fibers at the predetermined distance, removing at least a portion of the at least one terminated optical fiber through the access location, and inserting the portion of the at least one terminated optical fiber through a furcation tube premounted on a small access closure device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: Corning Optical Communications LLC
    Inventors: Joseph Clinton Jensen, Kenneth Darrell Temple, Jr.
  • Patent number: 10268006
    Abstract: An optical interconnect structure includes a lens array and a waveguide substrate. The lens array has a dummy lens. The waveguide substrate has a dummy core, a dummy mirror corresponding to the dummy core, and an inspection opening for injecting inspection light into the dummy core to reach the dummy mirror. In the optical interconnect structure, the lens array is mounted on the waveguide substrate such that the dummy lens of the lens array is positioned on the dummy mirror by monitoring inspection light from the inspection opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Hsiang Han Hsu
  • Patent number: 10261281
    Abstract: An optical fiber distribution element (1810) includes a chassis (1820), an optical device (1900) mounted to the chassis (1820), the optical device (1900) including a plurality of cables (2134) extending from the optical device (1900) into the chassis (1820), and a cable management device (2110/2210) mounted to the chassis (1820).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: CommScope Connectivity Belgium BVBA
    Inventors: Johan Geens, Pieter Vermeulen, Eric Marcel M. Keustermans, Kristof Vastmans
  • Patent number: 10261264
    Abstract: A multiple optical fiber connection apparatus comprises an outer housing to receive a plurality of optical fibers and a collar body disposed within the housing having a fiber comb portion disposed at a front portion of the collar body. The fiber comb portion includes an array of grooves, with each groove configured to guide an optical fiber disposed therein, and a ramp section adjacent the groove array, wherein the ramp section including a gradual rising portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: Corning Research & Development Corporation
    Inventors: Mark R. Richmond, Johnny P. Bryant, Ding Wang, James R. Bylander, Nathan Stipek
  • Patent number: 10241258
    Abstract: A biocompatible and biodegradable polymeric step-index optical fiber includes a core and a cladding around the core. The core is made from a core material fabricated by bonding a citric acid and at least a first monomer using a synthesis process. The cladding is made from a cladding material fabricated by bonding the citric acid and at least a second monomer using the synthesis process. The core has a refractive index higher than that of the cladding, while a difference between an initial modulus of the core and the cladding is preferably less than 30% and a difference between the biodegradation rates of the core and cladding is preferably less than 30% after about 4 weeks. Optical properties of the core and cladding are tunable by adjusting monomer ratios, choices of monomers or cross-linking degrees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: The Penn State Research Foundation
    Inventors: Jian Yang, Zhiwen Liu, Dingying Shan, Chenji Zhang
  • Patent number: 10241287
    Abstract: A fiber optic splice enclosure includes a basket. The basket includes an outer shell, the outer shell including an outer sidewall defining at least a portion of a periphery of the basket. The basket further includes an insert disposed within the outer shell, the insert including a first sidewall and a second sidewall spaced apart from each other along a transverse axis and each extending along a longitudinal axis to define an inner channel therebetween. The first sidewall and the second sidewall are each further spaced apart from the outer sidewall along the longitudinal axis to define a first outer channel and a second outer channel. The fiber optic splice enclosure further includes a splice tray assembly including at least one splice tray, the splice tray assembly disposed within the inner channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: AFL Telecommunications LLC
    Inventors: Patrick E. Dobbins, David Reeve, Richard Megill, Vahid Ebrahimi
  • Patent number: 10215914
    Abstract: A light-diffusing optical fiber having nanostructured inner and outer core regions is disclosed. The nanostructured inner core region is defined by a first configuration of voids that defines a first amount of light scattering. The outer core region is defined by a second configuration of voids that defines a second amount of light scattering that is different from the first amount of light scattering. A cladding surrounds the nanostructured core. Light scattered out of the inner core region scatters from the outer core region and then out of the cladding as scattered light. Selective bending of the light-diffusing optical fiber is used to define a bending configuration that allows for tailoring the intensity distribution of the scattered light emitted from the fiber as a function of the length of the fiber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Stephan Lvovich Logunov, Pushkar Tandon
