Patents by Inventor Robert J. Lang
Robert J. Lang 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).
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Publication number: 20090040062Abstract: One embodiment relates to a method of tracking motion using a speckle-based motion sensor. A distance moved is determined by a first signal processing procedure, and a distance moved is determined by a second signal processing procedure. Selection between said distances is made based on whether the distance determined by the first signal processing procedure exceeds a predetermined threshold distance. According to a preferred embodiment, the first signal processing procedure makes a more accurate determination of distance for slower speeds, while the second signal processing procedure makes a more accurate determination of distance for higher speeds. Other embodiments, aspects and features are also disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 6, 2007Publication date: February 12, 2009Inventors: Robert J. Lang, Brian Todoroff, Yansun Xu, Jeffry C. Bailey
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Patent number: 7459671Abstract: An optical sensor and method of using the same is provided for sensing relative movement between the sensor and a surface by detecting changes in optical features of light reflected from the surface. In one embodiment, the sensor includes a two dimensional array of photosensitive elements, the array including at least a first plurality of photosensitive elements arranged and coupled to sense a first combined movement along a first set of at least two non-parallel axes, and a second plurality of photosensitive elements arranged and coupled to sense a second combined movement along a second set of a least two non-parallel axes.Type: GrantFiled: October 18, 2006Date of Patent: December 2, 2008Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor CorporationInventors: Jahja I. Trisnadi, Clinton B. Carlisle, Robert J. Lang
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Patent number: 7435942Abstract: A signal processing method is provided for sensing movement of an optical sensor relative to a surface. Generally, the method includes steps of: (i) generating sets of signals responsive to motion along each of a first, second, and third direction, the directions not necessarily all different, (ii) combining the sets of signals to generate a first complex signal for each direction at a first time; (iii) combining the sets of signals to generate a second complex signal for each direction at a second time subsequent to the first time; (iv) computing a third complex signal for each direction wherein each of the third complex signals is a predicted value for each of the second complex signals, the predicted signal depending on a number of values representing distance moved; and (v) determining optimum values of the values representing distance moved by minimizing differences between the second and third complex signals.Type: GrantFiled: December 2, 2005Date of Patent: October 14, 2008Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor CorporationInventor: Robert J. Lang
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Patent number: 7177340Abstract: A laser apparatus is disclosed utilizing a laser diode having a reflective back facet and a front facet having a reflectance of less than about 1% for emitting an optical beam at a fundamental frequency along an optical path. A collimating lens is provided for collimating the optical beam into a collimated beam. A transmission grating is optically coupled to receive the collimated beam and returns a portion of the collimated beam back into the laser diode by means of diffraction through lens and the laser diode front facet. The laser diode reflective back facet and the transmission grating form an extended laser cavity. In operation, a substantial portion of the collimated beam is transmitted through the transmission grating for producing the laser output beam propagating along the optical path.Type: GrantFiled: November 4, 2003Date of Patent: February 13, 2007Assignee: JDS Uniphase CorporationInventors: Robert J. Lang, Robert G. Waarts
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Patent number: 7138620Abstract: An optical sensor and method of using the same is provided for sensing relative movement between the sensor and a surface by detecting changes in optical features of light reflected from the surface. In one embodiment, the sensor includes a two dimensional array of photosensitive elements, the array including at least a first plurality of photosensitive elements arranged and coupled to sense a first combined movement along a first set of at least two non-parallel axes, and a second plurality of photosensitive elements arranged and coupled to sense a second combined movement along a second set of at least two non-parallel axes.Type: GrantFiled: October 28, 2005Date of Patent: November 21, 2006Assignee: Silicon Light Machines CorporationInventors: Jahja I. Trisnadi, Clinton B. Carlisle, Robert J. Lang
