Patents by Inventor Bruce C. Roberts

Bruce C. Roberts has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 6830382
    Abstract: An embodiment includes a connector element that comprises a connector body and a fiber optic ferrule slidably positioned inside the connector body. The ferrule holds at least one optical fiber. The connector element carries an optical sub-assembly including a photonic device and a spacer and includes a connector sleeve for receiving the connector element. The sleeve includes a ridge that operates as a first stop for the connector body and includes an alignment projection that coarsely aligns the fiber optic ferrule. The ferrule includes a pair of openings configured to receive a pair of alignment pins to provide fine alignment of optical fibers with corresponding photonic devices. The connector element is engaged with the connector sleeve to position the ferrule with respect to the optical sub-assembly such that the optical fiber is correctly positioned relative to a corresponding photonic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2004
    Assignee: National Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Peter Deane, Luu T. Nguyen, William P. Mazotti, Bruce C. Roberts, Christopher J. Smith, Janet E. Townsend, John P. Briant, Michael R. Nelson, Stephen Jacob
  • Patent number: 6802654
    Abstract: The invention comprises a connector apparatus for electrically interconnecting a chip sub-assembly to an optical sub-assembly. The apparatus includes a connector sleeve with a chip sub-assembly having at least one electrical connection arranged thereon. The connector sleeve is suitable for receiving a connector plug that includes an optical fiber optically coupled to the photonic devices of an optical sub-assembly that includes electrical connectors. The connector plug is engaged with the connector sleeve, thereby electrically interconnecting the electrical connections of the chip sub-assembly to the electrical connectors of the optical sub-assembly such that electrical signals can pass between the chip sub-assembly and a photonic device of the optical sub-assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2004
    Assignee: National Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Bruce C. Roberts, Stephen A. Gee, William P. Mazotti, Luu T. Nguyen, Jia Liu, Peter Deane, Ken Pham
  • Patent number: 6624507
    Abstract: The present invention pertains to using a leadless leadframe package as the semiconductor device package component of an opto-electronic combinational device. Leadless leadframe packages (LLPs) have very small form factors that allow an opto-electronic device to also have a small overall form factor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2003
    Assignee: National Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Luu Thanh Nguyen, Ken Pham, Peter Deane, William P. Mazotti, Bruce C. Roberts