Patents by Inventor Jean-Michel Mayor

Jean-Michel Mayor 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: 6301037
    Abstract: A system for operating a laser transmitting system for optical space communications, in particular in combination with the generation of amplified laser light under space conditions. The optical laser transmitting system here consists of a laser 2, acting as an optical oscillator, and an optical semiconductor amplifier 6 which are connected with each other by a polarization-maintaining optical fiber 4, or alternatively by an optical space connection. A light beam 8 exiting from the optical semiconductor amplifier 6 is converted via a special optical lens system 10 into a collimated light beam 12 with an even lateral extension and is radiated after further optical conversions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2001
    Assignee: Contraves Space AG
    Inventors: Edgar Fischer, Bernhard Wandernoth, Jean-Michel Mayor, Beat Schmid
  • Patent number: 6278543
    Abstract: The invention relates to devices for the quantum-optical amplification of modulated light, in particular in optical free-space communications systems. In the process a light beam (4) is conducted through a plurality of adjoining crystals (66), (68), (70), which are delimited from each other by means of polarization-selectively reflecting layers (104), (106). The light beam (4) is repeatedly reflected at the edge areas of the crystals into quarter-wave plates (86), (88), (90), (92), (94), and in the process its polarization is respectively rotated by 90 degrees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2001
    Assignee: Contraves Space AG
    Inventors: Juerg Balmer, Thomas Graf, Jean-Michel Mayor
  • Patent number: 6018602
    Abstract: The instant invention relates to a method and an arrangement for the space-based operation of quantum-optical amplifiers embodied as optical waveguides, while taking the special conditions to be found in space into consideration. An amplifier housing 2 filled with nitrogen has a cutout into which a plan-parallel quartz glass plate 4 has been fitted, through which light beams can enter and leave the housing. The amplifier housing 2 rests on heat-insulating supports 3a, 3b and is temperature-stabilized by a Peltier element 5. The amplifier housing 2 is filled with nitrogen in order to achieve operating conditions similar to those on earth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2000
    Assignee: Oerlikon Contraves AG
    Inventors: Jean-Michel Mayor, Etienne Rochat, Karim Haroud
  • Patent number: 5974074
    Abstract: The instant invention relates to a laser system for optical free space communications, in particular the generation of amplified laser light under conditions in outer space. In the process, an optical beam (72) to be amplified is conducted via a polarizing beam splitter (71) to a Faraday rotator (70) and brought from there to a neodymium crystal (68). By means of reflection, appropriate diffraction and passage through a quarter-wave plate (67), a multiple passage through the neodymium crystal (68) is forced and amplification is achieved by this.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 26, 1999
    Assignee: Oerlikon Contraves AG
    Inventors: Jean-Michel Mayor, Thomas Graf, Juerg Balmer
  • Patent number: 5566137
    Abstract: A watch (31) comprises an horological movement (32) associated with a liquid crystal display arrangement (34) located under the crystal (8) of such watch. The watch (31) comprises an active display arrangement (36) located within the watch case (4). In addition, the watch comprises a mirror (40) arranged in the back cover (6) of the watch and an enlarging lens (38) arranged under the crystal (8). The optical elements are arranged so that the light coming from the active display arrangement (36) is reflected by the mirror (40) in the direction of the enlarging lens (38).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 15, 1996
    Assignee: Centre Electronique Horloger S. A.
    Inventors: Michel A. Chevroulet, Jean-Michel Mayor, Viron Teodoridis
  • Patent number: 4695698
    Abstract: A writing laser beam and a scanning laser beam are coaxially superposed for position determination and for correcting mechanical movements during the writing of lines of a desired pattern into a metalized three-dimensional integrated circuit. The coaxially superposed writing and scanning laser beams are directed, using a single beam splitter for the scanning laser beam, to a lens head and to a workpiece as well as to a turret for alternately employing one of a number of measuring or observing instruments. The individual members are precisely adjustable and during automatic evaluation of the thus determined values, correction of any error that may occur, can be directly obtained at the desired rate by such automatic evaluation. In order to properly arrange and shorten the radiation paths there is used a laser beam collimator which preferably is also provided with a writing laser beam detector. Furthermore, a scanning laser beam detector can be arranged to follow the beam splitter for the scanning laser beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 1985
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1987
    Assignee: Larassay Holding AG
    Inventors: Jean-Michel Mayor, Jurg Steffen, Peter Wuthrich