Patents by Inventor James R. Dunphy
James R. Dunphy 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).
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Patent number: 6768825Abstract: A method and device for pressure sensing using an optical fiber having a core, a cladding and a Bragg grating imparted in the core for at least partially reflecting an optical signal at a characteristic wavelength. The cladding has two variation regions located on opposite sides of the Bragg grating to allow attachment mechanisms to be disposed against the optical fiber. The attachment mechanisms are mounted to a pressure sensitive structure so as to allow the characteristic wavelength to change according to pressure in an environment. In particular, the variation region has a diameter different from the cladding diameter, and the attachment mechanism comprises a ferrule including a front portion having a profile substantially corresponding to at least a portion of the diameter of the variation region and a butting mechanism which holds the ferrule against the optical fiber.Type: GrantFiled: June 1, 2001Date of Patent: July 27, 2004Assignee: Weatherford/Lamb, Inc.Inventors: Robert J. Maron, Guy A. Daigle, James R. Dunphy, Thomas W. Engel, John J. Grunbeck, Mark R. Fernald
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Publication number: 20040129083Abstract: A fiber grating pressure sensor includes an optical sensing element which includes an optical fiber having a Bragg grating impressed therein which is encased within and fused to at least a portion of a glass capillary tube and/or a large diameter waveguide grating having a core and a wide cladding. Light is incident on the grating and light is reflected from the grating at a reflection wavelength &lgr;1. The sensing element may be used by itself as a sensor or located within a housing. When external pressure P increases, the grating is compressed and the reflection wavelength &lgr;1 changes. The shape of the sensing element may have other geometries, e.g., a “dogbone” shape, so as to enhance the sensitivity of shift in &lgr;1 due to applied external pressure and may be fused to an outer shell.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 22, 2003Publication date: July 8, 2004Applicant: Weatherford/Lamb, Inc.Inventors: Mark R. Fernald, Timothy J. Bailey, Matthew B. Miller, James M. Sullivan, James R. Dunphy, Michael A. Davis, Christopher J. Wright, Alan D. Kersey, Martin A. Putnam, Robert N. Brucato, Paul E. Saunders
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Publication number: 20040008401Abstract: A reconfigurable multifunctional optical device has an optical arrangement for receiving an optical signal, each having optical bands or channels, and a spatial light modulator for reflecting the at least one optical signal provided thereon. The optical arrangement features a free optics configuration with a light dispersion element for spreading each optical signal into one or more respective optical bands or channels for performing separate optical functions on each optical signal. The spatial light modulator includes a micro-mirror device with an array of micro-mirrors, and the respective optical bands or channels reflect off respective micro-mirrors. The free optics configuration includes a common set of optical components for performing each separate optical function on each optical signal. The separate optical functions reflect off separate non-overlapping areas on the spatial light modulator. The separate optical functions include optical switching, conditioning or monitoring functions.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 28, 2003Publication date: January 15, 2004Applicant: CiDRA CorporationInventors: Paul Szczepanek, John A. Moon, Alan D. Kersey, James S. Sirkis, James R. Dunphy, Joseph Pinto, Christian O'Keefe, Michael A. Davis
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Patent number: 6668656Abstract: A fiber Bragg grating based sensor is disclosed. The sensor comprises an optical waveguide having a core and a cladding. The core comprises a pressure sensor such as a fiber Bragg grating. In one embodiment, a support is affixed around the cladding which has two first portions each having a first diameter. The pressure sensor is located at a second portion of the support positioned between the two first portions which has a second smaller diameter, thus giving the sensor a “dog bone” shape. In another embodiment, the dog bone shape is imparted by positioning the pressure sensor at a portion of a waveguide having a reduced cladding diameter.Type: GrantFiled: July 9, 2002Date of Patent: December 30, 2003Assignee: Weatherford/Lamb, Inc.Inventors: Mark R. Fernald, Timothy J. Bailey, Matthew B. Miller, James M. Sullivan, James R. Dunphy, Michael A. Davis, Christopher J. Wright, Alan D. Kersey, Martin A. Putnam, Robert N. Brucato, Paul E. Sanders
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Publication number: 20030184843Abstract: A reconfigurable optical blocking filter deletes a desired optical channel(s) from an optical WDM input signal, and includes a spatial light modulator having a micro-mirror device with a two-dimensional array of micro-mirrors that tilt between first and second positions in a “digital” fashion in response to a control signal provided by a controller in accordance with a switching algorithm and an input command. A collimators, diffraction grating, and Fourier lens, collectively collimate, separate and focus the optical input channels onto the array of micro-mirrors. The optical channel is focused on the micro-mirrors onto a plurality of micro-mirrors of the micro-mirror device, which effectively pixelates the optical channels. To delete an input channel of the optical input signal, micro-mirrors associated with each desired input channel are tilted to reflect the desired input channel away from the return path.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 19, 2002Publication date: October 2, 2003Applicant: CiDRA CorporationInventors: John A. Moon, Alan D. Kersey, James S. Sirkis, James R. Dunphy, Joseph Pinto, Paul Szczepanek, Michael A. Davis, Martin A. Putnam