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Publication number: 20040165639Abstract: A laser apparatus is disclosed utilizing a laser diode having a reflective back facet and a front facet having a reflectance of less than about 1% for emitting an optical beam at a fundamental frequency along an optical path. A collimating lens is provided for collimating the optical beam into a collimated beam. A transmission grating is optically coupled to receive the collimated beam and returns a portion of the collimated beam back into the laser diode by means of diffraction through lens and the laser diode front facet. The laser diode reflective back facet and the transmission grating form an extended laser cavity. In operation, a substantial portion of the collimated beam is transmitted through the transmission grating for producing the laser output beam propagating along the optical path.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 4, 2003Publication date: August 26, 2004Applicant: JDS Uniphase Corporation, State of Incorporation: DelawareInventors: Robert J. Lang, Robert G. Waarts
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Patent number: 6758610Abstract: An optical connection module attaches an active or passive optical component to a substrate and aligns the optical component with a first laser. The optical connection module includes a fiber submount that is attached to the substrate and that includes a thermally insulating material having a thickness greater than 20 micrometers. The optical component is soldered to the fiber submount using heat from a second laser. A laser submount is attached to the substrate. The first laser is attached to the laser submount. A fiber bonding pad is located between the thermally insulating material and the optical component. The thermally insulating material and the fiber bonding pad promote lateral heat transfer and limit vertical heat transfer to the substrate during soldering. The thermally insulating material can be integrally formed in the substrate by flame hydrolysis or by anodic bonding.Type: GrantFiled: December 10, 2001Date of Patent: July 6, 2004Assignee: JDS Uniphase CorporationInventors: Mehrdad Ziari, Robert J. Lang, Tanya K. Oleskevich, Vivek Agrawal, Ashok P. Kanjamala, Donald C. Hargreaves, Harrison L. Ransom, David Dawson, Radhakrishnan L. Nagarajan
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Patent number: 6754243Abstract: A wavelength tunable laser includes a distributed feedback (DFB) array with first and second DFB laser diodes that generate first and second beams of light in first and second wavelength ranges. A microelectromechanical (MEMS) optical element selectively couples one of the first and second beams of light from the DFB laser array into an optical waveguide. The MEMS optical element includes a collimating lens and a thermal or electrostatic MEMS actuator for moving the collimating lens to select the one of the first and second beams of light. A focusing lens is located between the collimating lens and the optical waveguide. Alternately, the MEMS optical element includes a fixed collimating lens that collimates the first and second beams of light, a mirror, and a MEMS actuator for tilting the mirror to select the one of the first and second beams of light.Type: GrantFiled: August 9, 2001Date of Patent: June 22, 2004Assignee: JDS Uniphase CorporationInventors: Mark Missey, Bardia Pezeshki, Robert J. Lang
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Patent number: 6739821Abstract: A vertical conveyor device for accommodating motor vehicles of varying heights. Short and tall containers for motor vehicles alternate around a vertical carousel. When a container is placed in an accessible position, movable walkways and ramps change positions allowing patrons and vehicles easy access to the containers. The positions of the walkway and ramp vary depending on the heights of the containers and vehicles.Type: GrantFiled: July 11, 2002Date of Patent: May 25, 2004Assignee: Autospace Holdings CorporationInventors: Ladd M. Levis-Thorne, Rick E. Morgan, Robert J. Lang, Stephen B. Douglas, Daniel J. McGuire
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Publication number: 20040007441Abstract: A vertical conveyor device for accommodating motor vehicles of varying heights. Short and tall containers for motor vehicles alternate around a vertical carousel. When a container is placed in an accessible position, movable walkways and ramps change positions allowing patrons and vehicles easy access to the containers. The positions of the walkway and ramp vary depending on the heights of the containers and vehicles.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 11, 2002Publication date: January 15, 2004Applicant: Autospace Holdings CorporationInventors: Ladd M. Levis-Thorne, Rick E. Morgan, Robert J. Lang, Stephen B. Douglas, Daniel J. McGuire
