Patents by Inventor Kaoru Higuma

Kaoru Higuma 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: 9250455
    Abstract: The optical modulator includes optical modulation units. The plurality of optical modulation units is disposed in parallel on the same substrate. One input waveguide branches off to be connected to the Mach-Zehnder type optical waveguide of each optical modulation unit, and an entire optical waveguide is formed such that outputs from the Mach-Zehnder type optical waveguides are combined and output through one output waveguide. A modulation signal with the same intensity is applied to a modulation electrode of each optical modulation unit. In at least some of the optical modulation units, mechanical structures including the modulation electrodes of the optical modulation units are configured such that an amplitude value of an optical output modulated by the modulation signal of the optical modulation unit is ½n (n is a natural number) of a maximum amplitude value in other optical modulation units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignees: SUMITOMO OSAKA CEMENT CO., LTD., NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Youichi Hosokawa, Kaoru Higuma, Tetsuya Kawanishi, Atsushi Kanno
  • Patent number: 8577225
    Abstract: Provided is an optical receiver which accurately demodulates an optical signal obtained by the differential phase shift modulation method. The optical receiver includes: an interferometer which branches the inputted optical signal into two parts and gives a one-bit phase difference to the resultant two optical signals so that the two optical signals after addition of the phase difference are made to interfere each other to output two output lights; reflection means which reflects one of the output lights from the interferometer so as to return to the interferometer; detection means which detects the return light which has been reflected by the reflection means and propagates through the interferometer in the different direction from the inputted optical signal, for output; and phase difference control means which adjusts the phase difference given by the interferometer according to the intensity of the return light detected by the detection means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Sumitomo Osaka Cement Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahito Mure, Norikazu Miyazaki, Toshio Kataoka, Kaoru Higuma
  • Publication number: 20120301158
    Abstract: An optical receiver includes interference means 2 for branching the optical signal modulated in a DQPSK manner into two light beams, delaying at least one branched light beam so that two branched light beams have a predetermined phase difference, rotating the polarization plane of at least one branched light beam so that the polarization planes of the two branched light beams are orthogonal to each other, and coupling the two branched light beams, light separation adjusting means 3 to 5 for separating the output light beam from the interference means and adjusting the polarization planes of the separated light beams, and detection means 6 and 6? for detecting light intensities of the separated light beams output from the light separation adjusting means, wherein an I-component signal and a Q-component signal are generated on the basis of detection signals from the detection means.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2010
    Publication date: November 29, 2012
    Applicant: Sumitomo Osaka Cement Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahito Mure, Kaoru Higuma, Toshio Kataoka, Norikazu Miyazaki, Masahide Miyachi, Youichi Oikawa, Noriyasu Shiga, Hiroshi Nagaeda
  • Patent number: 8180226
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical receiver, and particularly, to an optical receiver by which a DQPSK-modulated optical signal is demodulated to a multilevel phase-modulated signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Sumitomo Osaka Cement Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahito Mure, Masahide Miyachi, Kaoru Higuma, Norikazu Miyazaki, Toshio Kataoka, Hiroyuki Sato, Hiroshi Nagaeda, Noriyasu Shiga, Yoichi Oikawa
  • Publication number: 20110164844
    Abstract: It's an object of the invention to provide an optical modulator with high performance. The optical modulator 1 includes a substrate 4 having an electro-optical effect, an optical waveguide 5 formed on the substrate, and control electrodes 61 to 65 for controlling optical waves propagating in the optical waveguide, wherein the optical waveguide 5 includes a main Mach-Zehnder (MZ) type waveguide 50 having two branch waveguides and sub Mach-Zehnder (MZ) type waveguides 51 and 52 disposed in the branch waveguides, respectively, an optical intensity adjusting means (for example, including optical waveguides 53 and 54 and control electrodes 63 and 64) is disposed in each branch waveguide in series with the sub Mach-Zehnder type waveguides 51 and 52, and the optical modulator further comprises a voltage control circuit that monitors some of the optical waves propagating in the branch waveguides and adjusts a voltage applied to the optical intensity adjusting means.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2009