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Publication number: 20030174939Abstract: A chromatic dispersion compensation device selectively delays a respective portion of spectral sections of each respective optical channel of an optical WDM input signal to compensate each optical channel for dispersion compensation, and includes a spatial light modulator having a micromirror device with a two-dimensional array of micromirrors. The micromirrors tilt or flip between first and second positions in a “digital” fashion in response to a control signal provided by a controller in accordance with a switching algorithm and an input command. A collimator, diffraction gratings, and Fourier lens collectively collimate, disperse and focus the optical input channels onto the array of micromirrors. Each optical channel is focused onto micromirrors of the micromirror device, which effectively pixelates the optical channels.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 15, 2002Publication date: September 18, 2003Applicant: CiDRA CorporationInventors: John A. Moon, Alan D. Kersey, Jay W. Dawson, Joseph Pinto, James R. Dunphy, Michael A. Davis
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Publication number: 20030145654Abstract: A highly sensitive accelerometer for determining the acceleration of a structure includes a mass within a housing suspended by opposing support members. The support members are alternately wound around a pair of fixed mandrels and the mass in a push pull arrangement. At least a portion of one of the support members comprises a transducer capable measuring the displacement of the mass within the housing. An embodiment of the invention employs optical fiber coils as support members for use in interferometric sensing processes. Arrays of such interferometer based accelerometers maybe multiplexed using WDM or similar methods.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 14, 2003Publication date: August 7, 2003Inventors: Sverre Knudsen, Arne Berg, James R. Dunphy, Daniel Woo
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Publication number: 20030118297Abstract: An optical corrosion sensor employs an optical fiber Bragg grating 20 embedded within an optical fiber 18. The grating 20 has a coating 40 made of a material, such as aluminum, which corrodes or can otherwise be removed. The coating 40 exerts forces 46 radially inward around and along the grating 20 so as to cause the wavelength bandwidth of the grating reflectivity profile to become broader and to be shifted relative to its uncoated condition. Also, the forces on the grating 20 are reduced when the coating corrodes, thereby causing the wavelength bandwidth and shift of the reflectivity profile of the grating to narrow and to return to its uncoated condition.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 19, 2002Publication date: June 26, 2003Inventors: James R. Dunphy, James J. Ryan
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Patent number: 6575033Abstract: A highly sensitive accelerometer for determining the acceleration of a structure includes a mass within a housing suspended by opposing support members. The support members are alternately wound around a pair of fixed mandrels and the mass in a push pull arrangement. At least a portion of one of the support members comprises a transducer capable measuring the displacement of the mass within the housing. An embodiment of the invention employs optical fiber coils as the support members for use in interferometric sensing processes. Arrays of such interferometer based accelerometers may be multiplexed using known techniques.Type: GrantFiled: October 1, 1999Date of Patent: June 10, 2003Assignee: Weatherford/Lamb, Inc.Inventors: Sverre Knudsen, Arne Berg, James R. Dunphy, Daniel Woo
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Publication number: 20030095307Abstract: A reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexer (ROADM) selectively drops and/or adds desired optical channel(s) from and/or to an optical WDM input signal. The ROADM includes a spatial light modulator having a micro-mirror device with an array of micro-mirrors, and a light dispersion element. The micro-mirrors tilt between two positions in response to a control signal provided by a controller in accordance with a switching algorithm and input command. Collimators, diffraction gratings and Fourier lens collectively collimate, separate and focus the optical input channels and optical add channels onto the array of micro-mirrors. Each optical channel is focused on micro-mirrors of the micro-mirror device, which effectively pixelates the optical channels. To drop and/or add an optical channel to the optical input signal, mirrors associated with each desired optical channel are tilted away from a return path to the second position.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 25, 2002Publication date: May 22, 2003Applicant: CiDRA CorporationInventors: John A. Moon, Alan D. Kersey, Jay W. Dawson, James R. Dunphy, Joseph Pinto, Christian O'Keefe, Paul Szczepanek