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Publication number: 20030161379Abstract: The invention provides a laser package having a single-mode laser diode for emitting light; a single-mode optical fiber comprising an uncoated microlens formed on an input end of said single-mode optical fiber, the microlens optically coupled to the laser diode for receiving the light, the microlens being constructed so as to reduce a level of back reflection into the laser diode so as not to disturb an operation of the laser diode, wherein a center axis of the single-mode optical fiber is co-planar with an optical axis of the laser diode; and a grating formed in the single-mode optical fiber for providing feedback to the laser diode to stabilize the emitted light from the laser diode. The single-mode optical fiber can include a length of polarization maintaining fiber between the grating and the single-mode laser diode.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 20, 2002Publication date: August 28, 2003Applicant: JDS Uniphase CorporationInventors: Edmund L. Wolak, Nina Morozova, Jay A. Skidmore, Ning Yao Fan, Jo S. Major, Robert J. Lang, Garnet Scott Luick, Donald C. Hargreaves, Vincent V. Wong, Richard L. Duesterberg
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Patent number: 6603595Abstract: An optical amplifier with a flattened wideband response is obtained by coupling counter-propagating pumping energy into an optical waveguide to cause Raman amplification in the optical waveguide, and by reflecting an amplified signal received from the optical waveguide into an output waveguide using a reflector having a spectral characteristic that is complementary to the spectral gain characteristic of the Raman amplification.Type: GrantFiled: June 26, 2002Date of Patent: August 5, 2003Assignee: JDS Uniphase CorporationInventors: David F. Welch, Robert J. Lang, Edward C. Vail, Mehrdad Ziari
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Publication number: 20030108304Abstract: An optical connection module attaches an active or passive optical component to a substrate and aligns the optical component with a first laser. The optical connection module includes a fiber submount that is attached to the substrate and that includes a thermally insulating material having a thickness greater than 20 micrometers. The optical component is soldered to the fiber submount using heat from a second laser. A laser submount is attached to the substrate. The first laser is attached to the laser submount. A fiber bonding pad is located between the thermally insulating material and the optical component. The thermally insulating material and the fiber bonding pad promote lateral heat transfer and limit vertical heat transfer to the substrate during soldering. The thermally insulating material can be integrally formed in the substrate by flame hydrolysis or by anodic bonding.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 10, 2001Publication date: June 12, 2003Inventors: Mehrdad Ziari, Robert J. Lang, Tanya K. Oleskevich, Vivek Agrawal, Ashok P. Kanjamala
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Patent number: 6574696Abstract: An arrangement includes at least one data storage device, an automation controller, and an enhanced interface. The data storage device is connected to a computer and arranged to perform a plurality of operations in response to one or more commands received from the computer. The automation controller is configured to physically provide the data storage device with at least one data storage media. The enhanced interface operatively couples the data storage device with the automation controller, such that the data storage device can be selectively controlled by the automation controller and the automation controller can be selectively controlled by the data storage device depending on the received commands. The enhanced interface includes a standard serial interface and at least one additional line. The additional line is configured to provide a directing signal from the data storage device to the automation controller.Type: GrantFiled: March 7, 2000Date of Patent: June 3, 2003Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.Inventors: Steve Jerman, Mark J. Simms, Robert J. Lang, Ladawan Johnson, Paul F. Bartlett, Brad W. Culp
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Publication number: 20030076577Abstract: A lossless optical link in an optical transmission system comprises an optical fiber that is configured to produce Raman gain and provide for Raman distributed gain, via one or more pump sources, along the fiber so that, as an end result, the gain experienced by one or more propagating signals in the fiber link is made fairly uniform along the link or at least a portion of the optical link, such as not vary, for example, no more than five dB along the length of the optical fiber. The several embodiments disclosed provide for different optical pump/component architectures to achieve this end result.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 22, 2000Publication date: April 24, 2003Inventors: Vincent G. Dominic, David F. Welch, Robert G. Waarts, Stuart MacCormack, Mehrdad Ziari, Robert J. Lang, Donald R. Scifres
