Patents by Inventor Jenkin A. Richard

Jenkin A. Richard 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).

  • Publication number: 20030020913
    Abstract: Improved methods and systems for routing and aligning beams and optical elements in an optical device include a multiplexing device and/or a demultiplexing device, which includes an optical alignment element (OAE). The OAE can be configured to substantially compensate for the cumulative alignment errors in the beam path. The OAE allows the optical elements in a device, other than the OAE, to be placed and fixed in place without substantially compensating for optical alignment errors. The OAE is inserted into the beam path and adjusted. This greatly increases the ease in the manufacturing of optical devices, especially for devices with numerous optical elements, and lowers the cost of manufacturing. The multiplexing and/or demultiplexing device can reside within a standard small form factor, such as a GBIC. The devices fold the paths of the traversing beams with a geometry which allows a small package.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2002
    Publication date: January 30, 2003
    Inventors: Jenkin A. Richard, Eric V. Chamness, George H. Guan, Anjul K. Katare, Steven J. Benerofe, Qunwen Leng
  • Patent number: 6496465
    Abstract: A read head optical system capable of reading either CD or DVD disks is provided. A monolithic molded hollow plastic block includes three lenses integrally molded into its exterior surfaces. A 780 nm laser diode is aligned with the first lens for reading CD disks, a 655 nm laser is aligned with the second lens for reading DVD disks and a detector for providing signal, focus and tracking data is aligned with the third molded lens. The hollow plastic block has an interior cavity adapted to support optical elements to receive and transmit the output of the laser diodes to the disks and to the detector. The three lenses are formed in the hollow plastic block in various embodiments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2002
    Inventors: Barry G. Broome, Jenkin A. Richard
  • Publication number: 20020135767
    Abstract: An improved method for aligning a plurality of optical elements in an optical device, includes: placing at least one optical element in a beam path; fixing the optical element in place without substantially compensating for errors in optical alignment; placing at least a one optical alignment element (OAE) in the beam path; and aligning the beam path to a desired beam path by adjusting the OAE. The alignment of the beam path substantially compensates for cumulative alignment errors in the beam path. The method increases the ease of manufacturing of optical devices and lowers the cost of manufacturing. The tolerances of the placement of optical elements are increased, and the optical element does not need special features for alignment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2001
    Publication date: September 26, 2002
    Inventors: Jenkin A. Richard, Eric V. Chamness, David F. Moore, Ryan D. Bruneau, George H. Guan, Steven J. Benerofe, Nader Mahvan, Don Andre Clark
  • Patent number: 6088322
    Abstract: An optical disk reader or read/write system for CD or DVD formats. First and second laser diodes operating at different wavelengths have their output beams collimated and directed at a single element objective lens, and are then reflected off the disk back through the lens to a photodetector. The single element objective lens has a central aperture zone and an outer aperture zone, the central zone being profiled to operate at a first numerical aperture at approximately 0.45 and the output beam of the first laser diode is confined to the central aperture zone. The outer aperture zone together with the central aperture zone are profiled to operate at a second numerical aperture, for example 0.60 wherein the output beam of the second laser diode has ray fans extending across the full aperture of the single element objective lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2000
    Inventors: Barry G. Broome, Jenkin A Richard
  • Patent number: 5889278
    Abstract: An optical communication device is provided. One or more pairs of matched diode lasers are located at first and second stations and are connected by a fiberoptic cable. A bit stream is applied to the output beam of the laser or lasers at the first station. The output beam carrying the bit stream passes through the fiberoptic cable to the matched laser or lasers at the second station and combine with the output beam of the receiving laser cavity at the second station to form a combined output beam. The power of the combined output beam is measured and time-dependent changes in the measured output power of the combined output beam is used to read the bit stream. Multiple pairs of matched lasers using different wavelengths may be positioned at the first and second stations. In yet another form of the invention, a frequency injection technique is utilized to modulate the output beam and a deconvolution system is provided to read the bit stream or streams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 30, 1999
    Inventor: Jenkin A. Richard
  • Patent number: 5877493
    Abstract: An optical sensing apparatus is provided for sensing changes of index of refraction and sensing changes of length of a fiberoptic cable, for example. A transmitting laser cavity produces a stable-resonator output beam which is modulated with a compound beam pattern including a first wave of frequency f.sub.1 and a second wave of frequency f.sub.2. The reflected compound modulated beam enters a receiving laser cavity and fundamental and harmonic waves f.sub.1 and f.sub.2 are generated in the receiving laser cavity. The power of the compound modulated output beam of the receiving laser cavity is measured by a photodiode and a deconvolution system is connected to the photodiode for filtering the fundamental frequency of f.sub.1 and the second harmonic of wave f.sub.2. Time-dependent changes in the measured power of the modulated compound output beam are used to derive changes of index of refraction or changes in length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 2, 1999
    Inventor: Jenkin A. Richard
  • Patent number: 5646396
    Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for determining the position of a reflective target surface using one or more laser cavities. A transmitting laser cavity produces a stable resonator output beam which is modulated with a compound beam pattern including a first wave of frequency f.sub.1 and a second wave of frequency f.sub.2. The reflected compound modulated beam enters a receiving laser cavity and fundamental and harmonic waves f.sub.1 and f.sub.2 are generated in the receiving laser cavity. The power of the compound modulated output beam of the receiving laser cavity is measured by a photodiode and a deconvolution system is connected to the photodiode for filtering the fundamental frequency of f.sub.1 and the second harmonic of wave f.sub.2. Time-dependent changes in the measured power of the modulated compound output beam are used to derive positional information of the target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 8, 1997
    Inventor: Jenkin A. Richard