Patents by Inventor Richard C. A. Pitwon

Richard C. A. Pitwon 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: 11280962
    Abstract: A waveguide includes a segment with a substantially uniform cure profile and related methods and systems for making and using the same. The waveguide is formed by modifying a laser beam used to write the waveguide to provide a substantially uniform cure profile in the waveguide. A marker characteristic of laser writing may be present in the waveguide. A method or system modifies an intensity profile or a shape profile of a laser beam to proactively compensate for exposure convolution based on the characteristics of the laser beam spot profile. A convolution compensator is positioned in the path of the laser beam to modify the beam spot profile during writing to form the one or more segments of the waveguide in a photo-curable layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventor: Richard C. A. Pitwon
  • Patent number: 10928601
    Abstract: An apparatus and system that includes a plurality of data devices, a network module, and a chassis. The network module may include an interface defining couplings and channels extending between the couplings defining a network topology for interconnecting data devices. The chassis may be configured to receive data devices and the network module to operably couple the received data devices via the interconnect topology defined by the network module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Richard C. A. Pitwon, Alexander C. Worrall
  • Patent number: 10895684
    Abstract: A method, and apparatus provided thereby, includes providing a substrate and placing an integrated laser on the substrate. A first cladding layer surrounds the integrated laser and includes a laser optical coupler aligned with an output of the laser. The laser optical coupler includes silicon and the laser includes a III-V compound semiconductor. The output of the laser is spaced apart from the laser optical coupler by a gap of less than or equal to 500 nanometers. An optical waveguide is positioned on the first cladding layer and in optical communication with the laser optical coupler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Mark A. Gubbins, Richard C. A. Pitwon, Aidan D. Goggin, Marcus B. Mooney, Reyad Mehfuz, Fadi El Hallak, Paula F. McElhinney, Brendan Lafferty, Kelly E. Callan
  • Patent number: 10732360
    Abstract: Optical connectors may include various portions, or structures, to provide a plurality of degrees of movement to optical ferrules. The optical ferrules may be linearly movable along one or more axes and rotationally moveable about one or more axes for alignment and coupling to corresponding optical ferrules. The optical connectors may be integrated with, or in conjunction with, other non-optical connectors such as electrical connectors, e.g., located on a drive carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Richard C. A. Pitwon, Alexander C. Worrall, Myles E. R. Spence, Alistair Allen Miller
  • Patent number: 10288808
    Abstract: A waveguide includes multiple segments having different bend radii with substantially consistent cure profiles and related methods and systems for making and using the same. The waveguide is formed by modifying a laser beam used to write the waveguide to provide the consistent cure profile in the multiple segments. A marker characteristic of laser writing may be present in the waveguide. A method or system modifies an intensity profile or a shape profile of a laser beam to proactively compensate for exposure convolution based on the geometry of each waveguide segment. A convolution compensator is positioned in the path of the laser beam to modify the beam spot profile during writing to form the multiple segments of the waveguide in a photo-curable layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventor: Richard C. A. Pitwon
  • Patent number: 10261257
    Abstract: A waveguide includes a segment with a substantially uniform cure profile and related methods and systems for making and using the same. The waveguide is formed by modifying a laser beam used to write the waveguide to provide a substantially uniform cure profile in the waveguide. A marker characteristic of laser writing may be present in the waveguide. A method or system modifies an intensity profile or a shape profile of a laser beam to proactively compensate for exposure convolution based on the characteristics of the laser beam spot profile. A convolution compensator is positioned in the path of the laser beam to modify the beam spot profile during writing to form the one or more segments of the waveguide in a photo-curable layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventor: Richard C. A. Pitwon
  • Patent number: 10164709
    Abstract: A system includes a first optical communication interface and a second optical communication interface optically coupled via a free-space communication channel. The interfaces are spaced at variable distances. Each interface includes an optical source to provide a beam of electromagnetic energy and an optical receiver to receive the beam to bi-directionally communicate with the other interface via the channel. The first optical communication interface may be coupled to a sub-chassis. The second optical communication interface may be coupled to a device frame. The device frame may be movably coupled to the chassis. Communication may utilize multi-input, multi-output processing configured by a calibration matrix. A shutter may be positioned to receive the beam or be positioned clear of the beam depending on the distance between the interfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Richard C. A. Pitwon, David Michael Davis
  • Patent number: 10042125
    Abstract: Optical connectors may include various portions, or structures, to provide a plurality of degrees of movement to optical ferrules. The optical ferrules may be linearly movable along one or more axes and rotationally moveable about one or more axes for alignment and coupling to corresponding optical ferrules. The optical connectors may be integrated with, or in conjunction with, other non-optical connectors such as electrical connectors, e.g., located on a drive carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: Xyratex Technology Limited
    Inventors: Richard C. A. Pitwon, Alexander C. Worrall, Myles E. R. Spence, Alistair Allen Miller
  • Patent number: 9864139
    Abstract: A waveguide includes a segment with a substantially uniform cure profile and related methods and systems for making and using the same. The waveguide is formed by modifying a laser beam used to write the waveguide to provide a substantially uniform cure profile in the waveguide. A marker characteristic of laser writing may be present in the waveguide. A method or system modifies an intensity profile or a shape profile of a laser beam to proactively compensate for exposure convolution based on the characteristics of the laser beam spot profile. A convolution compensator is positioned in the path of the laser beam to modify the beam spot profile during writing to form the one or more segments of the waveguide in a photo-curable layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventor: Richard C. A. Pitwon