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Patent number: 6542529Abstract: A broad stripe semiconductor laser has a folded cavity that permits the laser to produce output powers into a high quality beam with low divergence. The folded cavity includes a first material region disposed within the cavity having a first refractive index and a second material region having a second refractive index less than the first refractive index, and forming a first interface with the first material region. The first interface is disposed to reflect a lowest order reflection mode light beam propagating within the first material region. The first interface is disposed at a predetermined angle so that the lowest order reflection mode intracavity light beam is incident on the first interface at an angle below the critical total internal reflection angle, and higher order reflection modes are incident on the first interface at angles in excess of the total internal reflection critical angle. The interface may be curved to control the divergence to the light emitted from the cavity.Type: GrantFiled: February 1, 2000Date of Patent: April 1, 2003Assignee: JDS Uniphase CorporationInventors: Mats Hagberg, Robert J. Lang
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Patent number: 6525872Abstract: High power semiconductor lasers for pumping fiber devices, such as fiber amplifiers and fiber lasers, include an optical gain region disposed between a rear end and the output end, the width of the optical gain region being greater at the output end than at the rear end. The optical gain region may include a single mode channel region coupled to a flared amplifier region. The light output from the laser is coupled via a lens system into a fiber for propagating to the fiber device to be pumped. Light is fedback into the laser, for example from a fiber Bragg grating, to induce the laser to operate in coherence collapse. The broad bandwidth output associated with coherence collapse permits the laser to deliver high optical powers into the fiber without the onset of stimulated Billion scattering. Fiber grating feedback improves the quality of the beam output by the laser, thus enhancing coupling efficiency into the fiber. The pump laser may be used to pump multiple fiber devices.Type: GrantFiled: August 17, 1999Date of Patent: February 25, 2003Assignee: JDS Uniphase CorporationInventors: Mehrdad Ziari, Stephen O'Brien, Mats Hagberg, Robert J. Lang, Edward Vail
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Publication number: 20020163713Abstract: An optical amplifier with a flattened wideband response is obtained by coupling counter-propagating pumping energy into an optical waveguide to cause Raman amplification in the optical waveguide, and by reflecting an amplified signal received from the optical waveguide into an output waveguide using a reflector having a spectral characteristic that is complementary to the spectral gain characteristic of the Raman amplification.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 26, 2002Publication date: November 7, 2002Inventors: David F. Welch, Robert J. Lang, Edward C. Vail, Mehrdad Ziari
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Patent number: 6477295Abstract: Apparatus for coupling light into a fiber, such as a double clad fiber (DCF) having a core having a refractive index n1, surrounded by an inner cladding having refractive index n2 which is surrounded by an outer cladding having a refractive index n3, where n1>n2>n3. An optical coupler medium, referred to as a Fiber Space Division Multiplexor or FSDM, is formed on an exposed portion of the fiber inner cladding at a position along the length of the fiber without interfering with the continuity of its core and provides at, at least one position, the imaging of light external of the fiber into the inner cladding interface and its waveguiding with the inner cladding of the fiber. The FSDM coupler comprises an optical material in optical contact or integrated with the inner cladding and having a refractive index substantially equal to n2. The coupler medium may also be employed with a fiber having no core and where the inner cladding would function as a multimode core.Type: GrantFiled: January 20, 2000Date of Patent: November 5, 2002Assignee: JDS Uniphase CorporationInventors: Robert J. Lang, Robert G. Waarts, Ian J. Booth, David M. Giltner, Steven Sanders
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Publication number: 20020127086Abstract: A vertical conveyor device to accommodate motor vehicles of varying height. Short and tall containers for motor vehicles alternate around a vertical carousel. When a container is placed in an accessible position, movable walkways and ramps change position allowing patrons and vehicles access to the containers. The position of the walkway and ramp vary depending on the height of the container.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 9, 2001Publication date: September 12, 2002Applicant: DIMENSIONAL PARKING TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATIONInventors: Ladd M. Levis-Thorne, Rick Morgan, Robert J. Lang, Stephen B. Douglas, Daniel J. McGuire