    Publication date: July 7, 2011
    Applicant: SUMITOMO OSAKA CEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kaoru Higuma, Junichiro Ichikawa
  • Publication number: 20110075149
    Abstract: Provided is an optical receiver which accurately demodulates an optical signal obtained by the differential phase shift modulation method. The optical receiver includes: an interferometer which branches the inputted optical signal into two parts and gives a one-bit phase difference to the resultant two optical signals so that the two optical signals after addition of the phase difference are made to interfere each other to output two output lights; reflection means which reflects one of the output lights from the interferometer so as to return to the interferometer; detection means which detects the return light which has been reflected by the reflection means and propagates through the interferometer in the different direction from the inputted optical signal, for output; and phase difference control means which adjusts the phase difference given by the interferometer according to the intensity of the return light detected by the detection means.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2009
    Publication date: March 31, 2011
    Applicant: SUMITOMO OSAKA CEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masahito Mure, Norikazu Miyazaki, Toshio Kataoka, Kaoru Higuma
  • Publication number: 20110052212
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical receiver, and particularly, to an optical receiver by which a DQPSK-modulated optical signal is demodulated to a multilevel phase-modulated signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2010
    Publication date: March 3, 2011
    Applicants: Sumitomo Osaka Cement Co., Ltd., Trimatiz.Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahito Mure, Masahide Miyachi, Kaoru Higuma, Norikazu Miyazaki, Toshio Kataoka, Hiroyuki Sato, Hiroshi Nagaeda, Noriyasu Shiga, Yoichi Oikawa
  • Patent number: 7899338
    Abstract: A method and device for adequately controlling the DC bias of each of the optical modulating sections of an optical modulator even while the optical modulator is operating in normal mode and even with a simple structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: Sumitomo Osaka Cement Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Hashimoto, Junichiro Ichikawa, Kaoru Higuma, Takahisa Fujita
  • Patent number: 7869668
    Abstract: A method for generating a carrier residual signal and its device, in which a heterodyne optical signal used in a photometric field or an optical fiber radio communication field can be stably generated with a simplified structure. The device includes an optical modulating unit that includes a light source generating a light wave having a specific wavelength, and an SSB optical modulator. A light wave emitted from the light source enters into the optical modulating unit. A light wave emitted from the optical modulating unit includes a carrier component related to a zero-order Bessel function and a specific signal component related to a specific high-order Bessel function while suppressing signal components other than the specific signal component related to the specific high-order Bessel function, and a ratio of optical intensity between the carrier component and the specific signal component is set substantially to 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignees: Sumitomo Osaka Cement Co., Ltd., National Institute of Information and Communications Technology
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Hashimoto, Kaoru Higuma, Junichiro Ichikawa, Shingo Mori, Yozo Shoji, Hiroyo Ogawa
  • Patent number: 7773833
    Abstract: Light having components of frequencies f0, f+1 and f?1 outputted from an optical modulator (10) is monitored, a second light detection means (14b) measures the power P2 of all the components, and a first light detection means (14a) measures the power P1 with frequency f0 component cut out by a filter means (13). Based on these light receiving powers (P1) and (P2), phase differences imparted by the respective DC electrodes of Mach-Zehnder optical waveguides (MZ-A, MZ-B, MZ-C) of the optical modulator (10) are controlled. The control is performed to minimize the light receiving power (P1) and to maximize the light receiving power (P2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: Sumitomo Osaka Cement Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kaoru Higuma, Toshio Sakane
  • Patent number: 7768696
