Patents by Inventor Martin R. Williams

Martin R. Williams 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: 11949205
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates optical amplifier modules. In one form for example, an optical amplifier module includes a booster optical amplifier configured to increase optical power of a first optical signal. The module also includes a preamp optical amplifier configured to increase optical power of a second optical signal and a pump laser optically coupled to the booster optical amplifier and the preamp optical amplifier. The pump laser is configured to provide a booster power to the booster optical amplifier and a preamp power to the preamp optical amplifier, the preamp power is effective to induce a gain in optical power to provide a target optical power of the second optical signal from the preamp optical amplifier, and the booster power is dependent on the preamp power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: II-VI DELAWARE, INC.
    Inventor: Martin R. Williams
  • Patent number: 11843219
    Abstract: A fiber-based master optical power amplifier (MOPA) is configured to utilize a pump source that operates in pulse mode with the arrival time of the pump pulses coordinated with the arrival time of the input pulses. The width of the pump pulses is also controlled, thus providing a mechanism for controlling both the amount of pump energy injected into the fiber amplifier, as well as the overlap in time between the pump pulse and the seed pulse. As the pulse repetition interval (PRI) of the input seed pulse changes, the timing of the pump pulses and their width are also changed so that a “constant gain” environment is created within the amplifying medium, providing an essentially constant energy output pulse, regardless of differences in ASE generated during different PRIs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Inventors: Martin R. Williams, Timothy K. Zahnley, Thomas W. McNamara, Aravanan Gurusami, Scott Dahl, Siegfried Fleischer
  • Publication number: 20230187895
    Abstract: A system for communicating supervisory information between amplifier nodes in an optical communication network utilizes modulation of an included pump source to superimpose the supervisory information on data signals (typically customer data signals) propagating between the amplifier nodes transmitted customer signals. The modulated pump appears as a modulated envelope on the amplified data signal exiting the amplifier node, and may be recovered by suitable demodulation components located at the second node (i.e., the destined receiver of the supervisory information). The supervisory information may include monitoring messages, provisioning data, protocol updates, etc., and is utilized as an input to an included modulator, which then forms a drive signal for the pump controller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2023
    Publication date: June 15, 2023
    Applicant: II-VI Delaware, Inc.
    Inventors: Aravanan Gurusami, Deepak Devicharan, Timothy K. Zahnley, Martin R. Williams
  • Patent number: 11588295
    Abstract: A system and method for communicating supervisory information between amplifier nodes in an optical communication network utilizes modulation of an included pump source to superimpose the supervisory information on through-transmitted customer signals (or ASE associated with the amplifier if no customer traffic is present). The supervisory information (which may include monitoring messages, provisioning data, protocol updates, and the like) is utilized as an input to an included modulator, which then forms a drive signal for the pump controller. In a preferred embodiment, binary FSK modulation is used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: II-VI Delaware, Inc.
    Inventors: Aravanan Gurusami, Deepak Devicharan, Timothy K. Zahnley, Martin R. Williams
  • Patent number: 11575241
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates optical amplifier modules. In one form for example, an optical amplifier module includes a booster optical amplifier configured to increase optical power of a first optical signal. The module also includes a preamp optical amplifier configured to increase optical power of a second optical signal and a pump laser optically coupled to the booster optical amplifier and the preamp optical amplifier. The pump laser is configured to provide a booster power to the booster optical amplifier and a preamp power to the preamp optical amplifier, the preamp power is effective to induce a gain in optical power to provide a target optical power of the second optical signal from the preamp optical amplifier, and the booster power is dependent on the preamp power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: II-VI DELAWARE, INC.