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Publication number: 20030090756Abstract: A reconfigurable optical channel monitor selects and determines a parameter of desired optical channel(s) from and/or to an optical WDM input signal. The OCM includes a spatial light modulator having a micro-mirror device with a two-dimensional array of micro-mirrors that tilt between first and second positions in response to a control signal from a controller in accordance with a switching algorithm and an input command. A collimator, diffraction grating, and Fourier lens collectively converge the optical input channels onto the micro-mirrors array. The optical channel is focused onto a plurality of micro-mirrors. To select each input channel, a group of micro-mirrors associated with each desired input channel is tilted to reflect the desired input channel back along the return path to a photodetector and processing unit to determine a parameter of the selected input signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 25, 2002Publication date: May 15, 2003Applicant: CiDRA CorporationInventors: John A. Moon, Alan D. Kersey, Jay W. Dawson, James R. Dunphy, Joseph Pinto, Christian O'Keefe, Paul Szczepanek
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Publication number: 20030086150Abstract: A reconfigurable optical interleaver/deinterleaver device combines/separates a pair of optical input signals from and/or to an optical WDM input signal. The interleaver device includes a spatial light modulator having a micro-mirror device with a two-dimensional array of micro-mirrors that flip between first and second positions in a “digital” fashion in response to a control signal provided by a controller in accordance with a switching algorithm and an input command. A pair of collimators, diffraction gratings and Fourier lens collectively collimate, separate and focus the optical input channels and optical add channels onto the array of micro-mirrors. Each optical channel is focused on a plurality of micro-mirrors of the micro-mirror device, which effectively pixelates the optical channels.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 25, 2002Publication date: May 8, 2003Applicant: CiDRA CorporationInventors: John A. Moon, Alan D. Kersey, Jay W. Dawson, James R. Dunphy, Joseph Pinto, Christian O'Keefe, Paul Szczepanek
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Publication number: 20030081321Abstract: An optical cross-connect is provided that selectively switches at least one desired optical channel between a pair of optical WDM input signals. The cross-connect includes a spatial light modulator having a micro-mirror device with a two-dimensional array of micro-mirrors. The micro-mirrors tilt or flip between a first and second position in a “digital” fashion in response to a control signal provided by a controller in accordance with a switching algorithm and an input command. A pair of collimators diffraction gratings and Fourier lens collectively collimate, separate and focus the optical input channels and optical add channels onto the array of micro-mirrors. Each optical channel is focused on the micro-mirrors onto a plurality of micro-mirrors of the micro-mirror device, which effectively pixelates the optical channels. The optical channels have a cross-section (e.g.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 25, 2002Publication date: May 1, 2003Applicant: CiDRA CorporationInventors: John A. Moon, Alan D. Kersey, Jay W. Dawson, James R. Dunphy, Joseph Pinto
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Patent number: 6507693Abstract: A method and device for tuning an optical device including an optical fiber having a core, a cladding and a Bragg grating imparted in the core to partially reflect an optical signal at a reflection wavelength characteristic of the spacing of the Bragg grating. The cladding has two variation regions located on opposite sides of the Bragg grating to allow attachment mechanisms to be disposed against the optical fiber. The attachment mechanisms are mounted to a frame so as to allow the spacing of the Bragg grating to be changed by an actuator which tunes the reflection wavelength. In particular, the variation region has a diameter different from the cladding diameter, and the attachment mechanism comprises a ferrule including a front portion having a profile substantially corresponding to diameter of the variation region and a butting mechanism butting the ferrule against the optical fiber.Type: GrantFiled: June 1, 2001Date of Patent: January 14, 2003Assignee: CiDRA CorporationInventors: Robert J. Maron, Guy A. Daigle, James R. Dunphy, Thomas W. Engel, John J. Grunbeck, Mark R. Fernald
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Publication number: 20020194917Abstract: A fiber grating pressure sensor includes an optical sensing element 20,600 which includes an optical fiber 10 having a Bragg grating 12 impressed therein which is encased within and fused to at least a portion of a glass capillary tube 20 and/or a large diameter waveguide grating 600 having a core and a wide cladding and which has an outer transverse dimension of at least 0.3 mm. Light 14 is incident on the grating 12 and light 16 is reflected from the grating 12 at a reflection wavelength &lgr;1. The sensing element 20,600 may be used by itself as a sensor or located within a housing 48,60,90,270,300. When external pressure P increases, the grating 12 is compressed and the reflection wavelength &lgr;1 changes. The shape of the sensing element 20,600 may have other geometries, e.g., a “dogbone” shape, so as to enhance the sensitivity of shift in &lgr;1 due to applied external pressure and may be fused to an outer shell 50.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 9, 2002Publication date: December 26, 2002Applicant: Weatherford/Lamb, Inc.Inventors: Mark R. Fernald, Timothy J. Bailey, Matthew B. Miller, James M. Sullivan, James R. Dunphy, Michael A. Davis, Christopher J. Wright, Alan D. Kersey, Martin A. Putnam, Robert N. Brucato, Paul E. Sanders
