Patents by Inventor Kevin B. Sparks

Kevin B. Sparks 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: 9529162
    Abstract: An optical fiber connector includes a fiber alignment body including a continuous optical fiber guide channel extending therethrough. The continuous optical fiber guide channel has a lead-in channel portion, a lead-out channel portion and a turn portion that connects the lead-in channel portion and the lead-out channel portion. The fiber alignment body has a reflective surface formed of metal that receives light traveling from an optical fiber located within the lead-in channel portion of the continuous optical fiber channel and reflects the light into the lead-out channel portion of the continuous optical fiber channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: CORNING OPTICAL COMMUNICATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Jeffrey D. Danley, Robert B. Elkins, II, Kevin B. Sparks
  • Publication number: 20140099060
    Abstract: An optical fiber connector includes a fiber alignment body including a continuous optical fiber guide channel extending therethrough. The continuous optical fiber guide channel has a lead-in channel portion, a lead-out channel portion and a turn portion that connects the lead-in channel portion and the lead-out channel portion. The fiber alignment body has a reflective surface formed of metal that receives light traveling from an optical fiber located within the lead-in channel portion of the continuous optical fiber channel and reflects the light into the lead-out channel portion of the continuous optical fiber channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2012
    Publication date: April 10, 2014
    Inventors: Jeffrey D. Danley, Robert B. Elkins, II, Kevin B. Sparks
  • Patent number: 8462324
    Abstract: A system for monitoring an optical cable includes a cable having monitor fibers solely for monitoring cable status. The monitor fibers may be fibers selected from optical fibers having a higher mechanical sensitivity to mechanical stresses than other fibers in the cable, which may attenuate earlier than the other fibers in the event of cable degradation. The monitor fibers may be in communication with a transmitter and receiver, for transmitting and receiving a monitor signal. The receiver may be in communication with an alarm, the alarm being operative to send an alert signal when an increased attenuation is detected from the monitor signal, the increased attenuation being indicative of the status of the optical cable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Corning Cable Systems LLC
    Inventors: Eric R. Logan, Kevin B. Sparks
  • Publication number: 20120120389
    Abstract: A system for monitoring an optical cable includes a cable having monitor fibers solely for monitoring cable status. The monitor fibers may be fibers selected from optical fibers having a higher mechanical sensitivity to mechanical stresses than other fibers in the cable, which may attenuate earlier than the other fibers in the event of cable degradation. The monitor fibers may be in communication with a transmitter and receiver, for transmitting and receiving a monitor signal. The receiver may be in communication with an alarm, the alarm being operative to send an alert signal when an increased attenuation is detected from the monitor signal, the increased attenuation being indicative of the status of the optical cable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2010
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Inventors: Eric R. Logan, Kevin B. Sparks
  • Patent number: 7184636
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a glassy optical preform is disclosed that includes providing a preform having a silica soot layer and then sintering the soot layer into a glassy layer, and water is selectively added to the preform by exposing the soot layer to a gaseous water-containing atmosphere during the sintering step. The preform is controllably doped with water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2007
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: A. Joseph Antos, Dana C. Bookbinder, Richard M. Fiacco, Kevin B. Sparks
  • Patent number: 7046890
    Abstract: An optical fiber comprising: (i) a central core having a relative refractive index delta ?C; (ii) a multi-pedestal region in contact with and surrounding the core, said multi-pedestal region having an outer radius of less than 25 ?m and at least two pedestals, each of the pedestals being in contact and adjacent to at least one other pedestal, each of the pedestals having a relative refractive index ?ped lower than ?C, at least one of the pedestals having ?ped value higher than 0.2%; and (iii) another region in contact and surrounding the multi-pedestal region, the other region having a relative refractive index delta which is lower than that of any pedestal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2006
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventor: Kevin B Sparks
  • Patent number: 6885787
    Abstract: An optical waveguide fiber or body having a doped outer region which can be utilized in an optical coupler, a preform which can serve as the precursor for the fiber, an optical coupler, and methods of making same. Water, for example in the form of H2O and/or D2O, may be added to the cladding of the optical waveguide fiber or body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2005
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: A. Joseph Antos, Dana C. Bookbinder, Richard M. Fiacco, Kevin B. Sparks
  • Patent number: 6498877
    Abstract: Disclosed is a tunable optical filter which may be used in telecommunications systems. The filter comprises a single mode optical waveguide containing a grating. The resonance wavelength of the filter is changed by changing the boundary condition at the interface between the cladding layer and an additional layer applied to the outer cladding layer surface. This boundary condition is changed by changing the refractive index of the additional layer. Means for changing the refractive index of the additional layer include establishing a structural resonance in the additional layer, or forming the additional layer from electro-optic or piezoelectric materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2002
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Dipakbin Q. Chowdhury, Kevin B. Sparks
  • Publication number: 20020094180
    Abstract: An optical waveguide fiber or body having a doped outer region which can be utilized in an optical coupler, a preform which can serve as the precursor for the fiber, an optical coupler, and methods of making same. Water, for example in the form of H2O and/or D2O, may be added to the cladding of the optical waveguide fiber or body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2002
    Publication date: July 18, 2002
    Inventors: A. Joseph Antos, Dana C. Bookbinder, Richard M. Fiacco, Kevin B. Sparks
  • Patent number: 5949542
    Abstract: Disclosed is a tuning method for optical interference devices which comprise at least one plurality of waveguides arranged to produce a preselected phase shift in light transmitted therethrough. The tuning is carried out by irradiating the plurality of waveguides using a source of UV light. The method is faster and more reproducible than other tuning methods known in the art, such as tuning by heat induced dopant diffusion. The method is exemplified by data taken using a Mach-Zehnder interferometer. However, the method is compatible with more sophisticated devices which use integrated waveguides or large numbers of waveguides in the phase changing portion of the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 7, 1999
    Assignee: Corning, Inc.
    Inventors: Glenn E. Kohnke, Kevin B. Sparks