Patents by Inventor Glen Sanders

Glen Sanders 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: 11624614
    Abstract: Systems and methods for reducing rotation sensing errors from laser source signal and modulation cross-talk are provided herein. An RFOG includes a fiber optic resonator; a first laser source that produces a first light wave at a first carrier frequency and a first cross-talked portion at a second carrier frequency wave for propagating in a first direction, wherein a second cross-talked portion propagates in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction; a second laser source that produces a second light wave for propagating in the second direction at a second carrier frequency, and having a third cross-talked portion that propagates in the first direction, a first modulator that modulates the first light wave by suppressing light at the first carrier frequency and the second cross-talked portion at the second carrier frequency, and photodetectors that generate signals from the modulated first light wave and the second light wave.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Lee K. Strandjord, Tiequn Qiu, Glen A. Sanders
  • Publication number: 20230097179
    Abstract: Systems and methods for reducing rotation sensing errors from laser source signal and modulation cross-talk are provided herein. An RFOG includes a fiber optic resonator; a first laser source that produces a first light wave at a first carrier frequency and a first cross-talked portion at a second carrier frequency wave for propagating in a first direction, wherein a second cross-talked portion propagates in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction; a second laser source that produces a second light wave for propagating in the second direction at a second carrier frequency, and having a third cross-talked portion that propagates in the first direction, a first modulator that modulates the first light wave by suppressing light at the first carrier frequency and the second cross-talked portion at the second carrier frequency, and photodetectors that generate signals from the modulated first light wave and the second light wave.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2020
    Publication date: March 30, 2023
    Applicant: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Lee K. Strandjord, Tiequn Qiu, Glen A. Sanders
  • Patent number: 11506495
    Abstract: Systems and methods for an injection locking RFOG are described herein. In certain embodiments, a system includes an optical resonator. The system also includes a laser source configured to launch a first laser for propagating within the optical resonator in a first direction and a second laser for propagating within the optical resonator in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction, wherein the first laser is emitted at a first launch frequency and the second laser is emitted at a second launch frequency. Moreover, the system includes at least one return path that injects a first optical feedback for the first laser and a second optical feedback for the second laser, from the optical resonator, into the laser source, wherein the first and second optical feedbacks respectively lock the first and second launch frequencies to first and second resonance frequencies of the optical resonator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Jianfeng Wu, Karl D. Nelson, Matthew Wade Puckett, Glen A. Sanders, Lee K. Strandjord
  • Patent number: 11402211
    Abstract: Improvements to optical power regulation in a gyroscopic system are described. The system can include an optical assembly (e.g., optical bench) which couples opposing optical signals to a resonator coil. The system can monitor the power of the optical signals through the resonator coil by including signal extraction optics in the optical assembly which are configured to extract a portion of the optical signals. The portions can be extracted via a single beamsplitter, wherein the beamsplitter reflects the portions at a single common surface, and can also reflect the portions to a respective photodetector in free space free from intervening optical components, such as polarizers or beamsplitters. One or more processors can be coupled to the optical assembly, wherein the processor(s) are configured to adjust the power of the optical signals in response to detecting a power difference between the optical signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Neil A. Krueger, Glen A. Sanders, Lee K. Strandjord, Marc Smiciklas
  • Publication number: 20220128362
    Abstract: Improvements to optical power regulation in a gyroscopic system are described. The system can include an optical assembly (e.g., optical bench) which couples opposing optical signals to a resonator coil. The system can monitor the power of the optical signals through the resonator coil by including signal extraction optics in the optical assembly which are configured to extract a portion of the optical signals. The portions can be extracted via a single beamsplitter, wherein the beamsplitter reflects the portions at a single common surface, and can also reflect the portions to a respective photodetector in free space free from intervening optical components, such as polarizers or beamplitters. One or more processors can be coupled to the optical assembly, wherein the processor(s) are configured to adjust the power of the optical signals in response to detecting a power difference between the optical signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2020
    Publication date: April 28, 2022
    Applicant: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Neil A. Krueger, Glen A. Sanders, Lee K. Strandjord, Marc Smiciklas
  • Publication number: 20220026211
    Abstract: Systems and methods for an injection locking RFOG are described herein. In certain embodiments, a system includes an optical resonator. The system also includes a laser source configured to launch a first laser for propagating within the optical resonator in a first direction and a second laser for propagating within the optical resonator in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction, wherein the first laser is emitted at a first launch frequency and the second laser is emitted at a second launch frequency. Moreover, the system includes at least one return path that injects a first optical feedback for the first laser and a second optical feedback for the second laser, from the optical resonator, into the laser source, wherein the first and second optical feedbacks respectively lock the first and second launch frequencies to first and second resonance frequencies of the optical resonator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2020
