Patents by Inventor Michael A. Newkirk

Michael A. Newkirk 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: 5568735
    Abstract: Food or beverage container with two layers and a refrigerant material disposed between the two layers. The two layers have flanges outwardly disposed from the receptacle areas in the container. The two layers and/or flanges may be coupled together to form a liquid impervious seal. The refrigerant material may include a dye. A thermometer may be disposed in the refrigerant material or the receptacle area of the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 29, 1996
    Assignee: David C. Overton
    Inventors: J. Michael Newkirk, David C. Overton
  • Patent number: 5309469
    Abstract: In this invention, a semiconductor device designed for use as an optical amplifier is provided with three sections; an input section, a middle section and an output section. A continuous optical waveguide extends through the input section, the middle section and the output section and the three sections are electrically isolated from each other. More specifically, a semiconductor laser amplifier is electrically split into three separate sections by implanting ions of, for example, hydrogen, helium or fluorine into the areas of the semiconductor amplifier which are between the middle section and the two end sections. The ion implantation provides a high degree of electrical isolation between the various sections, but it does not alter the continuity of the optical waveguide which passes through the three sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 3, 1994
    Assignee: AT&T Bell Laboratories
    Inventors: Uziel Koren, Michael A. Newkirk
  • Patent number: 5199038
    Abstract: Amplitude or intensity noise in the output of a laser in detuned operation is reduced by application of a frequency dependent transfer function which exploits amplitude-phase coupled noise described by the linewidth enhancement parameter .alpha. by applying an inverse of a replica of the amplitude noise recovered from the phase noise to the laser output. The noise canceling amplitude is applied to the laser output by a filter whose frequency dependent transfer function is related to the inverse of the amplitude-phase noise transfer function of the laser producing the output. The appropriate transfer function may be selected and/or adjusted in response to the magnitude of the amplitude noise. The intensity noise may be reduced by the factor 1/(1+.alpha..sup.2) which may squeeze the intensity noise below normal quantum limits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 1991
    Date of Patent: March 30, 1993
    Inventors: Kerry J. Vahala, Michael A. Newkirk
  • Patent number: 5056100
    Abstract: A controllable semiconductor laser system including a plurality of semiconductor regions operated at unequal saturation photon densities to permit optical and/or electrical control of lasing in at least one resonant cavity formed therebetween. A pair of such regions may operate as a controllable laser at greater than 100% differential quantum efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 1990
    Date of Patent: October 8, 1991
    Assignee: California Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Kerry J. Vahala, Michael A. Newkirk
  • Patent number: 4878723
    Abstract: An optically controlled semiconductor waveguide interferometer apparatus includes a Mach-Zehnder interferometer formed of semiconductor laser materials. A first optoelectronic switching means is adapted to be coupled across a first voltage potential and one of the optical paths of the interferometer. The first optoelectronic switching means has a first gap therein. Likewise, a second optoelectronic switching means is adapted to be coupled across a second voltage potential and the other of the optical paths. The second optoelectronic switching means has a respective gap therein. Light pulses are applied to the two gaps for controlling the index of refraction of the optical paths, whereby the light pulses control the interferometer so that the output intensity of the interferometer is modulated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 1986
    Date of Patent: November 7, 1989
    Assignee: GTE Laboratories Incorporated
    Inventors: Ying C. Chen, Jia-ming Liu, Michael A. Newkirk