Patents by Inventor Patrick B. Gilliland

Patrick B. Gilliland 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: 5864468
    Abstract: A robust optoelectronic transceiver module which provides for static discharge and is quick, easy, and inexpensive to manufacture. The transceiver module has a main housing which consists of a potting box with potting material inserted therein. In addition, a circuit board is encased by the potting material. The circuit board has an optical subassembly mounted thereon. The optical subassembly extends outside of the potting box through a recess. Correspondingly, a recess cover is provided for forming a liquid tight seal between the recess cover, the potting box, and the optical subassembly. Furthermore, the module provides electrically conductive latches which are conductively connected, via tabs for forming an electrical connection, to a grounded structure, such as a computer chassis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 26, 1999
    Assignee: Methode Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel S. Poplawski, Alan J. Wallenberg, Patrick B. Gilliland
  • Patent number: 5815623
    Abstract: An optical package is provided having a diode mounted to a substrate enclosed by a housing which includes a bore for receiving an optical waveguide and a focusing element adjacent the bore. The bore and focusing element are aligned along a common optical axis. An alignment means is associated with the housing for aligning the substrate along the optical axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 29, 1998
    Assignee: Methode Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick B. Gilliland, Scott C. Erickson, Daniel S. Poplawski, Luis Torres, Donald Rimdzius, Leonid Shatskin, Roger Weiss
  • Patent number: 5812717
    Abstract: An optical package is provided having a diode mounted to a substrate enclosed by a housing which includes a bore for receiving an optical waveguide and a focusing element adjacent the bore. The bore and focusing element are aligned along a common optical axis. An alignment means is associated with the housing for aligning the substrate along the optical axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1998
    Assignee: Methode Electronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Patrick B. Gilliland
  • Patent number: 5812582
    Abstract: An vertical cavity surface emitting laser feedback system is provided which has a vertical cavity surface emitting laser for emitting a specific amount of optical radiation. A portion of the optical radiation is received by a detection means which is used to generate a feedback signal that corresponds to the amount of optical radiation being emitted by the vertical cavity surface emitting laser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1998
    Assignee: Methode Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick B. Gilliland, Andy A. Goryachev
  • Patent number: 5774614
    Abstract: An optoelectronic coupling is provided having an optoelectronic device such as a VCSEL attached to and aligned with a flexible substrate mounted to the end face of an optical waveguide between the optoelectronic device and the optical waveguide. The flexible substrate may provide the function of carrying components for controlling the optoelectronic device and may easily be oriented within the housing of an optoelectronic receptacle. A method of aligning the optoelectronic device with the optical fibers of the optical waveguide is provided via use of automatic alignment machinery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 30, 1998
    Inventors: Patrick B. Gilliland, James W. McGinley, Roger E. Weiss
  • Patent number: 5638390
    Abstract: A power stabilizer for maintaining a constant level of output power from a laser transmitter. The laser transmitter has a laser diode which produces a optical output which corresponds to the level of bias current received. In addition, the laser transmitter has a photodiode which produces a feedback signal which corresponds to the optical output power being produced by the laser diode. Furthermore, the power stabilizer consists of a digitally controlled potentiometer for producing a reference input signal and an op-amp for comparing the feedback signal and the reference input signal to produce a control signal to supply bias current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 10, 1997
    Assignee: Methode Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick B. Gilliland, Andy A. Goryachev