    Abstract: The present invention purposes to provide a THz-wave generator capable of generating a THz-wave stably and efficiently, and particularly, to provide the THz-wave generator which is stable against a frequency shift of a laser source and which can easily vary the frequency of the THz-wave. A THz-wave generator, for inputting a laser beam from a light source unit A including a laser source to a THz-wave generating element D, and generating a THz-wave (fT) from the THz-wave generating element, wherein a light circulating unit including an SSB optical modulator, and wavelength selecting means C are disposed between the laser source A and the THz-wave generating element D, the laser beam is guided into the light circulating unit, a specific wavelength lightwave is selected out of lightwaves having a plurality of wavelengths generated in the light circulating unit by the wavelength selecting means, and the specific wavelength (f0, fn) lightwave is input to the THz-wave generating element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: Sumitomo Osaka Cement Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kaoru Higuma, Junichiro Ichikawa, Shingo Mori
  • Patent number: 7751724
    Abstract: An optical modulator is provided which includes: an optical splitting part that splits an input light wave into two light waves; two optical waveguides that propagate the two light waves into which the input light wave is split, respectively; a first SSB modulating part that is provided in one of the two optical waveguides and modulates a light wave, which propagates into the first SSB modulating part, with a carrier frequency so that the light wave is converted into a different light wave having a single side band; a second SSB modulating part that is provided in the other of the two optical waveguides and modulates a light wave, which propagates into the second SSB modulating part, with a data signal in order to generate a signal light wave having a different single side band; and an optical combining part that combines the light wave modulated by the first SSB modulating part with the signal light wave generated by the second SSB modulating part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: Sumitomo Osaka Cement Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Hashimoto, Shingo Mori, Norikazu Miyazaki, Kaoru Higuma, Toshio Sakane
  • Patent number: 7689067
    Abstract: A nested modulator is provided where the circuit arrangement of modifying electrodes including signal electrodes is simplified, and at the same time, the drive voltage can be lowered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignees: Sumitomo Osaka Cement Co., Ltd., National Institute for Materials Science, National Institute of Information and Communications Technology
    Inventors: Junichiro Ichikawa, Kaoru Higuma, Futoshi Yamamoto, Satoshi Oikawa, Shingo Mori, Sunao Kurimura, Kenji Kitamura, Tetsuya Kawanishi, Masahiro Tsuchiya, Masayuki Izutsu
  • Patent number: 7657139
    Abstract: The invention provides tunable delay or resonator devices in an electro optical substrate. Signals in at least one waveguide in the electro optical substrate pass through Y-junction reflectors which direct signals from one branch of the waveguide back into another branch of the waveguide. A coupled delay or resonator approximated loop is presented in an embodiment of the invention with opposing Y-junction reflectors. In other embodiments of the invention, a delay ladder is provided with selectable levels of delay from multiple outputs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2010
    Assignees: The Regents of the University of California, National Institute of Information and Communication, Sumitomo Osaka Cement Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jianxiao Chen, Paul Kit Lai Yu, Tetsuya Kawanishi, Kaoru Higuma
  • Publication number: 20090097795
    Abstract: Light having components of frequencies f0, f+1 and f?1 outputted from an optical modulator (10) is monitored, a second light detection means (14b) measures the power P2 of all the components, and a first light detection means (14a) measures the power P1 with frequency f0 component cut out by a filter means (13). Based on these light receiving powers (P1) and (P2), phase differences imparted by the respective DC electrodes of Mach-Zehnder optical waveguides (MZ-A, MZ-B, MZ-C) of the optical modulator (10) are controlled. The control is performed to minimize the light receiving power (P1) and to maximize the light receiving power (P2).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2007
    Publication date: April 16, 2009
    Applicant: SUMITOMO OSAKA CEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kaoru Higuma, Toshio Sakane
  • Publication number: 20090052013