    Publication date: January 27, 2022
    Applicant: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Jianfeng Wu, Karl D. Nelson, Matthew Wade Puckett, Glen A. Sanders, Lee K. Strandjord
  • Patent number: 11181374
    Abstract: A resonator fiber optic gyroscope (RFOG) that includes at least one laser, a resonator and a resonator hopping control system is provided. The resonator is in operational communication with the at least one laser to receive a clockwise (CW) laser light and counterclockwise (CCW) laser light produced by the at least one laser. The resonance hopping control system is in communication with an output of the resonator and the at least one laser. The resonance hopping control system is configured to control an output of the at least one laser to periodically unlock, hop and lock frequencies of the laser light traveling in the CW and CCW directions in the resonator to resonance frequencies of the resonator to mitigate bias errors due to resonance asymmetries.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Marc Smiciklas, Glen A. Sanders, Lee K. Strandjord
  • Patent number: 11175140
    Abstract: A resonant fiber optic gyroscope (RFOG) comprises two integrated photonics interfaces coupling the optical resonator coil to the multi-frequency laser source that drives the RFOG; wherein the two integrated photonics interfaces comprise a first waveguide layer and a second waveguide layer wherein the first waveguide layer comprises two waveguide branches which come together to form a single waveguide branch; the second waveguide layer comprises two waveguide branches which remain separate from each other; and wherein the waveguide structure is configured to match an integrated photonics mode to a fiber mode supported by an optical fiber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Wade Puckett, Neil A. Krueger, Glen A. Sanders
  • Publication number: 20210262799
    Abstract: A resonator fiber optic gyroscope (RFOG) that includes at least one laser, a resonator and a resonator hopping control system is provided. The resonator is in operational communication with the at least one laser to receive a clockwise (CW) laser light and counterclockwise (CCW) laser light produced by the at least one laser. The resonance hopping control system is in communication with an output of the resonator and the at least one laser. The resonance hopping control system is configured to control an output of the at least one laser to periodically unlock, hop and lock frequencies of the laser light traveling in the CW and CCW directions in the resonator to resonance frequencies of the resonator to mitigate bias errors due to resonance asymmetries.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2020
    Publication date: August 26, 2021
    Applicant: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Marc Smiciklas, Glen A. Sanders, Lee K. Strandjord
  • Patent number: 11002544
    Abstract: Systems and methods for performing resonator fiber optic gyroscope (RFOG) resonance hopping are described herein. For example, an RFOG includes a fiber optic resonator. The RFOG also includes a plurality of laser sources that each launch a respective laser for propagation within the fiber optic resonator. Further, the RFOG includes a threshold detector that determines when the operation of at least one laser source in the plurality of laser sources exceeds a threshold associated with the operational range of an aspect of the at least one laser source. Additionally, the RFOG includes a hop control logic that adjusts the frequency of at least one laser produced by the at least one laser source one or more resonant modes of the fiber optic resonator such that the aspect of the at least one laser moves away from the threshold towards a nominal value within the operational range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Lee K. Strandjord, Marc Smiciklas, Jianfeng Wu, Glen A. Sanders
  • Patent number: 11002545
    Abstract: Systems and methods for performing SHD switching for RFOGS are provided herein. A system includes a resonator in which light resonates; at least one laser source that produces first and second optical beams; heterodyne modulators that modulate the first and second optical beams at a heterodyne frequency plus a modulation frequency offset to produce multiple sideband optical beams, wherein the modulation frequency offset has a different sign for the first and second optical beams; a frequency switching controller that alternatingly switches the signs of the modulation frequency offset applied to the first and second optical beams, wherein the heterodyne modulation of the first and second optical beams are on average at the heterodyne frequency; at least one coupler that couples the sideband optical beams into the resonator; a feedback control that detects the sideband optical beams transmitted from the resonator and, in response, adjusts frequencies of the optical beams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Lee K. Strandjord, Glen A. Sanders, Jianfeng Wu, Tiequn Qiu, Marc Smiciklas
  • Patent number: 10955294
    Abstract: A system for detecting trace-gas includes an optical sensor mounted on a vehicle and processing circuitry. The optical sensor includes a plurality of interferometers configured to collect samples. The processing circuitry is configured to generate a digitized signal based on the samples, apply a forward Fourier-transform on the digitized signal to generate spectrum information for the plurality of interferometers, and determine a gas species has been detected using one or more intensity of absorption features of the spectrum information corresponding to the gas species from the spectrum information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Hugh Podmore, Alan Scott, Glen A. Sanders, Sudip Mukhopadhyay
  • Publication number: 20210072026
    Abstract: A resonant fiber optic gyroscope (RFOG) comprises two integrated photonics interfaces coupling the optical resonator coil to the multi-frequency laser source that drives the RFOG; wherein the two integrated photonics interfaces comprise a first waveguide layer and a second waveguide layer wherein the first waveguide layer comprises two waveguide branches which come together to form a single waveguide branch; the second waveguide layer comprises two waveguide branches which remain separate from each other; and wherein the waveguide structure is configured to match an integrated photonics mode to a fiber mode supported by an optical fiber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2019
    Publication date: March 11, 2021
