Patents by Inventor James E. Leight

James E. Leight 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: 6608950
    Abstract: An integrated optoelectronic device (1) includes a substrate (4), at least one optoelectronic component (2) provided on the substrate (4), and a waveguide (9a . . . 9n) provided on the substrate (4) and optically connected to the at least one optoelectronic component (2). The waveguide (9a . . . 9n) is made of a sol-gel glass. A method for making the integrated optoelectronic device (1) includes the steps of providing a substrate (4), providing at least one optoelectronic component (2) on the substrate (4), and providing at least one sol-gel glass waveguide (9a . . . 9n) on the substrate (4) and optically connected to the at least one optoelectronic component (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2003
    Assignee: Northrop Grumman Corporation
    Inventors: Elizabeth T. Kunkee, David V. Forbes, James E. Leight, Mahmoud Fallahi
  • Patent number: 6587256
    Abstract: An RF combiner (10) that combines a plurality of RF signals (12) in the optical domain. The combiner (10) includes a single optical source (14) that generates an optical beam (16). The optical beam (16) is directed through a series of optical modulators (20), such as optical phase modulators. Each modulator (20) is responsive to an RF signal (12) that is to be combined with the other RF signals (12). Each modulator (20) modulates the optical signal (16) with the RF signal (12) so that the modulations combine in an additive manner. A single optical phase demodulator (32) is used to demodulate the composite phase modulated optical beam (16) to generate the combined RF signal (34). Suitable delay devices (50) can be used between the optical modulators (20), or the RF signals can be matched so that the RF signals combine in phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2003
    Assignee: Northrop Grumman Corporation
    Inventors: James E. Leight, David L. Rollins, Richard A. Fields
  • Patent number: 6574402
    Abstract: An optical device for serializing data signals in a plurality of parallel channels is disclosed, including: (a) a plurality of waveguides adapted to conduct light signals of a predetermined wavelength; and (b) a nonlinear optical element having a refractive index and defining an optical path thereon adapted and configured to conduct a control light pulse along the optical path, wherein a portion of each of the plurality of waveguides is adjacent to or in contact with the nonlinear optical element at a different portion along the optical path; wherein the refractive index along the optical path is substantially altered where the control pulse is located such that the relative phase of the light signals of the predetermined wavelength is altered only where the signal is substantially coincident with the control pulse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2003
    Assignee: Lightica, Inc.
    Inventors: Yuri A. Zakharenkov, Gregory S. Maurer, James E. Leight
  • Publication number: 20030068148
    Abstract: An optical device for serializing data signals in a plurality of parallel channels is provided, including: (a) a plurality of waveguides adapted to conduct light signals of a predetermined wavelength; and (b) a nonlinear optical element having a refractive index and defining an optical path thereon adapted and configured to conduct a control light pulse along the optical path, wherein a portion of each of the plurality of waveguides is adjacent to or in contact with the nonlinear optical element at a different portion along the optical path; wherein the refractive index along the optical path is substantially altered where the control pulse is located such that the relative phase of the light signals of the predetermined wavelength is altered only where the signal is substantially coincident with the control pulse.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2001
    Publication date: April 10, 2003
    Inventors: Yuri A. Zakharenkov, Gregory S. Maurer, James E. Leight
  • Publication number: 20020191251
    Abstract: An optical switching device that routes an optical data packet using an all optical architecture signal detection and switching system. The packet includes header bits, data bits and a reset bit. The header bits identify the switch state for routing the data packet and the specific routing information for distinct portions of the data packet. The header bits are transmitted at an optical carrier frequency different than the carrier frequency of the data bits. The reset bit resets the switch element processor to enable it to process and route the next data packet. The frequency of a particular header bit affects the index of refraction of a Bragg grating of a detector and the output of the detector is provided to a switch that determines the routing path of the packet. A return command resets the diffraction grating so that it does not affect subsequent header bits.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2001