  • Patent number: 10209449
    Abstract: A structure for coupling an optical signal between an integrated circuit photonic structure and an external optical fiber is disclosed as in a method of formation. The coupling structure is sloped relative to a horizontal surface of the photonic structure such that light entering or leaving the photonic structure is substantially normal to its upper surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Harel Frish
  • Patent number: 10203583
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an optical waveguide element that includes a substrate and a waveguide layer formed on the substrate and comprising lithium niobate. The waveguide layer has a slab part having a predetermined thickness and a ridge part protruding from the slab part. The maximum thickness of the slab part is 0.05 times or more and less than 0.4 times a wavelength of a light propagating in the ridge part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: TDK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shinji Iwatsuka, Kenji Sasaki, Satoshi Shirai
  • Patent number: 10197821
    Abstract: An optical modulator circuit includes first and second electrodes, first and second p-n junction segments (PNJSs), and first and second optical waveguides. The first PNJS includes a first modulating p-n junction (MPNJ) in series with a first non-modulating device (NMD) that are connected to the first and second electrodes, respectively, where the first NMD includes a first substantially larger capacitance than the first MPNJ. The second PNJS includes a second NMD in series with a second MPNJ that are connected to the first and second electrodes, respectively, where the second NMD includes a second substantially larger capacitance than the second MPNJ. The first and second optical waveguides superimpose the first and second MPNJs, respectively, where the first and second MPNJs are configured to modulate a refractive index of the first and second optical waveguides, respectively, based on the substantially larger capacitance of the first NMD and the second NMD.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: Ciena Corporation
    Inventors: Michel Poulin, Yves Painchaud, Alexandre Delisle-Simard
  • Patent number: 10197738
    Abstract: A Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) actuator can rotate other, discrete optical elements that may be dimensionally large (especially in terms of thickness), may be of relatively large mass, and may be made of dissimilar materials (i.e., some material other than silicon). The rotating optical element may be reflective or transmissive. The MEMS actuator is used in multiple additional embodiments, allowing the integration of multiple optical functions into a single optical component, for a variety of applications. These optical functions include optical switching, optical attenuation, tunable optical filtering, the adjustment of the phase angle of an optical signal, and the detection or receiving of an optical signal or optical power level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: DICON FIBEROPTICS, INC.
    Inventors: Jeffrey B. Lee, Rong Ping Hsia, Robert E. Schleicher, Ho-Shang Lee
  • Patent number: 10197727
    Abstract: Holey fibers provide optical propagation. In various embodiments, a large core holey fiber comprises a cladding region formed by large holes arranged in few layers. The number of layers or rows of holes about the large core can be used to coarse tune the leakage losses of the fundamental and higher modes of a signal, thereby allowing the non-fundamental modes to be substantially eliminated by leakage over a given length of fiber. Fine tuning of leakage losses can be performed by adjusting the hole dimension and/or spacing to yield a desired operation with a desired leakage loss of the fundamental mode. Resulting holey fibers have a large hole dimension and spacing, and thus a large core, when compared to traditional fibers and conventional fibers that propagate a single mode. Other loss mechanisms, such as bend loss and modal spacing can be utilized for selected modes of operation of holey fibers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: IMRA America, Inc.
    Inventors: Liang Dong, Donald J. Harter, William Wong
  • Patent number: 10197884
    Abstract: Electro-optical modulators and methods of fabrication are disclosed. An electro-optical modulator includes a Mach-Zehnder interferometer containing an intrinsic silicon layer semiconductor layer and a coplanar waveguide. Signals from the coplanar waveguide are capacitively coupled to the Mach-Zehnder interferometer through first and second dielectric layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventor: Nadir Dagli
  • Patent number: 10185105
    Abstract: The flexible optical-fiber ribbon can be reversibly adapted to both planar and non-planar shapes (e.g., packed via folding or rolling) without damaging the optical-fiber ribbon or its constituent optical fibers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: Prysmian S.p.A.