    Applicant: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Wade Puckett, Neil A. Krueger, Glen A. Sanders
  • Publication number: 20210055108
    Abstract: Systems and methods for performing SHD switching for RFOGS are provided herein. A system includes a resonator in which light resonates; at least one laser source that produces first and second optical beams; heterodyne modulators that modulate the first and second optical beams at a heterodyne frequency plus a modulation frequency offset to produce multiple sideband optical beams, wherein the modulation frequency offset has a different sign for the first and second optical beams; a frequency switching controller that alternatingly switches the signs of the modulation frequency offset applied to the first and second optical beams, wherein the heterodyne modulation of the first and second optical beams are on average at the heterodyne frequency; at least one coupler that couples the sideband optical beams into the resonator; a feedback control that detects the sideband optical beams transmitted from the resonator and, in response, adjusts frequencies of the optical beams.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2019
    Publication date: February 25, 2021
    Applicant: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Lee K. Strandjord, Glen A. Sanders, Jianfeng Wu, Tiequn Qiu, Marc Smiciklas
  • Patent number: 10914587
    Abstract: Techniques are provided for correcting for time varying changes to a gyroscope incorporating a resonator and/or to an environment in which the gyroscope is located, and which affect the resonator. Free spectral range of the gyroscope, which varies with such changes, is determined and is used to correct at least one of gyroscope bias and scale factor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Glen A. Sanders, Lee K. Strandjord, Tiequn Qiu, Marc Smiciklas, Norman Gerard Tarleton
  • Publication number: 20210025708
    Abstract: Systems and methods for performing resonator fiber optic gyroscope (RFOG) resonance hopping are described herein. For example, an RFOG includes a fiber optic resonator. The RFOG also includes a plurality of laser sources that each launch a respective laser for propagation within the fiber optic resonator. Further, the RFOG includes a threshold detector that determines when the operation of at least one laser source in the plurality of laser sources exceeds a threshold associated with the operational range of an aspect of the at least one laser source. Additionally, the RFOG includes a hop control logic that adjusts the frequency of at least one laser produced by the at least one laser source one or more resonant modes of the fiber optic resonator such that the aspect of the at least one laser moves away from the threshold towards a nominal value within the operational range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2020
    Publication date: January 28, 2021
    Applicant: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Lee K. Strandjord, Marc Smiciklas, Jianfeng Wu, Glen A. Sanders
  • Publication number: 20210025709
    Abstract: Techniques are provided for correcting for time varying changes to a gyroscope incorporating a resonator and/or to an environment in which the gyroscope is located, and which affect the resonator. Free spectral range of the gyroscope, which varies with such changes, is determined and is used to correct at least one of gyroscope bias and scale factor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2019
    Publication date: January 28, 2021
    Applicant: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Glen A. Sanders, Lee K. Strandjord, Tiequn Qiu, Marc Smiciklas, Norman Gerard Tarleton
  • Patent number: 10837779
    Abstract: A method comprises receiving a first optical signal and a second optical signal at or near an optical resonator, where the first optical signal includes a clockwise (CW) optical signal and the second optical signal includes a counter clockwise optical signal; injecting the first optical signal and the second optical signal into a resonator loop closure optics system of the optical resonator; sampling a portion of the first optical signal and a portion of the second optical signal; combining the portion of the first optical signal and the second optical signal; converting the combined optical signals to an analog electrical signal; digitizing the analog electrical signal; storing an estimated frequency of a beat signal created by a combination of the CW optical signal and the CCW optical signal; and using the stored estimated beat signal frequency, digitally phase lock to a frequency of the beat signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Lee K. Strandjord, Simon Ayotte, Glen A. Sanders
  • Publication number: 20200295740
    Abstract: A system, feedback controller and method are disclosed. For example, the feedback controller includes a phase-sensitive quadrature controller configured to generate a first control signal associated with a controlled signal, a phase-sensitive in-phase controller configured to generate a second control signal associated with the controlled signal, a summer configured to add the first control signal and the second control signal, and a subtractor configured to subtract the summed first and second control signals from an uncontrolled signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2019
    Publication date: September 17, 2020
    Applicant: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Lee K. Strandjord, Norman Gerard Tarleton, Jianfeng Wu, Marc Smiciklas, Glen A. Sanders
  • Patent number: 10767995
    Abstract: A hyperbolic modulation offset reducer circuit for a resonator fiber optic gyro (RFOG) is provided. The circuit includes a first demodulation circuit that is configured to demodulate a received transmission signal from a resonator at twice a sideband heterodyne detection modulation frequency to reject signals due to backscatter. A slave resonance tracking loop of the circuit is coupled to an output of the first demodulation circuit. The slave resonance tracking loop is configured to create an offset frequency signal from the transmission signal that is applied to an optical phase lock loop of a RFOG. A hyperbolic modulator offset control loop is also coupled to the output of the first demodulation circuit. The hyperbolic modulator offset control loop is configured to create a subharmonic common modulation signal from the transmission signal that is coupled to a common phase module in a silicon photonics chip of the RFOG.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Lee K. Strandjord, Marc Smiciklas, Norman Gerard Tarleton, Glen A. Sanders