Patents by Inventor Kevin Michael Birnbaum
Kevin Michael Birnbaum 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: 10917179Abstract: An optical system for responding to distortions in incident light in a free space optical communication system includes a machine learning output storing at least an indication of multiple images and corresponding positioning or orientation attributes for one or more optical elements; a sensor configured to generate an image; and a component configured to adjust the one or more optical elements based on the generated image. Various other methods, systems, and apparatuses are also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: April 17, 2019Date of Patent: February 9, 2021Assignee: Facebook, Inc.Inventors: Konstantin Kudinov, Amy Zhang, Tobias Gerard Tiecke, Kevin Michael Birnbaum
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Patent number: 10887014Abstract: An optical transceiver for controlling a steering angle between a receive light beam and a transmit light beam includes an optical beam coupling device. The optical beam coupling device comprises a plurality of optical elements configured to control a steering angle between the receive light beam received by the optical beam coupling device along a first line of sight (LOS) and the transmit light beam that is output from the optical beam coupling device along a second LOS different from the first LOS, wherein both the receive light beam and the transmit light beam pass through the plurality of optical elements. The plurality of optical elements have a set of combinations for different positions of each of the optical elements, wherein each position in the set of combinations induces a different steering angle between the transmit light beam and the receive light beam.Type: GrantFiled: April 9, 2019Date of Patent: January 5, 2021Assignee: Facebook, Inc.Inventors: Kevin Michael Birnbaum, Harvard Keese Harding, Jr., Eric Douglas Miller
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Patent number: 10612915Abstract: A system for active co-boresight measurement includes a detector, first and second steering mirrors, and a controller. The detector detects a portion of a transmission beam emitted by a transmitter and a portion of a received beam received from a remote terminal. The controller instructs the first steering mirror to scan the detected portion of the received beam to determine an alignment position. The controller controls a position of the first steering mirror to align the portion of the received beam with the alignment position on the detector, and controls a position of the second steering mirror to align the detected portion of the transmission beam with a defined position on the detector. The detected portion of the received beam at the alignment position and the detected portion of the transmission beam at the defined position correspond to the received beam and the transmission beam being aligned.Type: GrantFiled: September 14, 2017Date of Patent: April 7, 2020Assignee: Facebook, Inc.Inventors: Eric Douglas Miller, Kevin Michael Birnbaum, Chien-Chung Chen, Andrew Todd Grier
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Publication number: 20190356392Abstract: An optical system for responding to distortions in incident light in a free space optical communication system includes a machine learning output storing at least an indication of multiple images and corresponding positioning or orientation attributes for one or more optical elements; a sensor configured to generate an image; and a component configured to adjust the one or more optical elements based on the generated image. Various other methods, systems, and apparatuses are also disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 17, 2019Publication date: November 21, 2019Inventors: Konstantin Kudinov, Amy Zhang, Tobias Gerard Tiecke, Kevin Michael Birnbaum
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Patent number: 10439716Abstract: A compact system for active co-boresight measurement includes a detector, a steering mirror, and a controller. The detector detects a portion of a transmission beam emitted by a transceiver and a portion of a received beam that is received from a remote terminal. The controller measures an offset between the detected portion of the received beam and the detected portion of the transmission beam. The controller controls a position of the steering mirror to align the portion of the received beam with a defined position on the detector, the defined position based in part on the offset.Type: GrantFiled: September 14, 2017Date of Patent: October 8, 2019Assignee: Facebook, Inc.Inventors: Eric Douglas Miller, Kevin Michael Birnbaum, Chien-Chung Chen, Andrew Todd Grier
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Patent number: 10411829Abstract: Systems and methods for optical communication through air or space are disclosed. A method includes encoding one or more data frames with a data-link layer forward error correction (FEC) code to produce a plurality of encoded data frames and transmitting the plurality of encoded data frames from a transmitter (TX) to a receiver (RX) at least partially through air or space using a plurality of optical beams. The RX identifies a corrupted encoded data frame and reconstructs the corrupted encoded data frame using a data-link layer FEC decoder operating over a plurality of non-corrupted encoded data frames.Type: GrantFiled: August 17, 2015Date of Patent: September 10, 2019Assignee: Facebook, Inc.Inventors: Kevin Michael Birnbaum, Kevin Jerome Quirk, Hamid Hemmati, Chien-Chung Chen, Gary Mak
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Patent number: 10320479Abstract: Optical systems and methods for transmission of multiple beams and direct detection of those beams are described. One transmitter for use in a free space optical communication system includes a broad spectrum light source and an optical component including a plurality of sections positioned to receive an optical beam produced by the broad spectrum light source. The sections of the optical component are formed to introduce optical path differences into portions of the optical beam that impinge on the optical component such that each section introduces a delay into a corresponding portion of the optical beam. The introduced delays cause each portion of the optical beam to lack coherence with other portions of the optical beam. A direct detection receiver detects the intensity of the aggregate beams and produces a signal with improved signal-to-noise ratio. The disclosed technology can be used with modulated optical beams such as intensity modulated beams.Type: GrantFiled: January 4, 2018Date of Patent: June 11, 2019Assignee: Facebook, Inc.Inventor: Kevin Michael Birnbaum