    Inventors: Brian G. Risch, Erin Jean Bowman
  • Patent number: 10185103
    Abstract: The disclosure provides an optical module that includes a circuit board, a first chip, a second chip, and a lens assembly, wherein the first chip and the second chip are arranged respectively on the surface of the circuit board, and the lens assembly is arranged above the first chip and the second chip; the lens assembly includes a first optic fiber insertion port, a second optic fiber insertion port, a first reflecting surface, and a second reflecting surface; the distance between the axis of the first optic fiber insertion port, and the axis of the second optic fiber insertion port is less than the distance between the first chip and the second chip; and the first reflecting surface faces the first chip, the first reflecting surface faces the second reflecting surface, and the second reflecting surface faces the first optic fiber insertion port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignees: HISENSE BROADBAND MULTIMEDIA TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD., HISENSE USA CORPORATION, HISENSE INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Xuxia Liu, Yongliang Huang, Qian Shao
  • Patent number: 10185093
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for furcating fiber optic cables are provided. In some embodiments, a molded furcation tube array is generated by compressing rearward end portions of a plurality of furcation tubes together, and heating at least a portion of the rearward end portions to form a molded portion of the furcation tube array. Reinforcing filaments can be bonded into and/or throughout the molded portion. The molded portion can have internal chambers in communication with separate furcation tubes of the furcation tube array, in which optic fibers can be slidably retained, and the molded portion can be fixedly coupled to a housing, which in turn, can be coupled to a cable trunkline. Optic fibers can piston or slide longitudinally within the trunkline housing and molded portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: AFL IG LLC
    Inventors: Terry Kleeberger, Artur Bureacov
  • Patent number: 10180548
    Abstract: An optical transmission substrate of the disclosure includes a wiring substrate and an optical transmission line. The wiring substrate includes one main surface which includes a mounting area for a photoelectric conversion element. The optical transmission line includes a first cladding portion which is disposed on the one main surface of the wiring substrate and has a layer shape, at least one core portion which is disposed on the first cladding portion and has a strip shape, and a second cladding portion which is disposed on a part of the at least one core portion. The optical transmission line includes an end portion which is positioned in the mounting area. The end portion includes a part of the at least one core portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
    Inventor: Satoshi Asai
  • Patent number: 10180543
    Abstract: An optical path control system is provided. The optical path control system includes a converging lens used to converge a plurality of light beams passing through the converging lens, and an optical path assembly used to control propagation directions of the plurality of light beams passing through the optical path assembly. When the plurality of light beams pass through the optical path assembly and the converging lens sequentially, the optical path assembly converges the plurality of light beams, and the converging lens converges each of the plurality of light beam into a point of light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: InnoLight Technology (Suzhou) Ltd.
    Inventors: Dengqun Yu, Yuzhou Sun, Long Chen, Donghan Wang, Weilong Li
  • Patent number: 10175427
    Abstract: A low debris dust cap has a plurality of portions corresponding the fiber optic connector on which it is installed. Two latches extending from side walls are disposed between the inner and outer housings. The low debris dust cap can be placed and removed from the connector without movement of either the inner or outer housings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: US Conec, Ltd
    Inventors: Mitchell Cloud, Jason Higley, Darrell R. Childers
  • Patent number: 10168490
    Abstract: A communication module inserted into and removed from a slot provided in a communication device, the communication module includes a communication cable, a casing disposed at an end of the communication cable and capable of being inserted into and removed from the slot, a latch arm slidable along the casing, and a grip portion extending from the casing. When the latch arm is operated so as to slide, an engagement between the casing and the slot is released, and the grip portion is connected to the latch arm such that the latch arm can be operated so as to slide, and the grip portion also has rigidity so as not to be bent by a weight of the casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: Hitachi Metals, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hideki Nonen