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Patent number: 6490931Abstract: A fused tension-based fiber grating pressure sensor includes an optical fiber having a Bragg grating impressed therein. The fiber is fused to tubes on opposite sides of the grating and an outer tube is fused to the tubes to form a chamber. The tubes and fiber may be made of glass. Light is incident on the grating and light is reflected from the grating at a reflection wavelength &lgr;1. The grating is initially placed in tension as the pressure P increases, the tension on the grating reduced and the reflection wavelength shifts accordingly. A temperature grating may be used to measure temperature and allow for a temperature-corrected pressure measurement.Type: GrantFiled: September 20, 1999Date of Patent: December 10, 2002Assignee: Weatherford/Lamb, Inc.Inventors: Mark R. Fernald, Timothy J. Bailey, Matthew B. Miller, James M. Sullivan, James R. Dunphy, Christopher J. Wright, Martin A. Putnam, Robert J. Maron, Richard T. Jones, Guy A. Daigle, John J. Grunbeck, Alan D. Kersey
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Patent number: 6489606Abstract: The present invention provides a sensor system for sensing a parameter, comprising an optical source, coupler and signal processor system in combination with multiple structured fiber Bragg gratings. The optical source, coupler and signal processor system provide an optical source signal to the multiple structured fiber Bragg gratings. The optical source, coupler and signal processor system also responds to multiple structured fiber Bragg grating signals, for providing an optical source, coupler and signal processor system signal containing information about a sensed parameter. The multiple structured fiber Bragg gratings respond to the optical source signal, and further respond to the sensed parameter, for providing the multiple structured fiber Bragg grating signals containing information about a complex superposition of spectral responses or codes related to the sensed parameter.Type: GrantFiled: April 7, 2000Date of Patent: December 3, 2002Assignee: CiDRA CorporationInventors: Alan D. Kersey, Robert A. Rubino, James R. Dunphy
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Publication number: 20020154860Abstract: A fiber grating pressure sensor for use in an industrial process includes an optical sensing element 20,600 which includes an optical fiber 10 having a Bragg grating 12 impressed therein which is encased within and fused to at least a portion of a glass capillary tube 20 and/or a large diameter waveguide grating 600 having a core and a wide cladding and which has an outer transverse dimension of at least 0.3 mm. Light 14 is incident on the grating 12 and light 16 is reflected from the grating 12 at a reflection wavelength &lgr;1. The sensing element 20,600 may be used by itself as a sensor or located within a housing 48,60,90,270,300. When external pressure P increases, the grating 12 is compressed and the reflection wavelength &lgr;1 changes. The shape of the sensing element 20,600 may have other geometries, e.g., a “dogbone” shape, so as to enhance the sensitivity of shift in &lgr;1 due to applied external pressure and may be fused to an outer shell 50.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 8, 2001Publication date: October 24, 2002Inventors: Mark R. Fernald, Timothy J. Bailey, Matthew B. Miller, James M. Sullivan, James R. Dunphy, Michael A. Davis, Christopher J. Wright, Alan D. Kersey, Martin A. Putnam, Robert N. Brucato, Paul E. Sanders
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Patent number: 6422084Abstract: A fiber grating pressure sensor includes an optical sensing element 20, 600 which includes an optical fiber 10 having a Bragg grating 12 impressed therein which is encased within and fused to at least a portion of a glass capillary tube 20 and/or a large diameter waveguide grating 600 having a core and a wide cladding and which has an outer transverse dimension of at least 0.3 mm. Light 14 is incident on the grating 12 and light 16 is reflected from the grating 12 at a reflection wavelength &lgr;1. The sensing element 20, 600 may be used by itself as a sensor or located within a housing 48, 60, 90, 270, 300. When external pressure P increases, the grating 12 is compressed and the reflection wavelength &lgr;1 changes. The shape of the sensing element 20, 600 may have other geometries, e.g., a “dogbone” shape, so as to enhance the sensitivity of shift in &lgr;1 due to applied external pressure and may be fused to an outer shell 50.Type: GrantFiled: December 6, 1999Date of Patent: July 23, 2002Assignee: Weatherford/Lamb, Inc.Inventors: Mark R. Fernald, Timothy J. Bailey, Matthew B. Miller, James M. Sullivan, James R. Dunphy, Michael A. Davis, Christopher J. Wright, Alan D. Kersey, Martin A. Putnam, Robert N. Brucato, Paul E. Sanders
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Publication number: 20020073691Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a variable area nozzle having a plurality of flaps. The flaps are actuated by a plurality of actuating mechanisms driven by shape memory alloy (SMA) actuators to vary fan exist nozzle area. The SMA actuator has a deformed shape in its martensitic state and a parent shape in its austenitic state. The SMA actuator is heated to transform from martensitic state to austenitic state generating a force output to actuate the flaps. The variable area nozzle also includes a plurality of return mechanisms deforming the SMA actuator when the SMA actuator is in its martensitic state.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 2, 2001Publication date: June 20, 2002Inventors: Nancy M. Rey, Robin Mihekun Miller, Thomas G. Tillman, Robert M. Rukus, John L. Kettle, James R. Dunphy