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Patent number: 10305604Abstract: An optical system for responding to distortions in incident light in a free space optical communication system comprises a machine learning output storing at least an indication of multiple images and corresponding positioning or orientation attributes for one or more optical elements; a sensor configured to generate an image; and a component configured to adjust the one or more optical elements based on the generated image.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 2017Date of Patent: May 28, 2019Assignee: Facebook, Inc.Inventors: Konstantin Kudinov, Amy Zhang, Tobias Gerard Tiecke, Kevin Michael Birnbaum
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Patent number: 10298325Abstract: An optical transceiver for controlling a steering angle between a receive light beam and a transmit light beam includes an optical beam coupling device. The optical beam coupling device comprises a plurality of optical elements configured to control a steering angle between the receive light beam received by the optical beam coupling device along a first line of sight (LOS) and the transmit light beam that is output from the optical beam coupling device along a second LOS different from the first LOS, wherein both the receive light beam and the transmit light beam pass through the plurality of optical elements. The plurality of optical elements have a set of combinations for different positions of each of the optical elements, wherein each position in the set of combinations induces a different steering angle between the transmit light beam and the receive light beam.Type: GrantFiled: June 1, 2018Date of Patent: May 21, 2019Assignee: Facebook, Inc.Inventors: Kevin Michael Birnbaum, Harvard Keese Harding, Jr., Eric Douglas Miller
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Publication number: 20190081703Abstract: A compact system for active co-boresight measurement includes a detector, a steering mirror, and a controller. The detector detects a portion of a transmission beam emitted by a transceiver and a portion of a received beam that is received from a remote terminal. The controller measures an offset between the detected portion of the received beam and the detected portion of the transmission beam. The controller controls a position of the steering mirror to align the portion of the received beam with a defined position on the detector, the defined position based in part on the offset.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 14, 2017Publication date: March 14, 2019Inventors: Eric Douglas Miller, Kevin Michael Birnbaum, Chien-Chung Chen, Andrew Todd Grier
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Publication number: 20190078858Abstract: A system for active co-boresight measurement includes a detector, first and second steering mirrors, and a controller. The detector detects a portion of a transmission beam emitted by a transmitter and a portion of a received beam received from a remote terminal. The controller instructs the first steering mirror to scan the detected portion of the received beam to determine an alignment position. The controller controls a position of the first steering mirror to align the portion of the received beam with the alignment position on the detector, and controls a position of the second steering mirror to align the detected portion of the transmission beam with a defined position on the detector. The detected portion of the received beam at the alignment position and the detected portion of the transmission beam at the defined position correspond to the received beam and the transmission beam being aligned.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 14, 2017Publication date: March 14, 2019Inventors: Eric Douglas Miller, Kevin Michael Birnbaum, Chien-Chung Chen, Andrew Todd Grier
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Patent number: 10148362Abstract: Optical communication systems and methods using coherently combined optical beams are disclosed. A representative system includes a first mirror having a first actuator for adjusting a position of the first mirror in a path of a first optical beam and a first optical detector for receiving light reflected from the first mirror. The system also includes a second mirror having a second actuator for adjusting a position of the second mirror in a path of a second optical beam and a second optical detector for receiving light reflected from the second mirror. The system includes an interferometer for measuring an interference between the first and second optical beams and a third optical detector for receiving light from the second interfered optical beam. Intensity of the first interfered optical beam is increased by the interference, and intensity of the second interfered optical beam is decreased by the interference.Type: GrantFiled: July 20, 2017Date of Patent: December 4, 2018Assignee: Facebook, Inc.Inventors: Kevin Michael Birnbaum, Chien-Chung Chen
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Publication number: 20180302160Abstract: Optical systems and methods for transmission of multiple beams and direct detection of those beams are described. One transmitter for use in a free space optical communication system includes a broad spectrum light source and an optical component including a plurality of sections positioned to receive an optical beam produced by the broad spectrum light source. The sections of the optical component are formed to introduce optical path differences into portions of the optical beam that impinge on the optical component such that each section introduces a delay into a corresponding portion of the optical beam. The introduced delays cause each portion of the optical beam to lack coherence with other portions of the optical beam. A direct detection receiver detects the intensity of the aggregate beams and produces a signal with improved signal-to-noise ratio. The disclosed technology can be used with modulated optical beams such as intensity modulated beams.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 4, 2018Publication date: October 18, 2018Inventor: Kevin Michael Birnbaum