    Inventor: Martin R Williams
  • Publication number: 20220393423
    Abstract: A system has fiber amplifiers that amplify a seed signal into a high power signal. Control circuity drives the fiber amplifiers. An auxiliary broad-linewidth signal can be selectively introduced to mitigate the onset of Stimulated Brillouin Scattering (SBS) when the primary input seed source does not meet the requirements of power and/or linewidth. To determine whether to mitigate SBS, an input photodiode can detect the seed signal, and the control circuity can detect an operational parameter associated with a detected signal indicative of an onset of SBS on the optical path. In response to the detection, the control circuitry introduces an auxiliary broad-linewidth signal from a broad-linewidth source, which can mitigate the onset of SBS on the optical path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2021
    Publication date: December 8, 2022
    Inventor: Martin R. Williams
  • Publication number: 20220190546
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates optical amplifier modules. In one form for example, an optical amplifier module includes a booster optical amplifier configured to increase optical power of a first optical signal. The module also includes a preamp optical amplifier configured to increase optical power of a second optical signal and a pump laser optically coupled to the booster optical amplifier and the preamp optical amplifier. The pump laser is configured to provide a booster power to the booster optical amplifier and a preamp power to the preamp optical amplifier, the preamp power is effective to induce a gain in optical power to provide a target optical power of the second optical signal from the preamp optical amplifier, and the booster power is dependent on the preamp power.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2020
    Publication date: June 16, 2022
    Inventor: Martin R. Williams
  • Publication number: 20220085889
    Abstract: A pluggable bidirectional optical amplifier module may include preamp and booster optical amplifiers and a housing. The preamp optical amplifier may be configured to amplify optical signals traveling in a first direction. The booster optical amplifier may be configured to amplify optical signals traveling in a second direction. The housing may at least partially enclose the preamp optical amplifier and the booster optical amplifier. The pluggable bidirectional optical amplifier module may have a mechanical form factor that is compliant with a pluggable communication module form factor MSA. A colorless mux/demux cable assembly may be operated with the pluggable bidirectional optical amplifier. The colorless mux/demux cable assembly may include a 1:N optical splitter a N:1 optical combiner coupled side-by-side to the 1:N optical splitter, a first fiber optic cable optic cable, and a second fiber optic cable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2021
    Publication date: March 17, 2022
    Inventors: Martin R. Williams, Yajun Wang, Eric Timothy Green, Aravanan Gurusami, Deepak Devicharan, Timothy Kent Zahnley, Mike Burgess
  • Publication number: 20210281323
    Abstract: A pluggable bidirectional optical amplifier module may include preamp and booster optical amplifiers and a housing. The preamp optical amplifier may be configured to amplify optical signals traveling in a first direction. The booster optical amplifier may be configured to amplify optical signals traveling in a second direction. The housing may at least partially enclose the preamp optical amplifier and the booster optical amplifier. The pluggable bidirectional optical amplifier module may have a mechanical form factor that is compliant with a pluggable communication module form factor MSA. A colorless mux/demux cable assembly may be operated with the pluggable bidirectional optical amplifier. The colorless mux/demux cable assembly may include a 1:N optical splitter a N:1 optical combiner coupled side-by-side to the 1:N optical splitter, a first fiber optic cable optic cable, and a second fiber optic cable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2020
    Publication date: September 9, 2021
    Inventors: Martin R. Williams, Yajun Wang, Eric Timothy Green, Aravanan Gurusami, Deepak Devicharan, Timothy Kent Zahnley, Mike Burgess
  • Patent number: 11086077
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to devices, which may be used in communication or optoelectronic modules for example, suitable for arrayed positioning of a plurality of fiber optical components. In one form, an optoelectronic module includes a printed circuit board (“PCB”). The module also includes an optical component array device which includes an elongated support member and an array of fused fiber optical components positioned around and coupled with the elongated support member. A recursive fiber may extend between an output of a first fused fiber optical component and an input of a second fused fiber optical component, and an optical fiber routing member may be coupled to the PCB and include a plurality of guides extending away from the PCB and defining a pathway for routing optical fibers relative to the PCB.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: II-VI DELAWARE, INC.
    Inventors: Eric T. Green, Martin R. Williams
  • Publication number: 20210135425
    Abstract: A system and method for communicating supervisory information between amplifier nodes in an optical communication network utilizes modulation of an included pump source to superimpose the supervisory information on through-transmitted customer signals (or ASE associated with the amplifier if no customer traffic is present). The supervisory information (which may include monitoring messages, provisioning data, protocol updates, and the like) is utilized as an input to an included modulator, which then forms a drive signal for the pump controller. In a preferred embodiment, binary FSK modulation is used.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2019
    Publication date: May 6, 2021
    Applicant: II-VI Delaware, Inc.
    Inventors: Aravanan Gurusami, Deepak Devicharan, Timothy K. Zahnley, Martin R. Williams
  • Publication number: 20200358246
    Abstract: A fiber-based master optical power amplifier (MOPA) is configured to utilize a pump source that operates in pulse mode with the arrival time of the pump pulses coordinated with the arrival time of the input pulses. The width of the pump pulses is also controlled, thus providing a mechanism for controlling both the amount of pump energy injected into the fiber amplifier, as well as the overlap in time between the pump pulse and the seed pulse. As the pulse repetition interval (PRI) of the input seed pulse changes, the timing of the pump pulses and their width are also changed so that a “constant gain” environment is created within the amplifying medium, providing an essentially constant energy output pulse, regardless of differences in ASE generated during different PRIs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2020
    Publication date: November 12, 2020
    Applicant: II-VI Delaware, Inc.
    Inventors: Martin R. Williams, Timothy K. Zahnley, Thomas W. McNamara, Aravanan Gurusami, Scott Dahl, Siegfried Fleischer
  • Publication number: 20200251877
    Abstract: A fiber-based master optical power amplifier (MOPA) is configured to utilize a pump source that operates in pulse mode with the arrival time of the pump pulses coordinated with the arrival time of the input pulses. The width of the pump pulses is also controlled, thus providing a mechanism for controlling both the amount of pump energy injected into the fiber amplifier, as well as the overlap in time between the pump pulse and the seed pulse. As the pulse repetition interval (PRI) of the input seed pulse changes, the timing of the pump pulses and their width are also changed so that a “constant gain” environment is created within the amplifying medium, providing an essentially constant energy output pulse, regardless of differences in ASE generated during different PRIs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2019
    Publication date: August 6, 2020
    Applicant: II-VI Delaware, Inc.