    Abstract: The present invention purposes to provide a THz-wave generator capable of generating a THz-wave stably and efficiently, and particularly, to provide the THz-wave generator which is stable against a frequency shift of a laser source and which can easily vary the frequency of the THz-wave. A THz-wave generator, for inputting a laser beam from a light source unit A including a laser source to a THz-wave generating element D, and generating a THz-wave (fT) from the THz-wave generating element, wherein a light circulating unit including an SSB optical modulator, and wavelength selecting means C are disposed between the laser source A and the THz-wave generating element D, the laser beam is guided into the light circulating unit, a specific wavelength lightwave is selected out of lightwaves having a plurality of wavelengths generated in the light circulating unit by the wavelength selecting means, and the specific wavelength (f0, fn) lightwave is input to the THz-wave generating element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2005
    Publication date: February 26, 2009
    Applicant: SUMITOMO OSAKA CEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kaoru Higuma, Junichiro Ichikawa, Shingo Mori
  • Publication number: 20080267565
    Abstract: The invention provides tunable delay or resonator devices in an electro optical substrate. Signals in at least one waveguide in the electro optical substrate pass through Y-junction reflectors which direct signals from one branch of the waveguide back into another branch of the waveguide. A coupled delay or resonator approximated loop is presented in an embodiment of the invention with opposing Y-junction reflectors. In other embodiments of the invention, a delay ladder is provided with selectable levels of delay from multiple outputs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2005
    Publication date: October 30, 2008
    Inventors: Jianxiao Chen, Paul Kit Lai Yu, Tetsuya Kawanishi, Kaoru Higuma
  • Publication number: 20080212915
    Abstract: A nested modulator is provided where the circuit arrangement of modifying electrodes including signal electrodes is simplified, and at the same time, the drive voltage can be lowered.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2007
    Publication date: September 4, 2008
    Applicants: Sumitomo Osaka Cement Co., Ltd., National Institute for Materials Science, National Institute of Information and Communications Technology
    Inventors: Junichiro Ichikawa, Kaoru Higuma, Futoshi Yamamoto, Satoshi Oikawa, Shingo Mori, Sunao Kurimura, Kenji Kitamura, Tetsuya Kawanishi, Masahiro Tsuchiya, Masayuki Izutsu
  • Publication number: 20070292142
    Abstract: A method for generating a carrier residual signal and its device, in which a heterodyne optical signal used in a photometric field or an optical fiber radio communication field can be stably generated with a simplified structure. The device includes an optical modulating unit that includes a light source generating a light wave having a specific wavelength, and an SSB optical modulator. A light wave emitted from the light source enters into the optical modulating unit. A light wave emitted from the optical modulating unit includes a carrier component related to a zero-order Bessel function and a specific signal component related to a specific high-order Bessel function while suppressing signal components other than the specific signal component related to the specific high-order Bessel function, and a ratio of optical intensity between the carrier component and the specific signal component is set substantially to 1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2004
    Publication date: December 20, 2007
    Applicants: Sumitomo Osaka Cement Co., Ltd., National Institute of Informationand Communication Technology,Incorporated Administrative Agency
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Hashimoto, Kaoru Higuma, Junichiro Ichikawa, Shingo Mori, Yozo Shoji, Hiroyo Ogawa
  • Patent number: 7302120
    Abstract: An optical modulator which magnifies a modulation index and reduces affection of SBS by suppressing a light source carrier component in an equivalent light source spectral width and performs more long-distance transmission by suppressing one of sideband spectrums generated by a modulation signal to reduce affection of fiber dispersion, having a light branch means that branches input light having a carrier component into two light waves; a SSB modulation means that modulates one branched wave and generates a wave having the carrier component and one sideband spectrum; an intensity adjustment means that adjusts intensity of the carrier component of the other wave; a phase adjustment means that adjusts the phase of the carrier component with respect to at least one of the two waves; and a multiplexing means that multiplexes the two waves passing through the modulation means, and the intensity and phase adjustment means, and emits output light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2007
    Assignee: Sumitomo Osaka Cement Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshio Sakane, Norikazu Miyazaki, Kaoru Higuma, Shingo Mori