  • Patent number: 9759634
    Abstract: The exemplary systems, apparatus, structures, and methods may include an assembly including substrate, an optical waveguide, and an optical access associated with the optical waveguide. Light from the optical access may be measured along the optical waveguide. The coupling loss of the optical waveguide may be determined based on at least the light measurements from the optical access.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC
    Inventor: Richard C. A. Pitwon
  • Patent number: 9753217
    Abstract: Electro-optical circuit boards may include one or more recesses to provide stress relief between multiple layers of the electro-optical circuit boards during variations in applied temperature. The one or more recesses may be included in the substrate and/or the optical layer of the electro-optical circuit boards. The one or more recesses may also contain a compliant material disposed therein to improve the flexibility of the substrate and/or the optical layer. For example, the compliant material may disperse thermal expansion stress within the electro-optical circuit board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: XYRATEX TECHNOLOGY LIMITED
    Inventor: Richard C. A. Pitwon
  • Patent number: 9711930
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a curved multimode polymer waveguide having at least one inflection point and a doped region being doped with an amplifying dopant. An optical pump source or electrical pump source is configured to excite the doped region and amplify the optical signal transmitting along the curved multimode polymer waveguide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Richard C. A. Pitwon, Alexander C. Worrall
  • Patent number: 9690067
    Abstract: Optical couplings systems, apparatus, and methods may include an optical cable coupling device, or spool, and one or more optical coupling features. The one or more optical coupling features may be configured to optically couple an optical cable and another optical cable, each of which are storable on the optical cable coupling device. The optical cable coupling device and optical cables may be used on a modular device (e.g., computing device, networking device, storage device, etc.). The optical cable coupling device may define a radius that less than about 200% the minimum bend radius of the optical cables.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Xyratex Technology Limited
    Inventor: Richard C. A. Pitwon
  • Publication number: 20170074752
    Abstract: The exemplary systems, apparatus, structures, and methods may include an assembly including substrate, an optical waveguide, and an optical access associated with the optical waveguide. Light from the optical access may be measured along the optical waveguide. The coupling loss of the optical waveguide may be determined based on at least the light measurements from the optical access.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2015
    Publication date: March 16, 2017
    Inventor: Richard C. A. Pitwon
  • Patent number: 9529153
    Abstract: Apparatuses that include an input and output waveguide; and a nested resonator including at least an external loop and a nested loop positioned entirely inside the external loop, each loop independently having a length that supports a single resonant wavelength, the external loop further including: an input interface configured to couple energy between the input waveguide and the nested resonator, an output interface configured to couple energy between the nested resonator structure and the output waveguide, and an internal interface, the external loop and the nested loop configured to couple energy there between via the internal interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: Xyratex Technology Limited
    Inventor: Richard C. A. Pitwon
  • Patent number: 9500806
    Abstract: An optical printed circuit board having at least one optical interface on a surface, and a deformable dam structure provided on the optical printed circuit board adjacent to the at least one optical interface. The deformable dam structure has an absorbent portion for absorbing adhesive and a method or forming the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: Xyratex Technology Limited
    Inventor: Richard C. A. Pitwon
  • Patent number: 9502851
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a polymer waveguide having a doped region, with amplifying dopant, separating a first un-doped region and a second un-doped region. The doped region being doped with an amplifying dopant. An optical pump source illuminates the doped region to allow light to transmit from the first un-doped region to the second un-doped region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: Xyratex Technology Limited
    Inventors: Alexander C. Worrall, Richard C. A. Pitwon
  • Patent number: 9325146
    Abstract: The invention provides an amplification module for an optical printed circuit board, the optical printed circuit board comprising plural polymer waveguide sections from independent waveguides, each of the sections being doped with an amplifying dopant, wherein the plural waveguide sections are routed so as to pass through an amplification zone in which the plural polymer waveguide sections are arranged close or adjacent to one another, the amplification module comprising: a pump source comprising plural light sources arranged to provide independently controllable levels of pump radiation to each of the plural waveguide sections. In an embodiment, the amplification module also includes plural polymer waveguide sections corresponding to the plural polymer waveguides of the printed circuit board on which in use the amplification module is to be arranged, each of the sections being doped with an amplifying dopant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: Xyratex Technology Limited
    Inventor: Richard C. A. Pitwon
  • Patent number: 9247638
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing an optical printed circuit board and an optical printed circuit board. The method includes providing a support layer having one or more optical waveguides formed on the support layer, the waveguides having exposed interfaces. A film is provided on one or more of the exposed interfaces, wherein the film has a smoother outer surface than the waveguide interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: Xyratex Technology Limited
    Inventor: Richard C. A. Pitwon
  • Patent number: 9044907
    Abstract: There is provided a method of making an optical polymer waveguide having an arbitrary refractive index profile, the method including: a) providing a first input optical beam having a first beam intensity profile and a second input optical beam having a second beam intensity profile; b) combining the first and second input optical beams to form an output optical beam having an output beam intensity profile; and c) forming the optical waveguide on a substrate by: exposing the optical materials of the waveguide to the output optical beam; and curing the optical materials using said output optical beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: XYRATEX TECHNOLOGY LIMITED—A SEAGATE COMPANY
    Inventor: Richard C. A. Pitwon