Patents by Inventor Michelle S. E. Stephens

Michelle S. E. Stephens 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: 5808743
    Abstract: This invention provides an inexpensive, sensitive sensor to measure target position, velocity and vibration based on optical feedback-induced fluctuations in the operating frequency of a diode laser. The sensor comprises a diode laser, an optical frequency discriminator to measure the laser operating frequency, and an electronic signal analyzer to obtain the modulation frequency of the laser operating frequency. This invention further includes two calibration mechanisms for vibration amplitude measurement. In a first calibration mechanism the diode laser is mounted on a laser vibrator, which vibrates the laser relative to the target. In a second calibration mechanism a frequency modulator is coupled to the diode laser to modulate the operating frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 15, 1998
    Assignee: Board of Regents of the University of Colorado
    Inventors: Michelle S. E. Stephens, Peter A. Roos, Carl E. Wieman, Eric A. Cornell