    Publication date: December 19, 2002
    Inventors: Bruce A. Ferguson, Richard A. Fields, James E. Leight, Eric L. Upton, Robert E. Kasody
  • Publication number: 20020186445
    Abstract: An RF combiner (10) that combines a plurality of RF signals (12) in the optical domain. The combiner (10) includes a single optical source (14) that generates an optical beam (16). The optical beam (16) is directed through a series of optical modulators (20), such as optical phase modulators. Each modulator (20) is responsive to an RF signal (12) that is to be combined with the other RF signals (12). Each modulator (20) modulates the optical signal (16) with the RF signal (12) so that the modulations combine in an additive manner. A single optical phase demodulator (32) is used to demodulate the composite phase modulated optical beam (16) to generate the combined RF signal (34). Suitable delay devices (50) can be used between the optical modulators (20), or the RF signals can be matched so that the RF signals combine in phase.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2001
    Publication date: December 12, 2002
    Inventors: James E. Leight, David L. Rollins, Richard A. Fields
  • Publication number: 20020110308
    Abstract: An integrated optoelectronic device (1) includes a substrate(4), at least one optoelectronic component (2) provided on the substrate (4), and a waveguide (9a . . . 9n) provided on the substrate (4) and optically connected to the at least one optoelectronic component (2). The waveguide (9a . . . 9n) is made of a sol-gel glass. A method for making the integrated optoelectronic device (1) includes the steps of providing a substrate (4), providing at least one optoelectronic component (2) on the substrate (4), and providing at least one sol-gel glass waveguide (9a . . . 9n) on the substrate (4) and optically connected to the at least one optoelectronic component (2).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2001
    Publication date: August 15, 2002
    Inventors: Elizabeth T. Kunkee, David V. Forbes, James E. Leight, Mahmoud Fallahi
  • Patent number: 6404535
    Abstract: An optically implemented wide bandwidth correlation system (10) that employs a multi-mode imaging device (42) and a particular modulation format to provide both in-phase and quadrature phase correlation components in a single correlation process. The correlation system (10) includes an optical source (12) that generates a laser beam (14) that is split into a first beam path (18) and a second beam path (20). The first split beam and a first electrical signal are applied to a first modulator (22) in the first path (18) and the second split beam and the second electrical signal are applied to a second modulator (24) in the second path (20). The modulated beams are then applied to the optical imaging device (42) that causes the beams to interfere with each other within an optical cavity (48).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2002
    Assignee: TRW Inc.
    Inventor: James E. Leight
  • Patent number: 6317256
    Abstract: A method (100) and process (120) for extending the optical bandwidth of an optical signal splitter/amplifier (160) that includes optical amplifier material and an multi-mode interference splitter. A wider bandwidth is obtained by equalizing both the gain and noise figures for the splitter/amplifier (160) as a function of the perfect focus wavelength of the splitter and the amplified spontaneous emission spectra of the gain material. The peak wavelength of the semiconductor optical amplifier material is offset a distance from the perfect focus wavelength so that the net gain of the splitter/amplifier (160) is the semiconductor gain multiplied by the insertion loss of the splitter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2001
    Assignee: TRW Inc.
    Inventors: Elizabeth T. Kunkee, James E. Leight
  • Patent number: 5546209
    Abstract: Optical communication apparatus for simultaneously and reconfigurably establishing optical communication channels, comprises at least one light source and a plurality of wavelength-selective detectors optically associated with each light source, the detectors arranged one behind another. The apparatus uses wavelength-division-multiplexing (WDM) to facilitate simultaneous and reconfigurable communication of one-to-many 2-D optical planes. This advance dramatically increases the system functionality of optical-plane interconnects. Such a system is realized by incorporating several multiple wavelength vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSEL) into each transmitting pixel and incorporating wavelength selectivity into each subsequent detecting plane which will absorb one wavelength and be transparent to the rest; these structures can be fabricated by slightly modifying existing technology.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 13, 1996
    Assignees: University of Southern California, Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford University
    Inventors: Alan E. Willner, Constance J. Chang-Hasnain, James E. Leight