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Patent number: 10038499Abstract: Optical systems and methods for transmission of multiple beams and direct detection of those beams are described. One transmitter for use in a free space optical communication system includes a broad spectrum light source and an optical component including a plurality of sections positioned to receive an optical beam produced by the broad spectrum light source. The sections of the optical component are formed to introduce optical path differences into portions of the optical beam that impinge on the optical component such that each section introduces a delay into a corresponding portion of the optical beam. The introduced delays cause each portion of the optical beam to lack coherence with other portions of the optical beam. A direct detection receiver detects the intensity of the aggregate beams and produces a signal with improved signal-to-noise ratio. The disclosed technology can be used with modulated optical beams such as intensity modulated beams.Type: GrantFiled: December 30, 2015Date of Patent: July 31, 2018Assignee: Facebook, Inc.Inventor: Kevin Michael Birnbaum
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Patent number: 9838139Abstract: Optical communication systems and methods using coherently combined optical beams are disclosed. A representative system includes a first mirror having a first actuator for adjusting a position of the first mirror in a path of a first optical beam and a first optical detector for receiving light reflected from the first mirror. The system also includes a second mirror having a second actuator for adjusting a position of the second mirror in a path of a second optical beam and a second optical detector for receiving light reflected from the second mirror. The system includes an interferometer for measuring an interference between the first and second optical beams and a third optical detector for receiving light from the second interfered optical beam. Intensity of the first interfered optical beam is increased by the interference, and intensity of the second interfered optical beam is decreased by the interference.Type: GrantFiled: December 29, 2015Date of Patent: December 5, 2017Assignee: Facebook, Inc.Inventors: Kevin Michael Birnbaum, Chien-Chung Chen
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Publication number: 20170317762Abstract: Optical communication systems and methods using coherently combined optical beams are disclosed. A representative system includes a first mirror having a first actuator for adjusting a position of the first mirror in a path of a first optical beam and a first optical detector for receiving light reflected from the first mirror. The system also includes a second mirror having a second actuator for adjusting a position of the second mirror in a path of a second optical beam and a second optical detector for receiving light reflected from the second mirror. The system includes an interferometer for measuring an interference between the first and second optical beams and a third optical detector for receiving light from the second interfered optical beam. Intensity of the first interfered optical beam is increased by the interference, and intensity of the second interfered optical beam is decreased by the interference.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 20, 2017Publication date: November 2, 2017Inventors: Kevin Michael Birnbaum, Chien-Chung Chen
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Publication number: 20170195057Abstract: Optical systems and methods for transmission of multiple beams and direct detection of those beams are described. One transmitter for use in a free space optical communication system includes a broad spectrum light source and an optical component including a plurality of sections positioned to receive an optical beam produced by the broad spectrum light source. The sections of the optical component are formed to introduce optical path differences into portions of the optical beam that impinge on the optical component such that each section introduces a delay into a corresponding portion of the optical beam. The introduced delays cause each portion of the optical beam to lack coherence with other portions of the optical beam. A direct detection receiver detects the intensity of the aggregate beams and produces a signal with improved signal-to-noise ratio. The disclosed technology can be used with modulated optical beams such as intensity modulated beams.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 30, 2015Publication date: July 6, 2017Inventor: Kevin Michael Birnbaum
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Publication number: 20170187467Abstract: Optical communication systems and methods using coherently combined optical beams are disclosed. A representative system includes a first mirror having a first actuator for adjusting a position of the first mirror in a path of a first optical beam and a first optical detector for receiving light reflected from the first mirror. The system also includes a second mirror having a second actuator for adjusting a position of the second mirror in a path of a second optical beam and a second optical detector for receiving light reflected from the second mirror. The system includes an interferometer for measuring an interference between the first and second optical beams and a third optical detector for receiving light from the second interfered optical beam. Intensity of the first interfered optical beam is increased by the interference, and intensity of the second interfered optical beam is decreased by the interference.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 29, 2015Publication date: June 29, 2017Inventors: Kevin Michael Birnbaum, Chien-Chung Chen
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Publication number: 20170054527Abstract: Systems and methods for optical communication through air or space are disclosed. A method includes encoding one or more data frames with a data-link layer forward error correction (FEC) code to produce a plurality of encoded data frames and transmitting the plurality of encoded data frames from a transmitter (TX) to a receiver (RX) at least partially through air or space using a plurality of optical beams. The RX identifies a corrupted encoded data frame and reconstructs the corrupted encoded data frame using a data-link layer FEC decoder operating over a plurality of non-corrupted encoded data frames.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 17, 2015Publication date: February 23, 2017Inventors: Kevin Michael Birnbaum, Kevin Jerome Quirk, Hamid Hemmati, Chien-Chung Chen, Gary Mak