    Inventors: Martin R. Williams, Timothy K. Zahnley, Thomas W. McNamara, Aravanan Gurusami, Scott Dahl, Siegfried Fleischer
  • Patent number: 10727643
    Abstract: A fiber-based master optical power amplifier (MOPA) is configured to utilize a pump source that operates in pulse mode with the arrival time of the pump pulses coordinated with the arrival time of the input pulses. The width of the pump pulses is also controlled, thus providing a mechanism for controlling both the amount of pump energy injected into the fiber amplifier, as well as the overlap in time between the pump pulse and the seed pulse. As the pulse repetition interval (PRI) of the input seed pulse changes, the timing of the pump pulses and their width are also changed so that a “constant gain” environment is created within the amplifying medium, providing an essentially constant energy output pulse, regardless of differences in ASE generated during different PRIs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: II-VI Delaware, Inc.
    Inventors: Martin R. Williams, Timothy K. Zahnley, Thomas W. McNamara, Aravanan Gurusami, Scott Dahl, Siegfried Fleischer
  • Patent number: 9494484
    Abstract: An arrangement for providing real-time, in-service OTDR measurements in an optical communication system utilizing distributed Raman amplification. One or more of the laser diodes used to provide the pump light necessary to create optical gain is modified to also generate short duration pulses that ride above or below the conventional pump light. These short duration pulses (which co-exist with the pump light within the optical fiber) are used in performing OTDR measurements, with a conventional processing system used to evaluate reflected pulses and create the actual OTDR measurements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: II-VI INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Aravanan Gurusami, Timothy K. Zahnley, Scott Dahl, Martin R. Williams, Ian P. McClean
  • Publication number: 20150253217
    Abstract: An arrangement for providing real-time, in-service OTDR measurements in an optical communication system utilizing distributed Raman amplification. One or more of the laser diodes used to provide the pump light necessary to create optical gain is modified to also generate short duration pulses that ride above or below the conventional pump light. These short duration pulses (which co-exist with the pump light within the optical fiber) are used in performing OTDR measurements, with a conventional processing system used to evaluate reflected pulses and create the actual OTDR measurements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2015
    Publication date: September 10, 2015
    Applicant: II-VI INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Aravanan Gurusami, Timothy K. Zahnley, Scott Dahl, Martin R. Williams, Ian P. McClean
  • Patent number: 8505599
    Abstract: A prefabricated panelization system having a floor or roof component and a frame component. In particular, the floor or roof component includes a deck member, which can be made of deck sections, profiles, or panels. For example, the deck member can be made of continuous panels that cover the desired width and length of the floor or roof component without intermediate beams between supporting elements. Alternatively, the deck members can be made of individual or panelized sections that are combined in juxtaposed relation to form the desired width and length. The frame component includes opposing horizontal support channels that are attached to opposing columns, respectfully.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignees: Consolidated Systems, Inc., W&W Steel, LLC
    Inventors: Martin R. Williams, C. Eric Jacobson, Bill R. Lindley, II, Brian Jacob Meyer
  • Patent number: 7708133
    Abstract: An apparatus in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention includes a driven roller and a idler roller each coupled with a flexible member. A pressure roller is also included and can be forced against the driven roller to tension the flexible member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventor: Martin R. Williams
  • Publication number: 20090188194
    Abstract: A prefabricated panelization system having a floor or roof component and a frame component. In particular, the floor or roof component includes a deck member, which can be made of deck sections, profiles, or panels. For example, the deck member can be made of continuous panels that cover the desired width and length of the floor or roof component without intermediate beams between supporting elements. Alternatively, the deck members can be made of individual or panelized sections that are combined in juxtaposed relation to form the desired width and length. The frame component includes opposing horizontal support channels that are attached to opposing columns, respectfully.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2008
    Publication date: July 30, 2009
    Inventors: Martin R. Williams, C. Eric Jacobson, Bill R. Lindley, II
  • Publication number: 20090003768
    Abstract: In a first aspect, the present invention comprises an optical filter comprising a fiber having a core and a cladding and a light-absorbing coating applied onto a portion of the fiber cladding, the coating attenuating loosely bound cladding modes. In another aspect, the invention comprises a fiber amplifier apparatus comprising fibers for delivering pump laser light and for monitoring signal light and at least one photodetector optically coupled to a monitoring fiber, wherein either an optical filter is disposed between a monitoring fiber and a photodetector or at least one of the fibers has a core and a cladding and a light-absorbing coating applied onto a portion of the fiber cladding. A method in accordance with the present invention includes providing an optical amplifier having fibers for delivering pump laser light and for monitoring signal light, and applying a light-absorbing coating onto a portion of one of said fibers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2008
    Publication date: January 1, 2009
    Inventor: Martin R. Williams